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Hi, my nails are a bit curved because of the angle of attack, I wanna ask if you share the same nail shapes. I’ve tried others but get stuck in in the string. I’ve uploaded a pic just to be sure I’m Not doing something wrong.
Nail shape and length are very individual imo, depending on your hand anatomy, technique details, whether you hit the strings more or less parallel to them or angled, etc. You just have to find out what works best for you and refine the details over time until you are happy. I have seen all sorts of shapes and lengths work for different pro players. I don't believe in copying other people's nails. Some let the sides (left and right) grow more and have a more straight nail which probably requires more precise movements. Some file them individually with different angles, etc. There is no right or wrong as long as you are not stuck all the time. My nails are much shorter than yours, almost similar shape but sides a tiny bit longer and thumb nail a bit longer than the rest
You have a ramp going up very high. As arash mentioned let the sides grow. But not too much. Both sides must be low and round. Flat and straight nail shape for all 3 fingers solved my problem. In 2D it looks like there's almost no ramp. But in 3D there's a ramp for all finger nails. I attack strings at a 70-80 degree angle. Even if it's 90, my nails don't get caught. So it seems to be working as well. After finding your optimal nail shape, try different nail lenghts. To me the shorter the better. Thumb nail is another matter and needs to be examined differently.
Hi, my nails are a bit curved because of the angle of attack, I wanna ask if you share the same nail shapes. I’ve tried others but get stuck in in the string. I’ve uploaded a pic just to be sure I’m Not doing something wrong.
No man, this is not going to work. File flat side to side ONLY, the center part will have less white than the sides after they grow out (you are filing the sides down in a curve or "contoured" as they say). Here is a video and discussion:
This is where the “ramp” idea comes in. You need to keep the long thumb side edge, but due to the attack angle of the ring finger, ramp downward toward the pinky and then take off any left over edge pinky side. I do the opposite on the index due to changing angle for pulgar.
Just to add about applying glue. If the glue is not old and kept sealed in a ziplock bag or equivalent, then you should not be wearing it off faster than a week or so. You should need only apply once a WEEK. If it wears in a day, it is expired and the bottle should be discarded.
Thank you all for the replies. I’m taking all your advice. I tried to salvage the ramp I have going on, Ricardo thank you I followed your video and also by seeing the pic, I flattened more side to side… now the sides just had to grow to have an even flatness. It already feels much better.
Thank you all for the replies. I’m taking all your advice. I tried to salvage the ramp I have going on, Ricardo thank you I followed your video and also by seeing the pic, I flattened more side to side… now the sides just had to grow to have an even flatness. It already feels much better.
Thanks for the pic. The red outlining lines (which actually do not match the contour of your nail) - what do they mean? Another possibility to shape? I think the nail shape must very much depend on the angle of the attack. Do I understand correctly that you essentially pluck totally perpendicular to the string? I know for example, that Grisha rotates his wrist slightly towards the rosette. I think in the latter case the shape you have would not work.
quote:
ORIGINAL: Ricardo
No man, this is not going to work. File flat side to side ONLY, the center part will have less white than the sides after they grow out (you are filing the sides down in a curve or "contoured" as they say). Here is a video and discussion:
This is where the “ramp” idea comes in. You need to keep the long thumb side edge, but due to the attack angle of the ring finger, ramp downward toward the pinky and then take off any left over edge pinky side. I do the opposite on the index due to changing angle for pulgar.
My middle fingernail has an annoying lengthwise curve and I defeat it by keeping my nails as short as possible while still being able to play. This has the added benefit of forcing me to keep my picado technique looking more like that used by Paco de Lucia and Tomatito, i.e., fingers approximately perpendicular to the strings.
Thanks for the pic. The red outlining lines (which actually do not match the contour of your nail) - what do they mean? Another possibility to shape? I think the nail shape must very much depend on the angle of the attack. Do I understand correctly that you essentially pluck totally perpendicular to the string? I know for example, that Grisha rotates his wrist slightly towards the rosette. I think in the latter case the shape you have would not work.
It is in the longer thread, so quite nuanced. Basically we are looking at 2D pics of a 3D phenomenon. They are the conceptual geometry I wanted the guy to try which was a bit different than what he was doing in the pic. He had filed flat, but his nails were not quite optimal for how you want to plant the nail on the string. When you make a fist, or when I do, the middle comes straight down, the index curls inward and the ring as well but opposite to the index. The idea I realized after some experiments long ago, is that there needs to be a straight edge that slices through he 3D nail shape. This prevents resistance and allows the nail to "glide" through the string. But the contact points are essential to understand. Basically when you plant the finger the string needs to touch the nail at two points and as you pluck, those two points slide across the nail until they meet somewhere and exit. You don't want them traveling along a round arc, but rather a straight line.
So the idea with the red lines is the string will seat on the line just above those corners in two spots. Some folks with very flat nails out of the nailbed can't get that to happen because the string sits far behind those corners. I suggested the glue to slightly curve the whole nail in the nail bed (this works for most of us), creating a better geometry in 3d and the length might be shortened a bit so the string won't get behind those edges. It is a tricky subject until you experiment with just filing side to side rather than in a curve around the nail, mimicking the half moon of the nail bed.
