Ava Monroe
Country music star Dolly Parton is well-known for her long acrylic nails, which she has said help her play guitar. In an interview on The Graham Norton Show, Parton revealed that she wrote the song '9 to 5' using her nails as percussion. She also mentioned that she learned to play the guitar with long nails while songwriting, and that she often files her nails down when she's serious about writing. Parton also uses open tunings and barres every chord, or frets low-string notes with open strings, to accommodate her long nails.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Guitar playing style | Parton plays the guitar with long nails by using open tunings and barring every chord, or fretting low-string notes with open strings. |
| Songwriting | Parton shapes her guitar style around her nails, using them as percussion when writing songs like "9 to 5". |
| Limitations | Playing with long nails limits advanced chordal coloring, but Parton doesn't seem to mind. |
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What You'll Learn
She uses open tunings
Dolly Parton has crafted her guitar style around her trademark long nails. She has revealed that she plays the guitar using open tunings and forms barre chords without using her nails on the fretboard.
Open tunings allow a guitarist to play a chord without holding one on a fret. This means that the guitar will automatically play a chord, usually an E, G, or D chord, without the player having to fret individual notes. This technique is particularly useful for those with long nails as it does not require the player to put as much pressure on the guitar's fretboard.
Parton has been able to play the guitar with her long nails by barring every chord and fretting low-string notes with the open strings. This method does limit advanced chordal colouring, but it means that she can play without her nails getting in the way.
Parton has also revealed that she sometimes cuts her nails down when she is "serious" about her songwriting. However, she has said that her right-hand nails work great as picks, and she has learned to work with them.
For those wanting to play the guitar with long nails, it is recommended to stop using a pick and to try fingerpicking the strings instead. It is also suggested that you tune your guitar to an open tuning, which will make it easier to hold a chord.
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She barres every chord
Dolly Parton is known for her trademark long nails, which she has even used as percussion for her song "9 to 5". In an interview on The Graham Norton Show, she revealed that she learned to play the guitar with these long nails while songwriting.
Parton's ability to play the guitar with long nails has fascinated many, and some have questioned whether it is even real. However, it is indeed her skill and technique that enable her to do so. She shapes her guitar style around her long nails by always playing in open tunings and barres every chord. This means she either frets low-string notes with the open strings or uses her right-hand nails as picks, which work great in this context.
By using open tunings, Parton can strum chords with her right hand while barring, or fretting, all the strings on a particular fret with her left hand. This technique allows her to play the guitar with her long nails because she doesn't need to fret individual notes or strings. Instead, she can simply barre across all the strings, using the side of her finger and nail.
While this method may limit advanced chordal colouring, Parton doesn't let that hold her back. She embraces her unique style, even if it means sacrificing some technicalities. This adaptation showcases her talent and dedication to her craft, as she finds a way to make it work despite the challenges posed by her long nails.
Parton's approach to guitar playing is a testament to her creativity and willingness to adapt her technique to accommodate her personal style choices. She proves that it is possible to strike a balance between fashion and functionality, even when it comes to playing a musical instrument that typically requires dexterous fingerwork.
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She frets low-string notes with open strings
Dolly Parton is known for her long nails, which she has learned to work around while playing the guitar. One of the ways she does this is by fretting low-string notes with open strings. This technique involves using certain chord shapes, such as E, E-, A, and A, that allow you to hit all six strings, including the open strings. By barring all six strings, you create a fuller sound with more resonance.
When you fret a note, you change its pitch by pressing down on the string at a certain point, usually with your finger. The open string is the string played without fretting, and it has a different pitch than the fretted note. In some cases, the open string and fretted note can be the same pitch, depending on where you fret the string. For example, on the low E-string, the pitch at the 5th fret is the same as the open A-string.
Fretting low-string notes with open strings can have several advantages. One advantage is that it allows each note to ring out clearly and for a longer duration. By anchoring your fingers on certain strings, you can create a stable foundation while changing chords, reducing unwanted noise and making it easier to transition between notes.
Additionally, fretting low-string notes can provide more flexibility in certain musical contexts. For example, when playing bass, fretting the low string can give a mellower and more normalized sound compared to open notes, which tend to sound brighter and louder. This technique can be useful for creating pedal tones or when you want a more subtle sound that blends better with other fretted notes.
However, there are also limitations to this technique. Fretting low-string notes with open strings may restrict advanced chordal colouring and certain musical expressions. Nonetheless, it is a valuable skill to have in your arsenal as a guitarist, and it showcases Dolly Parton's adaptability and ingenuity in incorporating her long nails into her guitar playing style.
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She uses her right-hand nails as picks
Dolly Parton is known for her long nails, which she has described as her "trademark talons". Despite the challenges of playing guitar with long nails, Parton has not let this get in the way of her musical abilities. In fact, she has revealed that she uses her right-hand nails as picks.
Parton shared this insight during an interview on The Graham Norton Show. She explained that while her left-hand nails do pose some challenges when playing the guitar, she has learned to work with her right-hand nails, which she finds function well as picks.
Parton's ability to play the guitar with long nails is a testament to her decades of experience and skill as a musician. She has shaped her guitar style around her nails, often playing in open tunings and barring every chord or fretting exclusively low-string notes with open strings. This technique allows her to coax luscious tones out of her guitars while showcasing her unique style.
In addition to her guitar skills, Parton has also used her nails creatively in other ways. She revealed that she wrote the song "9 to 5" from the 1980 movie of the same name by clacking her nails together to create beats and write lyrics between takes. This unique approach even earned her a credit on the album for "nails by Dolly."
Parton's long nails have become an iconic part of her image, and she has mastered the art of incorporating them into her musical talents, whether it's through guitar playing or percussion.
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She wrote '9 to 5' using her nails as percussion
Dolly Parton's long nails are indeed iconic, and it is fascinating to consider how she is able to play the guitar with them. In fact, she has shaped her entire guitar style around her long nails. During an appearance on BBC's The Graham Norton Show, Parton explained that she uses her nails as percussion when writing songs. She also revealed that she tends to file her nails down when she is "serious" about songwriting, but she has learned to work with her nails, particularly using her right hand as a pick.
Parton's long nails played a significant role in the creation of her hit song "9 to 5". The song was written for the 1980 comedy film of the same name, in which Parton starred alongside Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin. During filming, Parton would walk around the set, playing with her acrylic nails, and it was this that inspired the famous typewriter-like rhythm at the beginning of the song. In an interview, Parton explained how she devised the rhythm:
> "I tumble out of bed and I stumble to the kitchen, pour myself a cup of... And I thought, 'Wow, that sounds like a typewriter.'".
The song became an anthem for office workers in the US and was even used by U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren during her 2020 presidential campaign. It is a testament to Parton's creativity and ingenuity that she was able to incorporate her long nails into her songwriting process so effectively.
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Frequently asked questions
Dolly Parton plays the guitar with long nails by using open tunings and barring every chord or fretting exclusively low-string notes with the open strings.
No, Dolly Parton has mentioned that she files her nails down when she is serious about her songwriting.
No, it seems that Dolly Parton has built this skill over decades.
Yes, Dolly Parton used her nails as percussion for the song "9 to 5" from the 1980 movie of the same name.
Yes, there are accounts of people who have seen Dolly Parton play the guitar with long nails live.
