This is the best video I’ve seen on nail shape. Excellent discussion that clarified misunderstandings I’ve had for many years. It was impressive to hear absolutely no difference in tone when using the i, m and a fingers.
DPJFILMS update. I applied the info from the video to reshape my nails. My tone improved consistently across my fingers. It was amazing to hear and feel the improvement. Thanks again.
I performed Villa Lobos Etude 11 at their class after they performed in Seattle. I got some great information from them and I always love seeing them play together.
Very helpful . Would love to see something about the thumb nail as well. Also, would appreciate a real close up of each nail. I guess I have to buy the tutorial! 😉 Thank you for this. 🙏🏼
Best explanation in years..Thank you a lot for posting. I haven't played classical for quite some years now, but I think these principles are also applicable to other plucked string instruments, as is my case.
Another helpful tutorial David! Nails, hmmm, yes, well, I wasn't blessed by nature with the best,, certainly not as nice as Susannas! The duo Melis are outstanding, the Scarlatti piece on your channel is just sublime! Both of them play with a tone even some of the most seasoned pros can but dream of! Some 'wows' going off in your head whilst recording I'll wager!! Keep these comin'
I'll bet!! There's a recording of that Scarlatti sonata by them on spotify which has been on my playlist for a while since I saw your upload..not sure if it's from the same recording you have posted on here I can't tell any difference, if it's wasn't your job then they must be ultra, ultra consistent & im talking about the tone production, timing & All! mindblowingly refined players!! Mystery to a mere mortal like myself how players like these actually do it, one of the reasons your little insights are so fascinating, so cheers!!
Yes... they are certainly consistent. That's a different recording. If you're feeling well off I recommend you take a look at the 96 video. Here are clues to their consistent tone etc. I don't like to hard sell but you'll learn a lot from it.
I hope you get a lot from it. It's a bit more expensive than my other lessons but when you consider what a lesson with your local teacher costs it's cheap!
I shape my nails the same way-- though a bit shorter as I'm only a hobbyist guitarist and need my hands for a lot of other things that having long nails makes difficult-- except for the a (ring) finger. For some reason the ramp doesn't work for me on that finger and ends up catching, almost hooking underneath the string, when I shape it that way and actually results in a thinner, more plectrum-like tone. So instead I just try to make that nail as round and smooth as possible and focus on pushing the string towards the body of the guitar when I play so the sound is not so thin. But the ramp works excellent for me on the I and M fingers.
Dear Susanna, my hat's off to you. This is a novelty to me, the ramp starting increasingly farther from the left start, this from i to a - and this discovered after my >50 yrs of playing.... Oh dear, this is hot knews, and feels great. All the best, Hakan
@@davidjaggs no problem i subscribed your content is excellent... i was a flat picking rock guitarist for years and then I grew up at age 48 hahaha... I'm in love with classical guitar now I've broached it! My aim is to be able to perform leyenda competently... wish me luck, even though I know it's all about the work! Thanks again for the great content!
@@StuartwasDrinkell there's nothing wrong with rock! If you want to play Leyenda I would balance your practice 80 percent slow 10 percent medium and 10 percent fast. You'll get there sooner than you think!
i find most of the girls prefer longer nails.. me too used to.. for last 3yers i used to change and try different shapes in every month of two.. now recently i got my preferable shape.. luckily.. i use the nail file technique suggested by paco de lucia..
i was looking for some cacassi n°20 sample that I work actually (not at your speed...) and then, I found your channel. Really a pleasure to listen your playing and also all those smart and interresting tutorial. About this one, most of the time, it's about the 3 fingers p.m.i. But about the thumb finger ? I didn't see so much sample and advices. And I really need :o) Anyway thanks for your time to share all this.
Hi.. good point. . We didn't mention the shape of the thumbnail! If you hold your thumb up.. nail nearest to you.. there should be a ramp going up from left to right. Basically it's the same principle as the fingernail shape where the string begins by contacting flesh and nail together. Hope this helps!
@@davidjaggs Thanks for your reply. I guess that this is a story of shape. On p.m.i, i found my happiness since some time already. (But I will try the shape discribe on your video to see) But on the thumb nail, I still stuck. I tried many different shape. Still not sastisfied. The angle and the position of the thumb on the string must have an impact also. But as I still have many years to study, hope I will find :o)
Another great video David. I once saw a CG player and his RH nails looked a bit different. Turned out he makes them out of used chinese takeaway cartons or even table tennis balls. Maybe he had a nail biting issue.
