Is there any requirement for nails when learning guzheng?

The choice of nails can be selected from several aspects: material, size, thickness and groove.

I. Materials:

1. Generally speaking, the commonly used guzheng nail is tortoise shell, which is 1 species turtle. Reptiles, shaped like turtles. As the raw material of ornaments or utensils, hawksbill is taken from the scales on its back and is organic. This kind of guzheng nail has moderate hardness, good elasticity and clean timbre. It is bright and clear when playing high notes, and broad and rich when playing low notes. By the majority of guzheng enthusiasts, the price is slightly more expensive.

2, nylon nail wear-resistant, slightly elastic, pure tone when playing. Nylon nails are strict in workmanship and need professional and meticulous polishing to have clean sound quality and no noise. General professional players will measure their hands to customize a pair of nails that suit them, and the price will be higher.

3, celluloid nails. Celluloid is a kind of high-density plastic, which is a nail material made of plastic extract. It has less flexibility in touching strings, finer timbre and cheaper price.

4, plastic nails are turbid. The edges of nails are rough and the workmanship is not fine. When playing the piano, there is a lot of noise and the strings are worn out. After finishing, there are obvious scratches on the nails, and the worn parts of the nails are white (especially when using steel strings). The timbre is poor and the price is very cheap.

Second, the scale:

Choose the right nail according to the size of your finger. Generally, nails are divided into large, medium and small sizes, which are different for adults and children. So pay special attention when choosing, depending on whether the size of the nail is suitable for the first small joint of your finger.

Third, the thickness:

It is best to make the nail tip slightly thinner than the nail root, which is convenient for touching the strings. Some nails are thick and feel stupid, not so flexible and dull. Too thin nails will lead to insufficient timbre and easy to break when playing.

4. Grooves: If there are grooves on the inner side of the nails, the nails and fingers can cooperate well, and they feel better and are not easy to move. But pay attention to whether the groove fits your fingers. Many double-sided arc nails are also loved by many scholars.