Jim, I have a book called "pumping nylon" which is showing the 3 types of nail. It is probably the same example as yours.
For you image, once it is saved as a JPEG from your scanner. Open it with Microsoft Office picture Manager. From the picture menu select "compress pictures" and from the selection on the right select "web pages". It will make it smaller than 400Kb.
Hope this helps
Marc
Thumbs up - calling all fingerpickers - show us your picking hand thumb nail
Jim - I've had a look at the image on your page, but I'm having trouble understanding the difference in nail type. THanks for putting it up.
Marc, firstly thanks for the tech lesson, I always have trouble uploading images and never knew quite what the problem was. I think I may need to shorten mine a bit too. I generally do that when they start getting in the way and I start hitting other strings unintentionally. Perhaps I should shorten again.
Tony - not secure enough in your manliness to wear nails eh? I understand.
Marc, firstly thanks for the tech lesson, I always have trouble uploading images and never knew quite what the problem was. I think I may need to shorten mine a bit too. I generally do that when they start getting in the way and I start hitting other strings unintentionally. Perhaps I should shorten again.
Tony - not secure enough in your manliness to wear nails eh? I understand.
JimJim - thanks the diagrams make sense to me now. I was looking at t at the wrong angle.
Jay - that is amazing given the fantastic tone that you get. You must have a manly plucking style. I find that nails help to get a louder and crisper sound, especially he thumb. But, I think I will probably shorten them a bit.
Jay - that is amazing given the fantastic tone that you get. You must have a manly plucking style. I find that nails help to get a louder and crisper sound, especially he thumb. But, I think I will probably shorten them a bit.
Michele-
Good thread! I'm with Jay on this one. I just use the pads of my fingertips to pluck the strings when I finger pick. I do like the crisp sound that fingernails give picking, but I just cannot stand to grow my fingernails long! I like them cut really short.
A few months back I decided I'd give fingerpicks a try, to see if that was the solution for me. I had mixed results with them. The had a much crisper, louder sound than my own fingertips, but I wasn't sure I liked the metallic edge to the sound (I could also try plastic fingerpicks, I know- just never got around to buying a different set). Getting used to them was a challenge as well. It was amazing how sticking them on my fingers seemed to short circuit the signal from my brain to my fingers. I'd go to play something that I know well- and my hands would seem to forget what to do! I haven't completely given up on them, but for now they've been returned to the drawer and I'm back to just using my regular fingers.
Good thread! I'm with Jay on this one. I just use the pads of my fingertips to pluck the strings when I finger pick. I do like the crisp sound that fingernails give picking, but I just cannot stand to grow my fingernails long! I like them cut really short.
A few months back I decided I'd give fingerpicks a try, to see if that was the solution for me. I had mixed results with them. The had a much crisper, louder sound than my own fingertips, but I wasn't sure I liked the metallic edge to the sound (I could also try plastic fingerpicks, I know- just never got around to buying a different set). Getting used to them was a challenge as well. It was amazing how sticking them on my fingers seemed to short circuit the signal from my brain to my fingers. I'd go to play something that I know well- and my hands would seem to forget what to do! I haven't completely given up on them, but for now they've been returned to the drawer and I'm back to just using my regular fingers.
It's funny you should say that Suzi. I sometimes find after I've trimmed the excess growth that I need to relearn a piece I've been playing all week because it feels alien all of a sudden. Maybe I need to file them back more often. My nails grow fairly fast. It's sort of strange that a millimeter or so can make that much difference.
This is a great thread, Michele. I am watching it closely as a failing fledgling at fingerpicking. I am prompted to write after Suzi commented about fingerpicks. I agree with her totally, as I also found it difficult to commit to them. I tried Alaska Piks a few weeks ago, and I was more successful with them than other types, but I found I still needed nails to use them. At the urging of haoli25, I am marching forward with naked fingers. And it is a very slow journey. I don't have strong or optimally shaped natural nails, so I am hoping to garner a few tips here. By the way, your nails look just like the Alaska Piks.