Noooo she forgot to explain the thumb! I have so much trouble with it. When i try a mellow brush down on the strings with my thumb, it often sticks to the first string (e or a string) resulting in a loud base note...
Ok.. it sounds like you've left too much nail on the left side of the thumbnail. Like the fingers you should make contact with flesh and nail simultaneously.
There are pills to take, can't remember what they're called, otherwise egg, salmon, almonds and tomatoes!! Roast tomatoes covered in olive oil lightly salted for 45 minutes, serve with roast salmon, pasta and pesto. A nice bottle of red wine and if it doesn't help your nails you won't care anyway!
Thanks for these videos! I am trying to get rid of the tinny sound when I play. How did 18th and 19th century guitarrists shape their nails? Like did they have nail files?
i'm a new guitar student and i'm searching alot about nails lately, but i'm struggling on finding materials that talks about the nails natural curvature. For example, my "A" finger has a bigger curvature than my middle and index, how do i proceed? would i need to shape it and try to make it the most flat as possible? or i should maintain the curvature?
Does Susanna Prieto have some nail gels on her fingers. The resolution of the video makes it unpossible to see this. But I had the impression, she could use nailgel. This kind of steep ramp is morepossible with strong and nonflexible nails. People with flexible nails could have rather problems with such steep ramp.
@@davidjaggs wht do u think about those hard plastic finger picks, u just wear them like finger nails but u can take em off and they easily put on. Can't those be used to play stuff like flamenco?
@@davidjaggs it is NOT opinion. it is physics. but yes, there is variation. it is comicated to explain and easy to do. this is how paco de lucia did his nails and its a universal technique (works the same for everyone). i also saw a dude called thomas viloteau who tries thismethod and he has optimal tone, but his nails looks weird because he contracts the hand severely in a weird position. put sandpaper over string. play on it. done. or! play, 'nails on', a piece of sandpaper, on a cushioned surface. the nail takes the optimal shape because the resulted plain is defined by the nail structure itself.
This is the best video I’ve seen on nail shape. Excellent discussion that clarified misunderstandings I’ve had for many years. It was impressive to hear absolutely no difference in tone when using the i, m and a fingers.
Thanks Jose
DPJFILMS update. I applied the info from the video to reshape my nails. My tone improved consistently across my fingers. It was amazing to hear and feel the improvement. Thanks again.
So pleased! Don't forget to polish with 1000 or 1200 wet and dry paper.
You'll then sound like Segovia!
I performed Villa Lobos Etude 11 at their class after they performed in Seattle. I got some great information from them and I always love seeing them play together.
Nice to hear!
Very helpful . Would love to see something about the thumb nail as well. Also, would appreciate a real close up of each nail.
I guess I have to buy the tutorial! 😉
Thank you for this. 🙏🏼
big thanks a lot for this video , it is really very good. I am Bossa nova guitar player but the technique is the same a on classical guitar.
Best explanation in years..Thank you a lot for posting. I haven't played classical for quite some years now, but I think these principles are also applicable to other plucked string instruments, as is my case.
Thanks for watching 👍
Another helpful tutorial David! Nails, hmmm, yes, well, I wasn't blessed by nature with the best,, certainly not as nice as Susannas! The duo Melis are outstanding, the Scarlatti piece on your channel is just sublime! Both of them play with a tone even some of the most seasoned pros can but dream of! Some 'wows' going off in your head whilst recording I'll wager!! Keep these comin'
Yes... lovely to record!
I'll bet!! There's a recording of that Scarlatti sonata by them on spotify which has been on my playlist for a while since I saw your upload..not sure if it's from the same recording you have posted on here I can't tell any difference, if it's wasn't your job then they must be ultra, ultra consistent & im talking about the tone production, timing & All! mindblowingly refined players!! Mystery to a mere mortal like myself how players like these actually do it, one of the reasons your little insights are so fascinating, so cheers!!
Yes... they are certainly consistent. That's a different recording. If you're feeling well off I recommend you take a look at the 96 video. Here are clues to their consistent tone etc. I don't like to hard sell but you'll learn a lot from it.
