GUITAR TIP: How to play classical guitar without nails

[@brandonacker]

Learn to play classical guitar without fingernails in just 10 days with Brandon Acker 🎸 classicalguitar-pro.com/p/no-nails-in-10-days Get $30 OFF with the code GRANDOPENING

[@andyhambletonfingerstylegu6780]

"You start off playing the guitar to get girls, and end up talking to middle aged men about your fingernails." Ed Gerhard

[@michaelnancyamsden7410]

Or grannies about gut strings and nails. Love this man and his music!

[@ianlarrimore8]

Hahaha! That's a fabulous quote! Thanks for sharing!

[@MrRgx521]

That’s brilliantly funny. I’ll have this quote printed on a poster or something.

[@andyhambletonfingerstylegu6780]

@@MrRgx521 great idea!

[@CatsPajamas23]

😲😅🤭

[@googiwaumer]

I work with my hands as a metalworker -- goldsmithing, machinist, etc. So my nails have always been a trainwreck and I have to keep them very short. I simply can't ever grow and maintain 5 beautiful ramped nails on my right hand for the length of any work week. I've been a classical guitar student for 15 years and have always been told I'll "never get it right" since I don't have nails. However I've been playing "wrong" despite my "handicap" for all that time because I love the guitar. I'll never be a concert player -- just not in the cards. But I'll never stop loving to spend time playing for my own enjoyment. This video has been incredibly liberating to see that there are great classical players like you and MacKillop out there developing a body of technique for nail-less playing that stands on its own and to hear that there is such a long history of giants who played nail-less. I look forward to seeing ways toward improving my nail-less playing and developing toward a technique that needs no apology. Thanks very much!

[@p_mouse8676]

I always get very irritated and angry when people just dump statements like that. Music is all about feeling and expression. There are thousands of famous guitar players and composers that are praised and respected today, who were doing everything but the norm (way) back in the day. So it's even pretty hypocritical in my opinion. Some people care more about the (made up) "rules" and being proper than enjoying the beauty and journey of what music is.

[@thadtuiol1717]

@@p_mouse8676 You would've loved Segovia, then. He was the king of dumping musically bigoted statements. It's a shame, because I do like some of his recordings.

[@PrizmSeeR]

I'm sorry you were ever told you'd never get it right. The whole point of music is expression and sadly many egocentric folks think they can pave the road. The best teacher is one whom notices what is most natural to you and build on that. Love of an instrument is what will bring out the magic not exacts. Life is complex and beautiful, music is supposed to express that. Why would it have more rules than life? Please trust that after 15 yrs you must be beyond lessons and should close your eyes and just play. Let your heart invoke the music. Combine it with your teachings and create. It's so good for the soul and for listeners lol.

[@frankg882]

Hell yeah man keep playing with your sound and soul!!!

[@humanbean3]

@@thadtuiol1717 I read once, that a student played for segovia. segovia told him his thumb was so horrible he should chop it off and perhaps he would grow a better one. I believe the student killed himself???

[@pindakaas42]

You and Adam Neely are literally resposible for my persistent practicing for two years, after not having played for 15 years or so. Thanks.

[@abdullahimran3176]

Same💯💯

[@ricnica8436]

Same

[@joshwoods7641]

If you want to be reminded to practice, go check out 2Set Violin. You'll be practicing 40 hours a day in no time.

[@pindakaas42]

@@joshwoods7641 It's more about the motivation, remembering is not the problem...

[@ericpanizales3183]

@@pindakaas42 woooosh

[@VinhWiBi]

I used play with nails, and I hated it because it is very inconsistent because the nails are changing. Last year I watched your video, I loved the idea. I started play guitar (acoustic, classical, electric) without nails and I love it. No more dependency. Now I watch this video again, this is a good chance for me to say thank you.

[@BZB33]

I always play with flesh and nail and in order to get a very consistent tone I need to file them with a very very high grit at least once a day, sometimes twice a day, and "finish" them by doing the same filing motion with a dense foam pad. About twice a week I shape/shorten them with a lower grit file.

[@tekiii1]

@@BZB33that’s a lot of work lol

[@Crovax]

you nailed it... i'll show myself out

[@serajalhorani838]

😂😂😂

[@LongevityReportET]

@Pato Parra Daddy is that you?? 😚

[@ivangushkov3651]

Well strictly speaking he didn't nail it..

[@jordaneaston4201]

👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

[@HourRomanticist]

Lmao

[@RheaBorja]

This is the best and most comprehensive video on how to play beautifully with no nails. As a pianist, I have to keep my nails very, very short, so I wondered whether I would be able to learn and play the guitar well with a no-nail method. This convinces me. Thank you, Brandon!

[@jarehelt]

My piano teacher nearly had my head when I came in with nails

[@jendabekCZ]

Nails vs no-nails is a topic for "professional" players anyway, it's not necessary at all.

[@RheaBorja]

​@@jendabekCZnot true. The topic is relevant for all levels of guitarists -- especially those who must have very very short nails because they play other instruments such as the piano or organ.

[@HardTourVela]

I've been a no nails player forever, just gonna watch to learn how wronh i've been doing it

[@MiloMcCarthyMusic]

Same haha

[@Eredin912]

I can't do tremolo without nails lol

[@HardTourVela]

@@Eredin912 can't do it without nails either 🥲

[@Pugrug.]

@@HardTourVela same here

[@alanloyd7164]

@@Eredin912 I can't do it period 🤷‍♂️

[@patrickcon1]

I just can't get over this guy's technique. How can he possibly comb his hair that way?

[@susiebaker9321]

Hes keeping the volumizing shampoo industry alive.

[@tomashoekstra8011]

Good hair products, a special "comb" and some hair product. I recommend "fibers" made by American crew

[@akoaykilalamo]

All of you failed to point out that genes play a huge part. He has good of it

[@Pandora_The_Panda]

@@akoaykilalamo That and Vampire magic.

[@DH-fu7bx]

The no nail playing makes me really nostalgic. Basically the sound when I started to play the guitar as a kid

[@Thisisahandle701]

I could never maintain my nails as a kid, I'd always end up biting them off

[@DH-fu7bx]

@@Thisisahandle701 I used to anoy my friends with scraping on the board with my nails.

[@dutchdykefinger]

@@Thisisahandle701 i still do at age 37, i'll be a no nail player forever

[@DavidChiriboga]

Same here... I didn’t use nails for a while.

