Here in Brazil there's quite a big culture of classical guitar playing with no nails, two of our most known guitarist, Toquinho and Paulinho Nogueira never played with nails. From popular to classical music.
+Lucas Fontes Belfort Thanks, Lucas. I already mention Paulinho on my Players page: rmclassicalguitar.com/players/ Of course, I can't name every player, but have given a good cross-section of historical and contemporary players.
This is very reassuring to hear because those two are the reason I want to learn how to play! I was worried about having to start maintaining my nails and it not being work appropriate.
I prefer the sound of the guitar without the nails. I studied with Raymond Lohengrin and when I began thought i would need to grow nails but he explained to me that it is not necessary. I have since discovered that I like the fuller, richer and less percussive sound of the guitar without nails.
Nails can sound much richer than flesh if the nails hit the strings at an angle and with a good right hand position. You also need a perfect nail shape. It takes some effort, but in my opinion it is worth it
Good thoughts. I teach a lot of classroom guitar (and have for the last 10 years) and I have never required my students to use nails due to practical limitations. In the past I've been more than a bit judgmental about people refusing to use nails, but certainly after getting into the lute world I view them more as part of a set of trade-offs rather than a necessity. My experience has also taught me that every person's nails are different, which has meant there is no "correct" nail shape or length either (contrary to the opinions of many performers). The longer I play, the more I teach, and the more I perform I learn that there is no such thing as the "official" way of doing things - there are merely methods by which you can achieve your aims.
+David Stewart - Dave, there are more judgemental guitarists than musician guitarists, and it's becoming harder to distinguish between players. I'm all for variety, and lots of it.
I tried growing my nails,they're flat AND thin - not a good combination,they bend and crack.I never liked add on picks,they're clunky and uncomfortable,the tone doesn't appeal to me either,all clanky.I think the tone of flesh warmer,it's not clacky sounding either (metal sounds clanky, nails can sound clacky).I can't play as quickly but whatever ,there's allot more to music than just technical speed.
Hi Rob, greetings from Indonesia. Thanks for the wonderful video. I'm a retired classical guitar teacher, and played with nails. Back a few years ago I got interested in, and took up the renaissance lute. I had to cut my nails and abandoned my classical guitar as the consequence. Seeing your video has rekindled my interest in classical guitar. Now I confidently and happily play both of them with no nails.
Even though it's an old video, thank you!! I am learning classical guitar on my own as a hobby. Problem is, I cannot have long fingernails. I am autistic and have major sensory issues with my nails, the moment I start to feel/see them grow it's bothering me constantly, to the point where I can't focus on anything because the sensation is so uncomfortable and so massive. To preserve my sanity I trim them every 2-3 days ever since I was old enough to trim my own nails (perfect for the fretting hand!). The technique you present is exactly what I do instinctively. It's great to see it's a valid way to play. It's a little difficult to not hit neighbor strings I don't want to hear but hey, I'm just a beginner, it will get better :) Happy guitar playing everyone!
I tactically can't stand long nails either. Plus, they are full of germs. I like to think I rarely get sick because I have short nails. It protects my patients too.
I've been trained as a classical guitarist and played the " proper" way and with the " proper hand position and posture" for years. now I play with flesh like you....not only that but I have ventured into the world of fingerstyle acoustic guitar with steel strings ( which I prefer the sound of tbh) and I play more loosely and freely, use percusive sounds and even use, God forbid , my thumb! its a much more enjoyable way of playing the guitar and that's what it's all about; to enjoy and live life& music. great video
Thanks for this. I'm a woodworker and a guitarist and my nails frequently suffer from damage in the shop. Gluing fake nails on is problematical at best. I had never even considered this approach, but I will certainly be looking at it moving forward.
I dont now if Rob plays completely without nails. But i can tell you that even very, very short nails work for me best. when i want to play loud it is much more power with very short nails.
In the same boat as you, as well as concrete & stone work, and general construction / maint. of my Japanese garden. My nails are always "gone", but are very thin to begin with. I don't even think about nails or no nails, I just play..
I respect your reasons. Your arguments are sound. (I am self taught, so it matters very little how I play my guitar, or how well. I am not professional, and do not enjoy the heritage of this or that teacher taught by the famous guitarist who studied under Segovia or Bream or Vidović. All I have is my love of the music.) I guess it is only a matter of aesthetics. I have been listening to your recordings on RUclips and your tone is fat and sweet sounding. I love it. I have them on after work, or while I cook breakfast. I guess we all love guitars and all that matters is the joy we derive from playing them and the music. Everything else is this or that. Thanks for your beautiful playing.
I cannot test it right now, but tilting the hand to see the palm seems like an idea worth investigating. Congratulations, you are the first player besides BB King I know of that figured out that you need to use considerable force for your vibratos so that they not only look, but also sound good. I struggle with my tremolos due to my short nails, which I love to bite.
@@RobMacKillop1 I am about 20 years behind then. I can't really twist my hand as much, as I also need my thumb for picking, however tilting my hand just a little bit helps significantly. Thank you for the tip.
A clear concise presentation, well demonstrated without a lot of talk. Perfect, and this method I shall try. I'm no concert guitarist, so taking all that care of nails is beyond me. I do things in life that cause them to crack and split. Should work for the acoustic as well. Thank you and will visit your web page.
I discovered this video accidentally. I am playing wihtout nails for many years, and I thought I was alone....thank you for sharing this. You are very generous.
I'm learning baritone ukulele fingerstyle and it's a relief to hear that nails aren't required. I've been growing mine out, but I really don't like the way it looks. Listening to some of your other videos, the sound is very pleasing to my ears.
Harry Verey And you are a brave man! Good luck. Be prepared for some frustration. Take your time, it's a long and winding road, but worth the effort. Some have found that they like to grow a little bit of nail to support the flesh, not enough to make contact with the string, of course. I prefer not to. But we all have different finger shapes, so keep it in mind as an option. One more angel gets its wings! :-)
Rob MacKillop Thank you Rob- I have just uploaded a first piece 'Gris his Delight' by Thomas Robinson without the fingernails- got a few missing notes! but enjoying new sense of intimacy with the guitar. fingers are quite sore. I know this will take time but it's a start
Great initial insight into flesh playing Rob. I have a real tough job trying to keep my nails in good working order , and in order to lessen the frustration when I break one, I bought a resonator guitar. This turns the negative into a positive when I do break one. But this vid has encouraged me to have a re think ! Thanks
This was very helpful! I am an 'old'er learner having played many instruments in my life including trumpet, 'cello, violas, violins... lots of guitar banging, etc. The soft wonderful richness of the classical guitar (especially without nails) is a sound I can spend hours each day with... musing about the fingerboard. This video and the technique you show does not intimidate, but invites. I really appreciate this video and all of the other ones shared with folks.
Great video Rob. I play without nails and much prefer it and not just because nails are hard to maintain. I also play fingerstyle acoustic and being nail-less helps me move between instruments. I don't tend to have the same hand position as you but I do have a flatter wrist for both classical and fingerstyle.
Hi Rob, I also play without nails but I have to cut them very short, because sometimes the short nail hits the string and the sound is too loud, compared to the other notes without nails. My classical guitar has a double top and has more volume than a regular guitar, so it is good for playing without nails. I will try to use the pinky on the top of the guitar, to see if that is a better position for the other fingers. Thank you for the explanation. Greetings, Ramón.
Good luck, Ramón. The pinkie should not press down on the top, just very lightly touch it. My pinkie very often comes off the soundboard. Pressing creates tension, which you don’t want. Cheers, Rob.
I’ve been playing classic since I was 10. At that age I bit my nails really bad! With my nails at normal length now it is really easier to play (tremolo specially), with a crisper more defined sound. The best is to combine nail and flesh. Normal length, not a claw.
I imagine you are correct most of the time. I must be interwebs contrarian tho; no one "needed" nylon strings until Segovia, Jaco did in fact have a five string bass and some self taught legends like Django Reinhardt were even missing bloody fingers. I heard a rumour Sor liked to rest his rh little finger on the soundboard sometimes too! Correct is usually correct - no irony - but sometimes you gotta do you. lol, HF.
Cheers, Robert. Take your time. Go slowly. I suggest you tune down a semitone or more for the first month, as you don't want to develop caluses. Use hand cream too. Your finger pads require time to get used to their new role, after which there will be no going back :-) More info on my website rmClassicalGuitar.com
I converted to playing without nails about half a year ago, encouraged by your superb videos. I feel this technique brings me much closer to the tone and the instrument. I play mostly classical pieces but I find it to work for fingerstyle playing just as well. On top of all this it simply saves a lot of time and trouble. The first 2-3 months I needed to adjust but I have never regretted it a single day. Thanks Rob! Keep up the great work! Regards from Hamburg
No, it is not, on the contrary Rob in his web page encourages to start learning with a low tension (410Hz for A 5th string tunning). Please see his web page to know more information rmclassicalguitar.com/technique/.
