Steven Watson is a guitarist, composer and writer. He first studied history as an undergraduate, then received a master’s degree from King’s College London, where he studied composition and musicology. In addition to performing and recording his own guitar works, he has composed for musicians including Red Note Ensemble, Lontano, and Rob MacKillop. He has also written books of transcriptions for guitar and ukulele, as well as reviews and articles for various publications. He is currently pursuing a PhD in the history and technique of playing guitar without the use of fingernails. 

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Playing Classical Guitar Without Nails 

Throughout the guitar’s history it has been played both with and without the use of fingernails. There was often lively debate between adherents of the two methods, and both ‘sides’ can count among them some of the greatest guitarists of all time. In the last several decades, however, nail playing has become almost totally dominant. This is starting to change, with various players rediscovering no-nail playing. My research will bring together the neglected history of no-nail playing, as well as exploring its contemporary possibilities. 

For more information about Steven’s research, please visit https://nonailguitar.com/