Left-Hand Nails - How Long Is Too Long When Playing Guitar

Are the nails on your left hand (or fretting hand) getting in the way of your guitar playing? Watch this video for some tips on keeping them trimmed properly.

[mohitgupta]

Hi Steven
I can't trim my nails that short. My nails are ahead of finger tip naturally. I will bleed my fingers if i try to so do. Is there a solution to that. I realised this after buying a guitar.

What you explained is exactly what is naturally happening with me.

[thomasfinn]

This is very useful information and I haven't heard it talked about much. It may seem like it is not necessary to explain, but I have had so many students come to lessons with nails that are too long on the left hand and as a result cannnot play efficiently. I feel like those lessons are almosts wasted time and just because of something seemingly unimportant and silly. Great video and points made!

[_elaine_]

Thank you! That tip (no pun intended!) on testing the correct lenght for your nails makes a lot of sense and should work for everyone. I love taking care of my nails but I've never been a big fan of long nails myself, so I thought mine were short enough to play the guitar because they are way shorter than other girls' nails. Wrong! My left hand nails need to be about 3mm shorter if I want that C chord to sound good. That's basically the shortest I can get them to be actually. I realized I was relying on the pads of my fingers or sometimes I would rotate them to use the sides of my finger tips and it was not only uncomfortable, but tiring and not accurate. So, to all women out there who are upset about having to choose between long nails or playing the guitar, I'd like to say that your nails will look beautiful and badass against that guitar arm as you make some amazing music come out of it, and that is something not many people can have!

[josejose]

I noticed I couldn’t hit the d chord or d7 chord properly. I noticed my nails where muting the top strings. Cut them and then they actually came out sounding right. Thanks for the video and I recommend everyone check their nails if the strings are getting muted.

[e.assatawright]

Hi. What was your suggestion to Mohit? I, too, can't trim my nails any shorter than they are without cutting/filing into the quick and bleeding. Thanks for any advice!

[ChilloHaus]

Thank you for this because I was about to rage lol