Thank you for this. I get discouraged with my difficulty on using a traditional technique. Your style is so unique and yet very adept, it was very encouraging to watch.
Smoooth tone, l have been paring the pulgar and nailing the treble strings Depending on our hearing we adapt perhaps over decades Thanks for sharing this choice
Thanks for posting this Rob. I've tried playing the guitars dozens of times throughout my 71 ! Years. And, I've tried virtually every type of guitar, from very cheap to fairly expensive. Any ideas or tips are really appreciated. Thanks again Roj
Your playing is very inspiring, Rob, thank you. I'm a flesh player too and I love the intimate connection to the strings and the softer, but more rounded tone. The only issue I have is keeping the inevitable index and middle right hand calluses at bay. A callus file helps with that, but my annular still creates the nicest tone. Thank you for the inspiration. Jim
Hey Rob! Did you hear about a late 19th american guitarrist called C. F. Elzear FISET? He used a very modern system of scales with p, m & i, three notes per string. He was a mandolinist too.
Thanks for the video Rob, im an intermediate player and have recently cut my nails off - what a relief (i was always filing and messing with them!) - i really like the warme, rounded sound with them. Cheers
That’s great, Marty. Take your time with them. Use hand cream to keep the tips soft, and I suggest even tuning down a tone for at least the first month. You don’t want calluses to form.
Thank you for this. As an auto mechanic it is impossible for me to keep my nails long enough to play guitar with them. I don't really have any other choice but to use my finger tips. Coming from under the strings is brilliant and I am going to try and incorporate that technique in my playing.
sduke39 - I completely understand. There are many people who have been told they can't play classical guitar because work commitments prevent them from growing their nails, and many of them give up trying. It's such a pity, and unnecessary. I urge you to ignore all that. Find a way, get stuck in, a world of wonderful music awaits you! :-)
I'm surprised how strong and good your tone is. I've always had problems with my nails, so I googled the issue, found your video and will try it. Thank you.
thanks mr. macKillop. I was recently forced to play with fingertips only after carelessness caused nail breakage on thumb and 1 & 2 fingers. After initial shock at loss of volume, I then adapted and realised the different tone qualities which were now available. Especially the smoother, rounder bass note sounds from thumb. Funny that Sor in later life confided to his friend Aguado that if he had his time again he would learn with nails, while Aguado said if he could learn again he would play as Sor, with no nail.! Its all a personal thing really. Silly the pedanticness of some guitar teachers.! Very nice Ramirez you have here, beautiful tone, I also love sound of my no.1 guitar, 1988 Ramirez. Sometimes the overtones are like angels singing from the ceiling of my room. A strange thing, that only happens with very good guitars. Thanks again.
Hello Eugenius. I am aware that Aguado said he would play without nails, as you mention, but I have never read that Sor said he would play with nails. Where did you read this? I am pleased you are experiencing the positive aspects of flesh playing :-)
Well Rob, you have got me searching the memory banks as to where i read of this interesting Sor Aguado relationship. I remember storing this fact as it struck me as of great interest at time of reading. Is it in Sors Handbook? I will get back to you when I can trace the scholarly source. Is it true that flesh picking with no nail is the orthodox method of lute playing? I admire your excellent guitar playing, and you have given confidence in the veracity of fleshy finger style playing. I now use both methods freely as the music itself requires.
no nails for me either. Especially good for Tremelo pieces like Tarrega's Rec De La Alhambra ans Sueno. I believe that according to Segovia, Bream and others ,that Tarrega was also an advocate of the no nail style.Interesting & informative video Rob. Will tune in again soon.
I could really use some ground rules for playing melodically on the high B and E strings fingerstyle. I see some guys alternate middle and pointer fingers, but it feels too compact, and I wonder if I should be using my ring finger at all. The steep angle combined with the fishwire string gauge is really stumping me. It feels like I can play comfortably and accurately until getting to that B string, then I just get a thin tone with adjacent strings getting inadvertently tapped.
Very interesting technique, Rob. It is actually lute technique--no nails, pinky on the soundboard, thumb under index finger, no nails and preference for p-i fingering. Playing with no nails is certainly a valid option for non-professionals. But because of the reduced volume and more limited (though beautiful) palette of colors, it is at a disadvantage in the concert hall. Tárrega played with nails until the last part of his life, when he switched to "no nails" and his disciples stuck rigidly to that technique (causing much friction with Segovia who began his concertizing with nails). Aguado, Sor's friend played with nails, and Sor admitted it gave him the advantage in playing fast scale passages. Of course we don't know whether Aguado used longer nails and used them more percussively à la flamenco or more like contemporary classical guitarists.
George Oberlander - thanks for the comments, George, though they only detail part of the facts. I do not play thumb under. There is no one such thing as a lute technique - it varied over time. You are misinformed about volume - I've yet to meet a nail player who can produce a louder sound than me. I play duets with a nail player, and have no problem being heard. Concert volume is not a problem - if you develop the right technique. If you break a nail, naturally it sounds quieter. Yet if you develop the technique over years (I've been playing this way for over twenty years) then volume is not a problem. Tone colours - I have no desire to do Bream-like extremes (though he is a hero in other ways), so feel nothing lacking in that respect. I'm not against nail playing - far from it - but chose to play without them, especially on good-quality gut strings (see my more recent videos). Like any technique, it takes time to develop, so I do advise people to try it for at least six months, slowly and with low-tension strings to start with. I do not have calluses, as they are detrimental to the tone production. In short, I would not dismiss it so easily. But many thanks for caring enough to make your comments, George. Cheers, Rob.
Good volume, I had no idea it could sound so good. I've always played with nails, but now I have a problem with my middle finger and I need an alternative. I think Segovia was more flesh than nail. Thanks for sharing. Good job.
Cheers, Nick. Give it a try, but use very low-tension strings or a lower pitch for six months to allow your fingerpads to get used to their new role. You don't want calluses.
I like some skin in my sound too, so my nails are a little longer that "normal" but barely noticeable. By changing the angle I can get that treble nail sound if I wish, with long nails you can hardly get the flesh sound if you want it. so it gives me some kind of freedom in my sound.
Great vid Rob, very informative. Thank you. I play with my nails and I've played with them for so long now that to play without them would feel quite strange at first and probably require a decent period of time to get used to the sensations and adapt. Maybe this is something which holds back other players who have accustomed themselves to playing with nails from making the change? There is always a pang of panic each time I break a nail stemming I think from a fear of having to adapt quickly to a new sensation when plucking, which can be worrying if it happens just before a performance! So this video was comforting to hear, next time I break a nail I'll think of this and maybe I'll switch for a while and see how it goes! Thanks again.
+David J Goodenough - Cheers, David. I remember the day I cut back my nails - very scary! It took me at least six months before I started getting the sound I was happy with. That was over twenty years ago, and I would never go back. Not everyone has the time to give, but if you have no gigs or recordings for six months, it might be worthwhile giving it a go. Good luck. Check out the website: rmClassicalGuitar.com which offers more advice.
I’m playing with flesh at the moment as nails don’t work with my lifestyle. The first thing I found is a massive loss of volume and brightness. I play a kohno with diaddario super high tension composite strings. Should I buy a louder guitar? Lower tension strings? Brighter strings? I tried nyla gut strings recently but wasn’t overly impressed.
Thanks for this overview of your technique. It is certainly interesting and your tone is quite beautiful to me. Is there any technique that you think favors nail over flesh (or vice versa)? For example, is tremolo easier with nail or without?
+kc0dxf Everyone asks about tremolo ;-) First of all, after cutting off his nails, Tarrega did a tour of Italy in which we know he played some tremolo pieces. The audience reaction was no different from his usual reviews. Pujol says that the tremolo without nails is more ethereal, not like a machine gun. So, can I play tremolo like I used to? No. Can I play tremolo? Sort of - I'm working on it! Of course, each technique is better or worse at various things. It might suit you, it might not...
