SECRET OF A RICH TONE for classical guitarists

[@beatrixguitar]

What strings do you use now? Let me know under this comment! ⬇ Also, please consider supporting me on patreon! www.patreon.com/beatrixguitar

[@blahdiblah2169]

I'm using SAVAREZ 500AJ - My guitar luthier said it's a good string for the model I have, and then I noticed my teacher used same brand of string, so I like the bright fluorocarbon. But if you are very early beginner these strings are too unforgiving.

[@vladislavsolodyankin209]

Hi, Beatrix! Always i used to play on D'addario EJ 45 but i really want to try different strings. Now i am using Aquilla Sugar and like their sound more than D'addario. Their trebles are just brilliant for me but basses are not so impressive though they're not so bad. Like it. It's already time to change strings. Maybe you can recommend some strings for me to try? I will be glad for your answer)

[@beatrixguitar]

@@blahdiblah2169 I tried that one several times on my spruce top Sakurai-Kohno and it was buzzing always :( But I changed guitar since then, maybe I should give it a try again. What kind of guitar do you use?

[@beatrixguitar]

@@vladislavsolodyankin209 For me d'addario always have amore rough sound than I'd like, but this is just very personal. And they are pretty expensive for how long they stay good. I recommend Galli genius titanium trebles, aquila rubino basses and full set of augustinestrings regal and imperial series, especially the normal tensions.

[@vladislavsolodyankin209]

@@beatrixguitar Thank you very much for advice, i appreciate it a lot! If i can find this strings in my country i will definately give them a try.

[@HatefYaminiOnline]

Outstanding nail overview. Best I’ve seen yet.

[@beatrixguitar]

Thank you!

[@billthomson7468]

Really helpful views. Particularly about the finish of the nail being so important, as well as the shape. Seems so basic , but it is so fundamental . I’ll also check your others as I try hard to avoid tension in my hand with arpeggio playing. Many thanks

[@newgunguy4176]

How to fix hooked nails that grow downward?

[@elbestione7010]

I use Savarez Hard Tension, for me a great choice with brilliant and strong tone

[@Mohammad_j4fari]

Thank you so much. That shining part made so difference❤️

[@tonyainsworth1118]

Oops forgot about strings - I use the bog standard D'Addario EJ 45 Pro Arte normal tension bass strings. Savarez New Crystal 1st (501 CR) and 2nd (502CR) and Savarez Alliance 3rd (543R). Of course, so much depends on what guitar you have. The same set I use on my cedar top Ramirez 1A will not sound the same on say a Philip Woodfield spruce top guitar. The Bible for tone is "Tone on the Classical Guitar" by John Taylor an extremely good guitarist and an expert recording engineer who does most of the sound recordings in our church (eg for world class artists like the Eden Stell Duo). Unfortunately it is now out of print.

[@GreenRose242]

Your videos are always so helpful Beatrix, thankyou my dear ❤

[@felixmarinjr.66]

This is the best explained nail for classical guitar video I have watched. Thank you very much.

[@alaljote5869]

I laughed so hard at the "help you make a better decision... or a good decision... or a decision" xD great video as always!

[@tonyainsworth1118]

I live in the UK but I get my strings from Strings by Mail based in the US. Cheaper than the UK even with postage. Order just enough to avoid duty. This company stocks a fantastic range of strings with excellent guides to selection and technical specifications. Their website is amazing, none better. And they sell many different bass-only sets, treble sets and individual strings. And I am not a sponsor for them.😊. Love your channel Beatrix. If you ever plan to come to the UK for concerts we do a series of guitar concerts here in Weston just 50km north of central London. Our village church has a fantastic acoustic and is used by many world class guitarists for recording. We would love to offer you a concert.

[@vladislavsolodyankin209]

Great video! Thank you Beatrix!

[@beatrixguitar]

Glad you liked it, thanks!

[@Folkstone1957]

I use DOGAL Blue Titanium trebles & OPTIMA GOLD wound bass strings with wound third to record/perform or D’Addario wound basses to practice, also wound third, HT. I have a GODIN guitar.

[@StefanWester]

Thank you very much for this very informative video! I recently wrote an (unpublished) article on the topic for my students that has many of the ideas you are talking about in the video.