[@pardieupopper339]

For the longest time the sound with no nails is my favorite, hands down. Glad to see you give it a try.

[@WRPTechnology]

I am a long student of classical guitar. My teacher senior Hector Garcia taught me to play with no nails. I have always felt the lack of volume was traded with the full control of tone and softness of the intrustment. Growing up, other players I would see would play with nails, and it always seemed a bit of a controversy but i always maintained the guitar sounded more romantic without nails. Very happy you did this video.

[@Lasse3]

Listen to the first movement of Beethoven's moonlight sonata. You hear muted strings, delicately struck by soft padded hammers. Playing with nails on a guitar is the opposite of this. I liked the analogy, comparing nail playing to playing on a harpishchord. If you wanna hear the King of no nail playing classical guitarist, someone even better than Brandon. There is Per olov, do a KZbin search, listen to his "Jesu joy of mans desiring" He's the best there is!

[@rjlchristie]

I've yet to hear a nail player play from piano to fortissimo without the tone becoming degraded - becoming progressively more "naily" or nasal in character the louder they play. Flesh attack allows for true crescendos and a full tone. I gladly forgo the playing facility and brilliance of nail attack for that fundamental musical ability.

[@jamesj.navagh222]

My teacher, Paul Carbonneau, studied with Hector Garcia in New Mexico. I was taught to play on my finger tips. My understanding is that Hector studied with Emilio Pujol, a student of Tarrega. Tarrega at the end of his career played on his fingertips, possibly with urging from Pujol. Llobet was a student of Tarrega and I assume he played on his finger tips. Alberto Ponce was a student of Pujol and I assume Ponce played on his finger tips, but I could be wrong. I think a lot of players who play on their nails learned from Segovia or students of Segovia. Many think that Segovia settled the issue, but Segovia was self taught. I like the fuller sound of finger tips, but I think many players today use both and avoid the tinny sound you used to hear on recordings by Julian Bream and Christopher Parkening for example.

[@bjornfollin5056]

@@Lasse3 Where did you hear that he doesn't play with nails? Looking at the video you suggested it very much looks as if he's using nails.

[@bioemiliano]

Volume doesn't matter since you can simple get/make the guitar body bigger or electronically amplify it

[@stevenqirkle]

I had a teacher named Phillip DeFremery in college who played classical guitar with no nails. His tone was just hauntingly beautiful and 20 years later it’s still what comes to mind when I think of the ideal guitar tone.

[@nickspitzley8539]

I'm a steel string folk player. I play with a thumb pick and my fingers without nails. I find this warms up the higher strings and the thumb pick brightens up the bass notes.

[@guitardude4700]

Construction for 50 years. I’m in!

[@TheDantheman12121]

Only someone who was a master of his craft could say something like this. Mine would be: string make sound

[@yeahbuddy300lbs]

Are your fingertips damaged?

[@josephhubbard4332]

Title translation: 'People are onto the fact that I'm a vampire lord so I need to change things up'

[@codymarkley8372]

This made my night. He is Dorian grey

[@DavidChiriboga]

😆

[@lmahu6627]

Him growing a beard is just to hide his youth.

[@matthewwalton7288]

He keeps talking about flesh!

[@realtriplespark]

Hahahah.. 😁😅🤣 Flesh... where is the blood? 😁😅🤣

[@mertinibus]

Y'all should really check out Rob MacKillop, he plays masterfully without nails. I fell in love with his rendition of adelita especially

[@brandonacker]

Agreed! I gave him a shoutout at the end of the video.

[@JazzGuitarScrapbook]

Thanks for namechecking Rob, fab musician as well as a gentleman and a scholar!

[@thingsandso]

Came here to mention Rob Mackillop, as well! He got me into playing with flesh many years ago, was the best decision I ever made regarding guitar playing. His video on his "unorthodox" technique is wonderful and the sound he achieves is unparalleled in my opinion. Props to you Brandon for mentioning him!

[@jobleynoel]

The link to Rob's KZbin channel is broken, if you don't mind fixing it, Brandon.

[@ianlarrimore8]

Here's a video of MacKillop playing Capricho Arabe (Tarrega) sans nails (and a rather supinated wrist position!): kzbin.info/www/bejne/i3uodYOPn76grLM

[@amaterasu7532]

As a no nail guitar player with 10+ years of experience i can say that for me personally playing with nails is much better. You dont appreciate nails until you have them. 2 years ago i decided to finally grow the nails and that was the best decision in my life in terms of guitar. Nails give you the sound. Of course,if you have no intensions of playing for any kind of a crowd playing without nails is totally fine. But if you want to have a loud attack with a great accuracy - nails is what you should have. Cause you just cant really control your attack with no nails. And another aspect is,when you perform in front of a crowd and adrenalin starts to kick in - your fingers are starting to sweat. And this is probably the worst thing about playing without nails. The skin on your fingers can hit multiple conditions throughout the perfomance and you always need to adjust. When with nails you're just playing with no adjustments. Anyway,just my opinion:)

[@sslavi]

Sweating is really an issue for me when picking with bare skin. It can alter the precision, the tempo, the loudness of the sound. And, worse of all, after an hour or so it can make your fingers really hurt. A true joykiller.

[@varienwashere]

@@sslavi thats really good to know, thanks dude. i knew it would worsen your playing but i didnt know it could make ur fingers hurt.

[@swman3]

Nails sounds like it's played as a performance, and no nails sounds like it's being played for someone intimately

[@stormedbyhippiesc3966]

Like that. Good point 👌🏾

[@ww3032]

Nicely put.

[@OuijTube]

I don't even play guitar but I love these videos. I love the self-reflection on technique and how much genuine wonderment there is at even the smallest detail.

[@tonchette7993]

Huge respect to this man, this guy was playing without just so he can understand how to play without nails. I'm currently growing my nails right now but they're still short and this is very helpful, thanks!

[@jeffreinhart2898]

This is excellent Brandon, I grew up listening to my oldest brother play classical guitar and remember him filing nails while watching television. When I first started playing at age 50 I realized a pick was not for me, I wanted to simply play with my fingers. I tried growing my nails but found it to be difficult. They chipped and ripped easily and one would hook as it grew longer. I have been playing with no nails for 7 years now, on both steel and nylon string and most recently in the classical position. I have found what works for me. Thank you for sharing your gift.

