Picking Technique (Guitar Lesson)

Chapter 1: (17:07) Picking Technique / Nail Care When playing classical guitar, the right hand fingernails are used to pluck the strings. Consequently, they must be grown out slightly and shaped properly. The importance of properly shaping the strings cannot be stressed enough! The quality of your tone is largely dependent upon how well your nails are cared for.

Nail Types

Everybody's nails and hands are different. However, almost all nail shapes fall into four categories.

1. Type A - The nail features a steady curve across its surface.

2. Type B - The nail is relatively flat across its surface.

3. Type C - The nail bends downward. This nail type is undesirable for classical guitar. If your nails meet this description, you may want to consider using ping pong balls, acrylic nails, or the Alaskapik. More information about this subject is provided below.

4. Type D - The nail bends in an upward direction across its surface.

Shaping the Nails

A. Length

The shorter you keep your nails, the better. The fingernail should extend beyond the fleshy pad of the finger by about 1 millimeter. It's much easier to play rapid scale passages, tremolo passages, and arpeggios with shorter nails. Short nails produce the loudest and clearest tone. Also, as nails grow longer, they are more prone to break.

B. Overall Nail Shape

The edge of the nail must be shaped into a straight line or a consistent arching curve. Many players naturally have small hooks or divots that grown into the nails. A hook is a portion of the nail that grows in a different direction from the rest of the nail. In order to produce a solid tone, all hooks must be removed from the nail. Hooks result in a brittle, snapping sound. File the underside of the nail across the hook, until this portion of the nail is smooth and straight like the rest of the nail.

C. Surface Area

The maximum amount of nail surface area should make contact with the string. For this reason, many guitarists shape their nails into a ramp-like surface. The nail should gradually get longer towards the right side. With this nail shape, the nail glides smoothly across the string when the proper plucking motion is utilized.

Shaping the Nails (contd.)

Buy a nail file that has several levels of coarseness. Ideally, the file should have seven different coarseness levels.

1: heavy grit for shaping
2. medium grit for shaping
3: fine grit to neaten edges
4: even out the nail (ensures consistency across the nail)
5. smooth the nail
6. buff the nail
7. shine the nail

Use surfaces 2-7 when preparing the nail. Do not neglect the last two steps! These are two of the most important. In order to produce the best possible tone, your fingernails must be as smooth as glass!

At first, shape the nail into a perfectly round shape. Use the file underneath the nail to remove any hooks. The bottom of the nail should remain flat and consistent all the way across. Then, add the ramp. Most players prefer to slope the fingernail so that the right side is slightly taller. This ensures that maximum nail surface area travels across the string. This produces the loudest, clearest tone possible.

Note: If your nails produce a brittle snapping sound, your nails are shaped incorrectly, or you are playing with poor technique.

Final Thoughts on Nail Maintenance

Note: These tips concerning nails maintenance were written by classical guitarist Karl Wohlwend. Click here for more information about Karl.

1. Keep your nails well-maintained. A shorter, smoother nail will be less likely to break on door handles, guitar case latches, etc.

2. Be flexible. Nails are almost never prefect. However, being adaptable will allow you to play with your nails in a variety of conditions.

3. Be strict. Even though it is possible to play with no nails and / or nails in various conditions, never play with nails that produce poor tone quality. Your ear will get accustomed to hearing poor sound, and you will not push yourself to create good tone.

4. Keep in mind that nervousness affects accuracy. For performance situations, it may be helpful to grow the nails slightly longer than usual.

5. Nails break more often when dry. In dry climates, breaks can be prevented by moisturizing the nail. Vaseline Intensive Care Hand and Nail Formula works very well.

Solutions for Broken Nails or Undesirable Nail Types

Nails break rather frequently. Or, your nails may naturally grow in a way that is not conducive to playing the classical guitar. Unfortunately, nothing can compare to the feeling and tone produced by natural nails. However, there are some synthetic options that work almost as well. Acrylic nails such as Lee Press-On nails are made of a much harder substance than the human nail. Consequently, they produce a louder tone. Unfortunately, due to their hardness, they produce a rather harsh tone that is undesirable. The vast majority of guitarists prefer to glue ping pong balls to the underside of the nails.

Alaskapiks present an effective third option. Alaskapiks are attached underneath the nail and wrap around the fingertip. They can be shaped and buffed like a natural nail or an acrylic. The advantage to these picks is that no gluing is necessary. This allows the nail to breath and grown in a healthy, natural state. Unfortunately, many classical players find that these picks feel awkward since they wrap around the finger.

Right Hand Positioning

In order to position the right hand correctly, the rest of the body, especially the shoulders, must be positioned correctly. If necessary, review all of the proper posture guidelines presented in lesson 1 at this time.

Make sure that the shoulders are relaxed. Do not shrug the right shoulder to adjust the height of the right hand. If the guitar is not sitting at the ideal height for you, adjust the height of your footstool.

