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Holger Group: Members Posts: 1506 Joined: Feb. 2003 Posted: Dec. 23 2003, 13:46 One thing I found myself wondering about today is how does he play keyboards with that length of his fingernails on his right hand? I know from experience that as soon as your nails are a bit too long, it becomes quite difficult to play the keyboard properly. But I don't reckon he grows his nails, records guitar parts, then cuts his nails and records keyboards? Back to top

bugular tell Group: Members Posts: 482 Joined: Mar. 2003 Posted: Dec. 23 2003, 14:06 i dont know but it seems like it would take a very long time to record an album using this method, maybe he plays the keyboards with the flat of his finger rather than the tip, i myself use the tip, but if mike prefers to use his fingernails for the guitar rather than a plectrum then using the flat of the finger would make more sense?   -------------- Light travels faster than sound, thats why some people appear bright until you hear them speak Back to top

Korgscrew Group: Super Admins Posts: 3511 Joined: Dec. 1999 Posted: Dec. 23 2003, 15:45 Yes, it kind of involves having the fingertips coming at the keys at about 45 degrees, so that the fingertip touches the key without jabbing the nail into it (so not a completely 'proper' hand position, but it works). There's also an optimum nail length for guitar playing, too long and the sound can get thin (with classical guitars in particular) - it's rather easier to play other things if they're a reasonable length than if they're 1cm long talons . Back to top

Holger Group: Members Posts: 1506 Joined: Feb. 2003 Posted: Dec. 23 2003, 16:50 One more thing, I seem to remember that the nail of his left thumb is also long? What is that supposed to be good for? Or am I imagining things?   Back to top

Ugo Group: Members Posts: 5495 Joined: April 2000 Posted: Dec. 23 2003, 19:33 I guess it's for pluckin' strings on the neck. -------------- Ugo C. - a devoted Amarokian Back to top

Korgscrew Group: Super Admins Posts: 3511 Joined: Dec. 1999 Posted: Dec. 23 2003, 20:09 I think it would be useless for that, plucking the strings with that thumbnail would involve such an odd contortion... If it's for anything in particular, it would be more likely it's for something like the harp, but to be honest, I suspect it's not there for any reason other than that he doesn't cut it...which might sound like an odd answer, but may also be the truth... Back to top

Holger Group: Members Posts: 1506 Joined: Feb. 2003 Posted: Dec. 24 2003, 07:08 Yes, perhaps he only cuts the nails he absolutely has to   Back to top

timshen Group: Members Posts: 684 Joined: Mar. 2001 Posted: Dec. 26 2003, 10:48 Maybe it's for picking his nose :-) lol -------------- Expect Great Things. Attempt Great Things. Back to top

Holger Group: Members Posts: 1506 Joined: Feb. 2003 Posted: Dec. 27 2003, 12:44 I'm starting to wonder about the length of his toenails.   Back to top

Tati The Sentinel Group: Members Posts: 3360 Joined: Feb. 2002 Posted: Oct. 05 2004, 10:23 On the Making of Blue Peter video,you can check it out how Mike plays keyboards with those long nails! There's a trick on that. -------------- "But it's always the outsider, the black sheep, that becomes the blockbuster." - Mike Oldfield, 2014 "I remember feeling that I'd been judged unfairly and that I was going to prove them wrong." - Peter Davison, 2011 Back to top

EquinoX Group: Members Posts: 4 Joined: Dec. 2002 Posted: Oct. 19 2004, 15:24 I have such long nails as Mike has and playing keyboard is in fact more difficult, but it's just a matter of getting used to it Back to top

emac Group: Members Posts: 66 Joined: May 2002 Posted: Oct. 22 2004, 00:51 No. The little finger on the plucking hand is the best for nose picking, I tried with the thumb but you can not get the high ones out. Back to top

Ugo Group: Members Posts: 5495 Joined: April 2000 Posted: Oct. 22 2004, 18:46 I think Mike manages to play the piano brilliantly even with long nails. At least he does on "Broad Sunlight Uplands" in the Art in Heaven/Millennium Bell DVD. Okay, maybe that part is faked (mimed?) and maybe it's not a terribly hard part to play ... but  it sounds fine. -------------- Ugo C. - a devoted Amarokian Back to top

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