[@archivedandgone]

Thanks for the tips!

[@beatrixguitar]

Your welcome, feel free to check out my other videos too 😁

[@atomic432]

Thanks. This topic is really important.

[@beatrixguitar]

Glad you think so!

[@steveb9325]

I've tried a lot of strings. Always come back to Daddario J45 normal tension though I like Hannabauch too. Love your playing btw❤🙏❤

[@lucadigiambattista1614]

Knobloch string for my flamenco guitar.

[@a.bloke2.0alwayslearning.23]

Love the Vid, love you. You had me at "sausage fingers", a term that I thought up to be MY term for MY Fingers invented exclusively for ME ! Regarding "Warm Tones" which as why I tuned in, the Tone is what you want to make it. Sometimes I pick, sometimes I strum, sometimes I thrash it ( but NEVER abuse it !), and the 'Tone' is how my Fat Sausage Fingers strike, pluck or leave the String. One thing that I, as a bloke, can say about your nails though. They look just the business for scraping bugs of one's Motorcycle Helmet. Take care, Flower Child. 🎸 🎼 Plink !, PlonK, pliNK. . . . , TWANG !!! Superb ! . .

[@billbraunstein9304]

I found and a remakable set of strings for my guitar. It’s a Knobloch product . The label is Erithacus( a canary is pictured on the pkg). They are nylon, medium tension, and really enhance the tone of my instrument. They come in different strengths, but I prefer the following: QZ Nylon-EDQ 33.5. My Fleta is old and I was struggling with tone. They can be had at Strings by Mail on line. Try them! S

[@paulhennessey51]

I switched from D’Addario to Hannabach a while ago and find them warmer with longer sustain.

[@evetdelarue8003]

So helpful ty

[@oliverf.rupert5408]

picked up new hobby. thank you liked the video. 👍x2

[@leonardopoerio4007]

Hello Beatrice! I play a G. Giussani guitar as you, mine is made by spruce(top) and maple wood, your is palisander and spruce(top) I presume. My best combination is Augustine Regals for treble and Hannabach black Medium Tension for bass but to avoid to waste part of the full set I ended up with the full set of Hannabach Black Medium Tension, it's a good compromise.

[@andrewcleggguitar]

Excellent video - just subscribed 👍🏻😀

[@beatrixguitar]

I'm so glad, thank you!

[@JoshParker-Music]

I currently use the LaBella Professional series on my classical guitar. I have a 7 string, so it can be tricky to find full packs that include a 7th string. I have used LaBella strings on my jazz archtop guitar for a very long time so I figured I'd give them a shot. I really like them much better than the D'addario and Savarez strings I've tried. I have only tried the carbon Augustine strings, and I really like them as well. Will have to give their nylons a try too!

[@vgfjr505]

That’s pretty much how I shape my nails. I even use the same tools to shape my nails. I use the Augustine Reds.

[@javierdiazsantana]

Have you tried buying on internet the half sets of strings? D'Addario Titanium trebles will be pretty much the same to the Galli Titanio since it's a patented material and it doesn't have discrepancies between brands, and the Aquila bass you might be able to get it separate or at least avoid buying the bass on the titanium strings... Hope this helps

[@beatrixguitar]

Hey hey, i just looked it up and I realized that I'm not familiar with d'addario's recent projects and strings at all. Last time I played d'addario strings was 6 yars ago and I played strings called EXP series. Turned out they aren't even exist anymore :D Their titanium strings and the XT series seems very interesting for me, thanks for the recommendation! I'm so happy that running this channel also gives me so much info and feedback, thanks for your valuable insight!

[@javierdiazsantana]

@@beatrixguitar Yeah, EXP's are great but got discontinued...Greetings from Mexico Beatrix, take care

[@blahdiblah2169]

For those of you living in Central Europe - I have found it very difficult to find nail buffer blocks here. So I recommend you get micromesh from a hobby shop. They're used by people who make model toys. For me personally I use a combination of a regular cheap glass nail file for rough shaping, then I'm using ordinary sand paper too for rough shaping, fine grit, more like water paper (it's cheap, and very effective and you can buy it from any hardware store), then for finer adjustments I use micromesh and also a soundfile which I got imported from America. All in all you don't need anything too expensive, mainly the sandpaper, a cheap glass nail file, and at least a 12k micromesh sheet, because these are the ones I use the most.

