A question about piano?

Mark2229

Hey,
I plan to take up piano in the next few weeks as money is no longer tight around the house. I have been reading about techniques for the last few days and I read that you need short fingernails to play piano. Is this actually true?
I play classical guitar too and I need to keep my nails relatively long for that so cutting them short is not really an option. Would it hinder technique and hand positioning that much?

Also one other thing. If this isn't allowed please feel free to remove the thread mods. I am looking for a teacher and was wondering does anybody have any recommendations of good teachers around the North Dublin and the City Centre areas?
I'v been looking at Waltons and it doesn't seem to bad
Please send them by P.m

All the best,
Mark

Doshea3

Hi Mark,

As a piano teacher myself I can confirm that short nails really are a necessity. Playing the piano myself I find I need to trim my nails regularly or I can't play properly. I know a few classical guitarists and I think it's a case of one or the other as one can't keep the nails long for classical guitar and also play piano—certainly not with any security of technique anyway. I often have to tell students to cut their nails if they're too long!

I know a lot of good teachers, but most of them are southside. With Walton's or any other music school, just be careful who you get as a teacher, because while there are some very good teachers you may end up paying a lot of money for a service you could get much better and cheaper elsewhere.

Good luck!

Mark2229

Doshea3 wrote: »

Hi Mark,

As a piano teacher myself I can confirm that short nails really are a necessity. Playing the piano myself I find I need to trim my nails regularly or I can't play properly. I know a few classical guitarists and I think it's a case of one or the other as one can't keep the nails long for classical guitar and also play piano—certainly not with any security of technique anyway. I often have to tell students to cut their nails if they're too long!

I know a lot of good teachers, but most of them are southside. With Walton's or any other music school, just be careful who you get as a teacher, because while there are some very good teachers you may end up paying a lot of money for a service you could get much better and cheaper elsewhere.

Good luck!

Thanks for the reply. Would I not be able to get by at all with long nails?
I was thinking of doing a few grades but it would be more of a hobby for me

Well i'l try to get some recommendations on the teachers that teach in Waltons so. Thanks for the advice

Doshea3

The correct technique is to play with the tips of the fingers, which requires the nails to be trimmed as short as possible. There's not really any other way to play I'm afraid. Any piano teacher will give out to you if your nails are clicking on the keys!

Best of luck!

wonton

The above posts seem to me to be misleading.

I'm studying music in college and from what i can tell it isn't that rare to be a player of both instruments at all, and you could defintely get by.

I also play both and although it can be annoying sometimes, alot of the times I don't even notice and it hasn' been pointed out to me by my piano teacher or any of the lectures in college that its a problem.

I'm sure there are teachers that wouldn't be happy with it and it may give you a tiny disadvantage , but its completely possible to learn the instrument while rocking the long nails.

Doshea3

With respect, Wonton, I'm not trying to mislead anyone, I'm just giving the benefit of my own experience: I don't know any piano teacher that would permit their students to have long nails. If one has long nails it's necessary to play with the flat soft part of the fingertips. Of course it's possible to do this but it's not very conducive to good technique and may be damaging to the hands long term.

Mark2229

Just to clarify, my nails are not too long. they would probably be a little bit longer than the nails in this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUjV0X1-I_o

Skip to the 30th second to see what I mean
At that length would they still be a problem?

Doshea3

Aha! Now, I was picturing the sort of nails my professional guitarist friends have, which are a good bit longer than that. It's not ideal, but you could probably manage, provided you can still touch the keys with the tip of the finger. I'd be more worried about broken nails at that length...my nails are currently a little shorter than that and I'm starting to find it difficult to play the piano as the clicking drives me mad!

Mark2229

Well I'v decided to give it a go anyway and see how it goes. If clicking is the only thing that might get in the way then I'l be grand

And some people have their nails a ridiculous length!