I'm reminded of the anecdote about Miles Davis being asked if his album Sketches of Spain was really jazz to which he responded, "It's music, and I like it"
Very much your thoughts and perspective! On a similar path myself...25 plus years of nail playing to no nails, making the transition both out of necessity and feel preference. This discussion makes me reflect on wise words of my former teacher/mentor Mike Chapdelaine...."Don't play for other guitarists, play for their girlfriends." Anybody that has played gigs for awhile outside the insular sphere of the classical guitar world/societies realizes very quickly the general public neither cares or has much interest in rather someone plays with nails or not. The only people that really seem to care are other guitarist who tend to be more tied to academia (nothing wrong with this, we need it) vs. those are actually out there playing for the general public.
Thanks for making this series. It's really helped me grasp classical guitar as a beginner who doesn't have a whole lot of free time and can't maintain nails due to my career.
An excellent discussion. To your point about needing excellent musicians who play without nails, I would point to Renata Tarragó, a wonderful guitarist with a beautiful sound. I find that the "no-nails" players all have their own sounds while many modern classical guitarists seem to my ear to sound quite similar to each other. I shall look forward to hearing your continuing exploration.
Hello Jared - thank you for posting this series and bringing some more well-researched attention to this matter! What used to be a great debate has not been much of one at all in the last number of decades. Although, I feel the tides may soon change :). For what it's worth, I thought your HVL clip sounded great - and since you are early in on the transition, it will only keep sounding better. I'm about 7 years into the transition and while I keep learning how to get better sound, I feel the first couple of years are where you really see the leaps and bounds of progress. You will eventually learn which RH position/angle of attack is best for you...likely you will prefer different strings than playing with nails also. My RH position is quite different playing without nails compared to when I used to play with them. My string choice is also different. Regarding the question of why don't more professionals play this way...I agree with you. I think all it would take is one famous guitarist to cut off their nails to bring the debate to the fore again. I've got my eye on Carles Trepat. He has a lot going on that would make him a great candidate for cutting his nails: he used to play without them as a teen while studying with Pujol, he plays on an original Torres with gut strings, and he has a deep connection to the history of the guitar which would include many flesh players. As far as up-and-coming young guitarists out there who have chosen to play without nails, I'd check out Steven Watson and Daniele Sardone. Also, feel free to check out my channel where I've got some of my own recordings and also a number of old recordings digitized from vinyl and shellac of players from a bygone era (when the debate was more of a debate haha). Thanks again - regards, Tate.
Thanks, Tate! Good ideas! My next step is indeed trying out different strings. I think the typical nylon strings are holding me back at this point. Thanks for watching and for sharing your thoughts!! -Jared
@@TH-lo8mq I'm not sure if you are asking Jared or me but I prefer Aquila silk basses (Seta) and Pirastro gut trebles. I've got some different string recordings/sound samples on my channel if you'd like to check it out.
Hi there ! Very nice series of videos, I subscribed. I'm a French fingerstyle guitar player and teacher, very used to play steel strings. Recently I tried to study classical guitar since I'm in love with Tarrega's repertoire. So I tried to grow some nails, but I have to be honest with myself, I hate the looks of it and the constant taking care of them... I'm thinking of getting rid of nails and try that no-nail approach. Hope I can get somewhere with it ! Thanks a lot for your very cool videos about that subject. Loving it. 👍🙏
Another topic is playing the guitar in an up right position, like Paul Galbraith. From an ergonomic perspective it makes a lot of sense. The wrists of both hands are mostly straight, and not angled. Having the addition of a soundbox is very interesting, where many options could be explored as well. Then the fanned out fret board is another thing as well.
I've noodled around on acoustic (steel-string) and classical guitars for over 50 years, and also have been quite active doing manual labor projects with my hands, so the thought of having to grow long nails, even if could, has never been appealing to me. I'm glad to see some of that snobbish attitudes finally going away.
My nails don't cut short; I have to cut them every two days in order to use the fretboard or make a fist, and it maintains the ability to use nails for utility. So I use both flesh and nail to pluck nylon. Long nails get in the way of life, so people had better have a good reason to grow them out before they do so.
I'm currently nail-less after breaking two at work( damn) I'm not enjoying the audible scrape of my fingerprint on the strings. But overall its better than i imagined. Is there any way to get a smoother attack? Cheers.
The book "The Tipping Point" gives a glimpse into how things, for lack of a better word, become popular. You need that confluence of events for no-nail playing to become de rigueur. My vote is no nails. Tried acrylics, and I'm happier without.
I stsrted playing without nails, and my problem with no nails playing is that my A finger sounds "plastic" and not warm. I'm finding a way to fix it for quite some time.
It sounds like your A finger is not making enough contact with the string, or maybe even catching it with the fingernail. You need entirely different technique for no-nails playing, especially to make the A finger sound convincing. Try picking the strings from underneath, which requires turning the wrist clock-wise and collapsing your hand. Exaggerate this at first, then allow your hand to relax to find a way to achieve this consistently. You should get warm, sustaining, clarinet-like tones from just brushing up with the soft pad of the finger.
@@Ubu987 yes, I happened to find that technique from Rob McKillop, which is somewhat similar to lute playing. I'll practice that technique with exaggeration on the ring finger as you have mentioned. thank you!
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I'm reminded of the anecdote about Miles Davis being asked if his album Sketches of Spain was really jazz to which he responded, "It's music, and I like it"
Love that! Thanks for sharing! :)
Very much your thoughts and perspective! On a similar path myself...25 plus years of nail playing to no nails, making the transition both out of necessity and feel preference. This discussion makes me reflect on wise words of my former teacher/mentor Mike Chapdelaine...."Don't play for other guitarists, play for their girlfriends." Anybody that has played gigs for awhile outside the insular sphere of the classical guitar world/societies realizes very quickly the general public neither cares or has much interest in rather someone plays with nails or not. The only people that really seem to care are other guitarist who tend to be more tied to academia (nothing wrong with this, we need it) vs. those are actually out there playing for the general public.