[@Coveskipper]

It’s the hook in the nail that is maddening and pretty much impossible to deal with. Always changing with the weather, too.

[@MiloMcCarthyMusic]

I just love the no nails sound. It’s so much warmer.

[@grandpaobvious]

Yes but you lose some of the percussive effect and the guitar is a percussive instrument.

[@MiloMcCarthyMusic]

@@grandpaobvious very true, but classical guitar music is much more melodically focused than percussively focused, just like piano.

[@vodanh7514]

In case u dont know, the warmness (is it a word 😂) depend on the shape of ur nails.

[@bipula55]

@@grandpaobvious yes and not everything is supposed to sound warm.

[@markcohen5094]

I'm not a musician, but I've always loved classical music. I just stumbled on your channel and I have to say hearing you play makes my heart happy and sing. You've gained a fan. Thank you.

[@oscarrodrigues]

I’ve also transitioned to no nail playing, the reason being that I usually play many different instruments, not just the guitar. And nails get in the way. But what’s happened is that I’ve come to love it more and more. Sound is a very subjective experience and I love how you can grow into it.

[@waltbroedner4754]

My guitar instructor taught me to cut my nails short on the right side of the finger but leave them longer on the left side. When you want a "warm" sound you just tilt your hand clockwise a few degrees. The best of both worlds available real time.

[@MrJennety]

as a chronic nailbiter, I gotta admit it's nice to see that a bunch of historic Classical composers were like "nah, y'know what? Flesh is pretty cool actually"

[@chriswalker9964]

When I was younger I struggled to understand how to develop and shape my nails. I always found my nails to be quite thin, and it always produced a very "scratchy" sound. I've tried fake nails, shaping cut outs of ping pong balls to glue underneath, the nails, you name it. But it was always to no avail. I adapted to no nail playing out of necessity, and it was quite encouraging when I learned that Tarrega played without nails. I really appreciate you giving me a different perspective with no nail playing by pressing down on the string before releasing it, I've always kinda glided over the strings and the feel difficult to catch when I'm playing faster passages.

[@martinkottmeir790]

Doing a medical job I have to cut down my nails and I have being used playing guitar without. So thank you very much for introducing the historical background and advice to improve this technique. Kind regards from Germany

[@jimmartin8949]

5 stars, thank you so much - I’ve had to play no-nails from the beginning for various reasons and this made me feel much better about my playing

[@roudy879]

I had lots of down time because of chronic broken nails problem. I had no idea no nail playing was a thing. I was absolutely blown away that you can play tremolo without nails.

[@marcjeffers4229]

Thank you so much for making this video I thought I was doomed to never play classical guitar my nails would always brake off and I had to wait a week or two for them to grow back just for them to brake again. I tried the techniques in your video and they worked. I've been at it for 25 years and watched many youtube videos and was about to give it up . Your video was the first I have seen that covers this. Thanks again you've given me real hope🙂

[@fuffy442]

When I was a working clarinetist, people were always chasing that "dark, German" sound, if you know what I mean. What happened is that many players found equipment/techniques that sounded so dark and lovely where they sat, but forgot to take into account that the upper partials are necessary for proper projection, so their sound was unfocused and tubby by the time it got to the audience. I wonder if our current circumstances, which have brought us all into smaller spaces and proximity to our recording equipment, can be biasing us. I would certainly like to hear your experiments in a hall before I would make an absolute judgment one way or the other.

[@TheBigPilgrim]

It’s really nice to find a video that doesn’t immediately dismiss no-nail playing as incorrect.

[@agentlemangaming9115]

Héctor García, really the only disciple of Pujol, (lived with him for years) was my teacher. If you are serious about learning to play with finger tips i may be able to get you in contact with him. There is an interview with him from 2012 on youtube where he plays a few song you should take a look. He has an incredible life story which he goes into a bit in that same interview as well. he is 90 now(81 in the interview) so strike while the iron is hot you may not get another chance.

[@WRPTechnology]

I am glad to see another student of my teacher Mr.Garcia :)

[@ianlarrimore8]

@@WRPTechnology This interview?: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iKCVpp6pjrWUba8

[@browningcoker743]

I took lessons from a student of Hector. Hector was using the back rooms of Baum' s music store when it was located on South San Pedro in Albuquerque.

[@WRPTechnology]

@@ianlarrimore8 yes that is my old teacher. He lived in Miami in the 90's and that is where I studied under him

[@ianlarrimore8]

@@WRPTechnology Wow--way cool! It's so sad how few masters of these historic styles are left. I hope they make lots of videos and recordings of the ones we still have.

[@DiyWithAnaBei]

Dear Brandon, thank you for this warm and thoughtful video on no nail technique! I am a pianist, but studied classical guitar as well for teaching purposes. I cannot play virtuoso piano with the nails on my right hand, and honestly it forced me to make choice which instrument to actually practise, I couldn't have both of those worlds at the same time. Now you ve'given me a hope that I can finally connect both instruments with this no nail technique. It is going to be a huge adjustment, but I am ready for it!💪 Thank you very much and keep up your great work!🎶🤗

[@aqueelkadri8371]

1. In all of the introducing videos, I noticed that none of the lute and baroque guitar players in the paintings had long nails. 2. When you started playing without the nails, you rested your pinky on the guitar just like they did in the paintings. Thank you so much for doing this

[@brandonacker]

There are also many paintings showing lutenists/guitarists with nails. So both are historical. And yes, I find it natural to rest the pinky with the no nail technique (like I do on theorbo and other early plucked instruments)

[@aqueelkadri8371]

@@brandonacker Wow Also thank you for recommending Rob Mackillop. That was helpful. But I didn't understand the difference between rest strokes and free strokes since I'm still just a baby (5 months in) when it comes to playing guitar. I'm guessing it has something to do with incorporating the thumb to play the melody but I'm not sure.

[@ianlarrimore8]

@@aqueelkadri8371 Rest stroke and free stroke refer to the path of movement for any finger, not just the thumb. Oversimplifying it a bit, in a free stroke the finger or thumb plucks the string and continues to move through the air toward the palm of the hand, not contacting any other string. In a rest stroke, the finger, after plucking a string, comes in contact with and adjacent string and "rests" there immediately after producing the note. The free stroke is your most common, "plain vanilla" stroke, is tonally in the middle--neither too bright nor too warm--and is easier to play quickly. Rest strokes are often louder and warmer--or at least with a stronger fundamental (the lowest frequency produced by the string at that position--but that's another discussion)--and can be a little harder to play quickly than a free stroke. Rest strokes are used to emphasize notes, especially bass notes you want to warm up, or treble notes you want to really have "punch" and stand out. A lot of "lead" lines on nylon string guitar you might hear in ensembles are performed with a lot of two-finger rest strokes (your i and m fingers alternating: i-m-i-m-i-m, etc.).

