nail care

So yesterday morning, I trimmed my nails and I had a lot of free time to play piano, so I did that. Towards the end of the fifth hour, I had to stop because my fingers started to bleed under the nails. Now the tips of my second and fourth fingers on my right hand can't really play until they heal, so after spending only five hours at the keys, I can't play for about a week now (hopefully less).

What do you guys do about trimming your nails, so something like this doesn't happen? I don't trim them that frequently, so I think I just cut them too short.

 

HAHA!

I do bite my nails, but I don't typically bite the fourth and first fingers... So snip those, and just trim the rest... and I trimmed too much

Basically, I'm wondering a good amount to leave on...

 

Well, I sympathize with Monica about never needing to trim one's nails... :lol: On the rare occasion when trimming is necessary, I leave a very small (only about 1/32nd of an inch) even remnant; it seems to work for me. I hope this helps - every person's hand is so different, what works for one is bound to flop for another.

 

I like to keep then as short as possible, and start getting irritated by them when they get over half a millimeter long. Can't imaging how anybody can play with nails longer than that.
Haha, that reminds me of when I had lessons as a kid. My non-too subtle old teacher once or twice got out a huge pair of scissors and chopped my nails off when he thought them too long. That was horrible and I quickly learned not to go there unless properly trimmed.
Its easy to go clip just a touch too enthousiastically though, and end up with a hurting finger for days. Happened to me on occasion.

 

There are times, post-recital when my teacher is just so worn out from teaching six classes, piano lessons, and preparing for a recital, when he wont trim his nails for a few weeks (until the end of the semester, usually, when summer break is about to kick in)

You could hear his nails clicking on the keys. it's funny.

 

its' only noticable during lessons. if he's playing in the recital hall rather than the studio, the acousitics amplify the piano, and not his nails...

 

Then stay away from many Arrau CDs. Honest.

 

It bothers me with typing too, especially women who have those extra-long nails. It would drive me nuts.

 

I got to see that a couple of weeks ago. It didn't last long, alas, but it was nice. I've never seen the sky full of snow like that.

Merry Christmas to you too. :wink:

 

You are right alf, those Arrau recordings of the Beethoven sonatas are irritating! Especially in
headphones.

Regarding this topic, I got in the habit back when I played bass of keeping a raspy nail file
close at hand for filing during practice. The habit has stuck with me so that now I have a file
in a cute little box on top of my piano that comes in handy when things start clicking.

Also, I have found that in addition to the sound being annoying, it gets harder and harder
to play the longer my nails get. Sometimes (I have a digital piano) my nails get stuck
in the small gap between the white and black keys. This eventually becomes a
psychological barrier to playing. Then it's time to file away.

Brian

 

We too have had a lot of snow so far, but then temperatures raised and the snow has gone in the plain. In the mountains there has been the hugest snowfall since many many decades and the snow is all still there - great snowshoeing this winter!

We don't decorate trees at home, but here Monica puts up her ebony Christmas crib you can see in the picture. It is a Monica's father gift from Kenya. It is composed of the baby Jesus, Joseph and Mary praying, a donkey and an ox, plus a hunter with spear, you can notice that the spear lays in the corner (as in saloons in the American Old West, in a nativity scene you cannot bear weapons :lol: ). I call it the Voodoo manger, but I like keeping it around because the keyboard of my future grand might be in need of spare parts. :twisted:

Merry Christmas everybody.

 

No, the snow was on my 3-exam day from hell so unfortunately I didn't have time. By the time the day was over, it was all gone. :cry:

 

because this thread didn't derail...