Yes I'm going to invest in that
I hope you get a lot from it. It's a bit more expensive than my other lessons but when you consider what a lesson with your local teacher costs it's cheap!
Very well described.I well definitely pay more attention to sound consistency for each finger.Thank you for that.
Great! Thanks Geoff.
great video - I gave it a thumbnail up!
Thanks!
I shape my nails the same way-- though a bit shorter as I'm only a hobbyist guitarist and need my hands for a lot of other things that having long nails makes difficult-- except for the a (ring) finger. For some reason the ramp doesn't work for me on that finger and ends up catching, almost hooking underneath the string, when I shape it that way and actually results in a thinner, more plectrum-like tone. So instead I just try to make that nail as round and smooth as possible and focus on pushing the string towards the body of the guitar when I play so the sound is not so thin. But the ramp works excellent for me on the I and M fingers.
I shape my a finger a little differently. (This is David Jaggs). I guess we're all built slightly differently!
Interesting and useful as always, sharing this with some students! Thanks David!!!
Cheers Luca!
Dear Susanna, my hat's off to you. This is a novelty to me, the ramp starting increasingly farther from the left start, this from i to a - and this discovered after my >50 yrs of playing.... Oh dear, this is hot knews, and feels great. All the best, Hakan
Great vid
Thanks for watching 👍😊
@@davidjaggs no problem i subscribed your content is excellent... i was a flat picking rock guitarist for years and then I grew up at age 48 hahaha... I'm in love with classical guitar now I've broached it! My aim is to be able to perform leyenda competently... wish me luck, even though I know it's all about the work! Thanks again for the great content!
@@StuartwasDrinkell there's nothing wrong with rock! If you want to play Leyenda I would balance your practice 80 percent slow 10 percent medium and 10 percent fast. You'll get there sooner than you think!
@@davidjaggs thanks for the advice and encouragement! 👍
So useful!
Great.. nice to hear.
i find most of the girls prefer longer nails.. me too used to.. for last 3yers i used to change and try different shapes in every month of two.. now recently i got my preferable shape.. luckily.. i use the nail file technique suggested by paco de lucia..
How you position your fingers strike
onto the strings will determine try the shape of the nails shapes!.
That is a very nice rich tone. Sounds like you are playing in a minor key. You've obviously got a good guitar too.
🙏
Hello. Can you tell what is playing in the very beginning? A short introduction piece... Thanks!
Hi Gregory. Here it the clip it was taken from! th-cam.com/video/TsAVylyY8HU/w-d-xo.html
@@davidjaggs Yes! Thank you, sir. It is a big pleasure to watch your channel . Cheers!
Very Good Job on Istructional vdc. .. Nice One ... ☺😊😀/💙💙💙/👍👌👏
Thanks again!
How do you polish your nails?
Watch this Klaus, th-cam.com/video/rUjV0X1-I_o/w-d-xo.html
i was looking for some cacassi n°20 sample that I work actually (not at your speed...) and then, I found your channel. Really a pleasure to listen your playing and also all those smart and interresting tutorial. About this one, most of the time, it's about the 3 fingers p.m.i. But about the thumb finger ? I didn't see so much sample and advices. And I really need :o)
Anyway thanks for your time to share all this.
Hi.. good point. . We didn't mention the shape of the thumbnail! If you hold your thumb up.. nail nearest to you.. there should be a ramp going up from left to right. Basically it's the same principle as the fingernail shape where the string begins by contacting flesh and nail together. Hope this helps!
@@davidjaggs Thanks for your reply. I guess that this is a story of shape. On p.m.i, i found my happiness since some time already. (But I will try the shape discribe on your video to see) But on the thumb nail, I still stuck. I tried many different shape. Still not sastisfied. The angle and the position of the thumb on the string must have an impact also. But as I still have many years to study, hope I will find :o)
Hi again. For thumbnail shape have a look at this..th-cam.com/video/rUjV0X1-I_o/w-d-xo.html 3 minutes in.
Another great video David. I once saw a CG player and his RH nails looked a bit different. Turned out he makes them out of used chinese takeaway cartons or even table tennis balls. Maybe he had a nail biting issue.
I've heard of using ping pong balls but not takeaway cartons. Cant imagine getting a good tone from tin foil!
@@davidjaggs 🤣
Noooo she forgot to explain the thumb! I have so much trouble with it. When i try a mellow brush down on the strings with my thumb, it often sticks to the first string (e or a string) resulting in a loud base note...
