Fingernails and Bass Playing?

[jps]

Multistring basses are like playing a cheese grater...

Eden.

That would be any bass with more than one string, right?

[jps]

I keep my nails short, too, but I do primarily fingerpick my guitars and basses, although I do use a pick when that tone is needed. I like the fatter tone I get with the pads of my fingers, generally. Acoustic guitar is very sweet sounding that way.

[tinman 1967]

I sometimes use my index finger nail like a pick but not very often...... I just cant seem to use an actual pick for the life of me... keeps turning on me, sometimes ending up on the floor

Guess Im just meant for playing finger style..

[jps]

I just cant seem to use an actual pick for the life of me... keeps turning on me, sometimes ending up on the floor

Try a thumb pick.

[beatbyrd]

But, that's just something I came up with, never learned it anywhere, so maybe I'm the only one...

No, me too. I use it to produce a plectrum sound, but I vastly prefer the fingernail sound to an actual plectrum... a lot richer in character.

Add me to this list, too. I find that the nails help me get more definition, especially for things that are fast and/or funky. I also move to the pads or thumb for less percussive stuff, like ballads. And now that I'm trying to get better at fingerpicking on 6 and 12 string guitar, the nails are essential. Tom

[Billsbro]

I think this subject is more complex than I thought but it really makes sense. The old adage about one's tone being more in the fingers than the equipment is very true...and it starts where fingers/nails/picks meet the strings. Ole Pythagoras never could imagine how much goes into that simple vibration of a string!

[Billsbro]

I just cant seem to use an actual pick for the life of me... keeps turning on me, sometimes ending up on the floor

Try a thumb pick.

Thumb picks are my friend! I find it makes my acoustic guitar playing so much better and it is essential to my self-styled technique on the Gu-Zheng.

[rickenbrother]

I grow the nails on my first three fingers slightly long on my right hand. When I need a sharp attack and I don't want to use a pick, I use my fingernails instead of my finger tips. If I want a Geddy-like tone, I whack my fingernails straight into the strings.

[Billsbro]

...and don't all of you finger-style or classical guitarists just love the WEIRD looks you get from women that notice the really short nails on your left hand and the long nails on your right?!

[Kopfjaeger]

I keep my nails short, too, but I do primarily fingerpick my guitars and basses, although I do use a pick when that tone is needed. I like the fatter tone I get with the pads of my fingers, generally. Acoustic guitar is very sweet sounding that way.

I also keep my fingernails short since I tend to use the tips of my fingers while striking or pulling the string. When I do catch a nail, the tone difference is quite sharper and I know I need to trim them down a bit. For a softer tone I use more of my pad. The callus' on the tips my pointer and middle finger are so damn thick the tone I get there is quite sharper than the pad.

Wow, going back over my comment to proof read, it's kinda weird for me to talk about personal hygiene/nail clipping.

Sepp

[HydrasBreath]

I keep my nails short, too, but I do primarily fingerpick my guitars and basses, although I do use a pick when that tone is needed. I like the fatter tone I get with the pads of my fingers, generally. Acoustic guitar is very sweet sounding that way.

I also keep my fingernails short since I tend to use the tips of my fingers while striking or pulling the string. When I do catch a nail, the tone difference is quite sharper and I know I need to trim them down a bit. For a softer tone I use more of my pad. The callus' on the tips my pointer and middle finger are so damn thick the tone I get there is quite sharper than the pad.

Wow, going back over my comment to proof read, it's kinda weird for me to talk about personal hygiene/nail clipping.

Sepp

yeah I'm the same way...I can't really stand the feel and sound of my nails catching the string on my bass. It just grates me. I get plenty of zing and crunch with just the tips of my fingers. If I want more attack I just hit the strings harder. And I can't for the life of me use a pick so I keep my nails real short and just play with my fingers be it bass or a little acoustic guitar.

[Kopfjaeger]

Back in the day, before my 20 year hiatus, I use to play almost exclusively with a pick. Now it feels totally alien to me! Not to mention spastic!! I guess it's something I need to work ion getting better at.

Sepp

[HydrasBreath]

Back in the day, before my 20 year hiatus, I use to play almost exclusively with a pick. Now it feels totally alien to me! Not to mention spastic!! I guess it's something I need to work ion getting better at.

Sepp

Never played with a pick and I probably never will. I don't have anything against people playing with picks or anything but it's like you said put a pick in my hands and it's like I forget how to play...it's totally alien to me. And with the kind of music my band plays I doubt I'd ever be good enough with a pick to keep up.

[jps]

...it's kinda weird for me to talk about personal hygiene/nail clipping.

Sepp

Classical Guitar® magazine probably does a yearly article on this.

[cjj]

...it's kinda weird for me to talk about personal hygiene/nail clipping.

Sepp

Classical Guitar® magazine probably does a yearly article on this.

Yeah, but that mostly pertains with how to bring the subject up with your drummer...