[@aqueelkadri8371]

@@ianlarrimore8 Goddamn as I started reading your reply I realized that I know these things but I didn't know that these were called rest strokes and free strokes. The names make a lot of sense in hindsight. Thanks a lot for clearing it up

[@ianlarrimore8]

@@aqueelkadri8371 Sure! Glad my nerdy ramblings were of some use!

[@lelaarneson3147]

I haven't seen you before so I'm very glad that this is the lesson I landed on. I'm just learning classical guitar and am subscribed to ToneBase. I've always hated long nails and when I saw someone who played classical without nails I was intrigued. But I guess I've felt like I was cheating by not wanting nails nor playing with them. This vid makes me feel so much better and quite frankly makes sense to me. I'm a classically trained pianist and hate the clicking of nails on the keys as well. Thank you - and you have such a pleasant demo style!

[@Thisisclassicalguitar]

Great video Brandon. Love the history and all the examples. Well thought out. I've always liked players who play solos without nails but once they play in an ensemble of other guitarists who do use nails they run into serious trouble blending and keeping up clarity and volume. And certainly on the concert stage in larger halls the mellowness increases to such an extent as being mushy and undefined. That said, at home, in the studio, or in smaller halls it works well and can be great, especially for plucky early music or uncomplicated textures.

[@andrelotter9590]

I play electric bass so no nails.Struggled with this for years and now I know peace.I can play classical as well as electric bass.Thanks.I knew about Sor not using nails but not Carcassi and Tarrega.My teacher said Sor not using nails was here say but now I know better.Thank you.

[@bharp4390]

Everyone should check out Rob MacKillop if you're interested in no-nail classical guitar playing. He is an absolutely excellent player who has extensive knowledge on playing without nails.

[@lisar.porter9993]

I am a beginner and l ove this, I have never been able to grow nails and this is the first time I have seen a professional play without nails and like it. I have always loved the sound I get without nails.

[@mikerupsch7918]

Jazz guitar virtuoso, Joe Pass, made a number of recordings playing classical guitar (Fitzgerald and Pass Again, with Ella is a good example and a brilliant study of how to accompany a jazz singer). You can tell he’s not using much nail. I love Joe’s playing on classical guitar. The instrument causes him him to slow down and play more compositionally with, to my heart, more emotionally.

[@oceanlabrees5376]

I’m so happy you’ve seen the light. I switch from no nail finger picking and an actual pick for crisper solos myself😇

[@dislikebutton-chan4783]

I can’t concentrate, I’m just admiring this guy literally PERFECT hands

[@rudyortiz3782]

Brandon: Thanks for this informative and honest video. While I’m a very new guitar player and don’t know much, logic tells me the conflict you feel between nails vs no nails can be best resolved by short nails as opposed to no nails. With short nails, you will be able to access the advantages of each by a very slight tweek of your hand angle (or perhaps finger angle). In addition, the nail will be less fragile and less prone to breaks etc. and easier to maintain. Frankly, longer nails creep me out!

[@brandonacker]

If you enjoyed this video please LIKE and SUBSCRIBE to help my channel grow! You can also help me to continue making videos like this one by becoming a patron: www.patreon.com/brandonacker

[@KKasdqwerzxy]

Dear @BrandonAcker can you make a video on developing chords on fretboard with same finger pattern instead of memorizing more than 100 chords. It will be really helpful. Amazing Work !! Big Fan of your style !!

[@pinanjos]

Brandon, as always your videos are wonderful. Some observations and questions: I noticed that, as soon as you start playing without your nails, you started to support the little finger on the soundboard, which, in the classic Uruguayan guitar school - derived from Abel Carlevaro - is something to be avoided. Another interesting question: Tarrega played his guitar with an arched hand, without using nails, it is true, but playing with his whole finger and not just with the flesh of the meat. I was a popular guitarist, of samba and Bossa-nova, who migrated to the classic. I never played an electric guitar with a pick, so when I cut my nails I was anxious to not be able to perform the popular songs. As soon as my nails grew I came back to be calm, but I'm not a great guitar player like you. Congratulations on the video.

[@lucaskuyl823]

You should do a video on the appallando technique of flamenco guitar!

[@Villamartin26]

I have always been cursed with soft splitting nails no matter what I did using nail hardener or taking vitamins/ change of nail. At last I feel liberated not to worry about this impediment. It’s only recently I had heard of no nail guitar masters of the past. Admittedly some tunes like Recuerdas .... does I feel sound much better with nails but as it is beyond my capacity to play it, I will continue to enjoy today’s masters playing it. Now I can enjoy the warmer mellow tones from the fingers and flesh I was blessed with.

[@CatsPajamas23]

@@Villamartin26 same. Came to love the softer sound.

[@maxwang2537]

This is reassuring to me, as it’s liberating to many, who always desire the tidiness of having no fingernails, or the ease of not having to meticulously take care of them.

[@AndersJazz]

I tried growing nails after watching your videos, but im also a woodworker, so the nails didnt last long. Makes me happy to know its a choice not a prerequisite.

[@jederepetition1004]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/qYDOfZeDfb1laMk

[@sgt_waddle]

I'm gratefully new to this channel, but in every video I've seen thus far Brandon is smiling unconditionally. It seems as though he has truly found his purpose and is blessed to do what he loves as a living. It's both interesting and inspiring to watch his videos.

[@maximechevalier2213]

Very interesting. I've been playing electric bass for 15 years now, during wich I developed the exact same plucking technique prescribed by Fernando Sor without any knowledge of him. In my experience, bass players with (what I think is) a good tone and solid projection uses this technique. It is also of my belief that it helps with consistency and accuracy in time/rhythm, thanks to a clearer and more defined attack. Compared to attacking the string by "going through it" that is.

