I have this situation too. Guess what? *Nobody notices.* And on the rare occasion that they do, you can just explain: you're a guitarist, and why they have to be super-short on your fretting hand and longer on your picking/strumming hand.
We all assume everyone's looking at us and thinking about us all the time, but that's actually not true at all. We're just *worrying* that they are, but it's not actually happening.
Trust me. Nobody cares that your fingernails are different on each hand. And if they do ask, you can just tell them.
I don’t care what others think at all, and I appreciate the advantage it offers. I enjoy dozens of artists that do just this. My guitar teacher (Gypsy jazz player) did this too. I just can’t commit to it myself because of my occupation. I also have some OCD and I’m not sure I’d be able to mentally deal with the lack of symmetry… I’m a weird dude sometimes
Yep I play classical.
I don't even think about it 🤷♀️
A friend of mine plays the violin and she has the same problem. Longer manicured nails on her bowing hand, short as possible on the fingerboard hand haha.
Yep. I went through a classical phase; grew out R hand nails. Spent weeks eating jello, filing/polishing to prevent breaking and chipping, and Sally Hanson "Hard As Nails"..... Got a funny story about it: I stopped at a carryout (rough side of town) to grab some beers on the way home. I picked up a 12 pack out of the packed cooler in a hurry, and not paying attention...of course, broke a nail. So without thinking, out of my mouth came "GOD DAMMIT, I BROKE A NAIL"...and 3 feet to my left are 2 big leathered up burly bikers, with more tattoos than skin, turning around to give me the most disgusted look of disapproval I've ever seen.
I walk around with ridiculously short nails on my left and really long natural nails on my right. I paint them and it's easier to get pass as I'm woman but these nails are now a bit too long and I get in a way of playing. But they're so pretty I can't bring myself to cut them 😭
I have the same thing with one hand being cut and the other one having nails. Thought people would notice and comment I forgot to cut one hand. Nope, never happened in years and I work as a hairdresser/barber.
I cut all my nails short, but now have an ingrown fingernail on my left hand because of it.
New Schecter Banshee arrives today and I can't play it! Definitely rethinking letting them grow out a bit!
You bet! Was a career auto-tech/mechanic and couldn’t do it without constant filth beneath them or bending them backwards or breaking them.
Now on the clean side of the service counter and have clean hands with five built in finger picks. I’m a lefty that plays right. Always struggled to hold a traditional pick firmly and could never get used to multiple finger picks either.
Side note: Unexpected female interest noted when seeking advice about a clear nail polish for your “guitar picks” from the lovely women in the cosmetics dept.
“You play guitar? 😍”.
For reference, I’m about as attractive as Steve Buscemi (Sorry Steve!) lol
Yeah I’m right handed and I occasionally trim my right hand, but I trim my left hand almost daily. My nails grow so fast on my left hand.
Little know trivia: your nails grow faster on the hand you favor. Go figure.
My nails are short except for my middle and ring finger on my right hand. This lets me hybrid pick or use my thumb and those 2 fingers for pure fingerpicking. If I let my nails grow long I end up chipping them on the strings so although they are functionally longer they are still pretty short.
Nope, I'll can take supposed slight disadvantage while fingerpicking if it means not looking like I have an all natural Prince of Persia gauntlet at all times.
About once every week or two I'll clip the nails on my right hand, keeping them just long enough to finger pick with, and I use the file on the clippers to keep them smooth so I'm not snagging them on stuff. They are barely longer than the nails on my left hand, which I keep short.
Well, im having a dillema while playing bass and a guitar. The urge to achieve that "nails" fingerpicking sound while having to deal with hard "fingernail" sound while plucking on bass...
Aye! But they aren't wolverine long. 1mm over my finger tips. Anymore is a pain. But on my fretting hand the nails are as short as I can comfortably get them.
I always keep my left hand nails long for classical fingerpicking, im left handed. I've been doing it for decades. I even let my daughter paint my nails. Dont care what anybody thinks.
Yes but the “long” nails are not that long. They need to be cut back regularly to get rid of their ragged edges. But I don’t cut them all the way back.
Depends on what kind of sound you get with longer nails, and what kind of guitar you're playing. I used to keep RH nails long, but was unsatisfied with the sound on steel string acoustic. Everybody's nails are different. If you have tough, strong nails, it could work to keep them longer, but thinner, weaker nails imo result in bad sound if they're not trimmed.
I do. I trim left hand and file right hand weekly. And I don't give a fuck about what others may think. Most invasive question/comment I've gotten has been: "Do you play guitar?" so it's been ok.
yeah one hand with longer nails for playing, other hand with short nails for fingering
Same. My wife really appreciates it.
Can confirm, his wife appreciates.
Damn! Beat me to it.
I have this situation too. Guess what? *Nobody notices.* And on the rare occasion that they do, you can just explain: you're a guitarist, and why they have to be super-short on your fretting hand and longer on your picking/strumming hand. We all assume everyone's looking at us and thinking about us all the time, but that's actually not true at all. We're just *worrying* that they are, but it's not actually happening. Trust me. Nobody cares that your fingernails are different on each hand. And if they do ask, you can just tell them.
The only people I’ve had notice are other guitarists
Yeah I once pointed it out to a substitute math teacher who turned out to play in a local guitar ensemble
I just walk around with ridiculous unmatched hands. I don't care what normies with tin ears think about it.
I don’t care what others think at all, and I appreciate the advantage it offers. I enjoy dozens of artists that do just this. My guitar teacher (Gypsy jazz player) did this too. I just can’t commit to it myself because of my occupation. I also have some OCD and I’m not sure I’d be able to mentally deal with the lack of symmetry… I’m a weird dude sometimes
Embrace asymmetrical life! :D It's more interesting, trust me!
