Nail Shape

[jwellsy]

What shape do you trim the nails on your strumming hand to - round, square or pointed?

Do you keep the edge of the nail squared off, rounded or just try to keep it smooth?

How do you describe the strumming nails you try to keep?

[OnTheLedge]

Rounded for me....not too short and not too long.

[mercy]

If you mean strumming as like with a pick but no pick then I dont know. I would guess short and a natural arc. I play fingerstyle and if thats what you mean then long with the thumb side of the nail ramped so the string can slide off of it at the midpoint of the nail and the pinky side squared off to strengthen the nail.

[Misifus]

Been playing for quite a few years, now, better than fifty. About all of that has been fingerstyle. I keep the nails rounded in shape, and I round over the edges so as to leave them smooth and snag free. When I was in my twenties, I read an interview with Andres Segovia in which he talked about the importance of smoothing the nails with a fine stone. He said when he heard a player he could tell immediately whether the play had used a stone, or not. Since then, I’ve used one. That doesn’t put me in Segovia’s class, but I’ll take all the help I can get.

[Bikewer]

As Misifus notes...
I play nylon-string pretty much exclusively these days, and I follow the advice I learned many years ago from the classical guitar column in Guitar Player...

“A combination of flesh and nail sufficient to give a clear tone”.

Glass nail files, like the Wolfram models, are excellent for a smooth, polished edge on the nails.

I’ve never been able to keep nails playable on a steel-string.

[Don W]

For steel string I have rounded nails on the thumb, 1st, 2nd, 3rd finger as I play mostly finger style. When I'm strumming I use a pick. I have the nails done every 2 months or so at a salon with the clear liquid gel process. They are permanent. Not too long and rounded. After they do it I use a fingernail board and make them smooth as glass. The shape, hardness and smoothness of the nails makes all the difference in steel string tone. Classical is a whole different world. I used to use my natural nails and things like crazy glue to reinforce them...they kept breaking. One day, I got pissed off after breaking a nail (and not being able to play) so I drove to the local nail salon and said "have you guys ever done nails for guitar players?" They said "sure we do...what do you want 2 fingers or 4?" They said "sit down...ten dollars". I have never been happier...problem solved. I do however have to put up with those who call me "vampire man" or other slurs...and a few strange looks from people. Sticks and stones...my tone is wonderful when I play now.

[mercy]

unless you have uber hard nails or have acrylics done the round shape is weaker, more prone to break, than not rounding the pinky side. Doing it that way there is more nail behind the picking side so the nail is stronger.

[jwellsy]

Found a few videos on nails.

[The Bard Rocks]

Playing fingerstyle, I try to have the nail roughly parallel the arc of the fingertip.

[mattwood]

I have found the rounder shape keeps the nail from being snagged on things when I am working with my hands. I have tried having the pinky side more squared off but inevitably I will break one.

[mercy]

Everyones nails are different so you have to try things to see what really works. I provided my solution which is supported by the videos but your situation seems different. When Ive tried to have an arch similar to the nail bed they've broken easily, every time. With the squared, well its not exactly but more so than rounded, I never break a nail. Were all just trying to be helpful here, not right.

[LifesShort]

Originally Posted by mattwood

I have found the rounder shape keeps the nail from being snagged on things when I am working with my hands. I have tried having the pinky side more squared off but inevitably I will break one.

This is true for me, too. I broke nails all the time until I started doing this. I still have the occasional break, but not often.