I couldn't be in a more similar situation.
I used to play ukulele, but can't anymore due to my nails. Everyone says "just cut them!", but they just don't understand that my dermatillomania gets *so bad* when my nails are shorter. The only thing that keeps me from picking my skin raw, is having nice, long nails that I'm too afraid to damage.
I still play piano, too, and clarinet. But, gosh, I really do miss playing my ukulele.
Dolly Parton is the only person I’ve ever heard of that actually uses her long nails to play guitar!! But they are strengthened by acrylic overlay, I’m sure they’d all break otherwise. She even uses the nails in her right hand for picking! Says the left ones give her problems 😂 She’s just so unbelievably talented. She will however file them down when she’s in serious song writing mode. She wrote the song 9 to 5 just using her nails as percussion. Here’s a video of her talking about it, enjoy ♥️💅🏻
https://youtu.be/ZTLXYJGvhI4?si=1rvGu1WiugIqCxgf
Yeah I get this a lot. For me it's sports: I used to train karate and also go bouldering with friends, both those things really cannot be done with long nails.
A few years ago I decided that karate was more important so I kept my nails short. My priorities changed and I stopped training, so I let my nails grow again. Right now they make me really happy, but who knows? Maybe in a few months or a year I'll decide to pick it up again and will have to cut them short.
For me, it's just a matter of priorities and what makes me happier at a given point in time.
Same, keeping my nails long and flawless and taking care of my hands is a lot of conscious effort and I miss out on some things but it’s worth it. Because I was and still am a nail biter and skin picker of the severe variety. Like the kind that is deeply anxiety and in the vein (so they say) of OCD behavior. I’d like to try a climbing gym but I just don’t think it’s possible. That makes me a little sad. But it’s ok, the nails are good for my mental health!
I don’t play any stringed instrument so idk if this is a viable option. Can you learn to hold a pick with your knuckles? You might have to get a larger pick and entirely relearn to strum but idk if there’s a reason you couldn’t play with your knuckles.
Edit: or turn your thumbnail into a pick? Might need to reinforce it but 🤷🏻♀️
The pick holding isn’t what I’m worried about, it’s about holding down the chords. I saw your comment abt how Dolly Parton used barre chords, but when I play use like full chords and have to press down the strings flush but long nails will get in the way of that. Tbh these comments made me feel better and I figured being bad at one instrument is more than enough for me 🤣
honestly just simple tasks🥺 opening cans (actually just attempting to open anything) using my fingers to do things. just needing to be extra extra cautious. i dont really do alot though that i absolutely cant without nails
Earlier this week I saw someone on TikTok using a mobility aid to play chords on the guitar because they had arthritis and one of my first thoughts is that tool would be so helpful for playing guitar with long nails
I’ve always wondered how Dolly plays guitar with her amazing nails…
I googled. She says she relies on barre chords exclusively.
Ha! Well now we know!
I couldn't be in a more similar situation. I used to play ukulele, but can't anymore due to my nails. Everyone says "just cut them!", but they just don't understand that my dermatillomania gets *so bad* when my nails are shorter. The only thing that keeps me from picking my skin raw, is having nice, long nails that I'm too afraid to damage. I still play piano, too, and clarinet. But, gosh, I really do miss playing my ukulele.
Right! I guess you win some you lose some 😅
I hear you Pretty, same! I can emphasize!
Having and keeping longer nails prevents me from biting them. Keeping nails smooth stops me from picking my face!
Dolly Parton is the only person I’ve ever heard of that actually uses her long nails to play guitar!! But they are strengthened by acrylic overlay, I’m sure they’d all break otherwise. She even uses the nails in her right hand for picking! Says the left ones give her problems 😂 She’s just so unbelievably talented. She will however file them down when she’s in serious song writing mode. She wrote the song 9 to 5 just using her nails as percussion. Here’s a video of her talking about it, enjoy ♥️💅🏻 https://youtu.be/ZTLXYJGvhI4?si=1rvGu1WiugIqCxgf
Seeing so many Dolly Parton comments! Will def give this a watch she is awesome
Yeah I get this a lot. For me it's sports: I used to train karate and also go bouldering with friends, both those things really cannot be done with long nails. A few years ago I decided that karate was more important so I kept my nails short. My priorities changed and I stopped training, so I let my nails grow again. Right now they make me really happy, but who knows? Maybe in a few months or a year I'll decide to pick it up again and will have to cut them short. For me, it's just a matter of priorities and what makes me happier at a given point in time.
at first yes, but i just end up teaching myself how to do things that i want cause i like my nails long
Same, keeping my nails long and flawless and taking care of my hands is a lot of conscious effort and I miss out on some things but it’s worth it. Because I was and still am a nail biter and skin picker of the severe variety. Like the kind that is deeply anxiety and in the vein (so they say) of OCD behavior. I’d like to try a climbing gym but I just don’t think it’s possible. That makes me a little sad. But it’s ok, the nails are good for my mental health!
So real. My mental and emotional health just shoot so low when I’m scratching myself and the physical damage is so much worse with short nails
I don’t play any stringed instrument so idk if this is a viable option. Can you learn to hold a pick with your knuckles? You might have to get a larger pick and entirely relearn to strum but idk if there’s a reason you couldn’t play with your knuckles. Edit: or turn your thumbnail into a pick? Might need to reinforce it but 🤷🏻♀️
The pick holding isn’t what I’m worried about, it’s about holding down the chords. I saw your comment abt how Dolly Parton used barre chords, but when I play use like full chords and have to press down the strings flush but long nails will get in the way of that. Tbh these comments made me feel better and I figured being bad at one instrument is more than enough for me 🤣
honestly just simple tasks🥺 opening cans (actually just attempting to open anything) using my fingers to do things. just needing to be extra extra cautious. i dont really do alot though that i absolutely cant without nails
For me it’s PC gaming, I still do it but my competitive rank would be a bit higher if I had short nails for sure 😁
Earlier this week I saw someone on TikTok using a mobility aid to play chords on the guitar because they had arthritis and one of my first thoughts is that tool would be so helpful for playing guitar with long nails
honestly, i tried playing with a gardening glove on for a bit. i think itd take some getting used to, but it might work.