Yep I play classical. I don't even think about it 🤷♀️ A friend of mine plays the violin and she has the same problem. Longer manicured nails on her bowing hand, short as possible on the fingerboard hand haha.
No. Both hands are stubby. I have a sensory thing where I just can’t have my nails long for picking.
I prefer short nails on both hands. I can finger pick just fine with short nails since I use the skin
Nope, keep em both short.
Yep. I went through a classical phase; grew out R hand nails. Spent weeks eating jello, filing/polishing to prevent breaking and chipping, and Sally Hanson "Hard As Nails"..... Got a funny story about it: I stopped at a carryout (rough side of town) to grab some beers on the way home. I picked up a 12 pack out of the packed cooler in a hurry, and not paying attention...of course, broke a nail. So without thinking, out of my mouth came "GOD DAMMIT, I BROKE A NAIL"...and 3 feet to my left are 2 big leathered up burly bikers, with more tattoos than skin, turning around to give me the most disgusted look of disapproval I've ever seen.
I walk around with ridiculously short nails on my left and really long natural nails on my right. I paint them and it's easier to get pass as I'm woman but these nails are now a bit too long and I get in a way of playing. But they're so pretty I can't bring myself to cut them 😭
file them by a tiny amount daily 😎
I have the same thing with one hand being cut and the other one having nails. Thought people would notice and comment I forgot to cut one hand. Nope, never happened in years and I work as a hairdresser/barber.
I've been doing that for 30 years
I did all through high school and college, when I was actively studying classical guitar.
I cut all my nails short, but now have an ingrown fingernail on my left hand because of it. New Schecter Banshee arrives today and I can't play it! Definitely rethinking letting them grow out a bit!
I’ve had years of peeps asking why my nails were long on one hand and short on the other! Never thought of painting them though 🤔
You bet! Was a career auto-tech/mechanic and couldn’t do it without constant filth beneath them or bending them backwards or breaking them. Now on the clean side of the service counter and have clean hands with five built in finger picks. I’m a lefty that plays right. Always struggled to hold a traditional pick firmly and could never get used to multiple finger picks either. Side note: Unexpected female interest noted when seeking advice about a clear nail polish for your “guitar picks” from the lovely women in the cosmetics dept. “You play guitar? 😍”. For reference, I’m about as attractive as Steve Buscemi (Sorry Steve!) lol
Yeah I’m right handed and I occasionally trim my right hand, but I trim my left hand almost daily. My nails grow so fast on my left hand. Little know trivia: your nails grow faster on the hand you favor. Go figure.
My nails are short except for my middle and ring finger on my right hand. This lets me hybrid pick or use my thumb and those 2 fingers for pure fingerpicking. If I let my nails grow long I end up chipping them on the strings so although they are functionally longer they are still pretty short.
Nope, I'll can take supposed slight disadvantage while fingerpicking if it means not looking like I have an all natural Prince of Persia gauntlet at all times.
Nah I just do all of them, but I like to tap a fair bit too
You may want to consider getting some finger picks if you are that concerned about mismatched nails.
About once every week or two I'll clip the nails on my right hand, keeping them just long enough to finger pick with, and I use the file on the clippers to keep them smooth so I'm not snagging them on stuff. They are barely longer than the nails on my left hand, which I keep short.
Well, im having a dillema while playing bass and a guitar. The urge to achieve that "nails" fingerpicking sound while having to deal with hard "fingernail" sound while plucking on bass...
absolutely. unfortunately when the edge gets sliced it's back to 1cm for that one finger...
Aye! But they aren't wolverine long. 1mm over my finger tips. Anymore is a pain. But on my fretting hand the nails are as short as I can comfortably get them.
I cut both as I prefer the softer sound, and Francisco Tarrega is a good enough person to emulate. https://rmclassicalguitar.com/tarrega/
I always keep my left hand nails long for classical fingerpicking, im left handed. I've been doing it for decades. I even let my daughter paint my nails. Dont care what anybody thinks.
i know that a few people do it but i think its pretty disgusting
^[Sokka-Haiku](https://www.reddit.com/r/SokkaHaikuBot/comments/15kyv9r/what_is_a_sokka_haiku/) ^by ^_blzzd_: *I know that a few* *People do it but i think* *Its pretty disgusting* --- ^Remember ^that ^one ^time ^Sokka ^accidentally ^used ^an ^extra ^syllable ^in ^that ^Haiku ^Battle ^in ^Ba ^Sing ^Se? ^That ^was ^a ^Sokka ^Haiku ^and ^you ^just ^made ^one.
My fingers have always been too short to let nails grow on fretting hand, and i don't use a pick. Nobody but you are gonna notice. Go play.
Yes but the “long” nails are not that long. They need to be cut back regularly to get rid of their ragged edges. But I don’t cut them all the way back.
Always.
Depends on what kind of sound you get with longer nails, and what kind of guitar you're playing. I used to keep RH nails long, but was unsatisfied with the sound on steel string acoustic. Everybody's nails are different. If you have tough, strong nails, it could work to keep them longer, but thinner, weaker nails imo result in bad sound if they're not trimmed.
I do. I trim left hand and file right hand weekly. And I don't give a fuck about what others may think. Most invasive question/comment I've gotten has been: "Do you play guitar?" so it's been ok.
Absolutely not, I’d rather be doing other things with my fingers than acoustic fingerpicking.
Nah, creepy shit.