One Hour LIVESTREAM on Tonebase! No Nail Guitar in 10 Days

[@brandonacker]

➢Brandon's online course for playing without nails 🎸 classicalguitar-pro.com/p/no-nails-in-10-days Get 20% OFF using the code TONEBASE123

[@mikaelbremerlutaochgitarr]

What a wonderful tip about trying to play with left hand! 😊 Thank you for the great interview

[@andreaswindsor922]

This is wonderful news for guitarists like myself who have other hobbies (like rock climbing) that prevent them from having long nails. Thanks!

[@adamvalach8815]

Nonsense. I don’t think no nail is the way to go, because your skin gets rough/dry/hard and that doesn’t sound good. You need smooth and hydrated skin in order to achieve pleasant sound. People like Brandon have no idea what they’re talking when they’re mentioning rock climbing as he does in his overpriced course.

[@zachd4693]

@@adamvalach8815 Nah

[@jimihermit]

@@adamvalach8815 You can apply some moisturizer

[@johnmclelland4278]

Love how Brandon is willing to be open to different techniques and is willing to take risks.

[@alvinles77]

Hi Brandon , I loved the interview. I myself changed from nail to NO nails just to experiment after watching one of your earlier videos. Then I fell in love with that new sound

[@brandonacker]

That's great:)

[@Gitarrenklangwelten]

Thank you Brandon. You and your channel are making classical music so cool! I never used fingernails and play flesh from the very beginning as my second hobby is skateboarding + I don't like the feeling of longer nails so this would just be no option for me. All the best from Munich/Germany!

[@dannylaurence8089]

This was a great video! I’ve been playing classical and fingerstyle guitar for 30+ years and have only ever played without nails. I’ve never felt at a disadvantage or that there was something I couldn’t play because I was playing with flesh. One interesting thing that happens when I play more steel string fingerstyle is that my right hand fingers do develop calluses. It’s helpful for playing extended sessions with more abrasive steel strings, but it negatively impacts the feel/sound when I switch back to a nylon stringed guitar.

[@ndenijs]

Thank you Brandon! Bit jealous off the guitar

[@ryandavis4247]

Love the channel Brandon and I do play classical guitar but lover ur channel ❤️🎸your warm up routine is king bradon 🎸

[@DanielOliveiraViolao]

That was great! I really appreciate. Thank you!

[@kimstrickland65]

Juan Mercadal, the Cuban guitarist who set up the guitar program at Miami University in the late 60s, played without nails. He did not want to have to worry about damaging nails with ordinary activities. As for tremolo, modern recording techniques are so revealing that nail noise (clicking) can be annoying, even with well known players. As for myself, I was taught to use nails. In high school, my nails were longer than I use now. In the last 10 years, my "a" fingernail tends to curl down, forming a hook when it it just beyond the finger tip. This has led me to shorten my nails to where they are just a little behind the finger tip. Since the side profile of my finger tips is a bit more curved than most, the basic sound is still mostly due to the nail. Still, if I damage a nail, it is a minor tragedy. Fortunately that is uncommon, but I am still thinking about trying without nails.

[@moonasha]

it's honestly crazy that people think you need nails for classical guitar. The instrument was invented without nails, it was played for 100s of years without nails. Sor played without nails, Tarrega played without nails later on. Robb MacKillop gives out some great tips for doing no nails. The things I've done are lower my tuning by an entire step E = D, A = G, etc, as well as lower my action. Modern guitars are much higher tension than ye olde guitars, and use higher tension strings. Gut or nylgut is apparently the way to go, but that can be expensive. Skin condition is also very important, you need to keep your fingertips moisturized or else you'll get a bad tone

[@pierrebroccoli.9396]

My technique is to keep my nails trimmed. No need for special shaping or anything, just once a week or maybe twice, give them a little trim and get playing. The tone works for me and it is quite easy to deal with. 😁

[@josdurkstraful]

I played VillaLobos etude 12 with a plectrum! Worked very well, gave it a nice heavy metal character.

