Metal Guitarist Learning Nylon String: Nails or no?

[Leo Chang]

Hi Chris,

I first saw clips of your playing only a few weeks ago, and I was an immediate fan

Since you play both electric and nylon string classical guitars at a very high level... do you grow out the nails on your right hand? or keep them neatly clipped?

Hard Rock / Metal has always been my first love musically, but now I am very passionate about Flamenco as well, and want to pursue that as "authentically" as possible.
My main concern is that if I grow out my nails, it might interfere with Metal right hand techniques... but if I don't, a lot of Flamenco right hand techniques might become more difficult to execute.

I understand that Classical techniques are quite different from Flamenco ... but any suggestion / advice you could give me would be greatly appreciated


Thanks,



- Leo.

 

[Chris_Broderick]

Hi Chris,

I first saw clips of your playing only a few weeks ago, and I was an immediate fan

Since you play both electric and nylon string classical guitars at a very high level... do you grow out the nails on your right hand? or keep them neatly clipped?

Hard Rock / Metal has always been my first love musically, but now I am very passionate about Flamenco as well, and want to pursue that as "authentically" as possible.
My main concern is that if I grow out my nails, it might interfere with Metal right hand techniques... but if I don't, a lot of Flamenco right hand techniques might become more difficult to execute.

I understand that Classical techniques are quite different from Flamenco ... but any suggestion / advice you could give me would be greatly appreciated


Thanks,



- Leo.

Hey Leo,

unfortunately there are compromises that have to be made. If you wanted to pursue Flamenco as faithfully as possible then you need nails (and usually a lot of epoxy on them as well). This will sacrifice your ability to do any tapping well. I have been using some picks call Alaska piks, they need a lot of filing but once you get them shaped they sound great and can be removed.

Take care, Chris.

 

[Leo Chang]

Hi Chris,

It's great to hear that, because I happened to pick up some Alaska Piks today

Do you use the brass or plastic ones?


Thanks,


- Leo.

 

[Alteredmindeath]

cool ILL check those picks out too.

 

[Leo Chang]

Hi Chris,

Another question: do you have your nails over the Alaska Piks as their website suggests, or under?


Thanks,



- Leo.

 

[Shredfiend]

For me (after years of trial and error) I realized i didn't need the nails on I,M and A to be very long. I actually like them a bit shorter now and breaking isn't so much a problem.

I keep IM+A shorter and file a ramp into them for better tone and speed, ala Pumping Nylon.

But my thumb nail is completely different. In order to get the tone and contact I like I have to grow it out fairly long. A friend showed this to me. Personally to get the flesh and nail to hit at the same time I have to grow it out and ramp it.

He did an exercise grabbing my thumg and pushing it through the string. For several weeks until it was long enough and the difference was clear.


on the upside, by keeping IMA shorter it it works well for 8 finger tapping, which I've been exploring a lot lately. I actually prefer it for polyphonic kinda stuff, rather than just fast lines. Even the simplest shapes and intervals superimposed between the 2 hands can get some cool harmonic things happening.