Ok, so after last month’s blog titled “You Don’t Have To Have An Expensive Guitar To Sound Good,” I’m going to talk a little bit more specifically about “sounding good.”
What does that mean, “sounding good?” Well, in my opinion, that can be a very general statement, as what sounds good to one person might sound different to another. But, I think all guitarists (and listeners) would agree that tone is one of the primary attributes to a good guitar sound. Technique is another, but I’ll save that for next month’s blog.
The New Oxford American Dictionary defines tone as “a musical or vocal sound with reference to its pitch, quality, and strength.” The key word here is quality. Reflecting on many of my favorite guitarists of all styles, I find their tone is one of the most appealing qualities of their playing. Electric guitarists such as Mark Knopfler and Stevie Ray Vaughn, classical guitarist John Williams, and fingerstyle guitarist Michael Hedges are some who stand out.
For my own tone, I have a very specific process that I go through each time I play. It all begins with my fingernails, which I use on my right hand to give my sound more body and volume. My fingernails are my “point of contact” with the string, so it’s vitally important they are in proper shape to produce the desired sound.
First, I file them to the proper shape and length that works for me, using a standard diamond file you can buy at any local department store or pharmacy. Now, what is “proper” for me may not be “proper” for someone else, so all this is a bit general, and I won’t go into a great amount of detail regarding shape and length, except to say the nail should be rounded with no sharp corners or edges. A square edge will force the nail to catch on the string. The idea is, after the stroke, the string should vibrate perpendicular the soundboard, NOT parallel. A perpendicular vibration will produce a warmer sound, a parallel vibration a thinner sound. An angled attack on the string will help with this as well. In terms of length, looking at my hand from the palm side, I should just see a small amount protruding beyond the fingertip. This will vary from player to player, and most will need to experiment with length. Again, too much nail will slow down the stroke, too little and you will get mostly flesh.
Next, and most importantly, I buff my nails to give them a smooth, glassy finish, with no jagged edges or scratches. Most of the time, I have to run the edge of my nail along the string (preferably the unwound strings) to feel if they are rough. If I feel any rough patches, I go back to buffing. This is a very important point - you must be sensitive to how the nail FEELS gliding across the string. There should be no rough surfaces that will come through in the sound. For buffing, I use Micro Mesh sandpaper, which I buy from Strings By Mail - click here for link. I go through four stages of sanding, using different grits to gradually smooth out the nail - 2400, 4000, 8000, 12000. Having a foam block to wrap the paper around helps. When I finish, my nails have a glassy, smooth finish the produces a warm, pure sound. As I play, I am constantly monitoring the feel of my nails to see if I might have to do a quick touch up, as the process of playing will wear down and rough up the nail a bit.
Now, this may seem a bit obsessive, but, after you do this enough, you develop a system, and touch ups can be done quite quickly. Also, the point of contact is really where your tone begins, so, why not be obsessive? As guitar players, aren’t we all a bit obsessive when it comes to our gear? I always use the analogy of a stereo system turntable. It doesn’t matter how expensive your system is, if the stylus, or needle (the point of contact) of your turntable is poor, your vinyl will sound subpar.
There are many players who choose not to use fingernails for various reasons, and that is fine. Many fine players use their fingertips, Laurence Juber being one of them. This is just what works for me.
I hope you found this blog helpful, and, as always, I welcome any feedback, or questions. If you have questions, just go to my Contact page.
Here’s to your beautiful sound!