[@beatrixguitar]

It's the opposite here haha, it's impossible to get micro mesh 😂 but thanks for the heads up!

[@blahdiblah2169]

@@beatrixguitar Hi Beatrix, thank you for the great content, your videos always teach me a lot. Even today your diagrams of nail shape gave me some fresh ideas to try :)

[@beatrixguitar]

@@blahdiblah2169 ah thanks, so happy to hear that!

[@Koga-Ed]

Thanks for the great video ! I have two things: 1. Using the stuff speed skaters use to polish their speedskates would be a great alternative too. 2. @beatrixguitar could you do a topic on tips how to let fresh strings settle faster on your guitar ? Because I’ve experienced they get out of tune very fast in the beginning. They tend to settle (and stay in tune better) only at the moment they almost need to be replaced again 😅

[@dhrupadloveandcats9042]

Hi Beatrix, thanks for this great video! Have you tried Aquila Perla strings? They are supposed to be much warmer than the Rubino.

[@beatrixguitar]

No I haven’t! I settled down with daddario and I’m really happy with their XT series

[@Stu-3845]

I'm also using the Augustine regal reds, best balance I've found so far, though I'd would like a warmer bass

[@beatrixguitar]

Yes and the sound is very easy to control! For warmer bass check out the aquila rubino I was mentioning

[@Stu-3845]

@@beatrixguitar Wow, wow, wow! Early days but these Rubino's sound great! There's an odd feeling to the trebbles, but the sound is so good! and beautiful in red :) Thank you so much!

[@livindadrm]

I think string choice can vary for an individual guitar. I use Normal tension Savarez HT Alliance on my spruce top and Normal tension Savarez Cantiga Creation on my Cedar top. The latter set is interesting... nylon e/b and carbon g.

[@beatrixguitar]

I agree with you! I was using savarez strings on my Sakurai guitar but I don't like them on my Giussanni. That's why I said I share some personal favorites 😉

[@carlobroschifarinelli4671]

Ciao Beatrix , intanto complimenti perché sei bravissima e suoni con un gusto eccezionale. Volevo chiederti se hai provato le corde Knobloch . Io le trovo ottime .

[@nigelthomson9287]

Thanks again, Beatrice. I have tried mixing D'Addario nylons with a same brand carbon G string. The D'Addario nylon G string is terrible and sounds like a dull thud. The carbon is thinner and brighter but the trade off is a rough surface, scratcher sound and extra wear on the nails (a general problem as strings age anyway, I guess).

[@nigelthomson9287]

Forgot to say I use ej45s

[@beatrixguitar]

yeah I also experimented with mixed sets like this. Carbon for me always wears out more quickly so I had to change it waaay too often. Glad you liked the video and thanks for sharing your view!

[@keejoseph3145]

Beatrix, thanks. Do you use high tension or medium tension string?

[@roywhiston5658]

Currently using Savarez 500CJ, but noticing that the G string doesn’t “sing” as I feel it should. So looking for an alternative.

[@roywhiston5658]

PS: I have a flamenco Admira F4. I love its overall sound and playability.

[@robosing225]

So I have these weird bulbous finger tips which means the point where the playing edge of the nail meets the flesh at a very narrow point. to counter this I have to pluck the strings almost parallel using loong finger nails. Kind of like David Russell's angel since he too has big fingertips. If I try to to perpendicular I get a very thin, tinny weak sound with no projection or life to it. Should I just shave them down and glue fake guitar player nails and shape those instead?

[@konstantes]

Nagyan erdekes volt😊

[@shiroumxm2052]

i see your three fingernails , I,M, A, have the same shape.. in my case the nail of the ring finger is filed on the outside, that is to say the opposite of the other two. Would you say that it is something that I should correct?

[@beatrixguitar]

Only change that if you are not satisfied with your tone. My nail shape is more symmetrical than the usual guitarist nail shape and I don't say you should follow it, but if you start experimenting with the little tests I mentioned in the video and your nails are not comfortable, you should change the shape. Try to pick slowly and try to feel the contact point and where the string leaves your nail, try to feel little bumps or anything where the string stucks and gradually adjust your nails to that.

