Fingernails

[ElectricPuppy]

I just clipped my nails yesterday, and playing the keys today I found the ends of my fingers getting sore near the nail. Evidently I went too long since clipping them last. I know this will clear itself up in a day or two, but its annoying.

 

So just out of curiosity, how often do you heavy key pounders clip your nails?

[Tomkeen]

I bite my nails. I know, nasty habit... It calms me though .

 

I find long fingernails annoying when playing. My music teacher always had long nails, and you could always hear them when they hit the keys... I couldn't stand it for some reason

[Plink Floyd]

...I bite my nails...

 

 

Me, too. Once, I let them grow, & I couldn't get used to the feel of them slamming against the keys. Piano was the worst. So I stopped fighting it...

[gregwar]

tru story: one of my exs always wanted to paint my nails so i let her do my toenails once. that same week i really badly sprained my ankle at work and decided to do workers comp for a week just to be safe. you should have seen the look on the doctors face when i took my socks off i was so embarrased

[Plink Floyd]

Should have covered 'em in foil.

[Gus Lozada]

I just clipped my nails yesterday, and playing the keys today I found the ends of my fingers getting sore near the nail. Evidently I went too long since clipping them last. I know this will clear itself up in a day or two, but its annoying. So just out of curiosity, how often do you heavy key pounders clip your nails?

 

I clipped my nails today.

 

And the second string of my geetar got stuck between my left index finger's nail and the finger, after a failed string bend. Blood. Pain. Not fun.

 

 

How often do I clip them?

 

As long as they are uncomfortably long to write, type in the computer, playing keyboards... or plainly start gathering dirt

[DawdlePuss]

Puppy, perhaps you shouldn't clip them as short. Generally, if you don't clip them all the way to the base, you shouldn't get any soreness. Maybe try clipping them just a little longer more often.

[Metrosonus]

use a step sequencer sissy

[vinceg]

 

I just clipped my nails yesterday, and playing the keys today I found the ends of my fingers getting sore near the nail. Evidently I went too long since clipping them last. I know this will clear itself up in a day or two, but its annoying. So just out of curiosity, how often do you heavy key pounders clip your nails?

 

 

You might consider using a file instead of clipping. I play some finger style guitar as well as keyboard -- I keep the nails on might right hand a little longer than those on the left. I use a nail file once or twice a week. Takes longer than clipping but easier to control how much nail you remove. Plus, no jagged edges when you're done.

[Citizen Klaus]

I clip my nails weekly. Old habit from when I was learning guitar, and helps me play the keys just a touch more accurately, too. I find that leaving just a little bit of white at the end of the nail alleviates that soreness a bit.

[pogo97]

I clip when I click.

 

That's the right hand. I have three nails on my right hand acrylicked for geetar (very happy with this arrangement) and trim the left very short. When the right hand nails get a bit long, they interfere with piano and I file them back leaving very little nail but with a bit of a point.

[SpaceNorman]

I can never seem to remember to systematically clip them all at once ... it seem like I just end up nibbling them whenever I realize that one is getting long. I'm not a nail biter in the classic sense - but will use teeth to trim up a hang nail.

[frogmonkey]

Probably weekly or bi-weekly. I end up bashing bashing and breaking my nails if I don't keep them short. I'm a hard player, and my piano has heavy action. My nails also get in the way of my technique-- I hate playing with long nails.

 

I have to be really careful about cutting them. I also leave a little bit of white. I have to file the corners or they will cut me when I play!

[ClavAnother]

you been a musician this long and you still haven't figured this out?

 

don't cut 'em so short next time. and don't grow 'em so long like sum kinda mary.

[Numina]

I'm a nail chewer too, not that it matters since I don't have pro level playing chops. Heck, I don't even remember the last time I had a nail within a 1/4" of my finger tip. Great for knobbing, terrible for pulling knobs off or picking up coins!

[ddash]

^^^^^^^^ lol

 

I have been a nail chewer all my life. I dont know why. I tried to grow my nails,but no success.

[Plink Floyd]

I have a less than scientific feeling that a disproportionate number of musicians are nail biters. Dunno why, maybe extra neural energy that needs to be shunted off somewhere?

 

Here's an interesting idea for a poll:

 

Are you a nailbiter?

 

[] Yes

[] No

[] Yes, but not mine

[] ...ya mean, fingernails?

 

 

I'd post it, but I don't make a habit of going around starting spurious threads.

[Plink Floyd]

Pop tops. Until I learned to depress the center of the can to lift the tab...

[Numina]

 

Dimes are the worst but I usually laugh at myself for struggling.

 

 

I have to use a credit card or something of the sort to get coins or can pop tabs to work! I feel your pain... but I can't stop chewing!

 

Do you hide your nails from you co-workers? I try.

[Plink Floyd]

 

...can pop tabs...

 

 

 

No, really, pop tabs are no prob. Just press down on the center of the top of the can with your thumb, & the end of the tab rises enough to get your fingertip under it. I can do it one handed (on a table top).

 

Of course, this won't work if you have hugely thick gorilla fingers.

[psionic11]

Haha, interesting thread.

 

Not a nail biter, clip nails once a week, anything longer gets annoying. No dexterity issues with picking up coins, no pain after clipping (clip just at whites, file afterwards to smooth corners, takes 5 minutes once a week).

 

But I did get calluses not playing bass for awhile then coming back to it. And my hands do get tired from over-playing, esp on guitar and bass... I tend to push past the pain in the heat of the moment, not good, I know. A couple times I thought I had carpal tunnel syndrome, but I back off now if too much pain, unlike my younger dumber years when my endurance and enthusiasm was much higher.

 

So dumb I even occasionally broke bass strings wailing out Geddy solos. Funny, they don't go pling like guitar strings, they just go softly pfloop and all of a sudden they're limp.. :poke:

[Umbra]

I can't believe there is a thread on this.

[Tomkeen]

I can't believe you post here since you have nothing to say anyway.

[Goofball Jones]

I can't believe you post here since you have nothing to say anyway.

 

that's his schtick.

 

Not that I really have anything to say...ever..

[Plink Floyd]

...that's his schtick. ...

 

 

:poke::poke::poke::poke::poke::poke:

 

 

Schticks.