I've read your interesting essay and, as a fan of the flesh attack sound, I hope you don't mind if I make a couple of comments. Firstly, my teaching experience informs me that not everybody's fingers are equally suited to a robust flesh attack. Those who have a fingertip that ramps (or tapers) toward the tip end of the nail and that can offer some support to the fleshy tip have more success than those whose fingertip is rounded, or bulbous, and where the nail cannot offer any support at all (i.e. the nail support of the flesh that you describe Virginia Luque employing). So consideration of individual anatomy is essential to the discussion. Secondly, besides its distinct sonority, one of the greatest advantages of flesh attack is that true crescendos can be produced without deterioration in timbre. In contrast, nail players are often heard to produce a more higher partial laden and nasal tone as the volume levels are pushed. Which leads to the observation that attacking the string from underneath (as in lute etc) will compromise the available dynamic range before string slap may be heard. I refer you to an old, but excellent, book "Tone production on the classical guitar" by John Taylor for analysis of the physical principles involved. I go out on a limb and that this may not be a concern on the lute as it is a quieter instrument, but on guitar we often need all the help we can get in terms of dynamic range. I enjoy your interpretations and sound, many thanks.
Hi Richard. Many thanks for those considered comments. I agree that individual anatomy makes a difference, as it does to nail playing also. Not all nail players suffer from a deteriorating sound at higher volumes - David Russel for instance - but I get your point. I must say I have enough dynamic control for my purposes, and do not consider it limiting in any way. But as we are all different, some people might feel otherwise. My main argument is that there is a long history of no-nail playing in guitar history, without even mentioning lute playing. I'd argue for an unbroken tradition going back into antiquity. That it is less common in the modern classical guitar world, is not an argument for rejecting it outright. For sure, some more aggressive pieces might benefit from being played with strong nails, but those pieces do not form part of my repertoire. Just as there are many nail techniques, not just one, there are also many flesh techniques. I think music benefits from both approaches, so I am not trying to change nail players into flesh players, I'm just describing the way I play. What does get me angry, though, is when I hear of teachers (not you!) saying to students they should give up, or have very low expectations, if they decide to play without nails. I've sincerely lost count of the number of people who have written to me with such stories. Some say they gave up thirty or so years ago, but have been encouraged through becoming aware of how many players - very good players - have had careers without a nail technique. They are now playing happily. Let's all just play :-) Thanks again, Richard, for taking the time to comment.
What does get me angry, though, is when I hear of teachers (not you!) saying to students they should give up, or have very low expectations, if they decide to play without nails. I agree, luckily my initial training to grade 8 was firmly in the flesh attack. But not so luckily I was forced, under a not so veiled threat of failing the course, to adopt nail playing when undertaking my university degree in performance. There is strong pressure to conform, mostly based in ignorance.
Thanks for the info and more details on you play without nails. I hope you can record more on this Ramirez, those few tones you played here sound certainly very nicely. Maybe we can hear entire dance no 5? I would certainly see forward :-). Best regards /6str.
Fantastic tutorial. Im a Jazz player, that means i use a pick and a bit fingerpickin. I always wanted to go further into classical but everyone kept telling me about nails and how to take care of them. I went to your website to the flamenco section, it drew my attention to be able to play flamenco without nails, but it needs a password.
Thanks for this video Rob. I'm a fan of the no nails practice! There's nothing worse than listening to a recording of a player with incredible ability and technique only to have it ruined by the infernal clacking and scratching of fingernails on strings. Not all players and recordings have this issue, but it's all too common! I think with cut nails however, it is possible not to rely solely on the pad but to articulate between the nail and pad (using the transition point) to create a variegated attack. Using this transition point allows use of the existing nail edge without damaging it as the pad acts as a buffer to the nail protecting it from brute force. One can maintain a reasonably sharp attack this way. Transitioning to more nail can be accomplished by reducing the hand angle you are demonstrating in the video. Try going back and forth.
Hi Joseph. Thanks for your comments. There as many ways of playing without nails as with, I think, and I hope we see more players exploring the possibilities, though many are already. Always room for more!
Jacob Anderson dude i came to this vid because i chose classical guitar as my major instrument in school and piano as my second and i cant have long nails for piano. but for my audition i chose sor! idk why but i thought that was a weird coincidence.
I never use or practice rest strokes. Since you say there's not much of a difference in sound between your rest strokes and free stokes, what's the reason you use rest strokes?
I have always preferred to play guitar without nails as it is more comfortable for me and I can generate a better tone. It's nice to know that other people feel the same.
Thanks Rob. I enjoy rock climbing so the fingernails need to stay short if I'm to push myself hard. Growing them out at the moment for guitar and noticing lots of improvement in accuracy, speed and tone. I'll try your hand position next
@@RobMacKillop1 Thank you...I Love the Ramirez guitars but they all seem to have that nasal tone where yours does not?.......... .So 2015 Ramirez 130 Anos
Great stuff, Rob! My nails are horrible and acrylics just don't work for me. I thought I read in one of your books about plucking the string from the underside? While I don't play classical, only steel string the results must be the same. Nice website!
Thank you for this. You made me get rid of my fear of playing with the flesh. Now what i will constantly try is to convine flesh and nail, being conscious that there's nothing wrong with the flesh.
Rob MacKillop You have a new subscriber! .I checked out some of your photography some really excellent work.I have just started uploading guitar vids have struggled with the audio but getting there.Hope to add some photography too if I can get it together. I'm reaching for the shears now!
Rob MacKillop Will do- I do already have some videos up on YT including Illyrian Lullaby which I thought I heard you play a little bit and a couple of Bach preludes my sound is not as pure as yours though.They should come up if you enter my name in the search.
When I was in 7th grade I was waiting for my trombone lesson to begin and was overhearing a guitar class in progress. The teacher was coaching them on plucking a string and cautioning them to not use the nail. So, ever since, I just presumed all classical guitar players were not using their nails. Only recently have I discovered that with-nails was what most were doing. :D
your technique is brilliant. just wish i was that fast and timely with the nails I actually do have haha. just tired of snapping them and feeling lost.
Hi Rob thanks for sharing your technique . I love the sound you get. Is there any downside to playing without nails? Like maybe difficult to play tremolo? Etc... ?
Hi Allan. I don't play it. But if I did I would keep in mind Pujol's comments (who promoted the Tárrega method) that a nail-less tremolo should sound ethereal, in other words not machine-gun like. If you are expecting the same result you get with nails, you might be disappointed. Remember that after Tárrega started playing without nails, he went on tour, including in his program tremolo items. It can be done. Sky television had a classical guitar competition, and the winner played Recuerdos without nails. But it does sound different.
Thank you for this upload... it boosts me up a lot.... I have lost my right hand thumb nail in an accident(that is 1/4 of the thumb part, Partially amputated thumb), and was really worried about the tone produced by the flesh of the thumb, but after seeing this I want to know other techniques to improve the thumb tone on strings. Dear Rob could you please suggest any.
Sorry to hear about your accident. There's always a way to play - ask Django :-) It's impossible for me to say without knowing exactly how your thumb looks, and how you use it. I use a hand cream to keep the fingertips moist, so that's something you should consider. And if you can play rest strokes with the thumb, that's often a good way to improve the tone of the bass notes. If you want a Skype lesson, let me know, otherwise I can't say much to help, other than "Good Luck!".
Very interesting stuff (your website)! You opened me to a whole new world. Now I'm thinking about switching to the 'other side'. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.
Thanks for your videos, great informatives value and musicality. I also play without nail ; my guitars are all cedar top ; i'm just wondering if spruce top will maybe help having clarity or ´brightness' and helps to 'compensate', in comparaison with nails' picking. But your guitars also seems to be cedar. How do you think?
I have used nails before and found that I am a KLUTZ with a capitol K and just kept breaking them...etc. Now I just play without nails and I find it is just fine for me. I enjoy steel and nylon stringed guitars so to me going from one or another is no problem. Whatever works for you is my view. I think your video expressed some very good thoughts. Nails or No Nails that is the question? Music to me is an individual's expression of themselves and should not be governed by others. By the way you sound great!
Hi Rob, you probably didn't know that I also play classical guitar. It was my second instrument when I studied violin at the conservatory in Brussels in the 1990s. However, the fingernails have always been a problem for me. To start with, mine are quite flexible, so I had to keep them rather short otherwise they would curl, and I have never been really satisfied with the sound I produced. At the other hand, for a violin player it is not ideal to have long right hand fingernails, in particular the index which is often needed to play pizzicato. So the last 20 years, as mandolin and violin are my main instruments, I haven't played much guitar at all... until I watched this video! While I knew that for instance lutes are played without fingernails, it never came to mind that playing guitar without fingernails doesn't necessarily has to be a problem. I do need some more practising, but I really like the sound. Also, I'm not a guitar soloist, and when I make multitrack recordings with mandolins, the more rounded guitar sound is a wonderful addition to the clear mandolin sound! Thanks so much for this eye-opening video!
