Entering into an early evening sunlit practice room, everything gave off a sense that all was right with the world. Lighting for the piano was well placed, a small trash receptacle could be seen in the far corner of the room, and there was even an extra piano bench poised for seating.
After unfolding my music stand (Side note: Practice rooms NEVER have decent music stands available for use. Probably due to the inevitability of each one growing its own set of legs with which to quietly leave the building...), I flip on the light switch, to my horror I see it! "La maccabbee"! Wait! As I step further into the room I see even more... parts are everywhere! Some are in piles, others are strewn as litter on the practice room floor, and still others are present on the piano keyboard itself! "OMG!", I scream in disgust, quickly fleeing this "crime scene" to find another practice room...
Yes, there it was, a proverbial collection of "evidence" - Fingernail clippings. Some freshly cut and left out openly in place, and NOT put in the small, unassuming trash receptacle sitting in the corner of the practice room. No need to bring in the CSI Unit, or any form of Artificial Intelligence (AI). CCTV will never uncover the guilty party or parties either, as the alleged criminal acts occurred just outside the scope of the camera's lens in the room...
Learning very early on, the words of my Piano professor "Missy, what is that 'clicking' sound on the keyboard?" still resound in my head. It was then I realized that my life would be as any other music student's, and that "tell tale" clicking sound would eventually be my "undoing". Even now, my professor's voice continues to remind me to "clip", but "clip" elsewhere...
It is intuitive that clipped nails are a "must" for most Instrument players. This, of course, would not necessarily include those who utilize the Computer keyboard, which is usually the victim of "blunt force trauma"; or Nail biting, which is a completely different issue altogether. It comes down to risk assessments of distraction, and cost. There is a distraction to the rhythmic action of the instrument, affecting timing and clarity during practice and performance; as well as the great cost for String players whose unclipped nails cause damaging marks on their fingerboards. NOT GOOD!
So, say "Hello!" to the Practice room for me as you Music students enter into the new 2016 - 2017 Academic year, and remember... Be courteous - "Clip" fairly, practice diligently, and most importantly, play well.
Illustration: Jacob GROSSMANN, Bucket Elevator, In: The Elements of Chemical Engineering, 1906. Public Domain via Wikipedia Commons.