[@hakanaxlund4316]

This is great! I’m a steelplayer myself and rarely play nylon. I have adopted non pick playing over the years and I can really appreciate the comparison between pros and cons in your video between different approaches to plucking the string. Thank you, you inspire me. 👍🏻

[@likeariver2237]

You are such a good teacher/communicator and guitar historian .

[@Galopo]

just watched 15min of ads just to show how much I appreciate your content.

[@markfilippone3845]

Dear Brother Maestro Brandon Ackerman, I have been admiring your excellent guitar mastery over the last couple/several years. You are truly an exceptional person. Not only are you a true guitar maestro of the caliber of the past greats, do you are also a humble and seemingly wonderful specimen of humanity. I thank G-D for giving us true artists like you. I’ve seen your interactions with Rob Scallion and I can say the same for him. I myself am a bit of a musical polymath of sorts. I can play almost every instrument on earth, and explain the tunings and why the instrument was/is tuned that way. Everything from brass, woodwinds, everything with strings and keys from five continents. However, I am only a wannabe. I know whether a player I’d good or not. I can honestly say that I myself am a musical Jack of all trades, but a master of none. Absolutely none. I play passably on some instruments but terribly on others; and I am very very aware of my shortcomings. Luckily I went into medicine rather than music or I would have died of starvation decades ago. I first picked up a $15 guitar 62 years ago and taught er myself how to play and read for it. But I’ve been cursed with very fine hair which goes along with my very fine friable finger nails. I simply could never maintain them long enough the play the classical guitar. One or more of my left fingers would always break off, and in a bad way. Now at age 74 I have been invigorated by your wonderful video. You have given me hope! Now if I can only live to age 400-500 years I will be able to master all of my musical instruments. In case any of your viewers are “too old” to start to learn an instrument, I did not take lesions of the violin, viola, and cello until I was fifty. Forty years ago I dated an opera singer, and she would always tell me that “if you can hear it, you can play it”. That statement is deeper than it sounds on first hearing. I would like to share someone wonderful. Go to you tube and look for Schindler’s List Played on a Harmonica by Philip Achille. Then Bach -A minor Violin Concerto (1st May) harmonica version performed by Philip Achille. Brother Brandon, you are an inspiration. Thank you for being you! PS you and your readers might enjoy someone funky from down New Zealand way: Trent Hamilton. He is a brass aficionado. He has forgotten more than I’ve ever known. He is a lot of fun but informative. If you’ve ever had self-image problems you can imagine what life was like for me. An American peasant boy who took professional accordion lesions from age 7 to 17. My dad wanted me to be a professional jazz and classical accordionist. Thank G-D the the Moog synthesizer and Rock & Roll destroyed any possibility of making his dreams come true, or like too many of my teachers (except Charles Nunzio) I probably would have died with a hero on needle in my arm. He who studies the left hand of the Stradella bass piano accordion has memorized the circle of fifths and a lot of other chordal structures without ever realizing it. Someday I will write my autobiography. But I already have written my epitaph: “He Tried….” Brother Brandon, I have rambled in my tangential thinking for too many paragraphs. But I thank the L-ORD that once in every generation someone like you and Rob Scallion come along and allow us to aspire to go higher and further into the infinity of pure music. You are a master teacher and a master inspirer for poor blokes like me. It never too late. I just started studying classical organ last year at age 73. And because of Brother Philip Achille am now taking seriously the intricacies of the Chromatic harmonica of which I possess four (but never realized their true potential). Now I will begin to study. I went to a public school in a last class small town in norther New Jersey. No one took anything seriously. I joined the school band in the seventh grade and got put on the third clarinet. Only years later did I come to realize that the short bald Sicilian-American bandmaster had his M.A. in performance on the euphonium from The Juilliard School of Music. How that middle aged man ever wound up in my public school is a mystery of Biblical proportions. Two years later I took a seat as the second Baritone player. The Guitar and Mandolin and String bass were self taught. As you are aware the mandolin uses the same timing as the violin and the string bass the same as the four lowest guitar strings. On my way to study my junior year abroad in Bombay India I stopped at a bazaar in Istanbul and purchased an antique wooden transverse flute (with an open G# key) which I taught myself to play based on my prior knowledge of the clarinet which is tuned in 12ths unlike the octave tunings on the flute. Then I wondered into the Sitar and the Vina. A couple of years later on medical missionary trips to Kowloon and New Territories Hong Kong I took private lessons studying with a man who was probably yje greatest master of the Chinese Gu Zhang with its pentatonic tuning and with the Pipa. And in the Middle East studied every category of Arabic, Turkish and Armenian instruments. And the theories behind the scales and tunings. Now that I grow older I don’t know what to do with this lifetime of music. Perhaps in the Olam Ha Ba, the Life to Come it will all make sense. The bassoon is tough to learn because of the absurd finderings. Your thumbs are actually used for something other than holding up the instrument and pressing the octave key! Astor Piazzolla, the great Argentinian-Italian-American bandoneon master once said the the devil himself must have designed the fingerings for that instrument. Both the left hand and the right hand keyboards make make no sense in their layouts and the instrument is diatonic. I own thee Afred AA’s and it’s still the only instrument I can not play. That helps me quite humble. I am a terrible musician; and I am the first one to tell you. Therefore it lessens the damage I can do! There nothing so bad as a singer or instrumentalist that is out of tune and doesn’t even realize it. Especially if playing/singing sharp in the upper octaves. Note hoe “intune” Brother Philip Achille is with his chromatic harmonica. Addendum: the chromatic harmonica is worse than the lute (which is forever out of tune). The slightest thing “off” will render a chromatic harmonica pick up a dead note. (Bring your own repair kit) and carry one or two extra chromatics if on a gig. I hope I haven’t confused and bored you and all of your followers with my musical rankings. Mae West was married to the very famous accordionist Guido Deiro. And one of my accordion masters was Charlie Nunzio from Nutley New Jersey. He was old when I was a kid. He only recently died at nearly one hundred years of age. Those facts and a nickel will get you a ride on the New York subway. Have a wonderful day; and keep sharing how not having fingernail can give an old man hope!

[@brahim119]

*@Mark Filipone.* I totally agree with your great comment about our precious artist. May God Almighty bless the parents who raised him and his twin brother.

[@williamcourtney8593]

I’ve always played without nails because I can’t stand getting dirt under them and I’m also an avid outdoorsman so, that always happens. Awesome video!

