Flamenco nails

[Crab007]

Hi all

I'm slowly starting to learn Flamenco , and I was wondering what you guys do to protect your nails? It became apparent to me quiet quickly how I will need much stronger nails to stand up to Flamenco playing, any ideas?

[BuleriaChk]

I always go to the Nail Salon down the street, and use acrylics. Some of the other alternatives sound better, but are a real PITA and come off at critical moments; and besides, the Vietnamese girls are pretty....

[darylcrisp]

Chuck

back in the early days, when you were trapsing around over there, did the Flamenco players have long nails or did some/most have more normal cut nails?

thanks
d

[BuleriaChk]

double post

[BuleriaChk]

EARLY days?? Well, ok, for us American groupies, anyway....

Well, Diego del Gastor had these huge yellow hooks (as I remember); (natural selection - the guys who had strong nails became guitarsts, the others dancers and singers).

A lot of guys used layers of tissue paper and airplane cement - later crazy glue when it became available. I've tried all, and the least painful for me, as I said, has been acrylic, especially since the Vietnamies nail salons were established.

Length is a matter of preference; in my experience, length of nails influence strongly which techniques will be emphasized. For example, short nails are better for fast picado, transitions between fingering techniques, etc., long nails are better for rasgueo.

But there are no absolutes (finger strength and independence maybe have more to do with it, which is a combination of practice and genetic luck. Sabicas had short, pudgy fingers, with a LOT of power.... When I shook Paco de Lucia's hand after his first LA concert, his nails and fingers seemed quite ordinary....

That's just my take on the subject, though...

Originally Posted by darylcrisp

Chuck
back in the early days, when you were trapsing around over there, did the Flamenco players have long nails or did some/most have more normal cut nails?

thanks
d