Thanks for making this series. It's really helped me grasp classical guitar as a beginner who doesn't have a whole lot of free time and can't maintain nails due to my career.
Bill Frisell is such a good examples for not caring about dogmas. He also plays jazz on a Tele, and it is awesome.
An excellent discussion. To your point about needing excellent musicians who play without nails, I would point to Renata Tarragó, a wonderful guitarist with a beautiful sound.
I find that the "no-nails" players all have their own sounds while many modern classical guitarists seem to my ear to sound quite similar to each other. I shall look forward to hearing your continuing exploration.
Thanks Nathanael! And Thanks for pointing me to Renata Tarragó! I didn't know about her. I'm listening to her recordings now and loving it. :)
Hello Jared - thank you for posting this series and bringing some more well-researched attention to this matter! What used to be a great debate has not been much of one at all in the last number of decades. Although, I feel the tides may soon change :). For what it's worth, I thought your HVL clip sounded great - and since you are early in on the transition, it will only keep sounding better. I'm about 7 years into the transition and while I keep learning how to get better sound, I feel the first couple of years are where you really see the leaps and bounds of progress. You will eventually learn which RH position/angle of attack is best for you...likely you will prefer different strings than playing with nails also. My RH position is quite different playing without nails compared to when I used to play with them. My string choice is also different. Regarding the question of why don't more professionals play this way...I agree with you. I think all it would take is one famous guitarist to cut off their nails to bring the debate to the fore again. I've got my eye on Carles Trepat. He has a lot going on that would make him a great candidate for cutting his nails: he used to play without them as a teen while studying with Pujol, he plays on an original Torres with gut strings, and he has a deep connection to the history of the guitar which would include many flesh players.
As far as up-and-coming young guitarists out there who have chosen to play without nails, I'd check out Steven Watson and Daniele Sardone. Also, feel free to check out my channel where I've got some of my own recordings and also a number of old recordings digitized from vinyl and shellac of players from a bygone era (when the debate was more of a debate haha). Thanks again - regards, Tate.
Thanks, Tate! Good ideas! My next step is indeed trying out different strings. I think the typical nylon strings are holding me back at this point. Thanks for watching and for sharing your thoughts!! -Jared
@@soundguitar You're already making great progress!
Which strings do you prefer for no-nail? Thanks.
@@TH-lo8mq I'm not sure if you are asking Jared or me but I prefer Aquila silk basses (Seta) and Pirastro gut trebles. I've got some different string recordings/sound samples on my channel if you'd like to check it out.
@@tateharmann3057 Great! Thank you.
Hi there ! Very nice series of videos, I subscribed. I'm a French fingerstyle guitar player and teacher, very used to play steel strings. Recently I tried to study classical guitar since I'm in love with Tarrega's repertoire. So I tried to grow some nails, but I have to be honest with myself, I hate the looks of it and the constant taking care of them... I'm thinking of getting rid of nails and try that no-nail approach. Hope I can get somewhere with it ! Thanks a lot for your very cool videos about that subject. Loving it. 👍🙏
Hi Hugo. Great to hear from you. Thanks for sharing! Good luck with trying the no-nails style. Let me know how it goes :) -Jared
Another topic is playing the guitar in an up right position, like Paul Galbraith. From an ergonomic perspective it makes a lot of sense. The wrists of both hands are mostly straight, and not angled. Having the addition of a soundbox is very interesting, where many options could be explored as well. Then the fanned out fret board is another thing as well.
Great thoughts, thanks for sharing! :)
Very inspiring words! Thanks, Jared
Jazz nylon string guitarist Earl Klugh doesn’t use nails. That raspy whispery sound has become a trademark sound of his playing.
I've noodled around on acoustic (steel-string) and classical guitars for over 50 years, and also have been quite active doing manual labor projects with my hands, so the thought of having to grow long nails, even if could, has never been appealing to me. I'm glad to see some of that snobbish attitudes finally going away.
Carles Trepat plays using the Tarrega Technique on Torres guitars, without nails.
My nails don't cut short; I have to cut them every two days in order to use the fretboard or make a fist, and it maintains the ability to use nails for utility. So I use both flesh and nail to pluck nylon. Long nails get in the way of life, so people had better have a good reason to grow them out before they do so.
Time to make a 5th video after a year of doing it!
Good call! Will do
I'm currently nail-less after breaking two at work( damn)
I'm not enjoying the audible scrape of my fingerprint on the strings. But overall its better than i imagined. Is there any way to get a smoother attack? Cheers.
The book "The Tipping Point" gives a glimpse into how things, for lack of a better word, become popular. You need that confluence of events for no-nail playing to become de rigueur. My vote is no nails. Tried acrylics, and I'm happier without.
I stsrted playing without nails, and my problem with no nails playing is that my A finger sounds "plastic" and not warm. I'm finding a way to fix it for quite some time.
It sounds like your A finger is not making enough contact with the string, or maybe even catching it with the fingernail. You need entirely different technique for no-nails playing, especially to make the A finger sound convincing. Try picking the strings from underneath, which requires turning the wrist clock-wise and collapsing your hand. Exaggerate this at first, then allow your hand to relax to find a way to achieve this consistently. You should get warm, sustaining, clarinet-like tones from just brushing up with the soft pad of the finger.
@@Ubu987 yes, I happened to find that technique from Rob McKillop, which is somewhat similar to lute playing. I'll practice that technique with exaggeration on the ring finger as you have mentioned. thank you!
that opening sounds like Brazilian guitar music.
I put at 2x speed to save time…
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