Hi Ralf. Nice to see you here. My website will give you a lot of info about some other players from the time of Arcas and Tárrega to the present who have chosen to play without nails. The tradition has never disappeared. rmClassicalGuitar.com I've been playing this way for 30 years now, and on gut trebles when I can.
@@RobMacKillop1 That is fantastic...I saw on your website that also Pujol played without fingernails. He actually knew Ranieri quite well and I believe they also played together. So now I've been checking the descriptions in Ranieri's guitar method, and fingernails are simply not mentioned. So maybe he played the same way. I also have the manuscript of Ranieri's guitar method, and interestingly he mentions resting the pinky on the table as you do, but this sentence doesn't seem to be published in the printed edition. I certainly have to try gut strings. They will probably produce a clearer sound as they do on violin.
@@ralfleenen Good to know about the pinkie resting! I imagine he did play without nails. I have his guitar method, but I know most of the pieces from their original publications. It's a very nice collection, though. Aquila have just recently started manufacturing gut specifically for guitars from c.1880 to 1950, which is more stiff that the early 19th-century variety. It is part of their Gut and Silk set. The silk they use is real silk too. Recommended!
Very nice! Another benefit is that when playing ff with nails the tone is difficult to keep full; probably because of the flex in the nail with the added force. I don't think you have any issues with that using no nail.
Hiya Rob. I so appreciate the habit you have of nurturing/feeding the love of the MUSIC, the quality and evocative quality of it, however that takes place. Strict adherence to the rules or mainstream habits shuts many folks out, unfortunately. A simple piece, humbly and sincerely played, nails or not, can be beautiful for sure. There's room for every expressive yearning of this kind.
Hi Heidi. Thanks for the very thoughtful comment, which I will ponder over. By the way, you made a comment on one of my videos a short while ago which RUclips sent me notice of. But when I went to read it, it had disappeared. RUclips does that if you include a link sometimes. So I was unable to respond to you. Please don’t think I ignored your comment, which I would never do. Best wishes, Rob
I have eczema and I cannot have nails by any means, or I will tear my skin to shreds. I play the guita wideout nails since day one, I am really glad to see that other people do it. I came here trying to find a better way to do so. But it seems that there is no standard way to do so regardless very interesting video
I play without nails as well. Would you recommend spruce or cedar guitars for this technique? Or perhaps you have some other advice on guitar selection? Thanks for the video.
Any guitar will do. These days I play a Simon Ambridge guitar based on a Manuel Ramirez from the first few years of the 20th century. It has cypress back and sides, which I like a lot. The most inexpensive way to get a guitar like this it to buy a flamenco guitar. During Tarrega's time, there was no distinction between classical and flamenco guitars, they were just guitars. Cypress wood was cheaper, and became more associated through time with poorer musicians, who tended to be flamenco players. The irony is that today, cypress is more expensive than rosewood. So, I like cypress, but the guitar in this video has rosewood back and sides, and a cedar top. Any guitar will do. Good luck!
Rob..I have been playing classical guitar a while..I`ve always used my nails as that is how I was taught although I keep my nails short and leave just enough room to catch the string with the nail and flesh at the same time..I`ve experimented with just the flesh but I have an issue with volume..it sounds around half as loud to me..any suggestions ?
I have no problem with volume. You must realise you cannot play without nails with the same technique you used when you had nails. You have to move the string differently. It's not hard to do, but you have to work at it like anything else. I have another similar video to the above, but longer, I go into more detail. See it on my website: rmclassicalguitar.com/technique/
Hi Jace, generally I do, but in this video I just had D'Addario J45's. It was before I sourced good inexpensive gut. See my website for details: rmClassicalGuitar.com
@@RobMacKillop1 Thanks for the answer. I did not look at the comments, because there are so many. Keep on going your good work. All the best and greetings from germany!
Thank you for this video, and all your great instruction. If I might ask a completely off-topic question, were you using a guitar support of any kind in this video? Your position looks very natural.
@@RobMacKillop1 Thanks Rob. As for the topic of the video, I'm encouraged that I don't need to have long fingernails to play classical guitar. I do a lot of manual labor, gardening, etc, which isn't very compatible with long finger nails. Plus, I wouldn't want to make my wife jealous if my nails were prettier than hers :-)
Thank you for this video. You proved and have helped me break free from what I thought I was "supposed" to do and now I am playing so much better and it feels much better :)
It all depends on how your nails grow, I’ve seen some weird nails that grow over the fingers which in that case flesh is probably better, to each their own. Good video
Here in Brazil there's quite a big culture of classical guitar playing with no nails, two of our most known guitarist, Toquinho and Paulinho Nogueira never played with nails. From popular to classical music.
+Lucas Fontes Belfort Thanks, Lucas. I already mention Paulinho on my Players page: rmclassicalguitar.com/players/
Of course, I can't name every player, but have given a good cross-section of historical and contemporary players.
This is very reassuring to hear because those two are the reason I want to learn how to play! I was worried about having to start maintaining my nails and it not being work appropriate.
Toninho Horta also .
Interesting 🏴
I am in med school, so I'll be keeping my nails short to limit contamination and grossing out patients. Your video is very helpful, thank you!
Cheers, Luke. Keep playing!
Same here
Same
Why don't you use gloves?
@@dylancrstha5121 nails and gloves are not friends.
And meds do not wear gloves all the time.
i kinda prefer the warm sound a nylon string gives when played without the nails
because you are not a player or musician
I prefer the sound of the guitar without the nails. I studied with Raymond Lohengrin and when I began thought i would need to grow nails but he explained to me that it is not necessary. I have since discovered that I like the fuller, richer and less percussive sound of the guitar without nails.
Good to know, Michael. I don't know Raymond, but he sounds like a wise teacher!
Nails can sound much richer than flesh if the nails hit the strings at an angle and with a good right hand position. You also need a perfect nail shape. It takes some effort, but in my opinion it is worth it
@@DrNoseman yes, I've also seen pinch harmonics that may not be achievable without nails. Definitely there are trade offs.
Yes i agree, if you look at all the proffesionals nowadays, everybody uses nails. I think that is saying something
@@j.d.2896 no you can do harmonics without nails.
Good thoughts. I teach a lot of classroom guitar (and have for the last 10 years) and I have never required my students to use nails due to practical limitations. In the past I've been more than a bit judgmental about people refusing to use nails, but certainly after getting into the lute world I view them more as part of a set of trade-offs rather than a necessity. My experience has also taught me that every person's nails are different, which has meant there is no "correct" nail shape or length either (contrary to the opinions of many performers). The longer I play, the more I teach, and the more I perform I learn that there is no such thing as the "official" way of doing things - there are merely methods by which you can achieve your aims.
+David Stewart - Dave, there are more judgemental guitarists than musician guitarists, and it's becoming harder to distinguish between players. I'm all for variety, and lots of it.
well said
You sound like a fantastic teacher. Thx for sharing. :)
I tried growing my nails,they're flat AND thin - not a good combination,they bend and crack.I never liked add on picks,they're clunky and uncomfortable,the tone doesn't appeal to me either,all clanky.I think the tone of flesh warmer,it's not clacky sounding either (metal sounds clanky, nails can sound clacky).I can't play as quickly but whatever ,there's allot more to music than just technical speed.
Hi Rob, greetings from Indonesia. Thanks for the wonderful video. I'm a retired classical guitar teacher, and played with nails. Back a few years ago I got interested in, and took up the renaissance lute. I had to cut my nails and abandoned my classical guitar as the consequence. Seeing your video has rekindled my interest in classical guitar. Now I confidently and happily play both of them with no nails.
Glad to hear it, Daniel. As long as you are making music you love, the instrument and technique don't matter so much.
ive always played classical guitar without nails it was the way i started in high school back in the 70s. Im glad to see your video.
Even though it's an old video, thank you!! I am learning classical guitar on my own as a hobby. Problem is, I cannot have long fingernails. I am autistic and have major sensory issues with my nails, the moment I start to feel/see them grow it's bothering me constantly, to the point where I can't focus on anything because the sensation is so uncomfortable and so massive. To preserve my sanity I trim them every 2-3 days ever since I was old enough to trim my own nails (perfect for the fretting hand!). The technique you present is exactly what I do instinctively. It's great to see it's a valid way to play. It's a little difficult to not hit neighbor strings I don't want to hear but hey, I'm just a beginner, it will get better :) Happy guitar playing everyone!
I tactically can't stand long nails either. Plus, they are full of germs. I like to think I rarely get sick because I have short nails. It protects my patients too.
