How to Play Guitar with Long Nails

Co-authored by Aaron Asghari and Hannah Madden

Last Updated: January 20, 2021

The guitar is a fun instrument that you can play in many different ways. If you are learning how to play the guitar and you want to keep your long nails, you might be wondering how to maintain your healthy nails while still playing this instrument. If you stop using a pick, file your nails, and tune your guitar differently, you can keep your nails long and still make beautiful music.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Modifying How You Play

1
Stop using a pick to play. If you have nails that are longer than a pick, don’t use one to strum your guitar. Your nails will get in the way of the pick and could cause you to hit other strings, or even damage your nails.
- You can try holding the pick like a pencil so that your nails don’t get in the way of it, but this can be awkward and might mess up your sound.
2
Fingerpick the guitar strings. Instead of strumming with long nails, it might be easier to fingerpick the strings of your guitar. Fingerpicking allows you to pick out one string at a time and pull it with two fingers on your strumming hand. That way, you won’t have to rub your nails against the strings at all.^{[1]
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Tip: If you are switching from strumming a guitar to fingerpicking one, it might take a little bit of time to adjust. Try not to get discouraged as you learn this new skill.

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3
Tune your guitar to “open tuning” to easily hold a chord. If you’d like to keep all of your nails long, consider tuning your guitar to an open tune. In open tuning, your guitar will automatically play a chord whether you are holding one on a fret or not. Usually, open tuning is the E, G, or D chord. To tune your guitar to an open E chord, just:^{[2]
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- Tune the A string to a B
- Tune the D string to an E
- Tune the G string to a G#
- Leave all other strings as they are

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Filing Your Nails

1
Round your fingernails for classical guitar playing. If you are just starting out, you might want to round your fingernails to strum a classical guitar. Use a nail file to file your nail tip into a half circle. Make sure your nail is smooth and there are no hard edges.^{[3]
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- Rounded nails give your guitar a fuller tone when you fingerpick it.
2
Slope your fingernails for a warm sound. Another nail shape to use for a classical guitar is a sloped nail. File your nails in a downward slope shape to either the right or the left. Make sure the slope is straight. Your nails can all be different slope angles, or you can keep them the same.^{[4]
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3
Shape your fingernails in a point so that they resemble a pick. If your nails are longer than a guitar pick, you can file them into points that act like one. Use a nail file to file your nails into a pointed shape in the middle. Make sure the slopes are even on each side. You can file all of the nails on your strumming hand like this, or just your pointer finger and thumb.^{[5]
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Tip: Using your nails as a pick can chip or damage them. You can look into getting acrylic nails that are stronger and more durable than your natural nails if you’d like to keep yours out of harm's way.
4
Cut the nails on your fret hand short. Having long nails on your hand that you use to hold chords in is pretty difficult. You can cut the nails on your fret hand short and keep the nails on your strumming hand long. This will make your hands uneven, but it is much easier to hold chords with short nails.

Expert Q&A

Question

What is a capo used for on an acoustic guitar?

Aaron Asghari
Professional Guitarist & Instructor
Aaron Asghari is a Professional Guitarist and the lead guitarist of The Ghost Next Door. He received his degree in Guitar Performance from the Guitar Institute of Technology program in Los Angeles. In addition to writing and performing with The Ghost Next Door, he is the founder and primary guitar instructor of Asghari Guitar Lessons.

Aaron Asghari

Professional Guitarist & Instructor

Expert Answer

A capo is used to quickly adjust the key of a song while still using the same guitar chord shapes and scale patterns.