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Dear Ladies of Fiddlerman.com,
Is anyone else trying to learn violin while keeping a nice mani? How do you deal? constant painting, super expensive gel and acrylic and ninja dexterity? One handed wonder?
I really like having my nails super cute, but I clip them short to play and end up getting frustrated trying to keep them nice looking. Even with short nails and a super duper topcoat, one practice session and the strings do a number on the polish! Short stubby nails with chipped polish aren't cute at all! The whole one hand with long nails thing is pretty odd looking too.
Right now I can play a few things with long nails, but I don't want it to become a bad habit that limits my progress when I start getting better.
Any tips for keeping a short mani intact or learning to play well with long nails? I'm sure there is some professional out there that rocks some awesome nails, given that violin has a lot of focus on the hands! 
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That is a great question Pikachu,
I suppose you can have removable fake nails but maybe they fall off too easily. Also, use more flat of your fingers but you won't get optimal playing technique.
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
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I keep my nails short, which actually was the only drawback for me - I grow nice long natural nails that were (I admit) a personal vanity. I try to play on the inside surface of the pad of my fingers to keep my nails away from the strings. It's really obvious when my fingers aren't in the correct position - my nails get a little groove in them right quick. I gave up on polish years ago - it never lasts and I hate to repaint them every day...
Mary in Springfield, Oregon http://www.thefiddleandbanjopr.....dpress.com
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Ahh...well, maybe it's a trade-off of playing violin...
I really love having nice nails, so I shall continue to experiment!
Short nails is a trivial sacrifice compared to the glories of playing the violin.
However I must admit that sometimes long nails may be acceptable. Like flamenco guitar(?) Whatever is claw hammer banjo? How about the harp?
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You can still have long nails on your bow hand! 
No matter where you go, there you are!
I guess i'm a person that is out of fashion totally =) I never had long nails - i feel uncomfortable with them LOL so - no troubles and worries about short ones 
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Mad_Wed said
I guess i'm a person that is out of fashion totally =) I never had long nails - i feel uncomfortable with them LOL so - no troubles and worries about short ones
Me neither, being an artist and a violinist (all my life/most of my life). Never had my nails "done" either. I have "artisan" hands and proud of it (:
I agree with Oliver- "Short nails is a trivial sacrifice compared to the glories of playing the violin."
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