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Hello everyone, I'm new to this forum. The topic is very interesting for me. I have been playing guitar for over 10 years, I really like flamenco music and I decided to try it. At first everything was easy for me, but at a certain point my picado got stuck at 140-150 beats with 16ths, and at the moment I’m playing even slower. One thing I remember for sure, my picado was never stable, I could play a passage at 140, but I could falter at 120 bpm, or vice versa. Because often the tip of the meat of my index finger would get caught and ruin everything My teacher taught me that the finger should touch the string at the place where the meat is attached to the nail. I saw exactly the same advice from Grisha Goryachev on the channel. So the question is, does the length of the nail bed affect the quality of the picado and the ease of play? On my middle finger this is all right and does not cause any problems. You can see in the pictures. With my index finger it is much more difficult for me to clearly hit the place where the meat comes into contact with the nail; for this I need to move the string deeply. And on the middle finger the string is literally on the surface.
I would like to hear the opinion of musicians who play at a high level, whether this is really a problem, or maybe you have the same nails.
Posts: 15855
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC
RE: A very important aspect about nails (in reply to Ar1aN)
Everything you describe and show us is the standard problem we all have dealt with. Not just picado but other techniques are affected by the solution to this as well, but everyone is always concerned about picado first and foremost. Here are the standard solutions:
Nail shape + glue. You need to file flat, not contoured as you are doing now. That means you have to grow out the sides of the nails such that the white part is equal to or greater than what you have in the middle of the nail. Likely you will want a ramp angle depending on the wrist angle you use. For example I ramp positive incline toward the pinky in the index, the middle is straight across, no ramp, and the ring ramps down opposite of the index. Everyone is scared to grow the edges of the nail long due to getting caught under the string, but that is what the ramp is for, to give a flat edge to rest on the string when you plant your finger. The length of the nail is based on the angle you file at and can be personal, but the flat direction of filing is not negotiable. The glue will force a slight arc to the entire nail and aid in the shape you want. There will be a single 3d angle to view your nails such that you can actually see the perfect flat edge. Here is a video on how to file this way only side to side (remember my nails used to look just like yours before I started doing this):
Once you get this shape you will notice that you have lost all the resistance the old contoured nail shape gave you. Sort of like sliding on the ice, you have to now be careful how you walk. Most noticeable with arpegio at first, but with picado you also notice a crisper tone and smooth release of the string. But with out the resistance you used to rely on for stable planting, you find you need to be a bit more accurate with the planting. How to develop this? Staccato. That means after the finger plays and releases the string, you STOP it ringing with the next finger to play. This creates an instinct for early preparation and perfect planting of the finger and nail in the sweet spot you were looking for. It takes a bit of practice to get it solid. Even pros in spain when going fast realize they might not hit the sweet spot 100% of the time, so there is one cheat they use. Petroleum grease they keep on the guitar side near the neck joint, they dip fingers in there and when you play you feel like a slip and slide right into the sweet spot thanks your flat filed nail shape. I tried and it really works, but gets the bass strings cruddy very fast.
As paco admitted, this trick becomes a psychological crutch. When he ran out of it he played fine. Some classical players use natural body oil excretions from side of nose or forehead, probably flamenco players too. But again, when you realize it is psychological, like “cold hands”, then you don’t need it. The staccato practice really does the job.
RE: A very important aspect about nails (in reply to Ricardo)
Firstly, I want to share a solution I found in a video. It says that if you grow the nail longer than I currently have on my index finger, the hyponychium (the flesh underneath that adheres to the nail) will extend further (this is a natural protective process of the body) and then I will be able to grow my nail so that it extends beyond the fingertip.
I wanted to understand the essence of your filing technique: will the nail shape be square and extend beyond the fingertip? Do I need to grow my nail longer? I have been practicing staccato for a long time and positioning my fingers where the hyponychium (flesh) attaches to the nail. Because I don’t hit the sweet spot 100% of the time, I have developed a callus on the fingertip of my index finger, which interferes with fast passages. This shouldn't be there, right? I didn’t quite understand where I should position my index finger once I grow my nails and shape them. Sorry, but I didn’t understand it clearly due to my English. I naturally have weak nails; they bend. However, they never break or split, which I think is good. Can I apply glue to them, and will it damage them? Are there any ways to strengthen nails and make them thicker? When growing, the nail on my index finger curves downward, creating a hook where the string gets caught. This is why I switched to such nails a long time ago, but they are also far from ideal.