I've been trained as a classical guitarist and played the " proper" way and with the " proper hand position and posture" for years. now I play with flesh like you....not only that but I have ventured into the world of fingerstyle acoustic guitar with steel strings ( which I prefer the sound of tbh) and I play more loosely and freely, use percusive sounds and even use, God forbid , my thumb! its a much more enjoyable way of playing the guitar and that's what it's all about; to enjoy and live life& music.
great video
Good for you, Martin. Enjoy and live life - couldn't have said it better myself!
Thanks for this. I'm a woodworker and a guitarist and my nails frequently suffer from damage in the shop. Gluing fake nails on is problematical at best. I had never even considered this approach, but I will certainly be looking at it moving forward.
Good luck with it. Many people share a similar problem.
I dont now if Rob plays completely without nails. But i can tell you that even very, very short nails work for me best. when i want to play loud it is much more power with very short nails.
I most certainly play without nail contact.
In the same boat as you, as well as concrete & stone work, and general construction / maint. of my Japanese garden. My nails are always "gone", but are very thin to begin with. I don't even think about nails or no nails, I just play..
@@RobMacKillop1 rob mackillop rules !!!!
Fascinating and beautiful Guitar too… 🤘👍
I respect your reasons. Your arguments are sound. (I am self taught, so it matters very little how I play my guitar, or how well. I am not professional, and do not enjoy the heritage of this or that teacher taught by the famous guitarist who studied under Segovia or Bream or Vidović. All I have is my love of the music.)
I guess it is only a matter of aesthetics. I have been listening to your recordings on RUclips and your tone is fat and sweet sounding. I love it. I have them on after work, or while I cook breakfast. I guess we all love guitars and all that matters is the joy we derive from playing them and the music. Everything else is this or that.
Thanks for your beautiful playing.
Cheers, David. You've made my day :-)
I cannot test it right now, but tilting the hand to see the palm seems like an idea worth investigating. Congratulations, you are the first player besides BB King I know of that figured out that you need to use considerable force for your vibratos so that they not only look, but also sound good. I struggle with my tremolos due to my short nails, which I love to bite.
BB has been a hero of mine for 45 years! My, I'm getting old!
@@RobMacKillop1 I am about 20 years behind then. I can't really twist my hand as much, as I also need my thumb for picking, however tilting my hand just a little bit helps significantly. Thank you for the tip.
I can't play with nails because of work, I was bummed that I wouldn't be able to play proper fingerstyle, thanks for this encouraging video!
A clear concise presentation, well demonstrated without a lot of talk. Perfect, and this method I shall try. I'm no concert guitarist, so taking all that care of nails is beyond me. I do things in life that cause them to crack and split. Should work for the acoustic as well. Thank you and will visit your web page.
Good luck!
I discovered this video accidentally. I am playing wihtout nails for many years, and I thought I was alone....thank you for sharing this. You are very generous.
I'm learning baritone ukulele fingerstyle and it's a relief to hear that nails aren't required. I've been growing mine out, but I really don't like the way it looks. Listening to some of your other videos, the sound is very pleasing to my ears.
Hi Rob-Just to let you know the nails are off this morning! a very liberating moment for me. You are a great man.
Harry Verey And you are a brave man! Good luck. Be prepared for some frustration. Take your time, it's a long and winding road, but worth the effort. Some have found that they like to grow a little bit of nail to support the flesh, not enough to make contact with the string, of course. I prefer not to. But we all have different finger shapes, so keep it in mind as an option.
One more angel gets its wings! :-)
Rob MacKillop Thank you Rob- I have just uploaded a first piece 'Gris his Delight' by Thomas Robinson without the fingernails- got a few missing notes! but enjoying new sense of intimacy with the guitar. fingers are quite sore. I know this will take time but it's a start
Great initial insight into flesh playing Rob. I have a real tough job trying to keep my nails in good working order , and in order to lessen the frustration when I break one, I bought a resonator guitar. This turns the negative into a positive when I do break one. But this vid has encouraged me to have a re think ! Thanks
Julian Egan Check the Players section of the website, Julian - lots of people have played and are playing without nails.
Sounds beautiful Rob. Thanks.
Thanks, Sergio.
This was very helpful! I am an 'old'er learner having played many instruments in my life including trumpet, 'cello, violas, violins... lots of guitar banging, etc. The soft wonderful richness of the classical guitar (especially without nails) is a sound I can spend hours each day with... musing about the fingerboard. This video and the technique you show does not intimidate, but invites. I really appreciate this video and all of the other ones shared with folks.
Thanks, Alan. Good to know. Take care, and enjoy the guitar!
Great video Rob. I play without nails and much prefer it and not just because nails are hard to maintain. I also play fingerstyle acoustic and being nail-less helps me move between instruments. I don't tend to have the same hand position as you but I do have a flatter wrist for both classical and fingerstyle.
Hi Rob, I also play without nails but I have to cut them very short, because sometimes the short nail hits the string and the sound is too loud, compared to the other notes without nails. My classical guitar has a double top and has more volume than a regular guitar, so it is good for playing without nails. I will try to use the pinky on the top of the guitar, to see if that is a better position for the other fingers. Thank you for the explanation. Greetings, Ramón.
Good luck, Ramón. The pinkie should not press down on the top, just very lightly touch it. My pinkie very often comes off the soundboard. Pressing creates tension, which you don’t want. Cheers, Rob.
I’ve been playing classic since I was 10. At that age I bit my nails really bad!
With my nails at normal length now it is really easier to play (tremolo specially), with a crisper more defined sound.
The best is to combine nail and flesh. Normal length, not a claw.
I imagine you are correct most of the time. I must be interwebs contrarian tho; no one "needed" nylon strings until Segovia, Jaco did in fact have a five string bass and some self taught legends like Django Reinhardt were even missing bloody fingers. I heard a rumour Sor liked to rest his rh little finger on the soundboard sometimes too! Correct is usually correct - no irony - but sometimes you gotta do you. lol, HF.
How winsome, humble and simple can you get? No preaching, no pedantics, just a well thought out point of view. And I'm cutting my nails tonight!
Cheers, Robert. Take your time. Go slowly. I suggest you tune down a semitone or more for the first month, as you don't want to develop caluses. Use hand cream too. Your finger pads require time to get used to their new role, after which there will be no going back :-) More info on my website rmClassicalGuitar.com
I converted to playing without nails about half a year ago, encouraged by your superb videos. I feel this technique brings me much closer to the tone and the instrument. I play mostly classical pieces but I find it to work for fingerstyle playing just as well. On top of all this it simply saves a lot of time and trouble. The first 2-3 months I needed to adjust but I have never regretted it a single day. Thanks Rob! Keep up the great work! Regards from Hamburg
thingsandso That's great to hear. Thanks for saying it. And best wishes for your future playing!
futbolalbiceleste I'm also interested in this. High tension or normal tension strings?
No, it is not, on the contrary Rob in his web page encourages to start learning with a low tension (410Hz for A 5th string tunning). Please see his web page to know more information rmclassicalguitar.com/technique/.
Thank you for this. I get discouraged with my difficulty on using a traditional technique. Your style is so unique and yet very adept, it was very encouraging to watch.
+thom dushane Cheers, Thom. Good luck with your own playing. Any questions, just ask.
Smoooth tone, l have been paring the pulgar and nailing the treble strings
Depending on our hearing we adapt perhaps over decades
Thanks for sharing this choice
Thanks for posting this Rob.
I've tried playing the guitars dozens of times throughout my 71 ! Years. And, I've tried virtually every type of guitar, from very cheap to fairly expensive. Any ideas or tips are really appreciated.
Thanks again
Roj
Cheers, Roj. Happy to help.
Your playing is very inspiring, Rob, thank you. I'm a flesh player too and I love the intimate connection to the strings and the softer, but more rounded tone. The only issue I have is keeping the inevitable index and middle right hand calluses at bay. A callus file helps with that, but my annular still creates the nicest tone.
Thank you for the inspiration. Jim
Thanks, Jim. I don't have calluses. I use hand cream twice a day. Recommended!
+Rob MacKillop
That's really good advice, thank you. I'll give that a try.
Jim
Hey Rob! Did you hear about a late 19th american guitarrist called C. F. Elzear FISET? He used a very modern system of scales with p, m & i, three notes per string. He was a mandolinist too.
Hi Felipe. No, never hear of him. Sounds like I should, so thanks for mentioning him. Cheers.