[@shiroumxm2052]

@@beatrixguitar thank you very much Beatrix. That finger is the only one i just dont get the right shape.. cause sometimes I have to move my hand and change the angle to play for example tremolo and the rest are ok but the A finger feel weird.. i gues I have to find a shape that allows me to play at least not so incomfortable in every position of my hand. Thnaks again for your advices and excuse my bad English jajaj Greetings from México

[@beatrixguitar]

@@shiroumxm2052 My teacher always told me to shape my nails to my picking technique, and not to build my technique to my nails. You should find your suitable right hand posture first and you need to find a nail shape which soulds good without moving your hand. The more extra movement you do, the less stable your technique is. I hope this helps, sorry for the late reply!

[@VictorTarela]

I will experiment more with my technique and strings then. Amazing video, I just found curious that the feeling you had with the carbon strings is the same I had with nylon. I will explore the possibilities of both and see if I can make a good choice :)

[@beatrixguitar]

Really? Yeah, string choice and tone preference is different to everyone, for this I found this video one of the hardest topic to make so far. I can't say enough how these are my personal experiences, I hope people understand that different is good

[@VictorTarela]

@@beatrixguitar yeah! When I first started taking seriously my sound, I hated the thickness and absence of low end that I was getting out of the guitar, so I made a lot of trial and error choices that led me to polish my nails in a near flat way (pretty much as advised by William Kanengiser in his instructional video) and also to try a wide variety of strings, and I ended up with the daddario high tension carbon ones. Next year I will apply to the Music College and I expect a lot of improvement in my playing which will probably lead me to more changes in my nail polishing and strings, but I don't know... I guess it's a matter of so many elements that the only thing one can do is listen to other people and share their experienxes, as you have done here. I can't stress enough how needed those conversations are, because since the guitar is such an evolving instrument we can not set our mind to only one way of thinking. Thank you for answering and for all the content you make, I discovered your channel recently and watched every video of yours I could since then. Keep them coming! :)

[@CWRobinsonMusic]

Definitely hard to maintain. One day when I’m an old frail man (assuming I get that lucky) I’ll have plenty of front porch picking to do instead of messing up the nails on other stuff.

[@louisverrone2341]

Why do you use fake nails? Do you have trouble growing healthy nails for playing? I have trouble and I'm looking for tips how to get strong nails. Diet perhaps? I like your videos very much. Thank you

[@halfabee]

The Guitar was developed in the days when people would entertain themselves in a sitting room/parlor. A very internment experience. With electronic pickups available to be installed on Classical Guitars, There is no reason not to amplify the classical guitar sound.

[@m.d.1862]

As an owner of sausage fingers, i see hope!

[@galeburgess5309]

D'Addario light tension.

[@Guitariuga]

I really like the sound of a classical guitar, but I just can't stand long nails on my fingers... I would rather play with flesh parts of my fingers, just like Tarrega....

[@vishnuvijayan4805]

Oh! Im early.

[@beatrixguitar]

hey, thanks for watching!

[@tasmedic]

If only I had sausage fingers on my right hand and nice long spidery thin ones on my left hand. (I'm thinking about the second section of Capricio Arabe...). Poor me, I'm built the other way round, but can't play left handed. Oh well...

[@Benbenforever]

Very good presentation except you are not using the rest stroke at all as far as I can see. Getting a really warm deep sound on melody lines is very difficult with just free strokes. If you look at Julian Bream, master of the guitar sound, you will see that most melody lines are played with a rest stroke. Furthermore, you will also see the rotation of the right hand leaving the nails at almost 45 degree angle to the strings. Free strokes are only used when test strokes are not possible. I have watched dozens of younger guitarists now who never seem to use the rest stroke and that is why they sound, thin, brittle and as if being 'picked' which is what is happening. The classical guitar is caressed', not 'picked'.

[@yanr.rivero9129]

i don't use my tails to play

[@hadeseye2297]

Kiełbasa fingers. xD

[@reinaldogoncalves8937]

You're cute. Bye