Posts: 15855
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC
RE: A very important aspect about nails (in reply to Ar1aN)
quote:
will extend further (this is a natural protective process of the body)
Although it is obvious the body responds by toughening up the skin where it gets abrasions (callouses, scaring etc.), I am dubious about the science behind what you are claiming. I have had nails at various lengths and never noticed this “extension” of the connective skin under the nail. Either way growing nails is not going to help you plant more accurately with fast playing.
quote:
I wanted to understand the essence of your filing technique: will the nail shape be square and extend beyond the fingertip? Do I need to grow my nail longer?
On the sides, let them grow out. Follow this thread (my responses mainly so I don’t have to repeat it all here) closely to get a lot of details you might not be clear on. Please take the time to go through the entire thread and associated links as likely a question you might have will be addressed somewhere there, even language issues are dealt with to some degree as this topic can be very confusing:
I have developed a callus on the fingertip of my index finger, which interferes with fast passages. This shouldn't be there, right?
This is the one thing not addressed in the above linked discussion. You will develop tougher skin in the planting zone on the finger tips, both thumb and fingers. It shouldn’t be as extreme as left hand callouses from fretting, but similar idea. I had them tougher when I was practicing regularly. Now I manly play gigs so they are much softer there, however, if I do multiple gigs a day, I do feel soreness the next day. That is because I don’t practice the techniques daily as I used to. Again, the petroleum grease I mentioned first post here softens the callouses under the nail to aid in the slip and slide into the perfect planted position. I no longer utilize either, but as I said I will suffer from overplaying with tender fingertips. But I no longer have the issues of like a rough callous catching the string. This will continue to be a problem until you really get the planting accuracy from staccato. I would need to see how you are executing the staccato to be sure you are gaining benefits. Too many times I have students that think they are doing a good staccato and they are not putting a full rest in their playing. If you slow down perhaps a good staccato would be playing a 16th note only, with a 16th rest immediately after, followed by an 8th rest. In otherwords, EXTREMELY early preparation of the next note to be played with a good secure plant. As you get faster and faster that level of accuracy gets more difficult until you are doing the tempo you need with no rests between the notes, but yet you still are getting the plant secured, and relaxation which allows you to build the stamina for long lines.
RE: A very important aspect about nails (in reply to Ricardo)
For some reason, I don't have calluses on my other fingers, only on my index finger. The tips of my other fingers seem to slide towards the nail, producing a sound without hurting the flesh. The tip of my index finger hurts when I practice a lot.
1) I recorded a video and would like to clarify one point. Should I land under the nail or with the tip of my finger (flesh first, then sliding onto the nail)?
2) I recorded my practice of staccato, as well as fast and short passages. If necessary, I can record another video. Am I practicing correctly?
3) When I practice, my right hand gets tired and tense. I can only relax it when I play at a well-practiced tempo. I can't play with both attack and relaxation. Is this normal?
Posts: 15855
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC
RE: A very important aspect about nails (in reply to Ar1aN)
Looks like you are doing well with it. I honestly feel if you change the shape you will notice a difference right away. (Just like Stu and some others you will read about). Good luck!
Posts: 15855
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC
RE: A very important aspect about nails (in reply to Ar1aN)
No. Glue comes off over time, the others are more permanent. People turn to those acrylics etc., when they have to do extra hard rasgueados for most of their career. I suspect that also those same people tried glue, but when the glue goes old like spoiled food, it does not function and people blame the glue rather than storage of it, and scrape off the bad glue, and declare that the nails have thinned out because of said spoiled glue, and go to the salon ever after. I found that the glue works if you store it in a zip lock bag after opening and discard it when it goes bad.
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