Technique

There is no one way to play without nails, and so these posts below are not instructions but rather some thoughts and suggestions from my experience practising, researching, and teaching no-nail playing. I fully expect to reform and refine them further over the coming years.

I’ve also included links to Rob MacKillop’s and Phillip de Fremery’s essays on technique — thoroughly recommended reading!

If you have suggestions, questions, disagreements etc., please do leave or comment or send me a message.


Fingertip Shapes

Caring for Your Fingertips

Fingertip Texture

Nailcare

Plucking Motion

Combining Flesh and Nail?

Strings

Gut (and Nylgut) Strings

Resting the little finger on the soundboard

Plucking with the right-hand little finger

Slow-motion right-hand videos

Tremolo

Tips and Tricks (video)

More to come..!


Rob MacKillop on his approach to no-nails technique

Phillip de Fremery’s ideas on how to begin learning to play without nails


2 responses to “Technique”

  1. generouslyiron5929f7b993 Avatar
    generouslyiron5929f7b993

    Very interesting and well done. It was a great help to me. Unfortunately there are very few guitarists without nails and this page made me feel that I am not alone. Thanks Steven.

    Alessandro Giovanni Frassi

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Steven Watson Avatar

      Thanks Alessandro, I’m very pleased it helped! Best wishes with your playing.

      Liked by 2 people

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