Fingernails

joeybug · Sep 22, 2010

Do you need to keep the fingernails on the chord hand short? I know I did for the Viola and I wondered if I do for the Uke...

I know it's a real "dumb" question, but I honestly am not sure...

Thanks

kalicokahliaa · Sep 22, 2010

Yes. If your nails are too long on your fret hand, you won't be able to properly press down on the strings, so you won't get the right sound.

joeybug · Sep 22, 2010

Okay, shall keep them trimmed, thanks

kalicokahliaa · Sep 22, 2010

No problem!

Fuzzy · Sep 22, 2010

joeybug said:
I know it's a real "dumb" question, but I honestly am not sure...

There are no dumb questions. Don't be afraid to ask for whatever you need.

Brewerpaul · Sep 26, 2010

Short is the way to go. In addition to keeping you from fretting the strings adequately, long nails are uncomfortable to play with, and they'll gouge up your fingerboard.

mkp · Oct 7, 2010

I think that unlike composing lyrics, where finger nails really is not a problem, composing tones with finger nails can really be detrimental to the health of the music tone played and hence there is every need that you need to make it short in order to present the perfect sound you can. Furthermore, one thing that I would like to tell you is that if you want lyrics and music to go well then it should be done with the same kind of divinity!

molokinirum · Oct 7, 2010

Brewerpaul said:
Short is the way to go. In addition to keeping you from fretting the strings adequately, long nails are uncomfortable to play with, and they'll gouge up your fingerboard.

Yes, this is very improtant and probably never thought of!! Keep em short, no problems!!

mm stan · Oct 7, 2010

Aloha Joey,
As everyone said above, Keep them short on your fretted hand and longer on the strumming hand ....
if you desire to....aside from making it harder to freet properly in making chords, your nails will dig in
your fretboard in time....Good Luck and Have Fun and enjoy Lilo......Happy Strummings!!! MM Stan...

Chap · Oct 7, 2010

I managed to crack one of my nails on my strumming hand just a few weeks after starting. I've had a lot of suggestions to take vitamin E to strengthen the nails.

Coconut Willie · Oct 7, 2010

Yes, keep your hand used for chords as short as possible!!! Don't want to ruin the fret board!!

mm stan · Oct 7, 2010

Chap said:
I managed to crack one of my nails on my strumming hand just a few weeks after starting. I've had a lot of suggestions to take vitamin E to strengthen the nails.

Aloha Chap,
Make sure to trim them every week, if they get too long, the chances of breakage it far greater.....good luck!! mm Stan

sukie · Oct 7, 2010

Everyone is right about the nails. I am starting to feel a bit freakish as my left hand nails are so short and my right hand nails get longer all the time. But it makes me feel like a real musician!

mm stan · Oct 7, 2010

sukie said:
Everyone is right about the nails. I am starting to feel a bit freakish as my left hand nails are so short and my right hand nails get longer all the time. But it makes me feel like a real musician!

Aloha Sukie,
Makes a real imbalance in the "force" (a star wars saying)he he...

Chap · Oct 7, 2010

mm stan said:
Aloha Chap,
Make sure to trim them every week, if they get too long, the chances of breakage it far greater.....good luck!! mm Stan

Aloha!

They were quite short, it's just that the strumming flattened the top of the nails, making a crease that cracked when I banged my hand on a dryer door. I'm sure the combination of vitamin E and not ever doing laundry again will solve the problem.

janeray1940 · Oct 7, 2010

Chap said:
Aloha!

They were quite short, it's just that the strumming flattened the top of the nails, making a crease that cracked when I banged my hand on a dryer door. I'm sure the combination of vitamin E and not ever doing laundry again will solve the problem.

That crease-that-cracks problem has happened to me quite a bit too. I do a lot of picking and I *need* my right-hand nails to have some length. I was about to resort to Super Glue when somebody here recommended this clear Diamond Strength stuff - it works great.

itsme · Oct 8, 2010

mm stan said:
Aloha Chap,
Make sure to trim them every week, if they get too long, the chances of breakage it far greater.....good luck!! mm Stan

I run into the problem of them breaking if I let them get too long as well. I've also learned to be very protective of my RH nails and do a lot of things with my LH instead, like opening the pop-top on a can of soda.

sukie said:
Everyone is right about the nails. I am starting to feel a bit freakish as my left hand nails are so short and my right hand nails get longer all the time. But it makes me feel like a real musician!

In all my years of playing classical guitar, I think only maybe two people have ever even noticed the difference in nail length between my hands.

Magic Cheese · Oct 8, 2010

I have a bad habit of biting my nails, which in addition to being disgusting hinders my strumming. Although I did see a video on youtube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-X_FxbUJZM) that makes no mention of a preferred nail length. This is the strum style I've adapted although in the meantime I'm trying to break that nail-biting habit...

Oh, also, I'm new to Ukulele and this forum, so... Hi! ^_^

Chris Tarman · Oct 8, 2010

I can't get my RH nails very long or they interfere with my bass playing. HOWEVER, I have been growing my RH thumbnail out some. I'm not yet sure if I like it at all or if it will be at all useful. We'll see.

Big Bob · Oct 17, 2010

I was having problems breaking my nails .Then on one of Aldrinnes videos he mentioned never cut your nail.Always use a nail file.Since then I am having stronger nails and am not taking any vitamin E.

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