Thanks for the video Rob, im an intermediate player and have recently cut my nails off - what a relief (i was always filing and messing with them!) - i really like the warme, rounded sound with them. Cheers
That’s great, Marty. Take your time with them. Use hand cream to keep the tips soft, and I suggest even tuning down a tone for at least the first month. You don’t want calluses to form.
@@RobMacKillop1 thanks for the reply and the additional advice Rob, much appreciated
Thank you for this. As an auto mechanic it is impossible for me to keep my nails long enough to play guitar with them. I don't really have any other choice but to use my finger tips. Coming from under the strings is brilliant and I am going to try and incorporate that technique in my playing.
sduke39 - I completely understand. There are many people who have been told they can't play classical guitar because work commitments prevent them from growing their nails, and many of them give up trying. It's such a pity, and unnecessary. I urge you to ignore all that. Find a way, get stuck in, a world of wonderful music awaits you! :-)
I'm surprised how strong and good your tone is. I've always had problems with my nails, so I googled the issue, found your video and will try it. Thank you.
Cheers, John. Good luck. Check out the advice on my website, and find out about other non-nails players: rmClassicalGuitar.com
such a vibrant and warm sound
Cheers, Val. Glad you like it.
I've played like this since the beginning, now for like 5 years :P
thanks mr. macKillop. I was recently forced to play with fingertips only after carelessness caused nail breakage on thumb and 1 & 2 fingers. After initial shock at loss of volume, I then adapted and realised the different tone qualities which were now available. Especially the smoother, rounder bass note sounds from thumb. Funny that Sor in later life confided to his friend Aguado that if he had his time again he would learn with nails, while Aguado said if he could learn again he would play as Sor, with no nail.! Its all a personal thing really. Silly the pedanticness of some guitar teachers.! Very nice Ramirez you have here, beautiful tone, I also love sound of my no.1 guitar, 1988 Ramirez. Sometimes the overtones are like angels singing from the ceiling of my room. A strange thing, that only happens with very good guitars. Thanks again.
Hello Eugenius. I am aware that Aguado said he would play without nails, as you mention, but I have never read that Sor said he would play with nails. Where did you read this? I am pleased you are experiencing the positive aspects of flesh playing :-)
Well Rob, you have got me searching the memory banks as to where i read of this interesting Sor Aguado relationship. I remember storing this fact as it struck me as of great interest at time of reading. Is it in Sors Handbook? I will get back to you when I can trace the scholarly source. Is it true that flesh picking with no nail is the orthodox method of lute playing? I admire your excellent guitar playing, and you have given confidence in the veracity of fleshy finger style playing. I now use both methods freely as the music itself requires.
I've never heard of "Sors Handbook". What is that? And, yes, most lute players play without nails. Cheers.
no nails for me either. Especially good for Tremelo pieces like Tarrega's Rec De La Alhambra ans Sueno. I believe that according to Segovia, Bream and others ,that Tarrega was also an advocate of the no nail style.Interesting & informative video Rob. Will tune in again soon.
Cheers, Phil. Check out my website rmClassicalGuitar.com for info on Tarrega and others.
I could really use some ground rules for playing melodically on the high B and E strings fingerstyle. I see some guys alternate middle and pointer fingers, but it feels too compact, and I wonder if I should be using my ring finger at all. The steep angle combined with the fishwire string gauge is really stumping me. It feels like I can play comfortably and accurately until getting to that B string, then I just get a thin tone with adjacent strings getting inadvertently tapped.
Nothing wrong with using your ring finger, Will. I use it often for melodies. I teach via Zoom if you want to take this further. Cheers.
Very interesting technique, Rob. It is actually lute technique--no nails, pinky on the soundboard, thumb under index finger, no nails and preference for p-i fingering.
Playing with no nails is certainly a valid option for non-professionals. But because of the reduced volume and more limited (though beautiful) palette of colors, it is at a disadvantage in the concert hall.
Tárrega played with nails until the last part of his life, when he switched to "no nails" and his disciples stuck rigidly to that technique (causing much friction with Segovia who began his concertizing with nails).
Aguado, Sor's friend played with nails, and Sor admitted it gave him the advantage in playing fast scale passages. Of course we don't know whether Aguado used longer nails and used them more percussively à la flamenco or more like contemporary classical guitarists.
George Oberlander - thanks for the comments, George, though they only detail part of the facts. I do not play thumb under. There is no one such thing as a lute technique - it varied over time. You are misinformed about volume - I've yet to meet a nail player who can produce a louder sound than me. I play duets with a nail player, and have no problem being heard. Concert volume is not a problem - if you develop the right technique. If you break a nail, naturally it sounds quieter. Yet if you develop the technique over years (I've been playing this way for over twenty years) then volume is not a problem. Tone colours - I have no desire to do Bream-like extremes (though he is a hero in other ways), so feel nothing lacking in that respect.
I'm not against nail playing - far from it - but chose to play without them, especially on good-quality gut strings (see my more recent videos). Like any technique, it takes time to develop, so I do advise people to try it for at least six months, slowly and with low-tension strings to start with. I do not have calluses, as they are detrimental to the tone production. In short, I would not dismiss it so easily. But many thanks for caring enough to make your comments, George. Cheers, Rob.
George Oberlander - I forgot to add that not all Tarrega's students played without nails.
Good volume, I had no idea it could sound so good. I've always played with nails, but now I have a problem with my middle finger and I need an alternative. I think Segovia was more flesh than nail. Thanks for sharing. Good job.
Cheers, Nick. Give it a try, but use very low-tension strings or a lower pitch for six months to allow your fingerpads to get used to their new role. You don't want calluses.
Beautiful tone out of your fingers!
Thank you.
Lovely sound!
I like some skin in my sound too, so my nails are a little longer that "normal" but barely noticeable. By changing the angle I can get that treble nail sound if I wish, with long nails you can hardly get the flesh sound if you want it. so it gives me some kind of freedom in my sound.
What an unusual way to play, yet your skill is undeniable.
Cheers, Curt. I’m not the only one: rmclassicalguitar.com/
Thanks- I've played all my life without nails are recently grew them and it feels too weird.
Great vid Rob, very informative. Thank you.
I play with my nails and I've played with them for so long now that to play without them would feel quite strange at first and probably require a decent period of time to get used to the sensations and adapt. Maybe this is something which holds back other players who have accustomed themselves to playing with nails from making the change?
There is always a pang of panic each time I break a nail stemming I think from a fear of having to adapt quickly to a new sensation when plucking, which can be worrying if it happens just before a performance! So this video was comforting to hear, next time I break a nail I'll think of this and maybe I'll switch for a while and see how it goes!
Thanks again.
+David J Goodenough - Cheers, David. I remember the day I cut back my nails - very scary! It took me at least six months before I started getting the sound I was happy with. That was over twenty years ago, and I would never go back. Not everyone has the time to give, but if you have no gigs or recordings for six months, it might be worthwhile giving it a go. Good luck. Check out the website: rmClassicalGuitar.com which offers more advice.
I’m playing with flesh at the moment as nails don’t work with my lifestyle. The first thing I found is a massive loss of volume and brightness.
I play a kohno with diaddario super high tension composite strings.
Should I buy a louder guitar? Lower tension strings? Brighter strings?
I tried nyla gut strings recently but wasn’t overly impressed.
Thanks for this overview of your technique. It is certainly interesting and your tone is quite beautiful to me. Is there any technique that you think favors nail over flesh (or vice versa)? For example, is tremolo easier with nail or without?
+kc0dxf Everyone asks about tremolo ;-) First of all, after cutting off his nails, Tarrega did a tour of Italy in which we know he played some tremolo pieces. The audience reaction was no different from his usual reviews. Pujol says that the tremolo without nails is more ethereal, not like a machine gun. So, can I play tremolo like I used to? No. Can I play tremolo? Sort of - I'm working on it! Of course, each technique is better or worse at various things. It might suit you, it might not...
I've read your interesting essay and, as a fan of the flesh attack sound, I hope you don't mind if I make a couple of comments.
Firstly, my teaching experience informs me that not everybody's fingers are equally suited to a robust flesh attack. Those who have a fingertip that ramps (or tapers) toward the tip end of the nail and that can offer some support to the fleshy tip have more success than those whose fingertip is rounded, or bulbous, and where the nail cannot offer any support at all (i.e. the nail support of the flesh that you describe Virginia Luque employing).
So consideration of individual anatomy is essential to the discussion.
Secondly, besides its distinct sonority, one of the greatest advantages of flesh attack is that true crescendos can be produced without deterioration in timbre. In contrast, nail players are often heard to produce a more higher partial laden and nasal tone as the volume levels are pushed.
