Keeping Fingernails Nice...

[imouto]

Ok, before anyone says, "You're doing kendo, you can't expect to have nice nails!", this isn't about looking pretty.

This is about playing a guitar.

I don't want stupidly long nails. I can't have that due to work but I wouldn't mind a little length in them for plucking strings.

I currently use the club's kote and I'm mindful of my nails when I do wear them. I find sometimes my nails to get damaged and need to keep them really well trimmed depending on the set I use.

I'm hoping that there are women out there who have some sort of solution to this.

Or perhaps I'm worrying over nothing because when I get my own set this shouldn't be a problem? I don't know.

If anyone has any ideas...please post away.

[jjcruiser]

A glove http://www.boguzen.com/e_p28.html?

Or you can just tape up your fingers maybe?

[mingshi]

where's your pick?

[Neil Gendzwill]

Picking and fingerstyle are two different things.

[NoNameKleenex]

I've never used them, but would fingerpicks (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fingerpick)help you out?

I keep my nails quite short, but then again I usually use a pick when I play.

[ne0r]

Hi!

Same problem here. I found that if the nails don't need to be extremely long, gloves help lots. It doesn't necessarily need to cost 10USD, I buy mine at the pharmacy or at the drugstore for less than 3€ (approx. 4USD).

[Eliza]

Ah, this is a problem for me too. I am starting guqin lessons soon and I have to grow my finger nails out in order to play. I would say use extra nail polish (the clear kind) to strengthen them and tape with surgical tape if you are still afraid they will break.

The real problem is when you are sparring, it gets rough, and your thumbnail flips back (this sometimes happens when your opponent rams into you). This happened to me a couple times eventhough I cut my finger nails super short! I guess what doesn't kill you only makes you stronger. Goodluck Gal. :)

[nebosuke]

3€ (approx. 4USD).

Closer to $5 these days... :(

[Lady_Kitsune]

Why do you need your nails to play? I use my fingers I also play the guitar but I can not have long nails (weak nails so they break soon)

[Maku-san]

Could never figure out why the women-folk needed their nails to resemble freakin' BIG CAT CLAWS!!! :jaguar::eek:

A set of nicely trimmed and painted nails is both functional and beautiful to behold. :wink:

[NoNameKleenex]

Why do you need your nails to play? I use my fingers I also play the guitar but I can not have long nails (weak nails so they break soon)

On acoustics, I find that using the fingernail rather than the fingertip brings a clear note, whereas sometimes the note seems "muddy" when it's plucked with the finger tip alone.

It's kind of like strumming with a pick rather than with your thumb. It just makes the notes take on a bit more definition - well, to my ear it does. Others may have different takes on that.

[Neil Gendzwill]

Some guitarists prefer to play with the nails. It certainly makes for a much stronger sound then using the pads of your fingers. Some of them even use huge artificial nails, especially steel-string acoustic types.

[Yulya]

Although I usually use a pick (I play electric mostly, nails don't last on steel strings XD), I do keep my nails a little long, just for aesthetic purposes. They don't get damaged from kote because I usually have a thick layer (or more like 3-4 layers) of either a nail support clear coat thingy or nail color. Just put a lot of something on it to make it thicker, it will probably look nice and shiny too.

[imouto]

A glove http://www.boguzen.com/e_p28.html?

Or you can just tape up your fingers maybe?
How does one tape up fingers? I'm a beginner at kendo. I've seen people tape up toes and feet but not fingers yet.


I've never used them, but would fingerpicks (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fingerpick)help you out?

I keep my nails quite short, but then again I usually use a pick when I play.
I've not tried fingerpicks but if I can't solve the nails thing I will look into this. Thanks!


Hi!

Same problem here. I found that if the nails don't need to be extremely long, gloves help lots. It doesn't necessarily need to cost 10USD, I buy mine at the pharmacy or at the drugstore for less than 3€ (approx. 4USD).
Are you meaning regular cotton gloves? Does this affect tenouch, (I'm not sure about spelling...sorry!!!), at all?


Could never figure out why the women-folk needed their nails to resemble freakin' BIG CAT CLAWS!!! :jaguar::eek:

A set of nicely trimmed and painted nails is both functional and beautiful to behold. :wink:
I can't either. Perhaps you could start a movement about this. It could revolutionise things. :p



Ah, this is a problem for me too. I am starting guqin lessons soon and I have to grow my finger nails out in order to play. I would say use extra nail polish (the clear kind) to strengthen them and tape with surgical tape if you are still afraid they will break.

