nails... just got into Classical Guitar, but I'm a BASS PLAYER!

[EmmSee]

So I guess I'll just have to advance in classical guitar as a nail-less wonder?

As a bass player, I don't want nails of a classical guitarist.

So basically I've answered my own question on having nails or not having them.

Are there other bass players here that are into classical guitar playing, too?

[Vorago]

Why not use some kind of fingerpicks?

[EmmSee]

Originally Posted by Vorago

Why not use some kind of fingerpicks?

I'm not doing finger-pickin' style. I haven't seen devices that you can take on and off quickly for classical style.
People use fake nails, ping-pong balls, other things... but those are all designed for more than 1 use, since they're a pain to get on.

[Richard Lindsey]

Originally Posted by EmmSee

So I guess I'll just have to advance in classical guitar as a nail-less wonder?

As a bass player, I don't want nails of a classical guitarist.

So basically I've answered my own question on having nails or not having them.

Are there other bass players here that are into classical guitar playing, too?

Yes. I just made the decision to keep the nails. It's easier for me to play bass with nails than to play classical guitar without them.

[need4mospd]

I started learning guitar/classical guitar before I got into bass, and I have never used a pick or had long nails. I can't stand long nails. It doesn't sound the same as Segovia, but it's mostly for my own personal enjoyment anyways.

[Trestles]

Hi EmmSee,

I was a serious student of the classical guitar for several years before I took up the bass. After taking up bass I cut my nails, which was great. Long nails was the thing I disliked most about classical guitar. The downside is that it's impossible to get the proper tone from nylon strings without using nails.

One option is to look into using gut strings instead of nylon strings. One of my friends used gut strings without nails. It has a different sound, but I like it. Very old school. It's like the P bass of the classical guitar world. Gut strings are a PITA, but I'd give it a shot.

Trestles

[lemur821]

In my opinion, the need for long nails is nothing more than a huge myth. They really don't need to be that long to catch the strings. My nails are about 1/32th of an inch long (measuring the extent of the white part at the tip of my finger) and don't even extend past the tips of my fingers, and they work just fine. I use them for finger picking all the time. They're short enough that they don't even brush my bass strings when they play.

Really, this is not the dilemma that everyone makes it out to be. I'm unclear on why a person would even want long nails to play the guitar, since they make finger preparation more difficult and break easily. My approach is to make them as short as I can while leaving them usable.

[Christopher]

Originally Posted by lemur821

In my opinion, the need for long nails is nothing more than a huge myth. They really don't need to be that long to catch the strings. My nails are about 1/32th of an inch long (measuring the extent of the white part at the tip of my finger) and don't even extend past the tips of my fingers, and they work just fine. I use them for finger picking all the time. They're short enough that they don't even brush my bass strings when they play.

Really, this is not the dilemma that everyone makes it out to be. I'm unclear on why a person would even want long nails to play the guitar, since they make finger preparation more difficult and break easily. My approach is to make them as short as I can while leaving them usable.

+1

I keep just enough nail to make contact with nylon strings. When I play bass, it takes just a slight adjustment in right hand technique to keep the nails out of the way.

[EmmSee]

A myth?? There are techniques that are extremely difficult without nails. That is not a myth. Your tone is much improved with nails catching the strings, also.
It seems that a few posters think classical guitarist nails are very long, that's not the case, they are just long enough to make bass playing different to some (ie, ME!).

[jwl]

yes and this is what i use:

i'm not that good, i mainly use the classical for small parts on songs or background stuff low in the mix. it is fun to play. peace, jeff

[zazz]

for me the nylon classical was my intro into the world of bass and was a great thing to play without a pick ...and my nails are not long but as long as they protude you can catch the string on the up use the top of the nail on a downstroke (and im talking finger picking). If your fingers are tough from playing bass then those nylons are like soft pillows even if you dont have nails.

ok...maybe if you want to take it to the nth degree then maybe nails might be required but for now you can make that baby sing ...and a pick is so not required!!

[lemur821]

Originally Posted by EmmSee

A myth?? There are techniques that are extremely difficult without nails. That is not a myth. Your tone is much improved with nails catching the strings, also.
It seems that a few posters think classical guitarist nails are very long, that's not the case, they are just long enough to make bass playing different to some (ie, ME!).

Re-read my post. I completely agree that nails are very important, both for technique and tone. I'm disagreeing about the common belief that they have to be long to be usable. It's completely possible to have nails which are both long enough to play the guitar and short enough to play the bass.

[EmmSee]

Originally Posted by lemur821

Re-read my post. I completely agree that nails are very important, both for technique and tone. I'm disagreeing about the common belief that they have to be long to be usable. It's completely possible to have nails which are both long enough to play the guitar and short enough to play the bass.

I gotcha, also, Zazz - Great point that my fingers are already hard enough from the bass playing to catch the nylon well.

Thanks for the comments everyone, I am now not going to worry about advancing with no-nails!

[markjazzbassist]

i play classical guitar. i don't have nails. i just learned to pick with my fingers and have gotten proficient with that technique. i can still play bass and classical guitar too.


congrats on picking the Classical up. It's such a beautiful instrument, i hope you enjoy it!