Which leads to the observation that attacking the string from underneath (as in lute etc) will compromise the available dynamic range before string slap may be heard. I refer you to an old, but excellent, book "Tone production on the classical guitar" by John Taylor for analysis of the physical principles involved. I go out on a limb and that this may not be a concern on the lute as it is a quieter instrument, but on guitar we often need all the help we can get in terms of dynamic range.
I enjoy your interpretations and sound, many thanks.
Hi Richard. Many thanks for those considered comments. I agree that individual anatomy makes a difference, as it does to nail playing also. Not all nail players suffer from a deteriorating sound at higher volumes - David Russel for instance - but I get your point. I must say I have enough dynamic control for my purposes, and do not consider it limiting in any way. But as we are all different, some people might feel otherwise.
My main argument is that there is a long history of no-nail playing in guitar history, without even mentioning lute playing. I'd argue for an unbroken tradition going back into antiquity. That it is less common in the modern classical guitar world, is not an argument for rejecting it outright. For sure, some more aggressive pieces might benefit from being played with strong nails, but those pieces do not form part of my repertoire.
Just as there are many nail techniques, not just one, there are also many flesh techniques. I think music benefits from both approaches, so I am not trying to change nail players into flesh players, I'm just describing the way I play.
What does get me angry, though, is when I hear of teachers (not you!) saying to students they should give up, or have very low expectations, if they decide to play without nails. I've sincerely lost count of the number of people who have written to me with such stories. Some say they gave up thirty or so years ago, but have been encouraged through becoming aware of how many players - very good players - have had careers without a nail technique. They are now playing happily. Let's all just play :-)
Thanks again, Richard, for taking the time to comment.
What does get me angry, though, is when I hear of teachers (not you!) saying to students they should give up, or have very low expectations, if they decide to play without nails.
I agree, luckily my initial training to grade 8 was firmly in the flesh attack. But not so luckily I was forced, under a not so veiled threat of failing the course, to adopt nail playing when undertaking my university degree in performance. There is strong pressure to conform, mostly based in ignorance.
Agreed!
Thanks for the info and more details on you play without nails. I hope you can record more on this Ramirez, those few tones you played here sound certainly very nicely. Maybe we can hear entire dance no 5? I would certainly see forward :-). Best regards /6str.
+sargijapunk Sorry, I sold it to help pay for my Simon Ambridge guitar, which I love.
I understand; seems like worthwile investment indeed :).
Fantastic tutorial. Im a Jazz player, that means i use a pick and a bit fingerpickin. I always wanted to go further into classical but everyone kept telling me about nails and how to take care of them. I went to your website to the flamenco section, it drew my attention to be able to play flamenco without nails, but it needs a password.
Thanks. The flamenco section is being written, and will be online in two or three weeks. Pop back later.
Thanks for this video Rob. I'm a fan of the no nails practice! There's nothing worse than listening to a recording of a player with incredible ability and technique only to have it ruined by the infernal clacking and scratching of fingernails on strings. Not all players and recordings have this issue, but it's all too common!
I think with cut nails however, it is possible not to rely solely on the pad but to articulate between the nail and pad (using the transition point) to create a variegated attack. Using this transition point allows use of the existing nail edge without damaging it as the pad acts as a buffer to the nail protecting it from brute force. One can maintain a reasonably sharp attack this way. Transitioning to more nail can be accomplished by reducing the hand angle you are demonstrating in the video. Try going back and forth.
Hi Joseph. Thanks for your comments. There as many ways of playing without nails as with, I think, and I hope we see more players exploring the possibilities, though many are already. Always room for more!
I play without nails just like the great Sor, and later in his career, tarrega.
Jacob Anderson and Giuliani I think...me too I'm actually gone further and play on steel stings acoustic guitar ...sounds gorgeoues
Jacob Anderson dude i came to this vid because i chose classical guitar as my major instrument in school and piano as my second and i cant have long nails for piano. but for my audition i chose sor! idk why but i thought that was a weird coincidence.
The argument for nails or no nails is fascinating and interesting over the past few centuries
I never use or practice rest strokes. Since you say there's not much of a difference in sound between your rest strokes and free stokes, what's the reason you use rest strokes?
What type of strings are best for non nail players coming from acoustic guitar?
Definitely gut. Failing that, try Savarez White Card. My website has a whole page devoted to strings.
Rob MacKillop Thanks for the feedback!
Thanks for the video for us who are unable to maintain nails , been looking for a way to produce good sound
Cheers, Jeff. Keep at it.
I have always preferred to play guitar without nails as it is more comfortable for me and I can generate a better tone. It's nice to know that other people feel the same.
Good to know, Juan. We are not alone!
Juan Del Angel s
Thanks Rob. I enjoy rock climbing so the fingernails need to stay short if I'm to push myself hard. Growing them out at the moment for guitar and noticing lots of improvement in accuracy, speed and tone. I'll try your hand position next
I like your video. Your technique and hand position are very reminiscent of lute technique.
Flesh playing is really beautiful when it is used by a guitarist who knows what they are doing. This video was enlightening. Thank you.
Thank you, Angela. Appreciated.
That is a Beautiful sounding Guitar Sir..What is the Make and Year?
Ramirez 130 Años, 2017, I think.
Actually 2015.
@@RobMacKillop1 Thank you...I Love the Ramirez guitars but they all seem to have that nasal tone where yours does not?..........
.So 2015 Ramirez 130 Anos
@@MichaelLynMusic Could be my flesh technique?
Great stuff, Rob! My nails are horrible and acrylics just don't work for me. I thought I read in one of your books about plucking the string from the underside? While I don't play classical, only steel string the results must be the same. Nice website!
Curt Thanks, Curt. Yes, this technique does work with steel as well. Good luck!
Thank you for this. You made me get rid of my fear of playing with the flesh. Now what i will constantly try is to convine flesh and nail, being conscious that there's nothing wrong with the flesh.
Great video. Fantastic playing :) and good words.
A great video Rob the guitar sounds as it should do. I'm now tempted to cut my nails and get back to some manual work again!. Best Harry Verey
Harry Verey Thanks, Harry. Get the scissors out! ;-)
Rob MacKillop You have a new subscriber! .I checked out some of your photography some really excellent work.I have just started uploading guitar vids have struggled with the audio but getting there.Hope to add some photography too if I can get it together. I'm reaching for the shears now!
Harry Verey Good. Let me know when you get stuff online, photography included.
Rob MacKillop Will do- I do already have some videos up on YT including Illyrian Lullaby which I thought I heard you play a little bit and a couple of Bach preludes my sound is not as pure as yours though.They should come up if you enter my name in the search.
Good playing, Harry. Too much nail, though ;-)
Only kidding!
very useful ideas and thoughts. not to mention the beautiful tone.
Thankyou
How do you achieve a good tremolo for something like Recuerdos de la Alhambra using just flesh ?
please read responses to same question below.
When I was in 7th grade I was waiting for my trombone lesson to begin and was overhearing a guitar class in progress. The teacher was coaching them on plucking a string and cautioning them to not use the nail. So, ever since, I just presumed all classical guitar players were not using their nails. Only recently have I discovered that with-nails was what most were doing. :D
your technique is brilliant. just wish i was that fast and timely with the nails I actually do have haha. just tired of snapping them and feeling lost.
Hi Rob thanks for sharing your technique . I love the sound you get. Is there any downside to playing without nails? Like maybe difficult to play tremolo? Etc... ?
None whatsoever, Chris. People do play tremolo without nails. Tárrega did. See my website: rmClassicalGuitar.com
How do you go playing Recuerdos de la Allambra?
Hi Allan. I don't play it. But if I did I would keep in mind Pujol's comments (who promoted the Tárrega method) that a nail-less tremolo should sound ethereal, in other words not machine-gun like. If you are expecting the same result you get with nails, you might be disappointed. Remember that after Tárrega started playing without nails, he went on tour, including in his program tremolo items. It can be done. Sky television had a classical guitar competition, and the winner played Recuerdos without nails. But it does sound different.
What's the best classical guitar to buy straight of the bat for no nails classical with low tension strings I assume?
Depends on your price range. I prefer flamenco guitars for no-nails playing, with gut trebles and Rayon basses from Aquila.
At 2:26, is that the beginning of a song? It sounds familiar. If it is, what's the name?
+Sjeng Houben Spanish Dance No.5 by Granados.
+Rob MacKillop Thanks for the quick reply!
Johnny Guitar! lol
what kind of strings on this guitar normal or high tension and what is the brand name ? Thank you
Sorry, I can't remember the brand, but they are normal tension.
