growing nails for ukulele = no more basketball?

davoomac

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Okay so I've been growing out my nails, and I must say that I like them very much for playing my ukulele. The thing is I was shooting around tonight and the nails are too long to play ball i guess.

Does anyone else have long nails and still play ball? Any suggestions as to what I should do about it? Maybe stick something on the tips of my fingers to protect the nails? lol

I was thinking that I would eventually need to just trim my nails and use fake nails, if I wanted to play basketball again while still being able to play ukulele.
 
Mine extend only 1-2mm beyond the fingertips of my right hand. Anything beyond that makes it difficult for me to apply the traditional Spanish callo y una method (flesh plants on the string, flesh and nail produce tone). You can still play basketball with nails that short.
 
I used to have that same problem. I just basically learned how to play with as short nails as possible. The outcome was actually better. The shorter the nail, the more mass you put on the string. Now if you use a combination of nail and flesh, not only do you get more mass, but you get a warmer tone as well. If it's only struck with the nail, then you don't get that same warmth with more mass from the flesh. Hopefully I can make a uke minute with how to properly attack the strings. Hope that helps! :D
 
haha mebbe you need to check out that horse hoof stuff to strengthen your nails before your gigs ^_^

The one time I had to play ukulele in front of people was at my brothers wedding and 2 days before I had to play the nail on my index finger totally broke off. of all the times!

I actually filed my nails last night so hopefully I can play just as well with shorter nails. Can you make the next uke minutes on how to attack the strings? thats exactly what I was waiting for!
 
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dont know if this helps but i have learned to play with no nails. I jave a bad habit of biting my nails. i tried to grow them on my right hand and i must say they got pretty long but i couldnt resist biting them. for my finger picking i have learned to use the flesh to pick, yes its alottle harder and i might not get that bright of a sound but it can be done.

Howlie Boy:cool:
 
dont know if this helps but i have learned to play with no nails. I jave a bad habit of biting my nails. i tried to grow them on my right hand and i must say they got pretty long but i couldnt resist biting them. for my finger picking i have learned to use the flesh to pick, yes its alottle harder and i might not get that bright of a sound but it can be done.

Howlie Boy:cool:

Yeah I used to use just the flesh to play ukulele, but when I finally grew out my nails I learned all the different colors of sound that can be produced. Having nails can really enhance the way your ukulele playing sounds. AND it makes strumming fast TONS easier!

I used to bite my nails too though. :rolleyes: When I was in school in the states and there were alot of stressful times, I would bite my nails all the time. It's kinda a gross habit lol but when I wanted to play ukulele I totally stopped biting my right hand nails. :D
 
this is a major problem for me. since i coach gymnastics and my spotting hand is my right hand, i need my nails to not poke, scratch or hurt my students. also, back in high school i needed to make sure my nails were ok for wrestling.

what i did is leave a little bit of white showing, and like file it in a somewhat of a shape of a pick. i did this with my thumb, index, and middle finger.

no one has complained, so i always keep them at that length.
 
this is a major problem for me. since i coach gymnastics and my spotting hand is my right hand, i need my nails to not poke, scratch or hurt my students. also, back in high school i needed to make sure my nails were ok for wrestling.

what i did is leave a little bit of white showing, and like file it in a somewhat of a shape of a pick. i did this with my thumb, index, and middle finger.

no one has complained, so i always keep them at that length.

So you had pointy nails?
 
I growe nails on my right arm about 1 - 2 mm beyond end of finger.
And when I ride on my freestyle bmx bike is no problem in gloves ;]
 
you can get finger picks.

I know bob brozman uses some whenever he plays ukulele.

just slip them on and off

its like a ring but you put it on the fingertips and they work really well aparently.

you can probubly buy them wherever you can find a banjo

youve probubly heard of them but thats my suggestion

hope it works!

;)
 
Okay so I've been growing out my nails, and I must say that I like them very much for playing my ukulele. The thing is I was shooting around tonight and the nails are too long to play ball i guess.

Does anyone else have long nails and still play ball? Any suggestions as to what I should do about it? Maybe stick something on the tips of my fingers to protect the nails? lol

I was thinking that I would eventually need to just trim my nails and use fake nails, if I wanted to play basketball again while still being able to play ukulele.

Yeah my nails are long and i still play basketball :)

I dont dribble with my nails :p
 
I can't stand having long nails. I feel dirty with long nails.

Those finger picks sound good. If I ask for some in Australia though, they'll probably pull a dumb face and say "wot?"

If you could post any links to good suppliers - that'd be cool!
 
I used to bite my nails. But when I started playing the ukulele, I just stopped. The only anoying things about them is typing with my thumb on my cell phone and being made fun of for looking like a hermit.
 
I used to bite my nails. But when I started playing the ukulele, I just stopped. The only anoying things about them is typing with my thumb on my cell phone and being made fun of for looking like a hermit.

hahaha yah me too! texting became such a pain with ukulele nails.

Thanks for the suggestions everyone! I might try finger picks sometime.. maybe even the fake nails
 
I rtied to cut off my nails, and i can finger good and the tones is much softy. But when I try to finger afer week with nails. It s better ;]

but what i can see. The thumb nail is a basic for uke play for me.
 
I can't stand having long nails. I feel dirty with long nails.

Those finger picks sound good. If I ask for some in Australia though, they'll probably pull a dumb face and say "wot?"

If you could post any links to good suppliers - that'd be cool!



Yeah sure ill look around for some off the internet.

i hope you dont mind ebay.

ill try to find some in australia though

aloha + ukulele my friend
 
hahaha yah me too! texting became such a pain with ukulele nails.

Thanks for the suggestions everyone! I might try finger picks sometime.. maybe even the fake nails

fake nails would work really good.


dont mind the hecklers about fake nails though


just go to a walmart or just a local store and buy some.


superglue and plastic will work too.

:p
 
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