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Is it an unspoken rule that pianists should not paint their nails? I haven't ever actually heard someone say that it is a bad thing to do, I just noticed that it's a thing serious pianists just DON'T do. Why is that? If I keep my nails short and trimmed, but paint them, what would be a problem with that?
I sort of got the hint that I shouldn't paint my nails, so I don't.
It is too distracting?

It would probably just chip off so fast it wouldn't be worth the trouble.

Long nails go with painted nails. Short nails don't. It's probably more difficult to play well with long nails. So there is a practical reason behind "the hint" that you shouldn't paint your nails.

Tomasino

I just don't like painted nails...

It would look funny?

ClaraS,

I have one possible solution: if you feel the absolute need for ungual self-expression, then just paint your toe-nails and play only in sandals from now on. But please keep in mind that even this would have to change if you took up playing the organ.

-Michael B.

i love painting my nails for special occasions. Bright red on short nails look awesome.. it only lasts thru the playing and is hard to remove but i love how the twinkles of color trip along thru the black and white keys.

How about painting your nails white and black? W B W B W W B W B W ? You can even devise a new system of color-coordinated fingering; white nailed fingers on white keys only, black nailed fingers on black keys only, then paint them the opposite colors the next time you did your nails?

this would be piano camouflage ...

that's a cute idea

Almost. Painting her fingers black and white and her hands, wrists, and forearms the color of the piano would be camoflague.

However, on a positive and practical note, if she did do that, she could still paint her nails her favorite shade of ruby red.

Regardless of the program, I would go to her concert just to see that.

Um no thanks, virtuosic1. I'd rather not paint my arms or wrists. If you do it at your next performance, I will. heh heh

I do think red nails are the best though. They look so beautiful against the black and white!

Um no thanks, virtuosic1. I'd rather not paint my arms or wrists. If you do it at your next performance, I will. heh heh

I do think red nails are the best though. They look so beautiful against the black and white! </strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I'm a sucker for red nails. Can you please post a picture of your hands on the keyboard to not only give us a better idea of what we're talking about here, but also for pianistic inspiration?

You may start an entire new trend and have everybody painting their nails on this Forum, both women and men.

I know loads of pianists that would paint thier nails red with purple polka dots if it made them a better musician in the process.

I'd take a pic of my hands right now, if they didn't have cat scratches on them. :p

So you want my nails to be painted in the photo?

But of course. That's the whole point. We need to see exhibit A, the painted nails, if we're going to render a responsible verdict. We'll make careful note of the exact placement and patterns of the cat scratches, to positively identify the hands as yours for future reference.

So you'll tell me if my hands are nice enough to paint my nails, hmmm?
I think they are. *haughty sniff* :p

You just post a photo, and we'll boost up your self-esteem.

That gives me an idea.
Maybe we should all post our hands in action. At the next recital, instead of showing names, we show hands, and let everyone guess!

brojek.

I stopped painting my nails when the lovely polish left streaks on my fallboard. I certainly didn't intend to flick against the fallboard but there they were in all their pink glory. There they still sit several years because I'm too chicken to use forceful rubbing to try and remove the polish streaks. If I must use polish now, I use clear.
/IS

I totally paint my nails all the time. Trim em' and paint them. They look so pretty against the ivory keys!

Get rid of the fallboard, thereby eliminating the polish streaks and eliminating any residual build-up of tension in your hands when using repeated elbow/wrist rotation in pieces that have large leaps.