You've really overcome your middle finger being slightly shorter. Proof that where there is a will there is a way. I love your tone. Thanks for all your tips.
Amazing... it was the edge I needed to get the right angle for my fingernails. It has made them shorter and with a longer ramp. The big difference was to my thumbnail... superb. Can't thank you enough. Happy new year 2016
I heard of the way to press your fingers on the strings to figure out the angle, but I love this sandpaper idea alot. Gonna try that with acrylics, thanks alot!
Thumbs up as ever for your tutorials. As always I am surprised ( pointlessy ) about nails being filed asymmetrical. I follow the shape of the tips of my fingers filing and buffing. ( near round ) This gives my the opportunity to push the string down/away at any desired angle while preserving the same nail shape for string release. My nails I keep relatively short, playing/pushing down the strings with the flesh mainly, and only having the nails as a comfortable catch. People telling me my "beautiful Tone ( not my words ) is only because of my GOOD nails are often surprised I can produce an almost identical "GOOD" tone with the nailless fingers of my left hand,... It's horses for corses, nails, posture ( Ricardo Gallen as the only well known guitarist with the same sitting position as mine ) Each and every one their own travel into guitar land. Travel agent Matthew may well be your best guide.
Hi Matt... I found your video on Nail Care and tone production to be a very necessary and overlooked subject for classical guitarists. Or any guitarist for that matter... sometimes our main concern is just learning the music. But for the music to come alive and to sound personal, you must take advantage of all the colors that the guitar has to offer. You have to constantly think about how you want to produce your tone, and listening is the key. You should want your tone to be as beautiful and mesmerizingly hypnotic and Crystal Clear as possible... to keep the listener's attention. And throw in something every now and then to surprise them.. but you also control what they listen to, and how they listen to it. You have to automatically know when to go from high to low or from Rich to bright. Vibrato and slurs are a couple of other things you also touched upon which I deeply appreciate, which are at our beck-and-call to enhance the musical experience. Once again being conscious of what you are trying to do and achieve musically is the key formula. Matt thanks again for such wonderful inspiring lessons and I wish you the very best take care.
Thank you kindly for tips in this important area, Matthew. Moreover I come to think of Segovia, who said something like "He who does not have the best of nails has better do sth else than playing the guitar" - I've always thought this is such a silly comment. What can you ever expect from him on the other hand. I only mention guitar heroes like Django, Tony Iommi - and now you Matthew McAllister.
Thanks for the video. Very helpful. I've been playing electric for 30yrs and just got in to acoustic and classical over the last 2-3yrs. I'm playing non-electric more than ever now days. Even with proper vitamin suppliments, my nails still grow brittle and thin. I've heard about acrylic, what are your thoughts on this? I've tried to use metal and plastic finger picks but that's a disaster for me. lol
I don't seem to find the paper anywhere online (except for some website in the US for which you pay a lot shipping costs). Could you include a link where to buy them online in Europe?
+galleryofguitar I'm curious: do you use your c finger to compensate or do you primarily play using just 3 fingers/voices instead of 4? Either way I am encouraged by the fact that you play as well as you do in spite of the injury. Bravo!
I don't doubt that this works for you, but after watching quite a few Segovia videos I noticed that his nails are really pretty short compared to most players today. They also seem to follow a pretty natural curve, as one would have if they simply let their nail grow out for a week or two. It's likely that he buffed and polished his nails, but it seems to me that he really believed that the tone of the guitar was determined by the flesh as much as the nail. Yet you and a lot of other younger guys seem to rely almost entirely on the nail itself.
Segovia used different angles of attack, the edge of the nail (more firmly anchored to the tip) for fuller sound; the mid-point (less firmly attached, more flexible) for a 'lighter' timbre - and points in between. The point of this recording is marred by excessive reverb, which adds artificiality to the natural sound - a 'cosmetic' aid all too common nowadays.
The make of guitar? Filing the with the paper over the string is THE BEST way for the nails. Thanks so much.
My pleasure Larry. 😊
Nail Buffer HB I am using now and already for a long time. I like its design and reusability.
You've really overcome your middle finger being slightly shorter. Proof that where there is a will there is a way. I love your tone. Thanks for all your tips.
Thank you Nick. 😀
I can confirm this is incredibly useful advice. I wish I knew about this earlier.
Amazing... it was the edge I needed to get the right angle for my fingernails. It has made them shorter and with a longer ramp. The big difference was to my thumbnail... superb.
Can't thank you enough. Happy new year 2016
Hi Nicholas, very glad to hear that this has really helped you, fantastic!
Do you vaccum in the soundhole afterwards? Nail dust in de guitar don't make the sound better! But there is a splendid loud in your guitarr!
I heard of the way to press your fingers on the strings to figure out the angle, but I love this sandpaper idea alot. Gonna try that with acrylics, thanks alot!
