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It is most important to set the strings in motion with
a right hand nail that is very smooth to produce a clear strong tone.
Never use nail clippers or scissors to shape the nail. There are many
nail maintenance products available from cosmetic departments that will
ensure a glass smooth surface to the nails. A more economical way is
to buy a sheet of 600 grade Silicon Carbide paper and keep this in your
guitar case. Pay particular attention to the underside of the nail that
comes in contact with the string.
The debate over the use of the nails of the right hand
has continued over the years starting in the early 19th century with
Fernando Sor who found the nails to be unnecessary; whereas his contemporary
Dionisio Aguado felt that the nails were necessary to achieve speed
and tonal variation. From Andres Segovia onwards the nail in conjunction
with the flesh of the right hand fingers has become the accepted practice.
Shaping The Right Hand Nails
One of the most perplexing questions encountered by
the fingerstyle guitarist is the shape, length and care of the right
hand fingernails. The following general advice should be helpful to
players who may be having problems in this area.
Remember that the shape, thickness and quality of the
nails will vary greatly from player to player so be prepared to experiment
in your search for solutions in this area. The right hand nails in conjunction
with the flesh at the tip of the finger are responsible for setting
the string in motion. If the section of nail which strikes the strings
is not smooth and well shaped it will be impossible to obtain a full
round sound, and the execution of the stroke will not feel secure if
any section of the nail catches on the string. Therefore, the nail must
be shaped in relation to the angle that the nail strikes the strings.
The steps below set out a method that will ensure that
the nail is shaped at the appropriate angle.
Step 1. Cut a piece of 600 grade Silicon Carbide
paper, available at hardware stores, into a 100 by 200 rectangle. Fold
this in half and place it over the strings of your guitar around the
sound hole area as shown in the picture below.
Step 2. Pick up your guitar
in normal playing position a play a number of rest strokes on the paper
starting with your index finger. Approximately 10 strokes should do.
Examine the nail of your index finger and you should see a distinct
line across the nail at the precise angle that your nail comes in contact
with the string.
Step 3. Proceed to duplicate Step 1 with the
middle and anular fingers of your right hand as well as your right
hand thumb.
Step 4. Take your nail file (needless to say
that this should be a high quality product) and with your right palm
uppermost proceed to shape the nail from the left edge up to the line
marked by Step 2. You may find that the shorter the nail in this area
the more stability the nail exhibits when you execute your strokes.
Next round off the nail from the marked line to the right edge of the
nail. Smooth off any edges left at the point where your filing meets
the marked line but do not change the angle of this line for this is
the area which will come in contact with your strings and must present
as wide a platform as possible to produce a strong even tone.
Step 5. The final step involves the polishing
of the edge and underside of the nails. With a piece of 800 grade Silicon
Carbide paper apply a glass like finish to the edge and underside of
the nail.
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