Forearm Position

The upper forearm must rest on the body of the guitar where the side and lower portion of the soundboard meet. This allows the entire forearm to pivot up and down like a crane.

The elbow must sit behind the edge of the body. It should not make contact with the guitar at any point.

Hand Position

The most powerful tone is produced when the index finger lines up with the back edge of the soundhole. The remaining fingers relax as they rest on the strings. The thumb extends beyond the remaining fingers. The strings respond best when the hand is positioned exactly halfway between the bridge and the neck. Also, this position allows vibrations to escape from the soundhole and travel throughout the room. Playing directly over the soundhole produces a quieter tone since some of the vibrations are blocked by the hand.

Two different right hand strokes are used when playing classical guitar. These two strokes are referred to as "free strokes" and "rest strokes" or "tirando" and "apoyondo" respectively. Each type of stroke produces its own unique sound and has its own applications. The free stroke is used far more often. It is used for the vast majority of material that you will play. Many guitarists don't even begin to use the rest stroke until they have significant experience playing classical guitar. The rest stroke produces a louder and slightly rounder tone. It is used to highlight scale passages or important melody notes.

The proper technique for both strokes will seem very awkward at first. Do not be tempted to cut any corners with these techniques. The quality of your tone is largely determined by the quality of your plucking technique.

Free Stroke Movement

When performing a free stroke, the finger plucks through the string on its way towards the palm. The plucking movement must originate from the knuckle joint. This produces the loudest, most desirable tone possible.

Note: The three joints in the hands are called the base joint, middle or knuckle joint, and tip joint. Memorize these names. They will be referenced periodically throughout the course of this lesson series.

Hand Positioning for Free Strokes

The base joint of the hand must hover directly over the string that is being plucked. This positioning produces the loudest tone, because it allows the finger to displace the string as far as possible. If the joint is not positioned above the string, you will experience problems with accuracy.

Free Stroke Exercise Guidelines

-Practice playing strokes on each open string.

-Do not even worry about rhythm at this point. Focus your attention on the mechanics of the right hand.

-Exaggerate the free stroke movement by pulling the plucking finger all the way towards the palm. When playing rapid scale passages, this exaggerated movement is not always practical. However, practicing in this manner will enhance your tone and the strength of the right hand fingers.

-Practice this exercise several times each day to get acquainted with proper right hand technique.

Rest Stroke Movement

The positioning of the fingers must change slightly when a rest stroke is performed. However, the overall positioning of the hand should not change at all. The finger is held slightly straighter when performing a rest stroke. A slight bend is made at the middle joint.

When performing a rest stroke, the plucking movement still originates from the base joint. The base joint should hover two strings above the string being plucked. For example, if you are plucking the first string, the base joint should hover above the third string.

Regardless of whether a rest stroke or free stroke is performed, the tip joint of the fingers must remain as relaxed as possible. This will allow you to play with maximum speed, accuracy, and endurance. It will also produce the best possible tone.

Components of a Stroke

Every stroke consists of three fluid steps.

1. Planting or preparation
2. Pressure
3. Release

The finger rests on the string during the planting stage as it prepares to play. Next, the nail applies pressure to the string, which in turn displaces it. Finally, the string begins to vibrate when the nail releases from it. When performing a rest stroke, the pressure is applied towards the soundboard. The string is displaced in an upwards direction during a free stroke.

Technique Tryout

Practice your free stroke technique with the thumb on the first string. Focus all of your attention on creating a clear, solid tone. Watch and emulate Pamela's technique as she demonstrates some free strokes on the first string at 07:00 in the lesson video.

Practice your free stroke technique with the remaining fingers on the first string. Remember to always plant your thumb on the string below the one you are playing a free stroke with. You want to make sure that the tone produced by each finger is identical. Make sure the volume remains the same regardless of which finger you are using.

Also, test out the tone of your thumb nail by strumming through some chord voicings that you know. Make sure that you are not producing a snapping, brittle sound as the nail passes through the string. The tone should be warm, round, and loud. Also, make sure the nail isn't getting hung up on any of the strings.

Free Stroke Exercise

Pamela repeats the same chromatic exercise from the previous lesson. This time around however, the right hand fingering is different. Alternate fingers I and M throughout. These are the fingers that are predominantly used to play scalar runs. If you have experience playing with a pick, think of i as a downstroke and m as an upstroke. Thus, by alternating I and M you are essentially alternate picking and able to play twice as fast.

Remember to keep the thumb planted on the second string as you play through the exercise. Focus on creating a nice tone with equal volume between both of your fingers. Practice very slowly in time with a metronome. Speed is completely irrelevant to this exercise!

Pamela provides a demonstration of the exercise at 13:27

Practice through the same exercise alternating m and a. Do not neglect the a finger in your technical practice!

Scales

To further practice your right hand skills, play through the scales that you know at this point in time. Alternate fingers I and M throughout. Then repeat the same process while alternating the M and A fingers.

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