Rombsix's nails!

Costs are rising and times are tough.
Please consider a donation to keep this
place going.

Welcome to one of the most active flamenco sites on the Internet. Guests can read most posts but if you want to participate click here to register.

This site is dedicated to the memory of Paco de Lucía, Ron Mitchell, Guy Williams, Linda Elvira, Philip John Lee, Craig Eros, Ben Woods, David Serva and Tom Blackshear who went ahead of us.

We receive 12,200 visitors a month from 200 countries and 1.7 million page impressions a year. To advertise on this site please contact us.

Rombsix's nails!

You are logged in as Guest

Users viewing this topic: none

Printable Version

All Forums >>Discussions >>General >>

Page: [1]

Message

<< Newer Topic Older Topic >>

rombsix

Posts: 7808
Joined: Jan. 11 2006
From: Beirut, Lebanon

Rombsix's nails!

Please have a look, and let me know what you think.

_____________________________

Ramzi

http://www.youtube.com/rombsix

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 26 2010 15:40:42

Andy Culpepper

Posts: 3023
Joined: Mar. 30 2009
From: NY, USA

RE: Rombsix's nails! (in reply to rombsix)

Ramzi...
Please tell me you don't have hair on your fingertips bro. I've heard there are certain hand exercises that can lead to that if overused

That must be how you get your silky tone

Personally I shape my thumbnail about 6-7 mm longer on the right side, angled down to almost nil on the playing edge. The rest of your nails look pretty similar to mine.

_____________________________

Andy Culpepper, luthier
http://www.andyculpepper.com

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 26 2010 16:04:24

rombsix

Posts: 7808
Joined: Jan. 11 2006
From: Beirut, Lebanon

RE: Rombsix's nails! (in reply to Andy Culpepper)

Andy: I knew you were going to pull my leg on that. It's just fuzz from the crappy quality PJs I'm wearing. I guess I got such a close-up that things that were NOT supposed to show, did.

Hand exercises, eh? Care to demonstrate with a video?

_____________________________

Ramzi

http://www.youtube.com/rombsix

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 26 2010 16:08:16

Andy Culpepper

Posts: 3023
Joined: Mar. 30 2009
From: NY, USA

RE: Rombsix's nails! (in reply to rombsix)

quote:

Hand exercises, eh? Care to demonstrate with a video?

guitarristamadrid probably beat me to it by now.

Btw what camera are you using there? It looks like super high quality for YouTube

_____________________________

Andy Culpepper, luthier
http://www.andyculpepper.com

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 26 2010 16:14:28

rombsix

Posts: 7808
Joined: Jan. 11 2006
From: Beirut, Lebanon

RE: Rombsix's nails! (in reply to Andy Culpepper)

quote:

what camera are you using there

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Logitech+-+WebCam+Pro9000/8380593.p?id=1179165373906&skuId=8380593&st=logitech%20webcam&cp=1&lp=1

_____________________________

Ramzi

http://www.youtube.com/rombsix

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 26 2010 16:18:08

Ricardo

Posts: 14801
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC

RE: Rombsix's nails! (in reply to rombsix)

Yeah, as I was thinking they are rounded or "contoured", and short, so you are getting a thinner sound then you would if you let the edges grow out and file flat across from underneath, so at that angle of filing you would see a straight line edge. Basically you need to see more white material on the edges to achieve this. You can ramp at an angle if you need to, dependings on your angle of attack. When you do this you will have much less resitance in your playing. It won't make you faster necessarily, but you will have a crisper, fatter tone when doing both picado and arps tremolo etc.

I mainly refer here to your index, middle and ring fingers.

http://www.foroflamenco.com/tm.asp?m=74717&appid=&p=&mpage=1&key=nail%2Cshape&tmode=&smode=&s=#74853

ricardo

_____________________________

CD's and transcriptions available here:
www.ricardomarlow.com

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 26 2010 17:38:21

rombsix

Posts: 7808
Joined: Jan. 11 2006
From: Beirut, Lebanon

RE: Rombsix's nails! (in reply to Ricardo)

As always, Ricardo, you are VERY helpful.

Frankly, I DID try to do what you said (and elaborated on in the thread whose link you posted), but I found nail shaping became more time-consuming, and a hassle. Plus, I found that my nails were catching onto the strings. I changed back to my current rounded shape, but I'm guessing I was a bit impatient and didn't work on the ramping issue long enough to get it to work properly.

I'll give it another shot and see how that goes. You definitely have more experience than I do on the matter...

PS: Do you file your nails DAILY, sort of fine-tuning them as you go along? Do you find they differ or need minor adjustments day-in, day-out?

I just file them once a week ( basically on Sundays

).

_____________________________

Ramzi

http://www.youtube.com/rombsix

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 26 2010 18:40:25

Ricardo

Posts: 14801
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC

RE: Rombsix's nails! (in reply to rombsix)

quote:

PS: Do you file your nails DAILY, sort of fine-tuning them as you go along? Do you find they differ or need minor adjustments day-in, day-out?