[@PeJota615]

I only dabble a tiny bit in classical guitar, but I've always played with no nails because A) I hate having long nails in general and B) I rock climb so I need to keep my nails short. I had no idea playing without nails was actually somewhat common. Everyone who has taught me classical had long nails. It's nice to know there's a contingent of classical guitarists who prefer to not have nails.

[@mpogze8020]

Thank you Brandon. It is not an “either / or” scenario. Some notes simply deserve the “attack” afforded by playing with nails. Just like many passages are much more effective and enjoyable when played with the flesh of the fingers.

[@henry4713]

I played classical guitar for 10 years without nails, only in the last 2 months have I started using nails. The biggest difference I noticed is with the nails I have much much better precision, e.g. an even tremolo, and things just generally sound slightly less sloppy when going fast. I wish I could swap interchangeably between the two as you said; softer tones are just not the same with a nail.

[@simon66766]

Precision, that is the key aspect of having fingernails for me, especially the thumbnail!

[@eronackerman565]

Have you ever played with fingerpicks? I’ve seen some bluegrass players use them to great effect.

[@Hikaeme-od3zq]

I love how you actually explain why and how you did it and the history of playing like this rather than just making it a simple youtuber challenge.

[@pilar2929]

I love that Brandon is always smiling :)

[@zjokka]

Thanks so much for making this video because it affirms my experience of playing gut string guitars for almost 35 years now.

[@Villamartin26]

Just thinking how blessed I was to have been fortunate to see Segovia live. I think it was 1981. He played three sessions. An old man he moved slowly on and off the stage. But his fingers moved like a young master.

[@bluedragon7925]

I, in school uniform, saw him live and was very inspired. I still play the guitar, but having studied Sor's "Methode" 28 years ago, since then have played without nails (completely) and it helped me to buy a 19th century reproduction 20 years ago as modern guitars and high string tensions are really made for nails.

[@johnstrand7456]

Yes, I saw him here in San Antonio at Trinity university - it was a sold out house, but when he played there was not a sound from the audience - I have never in all my concert going years been in such a respectful audience - he was quite elderly, but the fingers were still young -

[@loganbrown9845]

Your positivity is contagious! Really appreciated the info and the presentation. Nice.

[@robertfantazo4751]

I can't grow nails. I always felt "less than capable" as a result. As a result of this video, I've been playing more, quite confident in my sound. The tremolo without nails to me is very emotional. Makes me want to hug the sound.

[@oscarm7787]

I’ve never grew my nails out and I always got nervous when the class discussion got to the subject of nails I never chimed in hoping they wouldn’t make fun of me 😂

[@KizetteandTotoro]

Gosh, yes… I kept thinking about tremolos without nails… My brother was a guitarist (he changed career but he still learns and plays for pleasure) and his nails have always been long so I simply assumed that is how you play guitar and I copied his technique. I am so glad yor channel was recommended to me. Of course, I subscribed instantly. Thank you for the wonderful content you provide and for reawakening my love for the classic guitar.

[@landonpalmer5934]

I played for many years without nails, but love them now and can't see me going back (except for when they break). I play both classical and flamenco and will admit that when my nails break I can "get by" with classical playing better than flamenco.

[@larikauranen2159]

As myself for playing classical guitar roughly 17 years now i always had trouble keeping my nails long so o always had to have about half lenghts so that i could atleast make the flutenotes with my picking hand but generally ive always relied on a mix of both nails and flesh and my teacher always admired how soft my music sounded but still really powerful thanks to my guitar. Long story short its awesome to find out that someone much better figured this out themselves. Thank you

[@marcuscane]

Great video, thanks! Life-long no-nail player, always felt like a fraud. Never knew about Sor, Carcassi, and Tarrega’s not playing with nails! So glad you’re enjoying this new, ‘warmer’ chapter of your career: thanks for sharing.

[@HarryVerey]

Great vid thank you.. I think the primary reason for playing with nails is for volume but with modern recording equipment and subtle amplification it is no longer a problem. Trying to keep and maintain nails creates a kind of tyranny for the guitarist and restricts other activities for fear of breaking them. Nails are particularly awkward if you also happen to play the piano which many guitarists do. Sometimes when I hear the sound of a trumpet it is like the sound of lips buzzing and like wise with nails it can sound like cruel nails plucking or scratching at something. I normally play with nails but I say off with them ! I'm fed up with nails just filed mine down again after watching this. There some great professional classical guitarists currently performing without nails check out Virginia Luque or Rob Mackillop.

[@jtelevenoyd1571]

My day job is terribly rough on nails in general, and some years ago I got my thumb jammed in a mechanical apparatus which rendered me permanently incapable of growing a proper thumbnail. Those are the main reasons I generally avoided getting too serious about classical guitar, especially when I could play electric fingerstyle without nails just fine. The reason I'm really diggin' this series is probably obvious.

[@zaydmosh]

For years I struggled with the transition from guitar with nails to lute without nails. In a master class given by Eugen Dombois (a master lutenist and amazing teacher) in the mid-1970s, I witnessed him demonstrating playing a guitar without nails with tremendous sensitivity, tone, and projection. I was shocked. I wasn't advanced enough to be able to replicate what he did. I ended up going lute without nails, but always wondered how it was technically possible. I found this presentation enlightening. Thank you Brandon! Maybe I'll consider a Saers guitar (if I can get my wife's agreement...)

[@michaeltravis3562]

I always played without nails, and then grew them to try. I quickly returned to playing with the flesh. It wasn't a decision based on sonics; I enjoy the sound of both methods. My decision was based on a perceived level of intimacy I felt was lacking when playing with nails. I also found it harder to control my dynamic, muting, and other aspects of my playing. Perhaps with more practice, I could improve my "nail playing" technique, but without a fleshy connection to the instrument, I felt uninspired to do so.

[@danjonesguitarist]

Thank you Brandon, really enjoyed the video and the warm way in which you delivered it. Best wishes from Scotland, Dan

[@ivansemanco6976]

Thanks Brandon, very nice video. As absolute beginner in my 44 without no musical experience I realy apreciate your passion and explanation of topic. Thanks.

[@Lasse3]

Listen 9:40 No nail, makes the harmony itself stand out, the individual plucks are less important, how the strings sing in harmony is amplified much over the sound of the pluck. With nails, the individual transients stand out, it's much less homogeneous, much less harmonious, you don't hear the harmony SING! I have always been a cedar - no nails, the warmth is addictive. But through the years, I've always enjoyed Brandon's nail playing, he did it tastefully, but now hearing Brandon without nails, I'm in love😊 Already you sound like you've sworn by 'no nails' your entire life..!, Just what are you?- is the real question.. Brandon we're on to you!

