My nails aren't hooked but they are thin and easily break. Since 1992 I've had tips put on professionally at a nail salon and this will give you perfect shaped nails that last for weeks. The tone is killer! The price for four nails in my area is around $15.00.
Thanks, Scott. My "M" nail hooks down as you describe. Several years ago I mashed the last joint on this finger and broke it rather severely. It now hooks. I must keep it rather short and I use a ramp. On rest strokes sometimes it hesitates causing me to get slightly off-beat. Thanks for your insight.
Thanks for info. Mostly about the angle. I've been filing at the wrong angle and I should've known given the angle of attack and the potential for the nail to grab more, especially during tremolo.
Just see This now. I have a hocked a nail as Well. I Stick it into a cup of hot Water, as hot as I can manage until it softnes up. Then I gently press with my left Tumb and index until the shap is round. This trick helps me play all morning and evening. Next day the same. The nail hold its form longer and longer.
I had soft fingernails for years and couldnt do anything with them. Theyd tear and flex. Grew out all crazy. Useless. Then I bought gummmie pre natal vitimins by mistake one time. One bottle thickened my nails up so MUCH! { i didnt realize they were pre natal until I was out and wanted to replace them and read the bottle lol). now i can file any imperfections out of them because theyre thick and they never break or tear. Like ever. Wish id known about that 20 years ago!
Thank you for this! I keep trying to get the ramp shaped nails to work for me (ramped nails produce such a wonderfully warm and dark sound!), but they seem to exacerbate the hooked-nail problem (plus I like to change angles and the rounded shape is more versatile for me at different angles). I get fairly good results with an angled (not perpendicular) attack (just as you mentioned), keeping the nails fairly short and fairly "true" to the silhouette of my fingertips (round, not ramped, sadly), and filing UNDER the edge of the nails, where the strings mostly come in contact. Also, getting a good nail buffer (3 or more surfaces) and actually shining the edge and under the edge really helps with quick, clean string departure.
Best solution: accept your genetic misfortune and just cut the damn things off. I resisted for 30 years, trying every other possible solution. None really gave satisfactory results. I finally relented after 30 years and just cut them off. With time, the tone produced was far better than my nails could ever achieve. Many of the greats made it work- it should also work for a mere mortal like me who will never grace a large concert stage
This gives me some hope. Thank you Scott!
Many thanks Scott ! xxxxxxx
My nails aren't hooked but they are thin and easily break. Since 1992 I've had tips put on professionally at a nail salon and this will give you perfect shaped nails that last for weeks. The tone is killer! The price for four nails in my area is around $15.00.
Thanks, Scott. My "M" nail hooks down as you describe. Several years ago I mashed the last joint on this finger and broke it rather severely. It now hooks. I must keep it rather short and I use a ramp. On rest strokes sometimes it hesitates causing me to get slightly off-beat. Thanks for your insight.
Ramp? What do you mean?
Thank Scott. My A and M hook. Will see how this goes!
Thanks for info. Mostly about the angle. I've been filing at the wrong angle and I should've known given the angle of attack and the potential for the nail to grab more, especially during tremolo.
Hello... what nail shape do you recommend for travis picking?? Thank you.
Just see This now. I have a hocked a nail as Well. I Stick it into a cup of hot Water, as hot as I can manage until it softnes up. Then I gently press with my left Tumb and index until the shap is round. This trick helps me play all morning and evening. Next day the same. The nail hold its form longer and longer.
I had soft fingernails for years and couldnt do anything with them. Theyd tear and flex. Grew out all crazy. Useless. Then I bought gummmie pre natal vitimins by mistake one time. One bottle thickened my nails up so MUCH! { i didnt realize they were pre natal until I was out and wanted to replace them and read the bottle lol). now i can file any imperfections out of them because theyre thick and they never break or tear. Like ever. Wish id known about that 20 years ago!
What brand?
Yeah, what brand?
Thank you for this! I keep trying to get the ramp shaped nails to work for me (ramped nails produce such a wonderfully warm and dark sound!), but they seem to exacerbate the hooked-nail problem (plus I like to change angles and the rounded shape is more versatile for me at different angles). I get fairly good results with an angled (not perpendicular) attack (just as you mentioned), keeping the nails fairly short and fairly "true" to the silhouette of my fingertips (round, not ramped, sadly), and filing UNDER the edge of the nails, where the strings mostly come in contact. Also, getting a good nail buffer (3 or more surfaces) and actually shining the edge and under the edge really helps with quick, clean string departure.
Best solution: accept your genetic misfortune and just cut the damn things off.
I resisted for 30 years, trying every other possible solution. None really gave satisfactory results. I finally relented after 30 years and just cut them off.
With time, the tone produced was far better than my nails could ever achieve.
Many of the greats made it work- it should also work for a mere mortal like me who will never grace a large concert stage
Had to laugh at 0:42 when you try to explain how soft and flexible your a-nail is. Sorry man, it just sounds quite funny...
there is no such need to modify the nail shape. no mechanical reason to do so.
wow you should make a video about self confidence. you can dismiss a maestro's opinion about a subject you know nothing about. kudos
@@payambehtash7124 wtf do you mumble about?
@@payambehtash7124 bch you 2?
@@kanker5256 you have no clue and you are talking BS. here, is this clear enough?
Yes, there is. I have hooked nails, and it can be extremely challenging depending on the shape.