Awesome guitar man that sound is unreal post model and brand if you can !!!
It's a Ramirez 130 años. Very nice guitar.
Thank you for this upload... it boosts me up a lot....
I have lost my right hand thumb nail in an accident(that is 1/4 of the thumb part, Partially amputated thumb), and was really worried about the tone produced by the flesh of the thumb, but after seeing this I want to know other techniques to improve the thumb tone on strings. Dear Rob could you please suggest any.
Sorry to hear about your accident. There's always a way to play - ask Django :-) It's impossible for me to say without knowing exactly how your thumb looks, and how you use it. I use a hand cream to keep the fingertips moist, so that's something you should consider. And if you can play rest strokes with the thumb, that's often a good way to improve the tone of the bass notes. If you want a Skype lesson, let me know, otherwise I can't say much to help, other than "Good Luck!".
Very interesting stuff (your website)! You opened me to a whole new world. Now I'm thinking about switching to the 'other side'. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.
Cheers, Lawrence. Come on over to the other side. it's nice and warm here!
Thanks for your videos, great informatives value and musicality.
I also play without nail ; my guitars are all cedar top ; i'm just wondering if spruce top will maybe help having clarity or ´brightness' and helps to 'compensate', in comparaison with nails' picking. But your guitars also seems to be cedar. How do you think?
Not all my guitars are cedar, some are spruce. The technique is non-instrument related. Cheers.
Wow!this the first time I see that kind of picado so fast using the thumb and the index... Would love to see a video more detailed about that
Lute players used it all the time so you might find some info there
I have used nails before and found that I am a KLUTZ with a capitol K and just kept breaking them...etc. Now I just play without nails and I find it is just fine for me. I enjoy steel and nylon stringed guitars so to me going from one or another is no problem. Whatever works for you is my view. I think your video expressed some very good thoughts. Nails or No Nails that is the question? Music to me is an individual's expression of themselves and should not be governed by others. By the way you sound great!
Hi Rob, you probably didn't know that I also play classical guitar. It was my second instrument when I studied violin at the conservatory in Brussels in the 1990s. However, the fingernails have always been a problem for me. To start with, mine are quite flexible, so I had to keep them rather short otherwise they would curl, and I have never been really satisfied with the sound I produced. At the other hand, for a violin player it is not ideal to have long right hand fingernails, in particular the index which is often needed to play pizzicato. So the last 20 years, as mandolin and violin are my main instruments, I haven't played much guitar at all... until I watched this video! While I knew that for instance lutes are played without fingernails, it never came to mind that playing guitar without fingernails doesn't necessarily has to be a problem. I do need some more practising, but I really like the sound. Also, I'm not a guitar soloist, and when I make multitrack recordings with mandolins, the more rounded guitar sound is a wonderful addition to the clear mandolin sound! Thanks so much for this eye-opening video!
Hi Ralf. Nice to see you here. My website will give you a lot of info about some other players from the time of Arcas and Tárrega to the present who have chosen to play without nails. The tradition has never disappeared. rmClassicalGuitar.com I've been playing this way for 30 years now, and on gut trebles when I can.
@@RobMacKillop1 That is fantastic...I saw on your website that also Pujol played without fingernails. He actually knew Ranieri quite well and I believe they also played together. So now I've been checking the descriptions in Ranieri's guitar method, and fingernails are simply not mentioned. So maybe he played the same way. I also have the manuscript of Ranieri's guitar method, and interestingly he mentions resting the pinky on the table as you do, but this sentence doesn't seem to be published in the printed edition. I certainly have to try gut strings. They will probably produce a clearer sound as they do on violin.
@@ralfleenen Good to know about the pinkie resting! I imagine he did play without nails. I have his guitar method, but I know most of the pieces from their original publications. It's a very nice collection, though. Aquila have just recently started manufacturing gut specifically for guitars from c.1880 to 1950, which is more stiff that the early 19th-century variety. It is part of their Gut and Silk set. The silk they use is real silk too. Recommended!
Very nice! Another benefit is that when playing ff with nails the tone is difficult to keep full; probably because of the flex in the nail with the added force. I don't think you have any issues with that using no nail.
Exactly, Jack. Good point.
Is nailles playing restricted with some techniques or can you do picado or alzapua kind of techniques.
I don't play flamenco - those are flamenco techniques.
I'm asking that if it is done or doable
+Rob MacKillop - I don't know. Ask a flamenco player.
Hi just wantes to know what size of Guitar do you have ? Looks to me like a 7/8?
And if so can you collaborate on that idea ?
Thank you
Full size, 650mm. I’m a big guy! 😎
Hiya Rob. I so appreciate the habit you have of nurturing/feeding the love of the MUSIC, the quality and evocative quality of it, however that takes place. Strict adherence to the rules or mainstream habits shuts many folks out, unfortunately. A simple piece, humbly and sincerely played, nails or not, can be beautiful for sure. There's room for every expressive yearning of this kind.
Hi Heidi. Thanks for the very thoughtful comment, which I will ponder over. By the way, you made a comment on one of my videos a short while ago which RUclips sent me notice of. But when I went to read it, it had disappeared. RUclips does that if you include a link sometimes. So I was unable to respond to you. Please don’t think I ignored your comment, which I would never do. Best wishes, Rob
I have eczema and I cannot have nails by any means, or I will tear my skin to shreds. I play the guita wideout nails since day one, I am really glad to see that other people do it. I came here trying to find a better way to do so. But it seems that there is no standard way to do so regardless very interesting video
There are as many ways to play guitar without nails as there are with them. Best wishes for your playing, Gabriel.
I play without nails as well. Would you recommend spruce or cedar guitars for this technique? Or perhaps you have some other advice on guitar selection? Thanks for the video.
Any guitar will do. These days I play a Simon Ambridge guitar based on a Manuel Ramirez from the first few years of the 20th century. It has cypress back and sides, which I like a lot. The most inexpensive way to get a guitar like this it to buy a flamenco guitar. During Tarrega's time, there was no distinction between classical and flamenco guitars, they were just guitars. Cypress wood was cheaper, and became more associated through time with poorer musicians, who tended to be flamenco players. The irony is that today, cypress is more expensive than rosewood. So, I like cypress, but the guitar in this video has rosewood back and sides, and a cedar top. Any guitar will do. Good luck!
+Rob MacKillop thank you for the advice!
do you use high or low tentions strings?
Definitely low. Or normal, but tuned lower.
This actually helped me alot..since I cant use my ring finger too actively and don't want to grow my nails ( can't stand the feeling)
Rob..I have been playing classical guitar a while..I`ve always used my nails as that is how I was taught although I keep my nails short and leave just enough room to catch the string with the nail and flesh at the same time..I`ve experimented with just the flesh but I have an issue with volume..it sounds around half as loud to me..any suggestions ?
I have no problem with volume. You must realise you cannot play without nails with the same technique you used when you had nails. You have to move the string differently. It's not hard to do, but you have to work at it like anything else. I have another similar video to the above, but longer, I go into more detail. See it on my website: rmclassicalguitar.com/technique/
You use traditional gut and silk strings too right?
Hi Jace, generally I do, but in this video I just had D'Addario J45's. It was before I sourced good inexpensive gut. See my website for details: rmClassicalGuitar.com
The guitar playing of a legend. All salute to you sir.
Haha. I'm not so sure about that! But thank you anyway :-)
Your guitar is beautiful.
Thank you for the video! What about fast techniques like tremolo? Often it is said, it is impossible without nails.
Yes, it is possible, as I've said many times in answer to the same question below.
@@RobMacKillop1 Thanks for the answer. I did not look at the comments, because there are so many. Keep on going your good work. All the best and greetings from germany!
Thank you :-)
Thank you for this video, and all your great instruction. If I might ask a completely off-topic question, were you using a guitar support of any kind in this video? Your position looks very natural.
Cheers, Gary. No support. I was sitting on a low couch. I normally use a footstool, but do like to vary my sitting posture.
@@RobMacKillop1 Thanks Rob. As for the topic of the video, I'm encouraged that I don't need to have long fingernails to play classical guitar. I do a lot of manual labor, gardening, etc, which isn't very compatible with long finger nails. Plus, I wouldn't want to make my wife jealous if my nails were prettier than hers :-)
Thank you for this video. You proved and have helped me break free from what I thought I was "supposed" to do and now I am playing so much better and it feels much better :)
Cheers, David. You've made my day!
awesome :)
lovely guitar! What is it?
Ramirez, 130 Años.
It all depends on how your nails grow, I’ve seen some weird nails that grow over the fingers which in that case flesh is probably better, to each their own. Good video