[@jamesj.navagh222]

Thank you. I am so tired of guitarists who assume that playing with nails is the only legitimate manner when there is such a strong tradition of playing on the flesh, and the major proponent of playing on nails in recent years is Segovia who was self-taught.

[@smackiesfunkies]

I'm so glad you posted this. I've been trying to teach myself classical so I grew my nails out figuring it's the best way to play. But they get in the way of so much of my other "normal" activities. If my favorite classical guitarist can do it with no nails then that gives me hope! Thank you.

[@TheDrunkMunk]

I literally cut my nails yesterday and have been trying to figure out how to play properly since then

[@brandonacker]

Good timing! Hope my video helps.

[@zakbraverman]

I think it takes some getting used to to get the tone you want...

[@TheDrunkMunk]

@@zakbraverman My issue is that the lower E string sounds so twangy, not very nice. I can get a lovely smooth sound with fingernails but not without. Brandon's video should help

[@BananaJoe9217]

Same here lol

[@topneorej]

@@brandonacker I cut my nails (very short) and still I hit some notes with nails. Did you have to practice avoiding nails, or did it come natural to you?

[@pbabiesinspace6112]

I have been playing guitar/bass for 30 years and tinkered with classical guitar...but seriously got into classical guitar. I have desperately been trying to grow my nails. I need this video.

[@JazzGuitarScrapbook]

I’ve heard the lutenist David Miller play Schubert on a 19th century gut string guitar with Renaissance lute technique and no nails. Sounded great!

[@nobly94]

Yes finally someone that has represented beauty of the mellow tone from nailless playing. Much appreciated friend

[@karu6111]

Finally lol, I love playing with nails. Unfortunately I hate them for anything else other than guitar. They get dirty, they break easily, and they feel horrible to type on. Now, thanks to you, I won’t feel guilty about cutting them. Now my right hand could feel normal again.

[@noodle_ship2348]

A couple things: I'm so glad you posted this because I hate keeping my nails long. Thank you for introducing me to no nail technique! And I can't wait to hear you master mixing nail and no nail!!

[@charllamprecht7325]

Thank you for a brilliant video and demonstration. Your sound and musical expression without nails is intoxicatingly beautiful! Soundwise it is a no-brainer, because it cuts through to the essence of what you are playing. Maybe playing with nails is just too easy and the obvious mystery disappears, who knows... The Torres guitar is a mystery box after all.

[@mjt11860]

Sohr was talking guitar effects way before electric guitars. A man truly ahead of his time 😉

[@jessicaramirez2093]

This is an amazingly eye opening video, thank you for your dedication and knowledgeable information.

[@JohnLaCroixRenaissanceMan]

One of my teachers once told me something Segovia said (I don't know if it's a quote or just anecdotal): "I don't pluck the strings...I push on them". I think you are spot on describing the need to 'push'. In addition to guitar I also am a luthier, and I was always busting my nails. A couple of years ago I just cut them off an haven't looked back. You can make a lot of sound with just flesh, and you lose completely the problems that come with nail playing, for example clicking.

[@MusicMotivator]

This is so extremely well done and exceptionally helpful! As a long time classical player and teacher with good nail challenges- dry and brittle in winter, this comes as a brilliant solution. Funny story, for my adjudication in University I used ping pong ball material as nails-super-glued on, I read about the trick in GP mag. Again, your analysis of the tonal differences is key here. I'm getting over the brilliance and overtones of nails. Thanks!!

[@gianz73]

Brandon, this is the first video of yours that I have seen. Top quality in every aspect: total clarity in explanations and images, cosy setting and relaxed, ego-free attitude. From now on, count me among your subscribers! You have rekindled my desire to learn to play classical guitar. I will find a way to put it into practice. For all this (and for making me shed tears after just 3 seconds of Recuerdos de la Alhambra), a big THANK YOU! Greetings from Italy

[@Manullex]

I have to say that playing with nails sound (and feel) waaaay better to me. I think I'll always relate no-nails-playing with lack of experience, maybe after all the years I've been hearing begginers in musical school perform like this.

[@fatcatsound]

The tremolo w/o nails made the treble strings sound more percussive and gave the melody a more prominent position in the sound stage. Thanks for doing this experiment. I've had nails for 20 years and I'd love to be able to get rid of them.

[@BeauHannamGuitars]

I love Rob Mackillop's playing/channel- I'm in the middle of making him an instrument :)

[@RobMacKillop1]

You are?? Wow!

[@BeauHannamGuitars]

@@RobMacKillop1 to the specs you emailed me- it may take a while but half done

[@caleboswaltguitar]

I'm so happy to see this! I've going between nails and no nails for forever. Mostly because I'm in love with electric bass (which practically uses the classical rest stroke). I'm hoping more will realize there is more than one way to play!

[@vodanh7514]

Very helpful 👌👌👌 I play guitar and piano. It's nearly imposible for me to play difficult pieces on the 2 intruments in the same week.

[@gatecrashx6577]

I just ordered my classical guitar today, i play the piano also , any tips for guitar playing ?

[@wanderingfirbolg6738]

Very interesting! I started my music adventure on the flute but later in my teens, migrated to the classical guitar and bass and then to electric bass. Back then, I used nails and now, some 20 years later, I'm relearning to play without growing my nails, using picks when I want a more precise, harsh pluck and it's really interesting. Almost feels like you're switching from your jazz pickup to the p-bass. Once more, great upload. Many thanks!

[@ignatiusvong6281]

Hi Brandon, you are one of the best classical guitarists I heard playing of in modern days. I watched the video of you and Rob playing a variety of classical guitars and I was so blown away by your playing of Gymnopédie no.1 where you play the melody by string harmonics. I was wondering if you can do a video playing the song doing the exact thing you did in that video? Please 🥺

[@ReneGrothmann]

I don't play guitar well, but love the instrument. But I often hated that sharp, focussed, loud sound of the guitar, and do love the intimate soft one. So, I hope that more guitar players adopt that style which is a lot more pleasant to my musical ear.

[@joejones7965]

Virginia Luque is a world-class virtuoso who plays without nails.

