What do you do when your students' fingernails are too long? I'm not talking about your average neglectful child who could care less about it. I'm talking about the ones with perfectly manicured and polished nails, acrylics and all. I can't very well hand them a pair of clippers and say, "It's obvious you just paid money to get those done, but do you mind...?"

I tell all my students that their nails need to be short in order to play correctly but it doesn't get through to all of them, the teenage girls especially. Just not sure how to "enforce" something like that. Plus I haaaaate the clicky sound of fingernails on the keys.

I tell them that they can't play the piano with long fingernails, and if they tell people they play the piano, and they see the long fingernails, no one will believe that they really do play.

As an aside, here is a joke song by pianist/singer Marcia Ball about this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxpXpUOEH3M

It seems a shame to turn away a potentially good student because of long fingernails. I suspect many people would give up the piano before giving up their fingernails.

Of course long fingernails are far from optimal for playing the piano (but I suspect not as disastrous as on the violin of guitar). But it shouldn't be impossible.

Having said that, I too hate the sound of fingernail clicking on the keyboard.

That is a problem. I have never had anyone come to lessons with the acrylic nails but have had students who love their nails. I try to show them how long finger nails keep them from playing in the correct position and restricts them when playing fast paced songs/sections. I demonstrate the proper way to play it and then ask them to try. If their nails are to long, it becomes obvious very quickly. I have seen this be more effective then telling them over and over again. I know this is a hard thing to enforce, and unfortunately there will be students who will not listen no matter what you do. But if a student values their nails over playing the piano well, then they probably won't be a serious musician.

I tell them my preference, and why they hurt their position. I do make them cut them for performances and competitions.

I tell them about the time I caught my fingernail between two keys and ripped it off, bleeding. True story.

Now I can tell them about the time a person I know caught her fingernail ... etc Thanks.

If your student insists on beautifully manicured nails, it is possible to have them short enough for piano. I have my manicurist file my nails as short as possible, and then she gives me a French manicure -- it makes your nails look longer but no clicky on the keys .

I started violin in 6th grade. The first day, the maestra (actually Mrs. C, but I like the ring of 'maestra') brought in a pair of nail clippers. We all took turns up front as she supervised us cutting our nails and offering advice. In the end, we all learned that string instruments require short fingernails to play properly and how to appropriately cut our nails (I was a chewer until that day). The pile of sacrificial nails remained on her desk the remainder of the class but were thankfully gone by the next.

i love that story notbach..

that's a nice approach.

I state the requirement for short, natural (not painted) fingernails in my studio policy. I hate to put it in there, but I had two students who routinely showed up with excessively long fingernails, and it really affected their technique.

Sooner or later students have to decide which is more important, long nails or playing as well as possible.

I leave that decision up to them.

OMG, where have I been not to have seen all those nail statements?

How do they do ANYTHING with those?

Actually, this might help.

I think long painted nails are a sign of trying to look feminine, graceful, ladylike, mature etc.

Suggest a way that might offer the same feeling. Lace or ruffles at the wrist. Pretty bracelets. Possibly a ring?

Personally I can't wear rings anymore - carpal tunnel causes swelling in my fingers at times. Once in the middle of the night I had to 'file' a ring off it was so painful. From then on, I wear my signature bracelet. Med thick hand crafted sterling with a tree of life in the ctr. It makes me feel pretty.

Also as a gardener, neither rings or fingernails are possible.

A necklace also helps!!!

I think that approach works, especially with adults.
I would never cut my nails to play guitar... and didn't make a lot of progress. However, within 3 months of playing piano I started to trim my nails back. It was really hard to do, I had had very long nails since I was a teen.... but my desire to play piano won!

Ha. My teacher in high school kept a pair of clippers and a file in a little box shaped like a piano in her studio. She let every new student know it was there and that she'd expect us to use one or the other if we came to a lesson with too-long nails.

I did have to use it a few times. She also insisted on us removing our rings during lessons. She was pretty intense, but I learned a lot from her.

Just curious, why does it matter if they are painted or not?

I have to add this story here since we're on the topic...

Just yesterday one of my students came to her lesson 10 minutes late because she had just gotten a MANICURE. Who in their right mind schedules a MANICURE right before their PIANO LESSON? I was so flabbergasted that I had to laugh. Her nails were still wet and she had oil all over her fingers. Umm...you really think I'm going to let you touch my piano with those?

You can't fix "stupid"!!!

By the way, people like this make it very clear what their priorities are, and what we teach is very low on their list.

i love the act of constantly refining my nails with a file.. i rarely polish them. only special occasions, like once a decade.

I think it' s just proper etiquette to keep fingernails natural so that they don't distract when performing. When I was growing up, my instructor was really strict about this. One time, I showed up to lesson with my fingernails painted, and she made me remove the polish before I was allowed to have my lesson. I'm not nearly that strict (I'll only say something to the extent of, "you know it's not proper to paint fingernails") but I do think it is good practice.

I have a written policy against long fingernails and the reason why.

Nonetheless, this will not deter the female wannabe performers of Coldplay and Vanessa Carlton songs.

I point out to them how long fingernails will be a handicap to the technique demanded by these songs.

They stumble along as predicted and I let them.

I have their money and when their playing sucks because of their long fingernails, they can't say I didn't warn them.

If she had a mini decal of a piano keyboard hand-detailed onto each claw just for her lesson, just to impress you, I would have let it slide.



...lol

Yes, I can understand the annoyance. Acrylic fingernail noise broadcasts that the student doesn't care much about piano lessons in the total scheme of things.

I think you've done all you can by advising students that long nails are an obstacle to success. This is both adequate and professional, unlike a personal dislike of clicky sounds bearing weight on the subject. I would go so far to suggest that in certain social environments a teacher insisting on "personal alterations" to suit their own tastes is a begging for dismissal.

The exception to this being if the "short nails" requirement was laid out and agreed to in writing before lessons began. If so, then you'll have to decide if the 'battle of the clicks' is worth the time and trouble.

It's a tough one. Your students must not be practicing much if they're keeping intact fingernails. (Very frustrating for the teacher.)

But I'm also guilty and bit lazy with the clipper, although it makes little difference. With any length my fingernails click nicely right before they break, providing a handy and inversely proportional ratio of length-to-practice-time.