[@Prajnana]

Totally enjoyed this informative conversation. I was wondering if Brandon prefers a particular soundboard wood when playing without nails?

[@brandonacker]

Thanks! Yes, spruce

[@donr1194]

Do you think this would be appropriate for steel string finger style as well?

[@F.O.H.]

Do you find the lack nails affects playing artificial harmonics?

[@brandonacker]

I play them in this video. They still work of course but don't have the same brightness.

[@NScottSterling]

Hey Brandon! I just got my first classical guitar (1963 Espana made in Sweden) Was wondering if you think learning classical guitar towards the end of the day after practicing acoustic during the days is a valid approach? I'm thinking it'll be perfect for when my hands are too tired and need to play something with a lighter touch. Or is this a bit backwards, and should I also be setting aside specific time just for it. The skills all seem pretty transferable

[@P.Kieulyakis]

No nail technique seems to be gaining ground lately as well as gut strings. A friend of mine @PavelBortnik went no nail a couple of years ago. The other day I contrived to compare his gut stringed guitar with mine made by the same luthier but with nylon strings. If you are interested in this comparison and guitars from the USSR and post soviet states in general, then welcome to my channel.

[@mapowey]

The best technique is the one you practice

[@jimihermit]

What model and make is this Guitar??

[@brandonacker]

Brian Itzkin Torres guitar. You can order my signature model here [e-mail]

[@jimihermit]

@@brandonackerthanks

[@MethenySco]

I’ll pass. Nail tone is better if you know how to play correctly. How would you ever play fast scales without nails?

[@brandonacker]

I played the fast scale from Capricho arabe in this video. Carcassi and Sor wrote many fast scales and played without nails. A friend of mine recently did the Aranjuez concerto without nails as well. You can do all the technique just with a different timbre, as I demonstrated at length in this very video.

[@MethenySco]

Sure, but does it make a difference that you're playing on a "period" instrument? Probably. Sor, Carcassi etc played on different guitars, and I imagine in very small rooms for a small audience. This is 2025. I won't knock your taste, to each his own, but the bottom line is that nails are superior for tone, control, and volume, not to mention colouring. If no-nails were in fact superior, then we would see many more pros adopt this approach, (excluding you of course, who is a pro) but they don't.

[@brandonacker]

@@MethenySco The mistake you are making is assuming there is such a thing as one "superior" way to play. This is not true because it is taste. For at least the last 400 years, people have played with and without nails until the present day and which you choose is clearly taste. Would you say chocolate is superior to vanilla? That would be nonsense, right? I feel like you didn't watch the full interview because I dealt with literally all of these myths that you are mentioning. I've played without nails on modern guitars and strings too and it sounds nice. Low tension strings help a lot. What is clear is you are making the fallacy of an argument from ignorance. You haven't tried this yourself, you haven't heard these things done, and you assume it's impossible. Meanwhile I have many colleagues who do this as well as myself so it just seems to not be a very serious take. If you prefer nails, there's nothing wrong with that. I love them too. No one needs to be "right" or "wrong" on issues of preference. Both are valid. I'm using nails for my solo recital in 2 days. But I accept both ideas because I've worked on each for years and know the history. Let's not be so dismissive at others for having different tastes and just make good music :)

[@MethenySco]

@@brandonacker Indeed mate, have tried both, so I'm not at all speaking from 'ignorance'. Why would you assume I haven't? I played without nails for, oh, about 8 years (work reasons), and when I finally decided to grow them, my playing improved exponentially and I was able to play a lot more repertoire and play with a lot more control. But at the end of the day, you're right, it's all about making good music. And you do just that, so I respect your choices.

[@brandonacker]

@ Ah well I stand corrected there. Apologies for the assumption. I've had this conversation many times and in my experience, the people most opposed to the idea have never tried it. So you've tried, great. And yes, you prefer nails. Wonderful. I'm glad you found something that works for you and that you enjoy. Best wishes and cheers to making good music :)