[@ili626]

Thanks for sharing - I’ll def check her out

[@CT-gy6us]

I had never heard about Virginia Luque and I'm so happy that you mentioned her. I just watched some of her videos... she's fantastic! Thanks.

[@JohnTaylor-pj2mr]

This is a fascinating video, presented in a friendly, relaxed style that artfully disguises its thoughtful construction. It's no wonder that your channel has such a big following, Brandon, but still it's truly astonishing that this topic of no-nails playing has hit the spot for so many viewers, with well over a thousand comments so far! Perhaps the most unusual thing about it is that you dared to present your thoughts on playing with just the flesh - and actually doing it, too - only a few days after filing your nails down for the first time. In this sense it has something of the wide-eyed enthusiasm for novelty of an 'unboxing video', but without the usual mindlessness! I agree that no-nail playing at its best can have a very special charm of its own, and have often wondered why, in this age dominated by recorded music, and with high-quality amplification readily available in venues where you really can't manage without it, so few professional classical guitarists have made a career out of playing without nails. As well as Rob MacKillop, I'd also recommend dipping into the KZbin channel of Luteduo - especially to hear the gorgeous playing of Anna Kowalski on a copy of a 19th-century Stauffer guitar. My first experience of hearing good no-nail playing was as a young student in Emilio Pujol's summer masterclass in Cervera de Lérida, Catalonia, in 1971. At that time, Pujol (whose name I believe you do pronounce correctly, Brandon, in the Catalan way!) was, at the age of 84, the last and most ardent disciple of Tárrega, having become his pupil at the age of 14, around the same time that Tárrega was making the transition to playing without nails. I well remember sitting in the class and reading through Pujol's 'The Dilemma of Sound on the Guitar' while one of the no-nails students was having his lesson with that gentle, scholarly old man, and being struck by the contrast between his essentially private art and the much more public profile of the famous guitarists of the time, who all played in large halls, and who of course all used the nails. However, let's not get too carried away with this new-found enthusiasm for that beguiling, intimate sound of flesh on string. Some of the comments so far have rushed to pronounce the sound as being simply better without the nails, but others take a more nuanced or a broader view. The examples you played in the video are all of music by Sor and Tárrega, so it's not surprising that they sound good played without nails - but the vast majority of the repertoire from the 20th century onwards was composed by or for guitarists who played with nails. Much of it can only be brought fully to life, with the complete range of colours and dynamics intended, by a player with a sophisticated nail technique - one that's capable of producing a kaleidoscope of sounds, from the metallic and spiky to the sweetly singing. So it's no wonder that the vast majority of serious players do use nails. It's not just a question of following the crowd: even the ones who (like the Romeros when they were young) learned to play very well without nails would find it a distinct handicap to manage without them in most of the modern repertoire. But for lutenists (such as Rob MacKillop, Anna Kowalska and James Akers) who also play the guitar very well, it's a different matter. They can - or could, before this wretched pandemic - effectively combine both careers, and it's a revelation to hear how beautiful the guitar can sound in the hands of really good musicians like these, using only the fingertips. With all the riches of the lute repertoire to go at as well, they can afford to restrict their guitar-playing to music that really works with no nails. Before ending this long post, I'd like to take issue with your point about what Sor wrote in his Method of 1830, Brandon. The diagram Fig.18 is shown at 5:29 in the video, but I think you have misinterpreted what Sor tried to show in it. You are, of course, right to emphasise how important it is to push the string inwards towards the soundboard before release - in free stroke as well as rest stroke - if you want a strong, full tone. But if you read Sor's text carefully, you'll see that he actually believed that the string should be made to vibrate parallel to the top plate (along the line B to C on the diagram), and that the slight deflection inwards (towards F) was an unfortunate effect of the roundness of the fingertip, but one that can be kept small enough to do no damage by making the string hit against the frets! To me, this is a remarkable example of unintentional disinformation by one of the greatest figures in the history of the guitar. Sor, imbued as he must have been with the spirit of the Enlightenment, took great pains to present a rational argument using this diagram, but two vital pieces of the puzzle were missing from his reasoning. Firstly, if you do succeed in getting a string to vibrate purely parallel to the top plate of a guitar, you'll be rewarded with almost no sound! This is the direction in which the string drives the soundboard the least effectively, whereas (as piano manufacturers, and harpsichord makers before them, had long known) the most effective direction is perpendicular to the plate. Secondly, if you push a string in one direction and let it go, it won't bounce away symmetrically at the same point; instead, the deflection will travel as a wave to the far end of the string and bounce away there. That's why you should never pull a string upwards, away from the soundboard, unless you actually want to make it slap against the fingerboard and frets when you let it go (that's a 'Bartók pizzicato'). But conversely, it does no harm - and a lot of good, sound wise - to push the string in towards the soundboard and let it go from there, because it will jump harmlessly clear of the fingerboard and frets when the wave is reflected at the other end. Sor was undoubtedly a wonderful player, and a fine composer too, but this example goes to show that no one, no matter how accomplished and famous, is infallible. (Don't get me wrong, we have plenty of evidence that Sor must have been a true master, able to play anything in his fertile mind with complete fluency. In this sense, he absolutely 'knew what he was doing'; but I believe he deceived himself in his analysis of what's going on mechanically when a string is set into vibration.) Unfortunately, this misunderstanding of the basic acoustic principles lived on into the 20th century, appearing in a number of other influential teaching books, including those by Carlevaro and Duarte, and in the first edition of Noad's Solo Guitar Playing which he later corrected. By the mid-1970s, anyone trying to find out the best way of getting a good sound out of a guitar could have bought at least six books saying contradictory things, and would have ended up thoroughly confused! This is what prompted me to write my little book Tone Production on the Classical Guitar, published in 1978 (now long out of print), in which I introduced the idea of the nail as a 'ramp' which can be shaped, polished and presented to the string in such a way that it 'automatically' projects the string inwards towards the soundboard, in free stroke as well as rest stroke, as you say towards the end of the video. Incidentally, a nail needn't necessarily look like a ramp to work like one - my idea was more about function than appearance - and for some players, a nail shape that more or less follows the contour of the fingertip works fine. And so, for that matter can a fingertip without any nail, which is what you show so well in your excellent video!

[@williamwhippleneely]

I am really looking forward to this.

[@taiyoutamaki1872]

Meeee toooo!

[@slxbeats8146]

Me too