Yes. In fact if I play a lot I may need to file more then once a day. It really makes a difference though. Like you, I used to only file once a week or so when I had round nail shape. I could hear it in your picado that you had the same shape I used to have, and I think it was what JG was hearing too. After I filed flat I notice almost immediate changes of tone and feel. Takes about 2 weeks to get it right in terms of length. The only draw backs are that you have to keep on top of your filing everyday, and you have to be careful of your hand position more then before. But the benefits for me out weigh those minor difficulties.

Ricardo

_____________________________

CD's and transcriptions available here:
www.ricardomarlow.com

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 26 2010 19:05:04

rombsix

Posts: 7808
Joined: Jan. 11 2006
From: Beirut, Lebanon

RE: Rombsix's nails! (in reply to Ricardo)

Gracias for all the precious support. Ole!

_____________________________

Ramzi

http://www.youtube.com/rombsix

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 26 2010 19:40:45

chapman_g

Posts: 227
Joined: Apr. 11 2007

RE: Rombsix's nails! (in reply to rombsix)

quote:
what camera are you using there
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Logitech+-+WebCam+Pro9000/8380593.p?id=1179165373906&skuId=8380593&st=logitech%20webcam&cp=1&lp=1

How is the sound quality when using that camera or do you record audio for yor videos another way?

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 27 2010 4:29:47

rombsix

Posts: 7808
Joined: Jan. 11 2006
From: Beirut, Lebanon

RE: Rombsix's nails! (in reply to chapman_g)

Chapman: Here are four videos where I used that camera to record the audio. Let me know what you think...

_____________________________

Ramzi

http://www.youtube.com/rombsix

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 27 2010 18:38:43

chapman_g

Posts: 227
Joined: Apr. 11 2007

RE: Rombsix's nails! (in reply to rombsix)

The playing is very nice and I was surprised that the rasgueados and alzapua come through fine without distortion. So the sound quality is definitely more than adequate for my needs, it is quite good, and the video is excellent, so I will be getting one. Thanks for the clips.

Michael

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 27 2010 20:17:04

rombsix

Posts: 7808
Joined: Jan. 11 2006
From: Beirut, Lebanon

RE: Rombsix's nails! (in reply to chapman_g)

No problem!

_____________________________

Ramzi

http://www.youtube.com/rombsix

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 27 2010 20:25:48

ToddK

Posts: 2961
Joined: Dec. 6 2004

RE: Rombsix's nails! (in reply to chapman_g)

quote:

The playing is very nice and I was surprised that the rasgueados and alzapua come through fine without distortion. So the sound quality is definitely more than adequate for my needs, it is quite good, and the video is excellent, so I will be getting one. Thanks for the clips.

I dont mean to be a downer, but the majority of people who have this camera
have distortion/clipping issues with the built in mic, including myself.

Romb is the first person ive seen that is getting clear sound out of the Logitech 9000.

So beware.
TK

_____________________________

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 27 2010 21:05:28

por medio

Posts: 289
Joined: Nov. 15 2009

RE: Rombsix's nails! (in reply to rombsix)

I second what Ricardo's saying in terms of shape and care.

"Straight" nail does allow me to play faster with better control and variations on the tone. But in my personal experience, I found it difficult to file them straight when I used to have shorter nails - like yours. They would catch and be weak around the edges.

Now I have them a bit longer - about 1.5mm from the tips of the fingers - I find that straight edges work well.

I do file them EVERYDAY. I just carry little bits of sandpaper and sometimes Micromesh - they're gift from Nail God - and just rub on nails when I'm bored, at office, when I'm having dinner with my wife, sitting on a dunny etc.

Once a week is not enough!!!

By the way great playing - your alzapua is good stuff! Now I must practice it too...

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 27 2010 21:10:31

rombsix

Posts: 7808
Joined: Jan. 11 2006
From: Beirut, Lebanon

RE: Rombsix's nails! (in reply to por medio)

Thank you for the clarification, Todd.

Por medio: Thanks for the comments! I plan to give Ricardo's advice another shot as soon as my nails grow back out a bit.

_____________________________

Ramzi

http://www.youtube.com/rombsix

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 27 2010 22:00:38

GuitarVlog

Posts: 441
Joined: Mar. 19 2009
From: San Francisco Bay Area

RE: Rombsix's nails! (in reply to rombsix)

Ramzi, what guitar are you playing in those four videos?

_____________________________

Upgraded Yamaha CG171SF
The Guitar Student Journal

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 28 2010 19:59:20

rombsix

Posts: 7808
Joined: Jan. 11 2006
From: Beirut, Lebanon

RE: Rombsix's nails! (in reply to GuitarVlog)

The guitar I'm playing in the four videos is a Hohner HC-06.

_____________________________

Ramzi

http://www.youtube.com/rombsix

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 28 2010 20:16:49

yohan

Posts: 306
Joined: Feb. 5 2007

RE: Rombsix's nails! (in reply to rombsix)

aren't the filled a little bit too round? I though the idea was to make a sort of ramp shape(according to pumping nylon)

_____________________________

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 1 2010 12:47:42