Good luck!
Thumbs up as ever for your tutorials. As always I am surprised ( pointlessy ) about nails being filed asymmetrical. I follow the shape of the tips of my fingers filing and buffing. ( near round ) This gives my the opportunity to push the string down/away at any desired angle while preserving the same nail shape for string release. My nails I keep relatively short, playing/pushing down the strings with the flesh mainly, and only having the nails as a comfortable catch. People telling me my "beautiful Tone ( not my words ) is only because of my GOOD nails are often surprised I can produce an almost identical "GOOD" tone with the nailless fingers of my left hand,... It's horses for corses, nails, posture ( Ricardo Gallen as the only well known guitarist with the same sitting position as mine ) Each and every one their own travel into guitar land. Travel agent Matthew may well be your best guide.
Thank you! :-)
Enlightened by your tip!!!
Thank you 😊
Excellent recommendation to use the strings as a guide to file the nails.
Hi Matt... I found your video on Nail Care and tone production to be a very necessary and overlooked subject for classical guitarists. Or any guitarist for that matter... sometimes our main concern is just learning the music. But for the music to come alive and to sound personal, you must take advantage of all the colors that the guitar has to offer. You have to constantly think about how you want to produce your tone, and listening is the key. You should want your tone to be as beautiful and mesmerizingly hypnotic and Crystal Clear as possible... to keep the listener's attention. And throw in something every now and then to surprise them.. but you also control what they listen to, and how they listen to it. You have to automatically know when to go from high to low or from Rich to bright. Vibrato and slurs are a couple of other things you also touched upon which I deeply appreciate, which are at our beck-and-call to enhance the musical experience. Once again being conscious of what you are trying to do and achieve musically is the key formula. Matt thanks again for such wonderful inspiring lessons and I wish you the very best take care.
Thanks Kevin, really happy to hear that you enjoyed the videos.
i like your lessons;deeply inspiring and the real stuff!
very well done, i understand now and will practice it, youtube´s traductor help much me, thank you.
Great advice, beautiful tone.
Thanks. :-)
Matt,
Thank you for taking the time to help. Where can I get this fine sandpaper?
Good topic.
Thanks Walter!
Good stuff 🔥
Thank you Robert. Best wishes, Matthew
Wow ~!!!^^thanks a lot ~~!!!
진짜 꿀팁이네요~~!!!👏👏👏👏👍👍👍
우리말로 사포라고하나??? 잘 구입할 수 있길 ~!!!^^
My pleasure.
Thank you kindly for tips in this important area, Matthew. Moreover I come to think of Segovia, who said something like "He who does not have the best of nails has better do sth else than playing the guitar" - I've always thought this is such a silly comment. What can you ever expect from him on the other hand. I only mention guitar heroes like Django, Tony Iommi - and now you Matthew McAllister.
What a lovely comment, thank you. 😊
Thanks for the video. Very helpful. I've been playing electric for 30yrs and just got in to acoustic and classical over the last 2-3yrs. I'm playing non-electric more than ever now days. Even with proper vitamin suppliments, my nails still grow brittle and thin. I've heard about acrylic, what are your thoughts on this? I've tried to use metal and plastic finger picks but that's a disaster for me. lol
Nail hardener used for me. Test it.
I don't seem to find the paper anywhere online (except for some website in the US for which you pay a lot shipping costs). Could you include a link where to buy them online in Europe?
Are you not using your m finger?
No, I had an accident when I was younger and lost the tip of my middle finger so I don't use it.
+galleryofguitar I'm curious: do you use your c finger to compensate or do you primarily play using just 3 fingers/voices instead of 4? Either way I am encouraged by the fact that you play as well as you do in spite of the injury. Bravo!
Mixture of both, more use of 3 finger combinations than introducing the c finger but when necessary I use it. :-)
How do you do tremolo if you don't mind me asking?
I don't. Simple answer. :-)
Tabs please...
I don't doubt that this works for you, but after watching quite a few Segovia videos I noticed that his nails are really pretty short compared to most players today. They also seem to follow a pretty natural curve, as one would have if they simply let their nail grow out for a week or two. It's likely that he buffed and polished his nails, but it seems to me that he really believed that the tone of the guitar was determined by the flesh as much as the nail. Yet you and a lot of other younger guys seem to rely almost entirely on the nail itself.
Joel Parker No, I use loads of flesh at the point of contact, that is clearly visible in the video.
Segovia used different angles of attack, the edge of the nail (more firmly anchored to the tip) for fuller sound; the mid-point (less firmly attached, more flexible) for a 'lighter' timbre - and points in between. The point of this recording is marred by excessive reverb, which adds artificiality to the natural sound - a 'cosmetic' aid all too common nowadays.