How do you keep your fingernails this short?

Lounge
21

I actually do this. Chew and rip off, terrible old habit I have from wrestling team in school. Coach made us do it if we forgot to trim nails before a match, which everyone always forgot.

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22

I carry a pick (Tortex purple) to use for opening things that require fingernails.

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23

That’s very handy!

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24

I have a related issue, but it is with the corner of my middle finger. If I don’t round off the corner, it will catch. Sounds like a pick when it does.

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25

Not many bass players use their nails like a pick but some do, I do as I play a lot of Rush and Yes. I have never used a pick for bass, but sometimes need that sound and the nail works well.

For me there’s a shortness of nail that can be to short for this technique and a length of nail that’s obviously to long.

A tiny bit of length on the index and I mean tiny allows me to slightly angle my finger to catch the nail edge and I get the pick sound.

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26

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27

So I started finger style, decided I was embarrassed by the click…. Then played in a band for a year with a pick.

My nails just stick out too far. I can cut and file it doesn’t matter. It doesn’t help that my nails are also thick like a heavy gauge pick. I should have been a hand model :rofl:

Lately I’m back to fingers and here’s what I’ve learned.

  1. Don’t play over the pickup. If you move up/down a bit you don’t hear as much clack. I kinda like that spot 1” from the end of the fretboard.
  2. As someone else said play with your pad (still learning here)
  3. Try flicking your finger through the string. It’s louder but I’ve found this might be a good way to avoid the nail.
  4. Try playing with your nails. I haven’t given up and moved to this but mine are thick enough that if I made them pluck the string instead of my finger it may work.

I’ve also thought about going to a salon and seeing if they could push the skin back farther but that sounds more like a war crime son I’m staying away from that one.

29

I cut my finger nails about once every week and a half. I file them after that. Filing keeps the rough edges from hanging on things. I may also file my two plucking fingernails midweek to keep them short.