The real problem is when you are sparring, it gets rough, and your thumbnail flips back (this sometimes happens when your opponent rams into you). This happened to me a couple times eventhough I cut my finger nails super short! I guess what doesn't kill you only makes you stronger. Goodluck Gal. :)
It didn't even occur to me to use nail polish to strengthen my nails. I did have some on my nails this week as I was remiss about taking it off before training.

I haven't started sparring yet. I don't think I'm anywhere close to ready. I am very grateful for still being able to focus solely on technique.

[MAZ77]

Being a classical guitarist, i play with the nails. Each guitarist has their own likes and dislikes about finger nail length, but the rule of thumb is that the minimum length is to be at the level of your fingertip. Remember, the fignertip will recede a tad when you pluck, thus the nail will become a factor. Beacuse I do kendo, I leave them at the finger tip length and find no issues.

If you are thinking of playing Flamenco, the only issue you can encounter is that typically the nails are longer, and the pinky nail will be longer than the others.

Lastly, if you find your fingernail is not producing enough sound, check the angle you filed the nail.

[Paburo]

i play guitar too but i usually use a pick, or just the tip of the fingers when doing arpeggios and other multistringed action :D

i like to keep the nails very short because it gets on my nerves when youre trying to push a chord and it sounds crappy because the lenght of your nails (on your left hand) are preventing you from pressing the strings correctly and all the way down lol.

now having nails short on one hand and long on the other is kinda creepy too...

also, i've been told long nails dig into the kote's skin slowly and it will make the kote palm skin wear a lot faster....

so my advise is..... switch to harmonica! :D lol jk :D :D actually i think Eliza's advise just nailed it (pun intended :P) from a girly point of view (i.e. nail polish and other feminine stuffs).

[jjcruiser]

How does one tape up fingers? I'm a beginner at kendo. I've seen people tape up toes and feet but not fingers yet.


Wrap a piece of athletic tape around each of your fingers that have the nails problem before Kendo. After Kendo, soak them in warm water (or just when you take a shower) and pull the tape off. Sounds like a hassle to me. If I was in your shoes, I'd just wear a glove, but I keep my nails very short in order that I don't bite them, so obviously not the same problem.

[ne0r]

"Are you meaning regular cotton gloves? Does this affect tenouch, (I'm not sure about spelling...sorry!!!), at all?"
Yep, regular cotton gloves. If your nails aren't superlong (at the fingertip or slightly longer) this should help you a) keep your nails b) wear your kote not as fast c) with the smell :)
My sensei usually wear white cotton gloves under their kote for the sweat. I do it, too, and I find the grip is nicer. I don't think your tenouchi will be affected, it's maybe just a slightly different feeling. But! Your kote's hand part (inner) could grow a little (but that's not really a problem).

Good luck! Once you get into bogu it gets even better.

[michaelm]

Being a classical guitarist, i play with the nails. ...Beacuse I do kendo, I leave them at the finger tip length and find no issues.

Same for me. I keep them pretty short for kendo, but with classical technique, if the nails are not at least a tiny bit longer than the finger I end up missing strings or losing the brightness of the melody, especially with tremolo technique.

[plumsauce]

Have you considered, perhaps changing your diet to strengthen your nails? I have long nails and never had a problem w/ kendo and nail breakage. They're not crazy long, but I like some length to mine and I've been told that I have pretty strong nails. I was thinking maybe you can take a supplement to strengthen them and then you can grow them to the length that you want for guiar.

[Inner_Silence]

Why do you need your nails to play?

yeah! guitar is supposed to be played with picks and a whole lot of distortion!


....

anyway Ive heard that long nails might tear apart the kote leather in the palm with time

[Henry Jones Jnr]

Take up drumming!!!

[Naginatagirl]

My kote JUST fit my hands, if I keep my nails trimmed. When I want them longer my kote don't fit as well for my index and middle finger and my nail-polish will chip on those fingers (and my knuckles get bruised....sigh). So if you're using club stuff now, when you buy your own kote, you might want to keep in mind that you don't want a pair that just fits when your nails are trimmed. You can try on a few different pairs/kinds in your size (like at a vendor at a tournament or something), come with your nails the length you need for guitar, and buy the pair that provides enough room to compensate for them.

My kote form holes after enough practices in the same place as everyone's, but it's true that the holes usual form faster in those places my nails contact the leather (i.e. pinky tip).

And yeah, I found proper diet helps too actually. More than I thought it would lol