Ok thanks Ricardo. That thread is huge though, will try to go over it. I went ahead and glued some plastic nails to try this shape. What can I say, I get some clinging sound from those sides, also they catch on the string for me. I rounded the shapes a bit but still have a feeling the fingers catch once in a while. In all reality its been my biggest issue lately - no matter what shape I cant get through the string occasionally. Nail gets caught :( I mostly mean picados of course, other techniques seem to work fine for me.
quote:
ORIGINAL: Ricardo
quote:
Thanks for the pic. The red outlining lines (which actually do not match the contour of your nail) - what do they mean? Another possibility to shape? I think the nail shape must very much depend on the angle of the attack. Do I understand correctly that you essentially pluck totally perpendicular to the string? I know for example, that Grisha rotates his wrist slightly towards the rosette. I think in the latter case the shape you have would not work.
It is in the longer thread, so quite nuanced. Basically we are looking at 2D pics of a 3D phenomenon. They are the conceptual geometry I wanted the guy to try which was a bit different than what he was doing in the pic. He had filed flat, but his nails were not quite optimal for how you want to plant the nail on the string. When you make a fist, or when I do, the middle comes straight down, the index curls inward and the ring as well but opposite to the index. The idea I realized after some experiments long ago, is that there needs to be a straight edge that slices through he 3D nail shape. This prevents resistance and allows the nail to "glide" through the string. But the contact points are essential to understand. Basically when you plant the finger the string needs to touch the nail at two points and as you pluck, those two points slide across the nail until they meet somewhere and exit. You don't want them traveling along a round arc, but rather a straight line.
So the idea with the red lines is the string will seat on the line just above those corners in two spots. Some folks with very flat nails out of the nailbed can't get that to happen because the string sits far behind those corners. I suggested the glue to slightly curve the whole nail in the nail bed (this works for most of us), creating a better geometry in 3d and the length might be shortened a bit so the string won't get behind those edges. It is a tricky subject until you experiment with just filing side to side rather than in a curve around the nail, mimicking the half moon of the nail bed.
These are Paco de Lucia's nails btw One can clearly see he didn't do the straight thing. There is a clear curve and sides left and right slightly white and definately not whiter than the middle part. Index slightly angled away from Thumb. Middle finger is more or less not angled (this one is a bit dirty, maybe he was rolling a joint or something , but one can see). Ring finger maybe very slightly angled. And they are short as hell. I think thats how he did it and rolled with all the time, cause if not why is left hand completely and freshly cut to the flesh. Not 100% sure, but just logic based
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One can clearly see he didn't do the straight thing.
So this is now turning into the middle joint picado thing. I can clearly see he is doing it straight, and that your nails are NOT (they are so short I assume because you get hung up due to the shape making resistance so making em shorter and shorter is the only way...same old complaint). But the angles you are seeing from above pics of Paco's hand, are not the optimal ones. I guess you won't understand until you figure it out for yourself.
grabbed this from the other thread you can see Paco's nails at the correct angle...files flat. Don't confirm your own bias because you want it to be the case Paco does not do it so you should also be fine not doing it.
quote:
ORIGINAL: Kuruhead
It doesn't matter what the shape of your nails is. If you follow the shape of your finger it will naturally have a slight ramp accordingly. If you make it flat it doesn't matter if its hooked of flared. All these players mentioned play straight down, not at a classical angle.
On my the first picture the nail is a bit too long- I'm just showing the shape.
once you figure it out for yourself you can start noticing by the sound produced which type of shape people are using. Like some of the caño roto guys I remember hearing clearly are not filing flat and they muscle through the string/bad shape and get a harsh attack. I dealt with that myself some years before I figured it out from Pumping Nylon.
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Those are Paco's hands? But here the camera angle is such that it is really impossible to tell how he files. I actually like the one which Arash posted, it seems on that one Paco files so that the nail roughly follows the overall contour of the finger. In fact that looks how I usually file :)) I agree though that there is no point in referring to how somebody else does it, if that works for them does not mean it works for somebody else. Thats great that there is this ongoing discussion, maybe I will find the shape that works for me eventually!
quote:
ORIGINAL: Ricardo
grabbed this from the other thread you can see Paco's nails at the correct angle...files flat. Don't confirm your own bias because you want it to be the case Paco does not do it so you should also be fine not doing it.
it seems on that one Paco files so that the nail roughly follows the overall contour of the finger.
From that angle everybody has nails like that. The kuruhead guy found the right pics, you can see the straight lines on Paco's nails when he grabs his own face. When I see those other pics I have to twist his hand in 3d in my mind to "see" the straight line in my mind, but in any case the sound reveals the shape.
Dude I don't have a bias, we're talking about freaking nails here not politics. It just never really worked for me listening to others how they shape their nails, or maybe I did some small detail wrong and didn't pay that much attention, and that's why, not sure. I will be happy to change if it really works and improves everything, cause I was never really 100% happy with my nails, just "OK" with them, that I will admit. I will go and revisit those old threads and maybe I missed something small but important.
When it comes to these pics, I have difficulty seeing anything straight. Both in mine and yours. I see all sorts of shapes , but straight or flat. But whatever, maybe my eyes are misaligned. But yeah in your pics, the shape is different, nails are longer, much more white on the sides. but still I see a curve
When it comes to these pics, I have difficulty seeing anything straight.
I get it. The thing is this is a long standing challenge to get people to understand and then this Paco pics come out "see it proves paco does not do as you say" and it is very frustrating. Here is good one I found.
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There is literally only one precise angle at which the perfect straight line can be observed in 2d pics, and that is at the precise angle along a flat nail file to the surface of the nail. It is usually around 45 degrees or so, but unless the person is posing for that pic at that precise angle, you have to infer the geometry from the white parts. That is why I move my fingers in the video I posted so you can see it pass through that angle and that from other angles you might not see it clearly.
Printable Version
, but one can see). Ring finger maybe very slightly angled. And they are short as hell. 
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