Ok.. it sounds like you've left too much nail on the left side of the thumbnail. Like the fingers you should make contact with flesh and nail simultaneously.
Have a look at my version of the same subject around 3 minutes in. th-cam.com/video/rUjV0X1-I_o/w-d-xo.html
Diet recommendations? What foods make the strongest nails?
There are pills to take, can't remember what they're called, otherwise egg, salmon, almonds and tomatoes!! Roast tomatoes covered in olive oil lightly salted for 45 minutes, serve with roast salmon, pasta and pesto. A nice bottle of red wine and if it doesn't help your nails you won't care anyway!
Also, you should point out keeping other side nails well trimmed to prevent fretboard potholes.
Thanks for these videos! I am trying to get rid of the tinny sound when I play. How did 18th and 19th century guitarrists shape their nails? Like did they have nail files?
They played without nails!
WHAT ABOUT THE THUMB NAIL!!!!!!!!!???????????????????
I talk about the thumb in this video. th-cam.com/video/rUjV0X1-I_o/w-d-xo.html it's the same principle.
Of the many challenges I have with the classical guitar, the correct nail shape is one of them.
Hope this has helped you
@@davidjaggs It did, I got my file out as soon as I saw the video. Thanks!
i'm a new guitar student and i'm searching alot about nails lately, but i'm struggling on finding materials that talks about the nails natural curvature. For example, my "A" finger has a bigger curvature than my middle and index, how do i proceed? would i need to shape it and try to make it the most flat as possible? or i should maintain the curvature?
I think everyone's nails are different. It's difficult to advise without seeing your nails but you'll need to experiment and see what works for you.
if you have flat or hooked nails... it barely matters what you do.. with arched nails like that its hard to go wrong
There are ways of straightening hooked nails. I've not looked into it but I hear hot spoons do the trick.. don't try this at home kids!
I use 2 spoons: 1 heated up with a lighter, the other covering the finger tip, protecting it from getting burned. Thank you for the video!
You should do a video of this!
Does Susanna Prieto have some nail gels on her fingers. The resolution of the video makes it unpossible to see this. But I had the impression, she could use nailgel. This kind of steep ramp is morepossible with strong and nonflexible nails. People with flexible nails could have rather problems with such steep ramp.
I believe that she does.☺
And how about thumb? Nobody shows how thumb nail works. 😔
Hi Linas. Try my other video about 3 minutes in..... th-cam.com/video/rUjV0X1-I_o/w-d-xo.html
No nails is the way to go. Nails create too much of a metallic scratchy sound.
You could be right for original style 19th century instruments, but beautiful tone and variety is possible with nails. Thanks for watching 👍
I came here to see the thumb nail advised shape but she never touch the argument
Same principal.. slope, flesh first.
Her nails are way too long
480p in 2019. My eyes hurt.
Ummmm no thanks…. Il jus go back to playing my 7 stripes army riff.. TDOOOM toom toom tom tooom toooom
😂
@@davidjaggs wht do u think about those hard plastic finger picks, u just wear them like finger nails but u can take em off and they easily put on. Can't those be used to play stuff like flamenco?
I think they're used for folk music. I've never seen anyone playing classical with them. You could be the pioneer of a new technique!
actually this is not usefull for rest stroke(apoyando)
Yes of course it is; a matter of practising.
absolute trash ideas. this is NOT the way to file nails for classical guitar
Everyone is welcome to their opinion. I wish I could make as good a sound on the guitar as Susanna.
@@davidjaggs it is NOT opinion. it is physics. but yes, there is variation.
it is comicated to explain and easy to do. this is how paco de lucia did his nails and its a universal technique (works the same for everyone). i also saw a dude called thomas viloteau who tries thismethod and he has optimal tone, but his nails looks weird because he contracts the hand severely in a weird position.
put sandpaper over string. play on it. done.
or! play, 'nails on', a piece of sandpaper, on a cushioned surface. the nail takes the optimal shape because the resulted plain is defined by the nail structure itself.
@@davidjaggs i have seen this 'issue' with nails for too long. time to stop it.
@@davidjaggs plus, guitar is really not for women. i would say, its very clear, but these days, nothing is 'clear'
@@davidjaggs also, keep the guitar on the right foot. it was DESIGNED that way