Posted by Mama Mojo on December 22, 2009 at 10:24pm
Hi Keni - thanks so much for running this group and for doing the wonderfully helpful CDs. I've begun your lessons and it occurred to me that while I am left-handed, for some unknown reason, I first learned to play righted handed. Well, actually, as I think about it, it has to do with access to instruments. My older brother played right-handed while I was growing up and I played his guitars and just taught myself using what was available to me. By the time I got older and began collecting guitars, I just naturally found myself purchasing right-handed instruments. I am not a bad player, but not nearly as good as I could be and have always felt as though things don't come to me very easily with respect to more advanced playing techniques. I now find myself wondering if it has to do with my left-handedness. I am rather ambidextrous, but clearly use my left hand for most things. I am wondering if perhaps I should just start learning how to play left-handed, or if I should just continue the lessons the way I have been playing. Any suggestions would be much appreciated. Thanks, Lana
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I'm lefty, I couldn't play right-handed to save my life (with honorable exceptions of piano and recorder).
I do tried to play unmodified right-handed guitar, but failed at standard tuning instrument, and semi-failed at open-g tuning.
So - decades ago - I choose to take the simpler path of of adjusting my environment (the instrument) to my needs and not the other way. To be honest - there are not so many social events in my life where I'm supposed to play something and don't have my own instrument with me... Not that I'm asked regularly ;-)
That (offhand playing) is probably the one and only real reason for switching (testing of some exotic instruments they have at the local music store could be the second reason).
Don't f**k with your own brain.
You either have money for an instrument matching your left- or right-handness or you just can build one ;-)
I am right handed but learned to play left handed due to an old hand injury, i pick with left and fret with right hand, over the years i have got used to it but still play air guitar right handed with no problems...(-;
Hoping CBG will eliminate a number of problems i had with 6 string guitars esp. acoustics, i could never get on wth them at all, but in CBG world you can design your own custom models of course - there are no rules as they say and many examples on this great site bear out this free thinking philosophy.
A few right handed players i know prefer to play left handed, the guitar industry as a whole have taken lefties on board properly in the last few years, reading chord charts in reverse has become second nature but generally after beginner stage one forgets about such things and just gets into the music!
I have a guitar lesson video and the instructor says if you are left handed play right anyway its easier to get instruments. This struck me as kind of dumb, if its easier to play left, then play left. I am righty and have tried lefty, no easier so I stuck with right. You never know till you try.
Hey Keni, thanks for the thoughtful response to my question. I think I am also too far gone to change hands now.... I tried it for three weeks and thought I'd loose my mind.... I can't cut sh#T with a pair of left-handed scissors either even though I am a lefty so I'm gonna just assume that my artistic side prefers my right handedness... Anyway, the lessons are great! Thanks!!!!!
Hello Lana,
Thank you for your comment and question. LOL I am left handed too. I write and eat with my left hand. Same story. I started playing with my cousin's guitar. He was right handed. I don't know how to answer your question. Bascially I always felt I had an advantage by using my left hand to finger notes. This seems easier to me. Why it is considered righty to use your left hand to finger notes is beyond me. The only reason I can figure is that your right hand (usually the stronger one) can strum out the chords or pick out the notes. Give it a try...if you have a left handed instrument. I guess you will never know for sure until you give it a go. For myself, I am too far down that road to think about changing now! Enjoy.
Replies
(answering in an months-old thread)
I'm lefty, I couldn't play right-handed to save my life (with honorable exceptions of piano and recorder).
I do tried to play unmodified right-handed guitar, but failed at standard tuning instrument, and semi-failed at open-g tuning.
So - decades ago - I choose to take the simpler path of of adjusting my environment (the instrument) to my needs and not the other way. To be honest - there are not so many social events in my life where I'm supposed to play something and don't have my own instrument with me... Not that I'm asked regularly ;-)
That (offhand playing) is probably the one and only real reason for switching (testing of some exotic instruments they have at the local music store could be the second reason).
Don't f**k with your own brain.
You either have money for an instrument matching your left- or right-handness or you just can build one ;-)
I have a question.
I can't play any instrument but want to play a CBG and I am left handed.
Should I learn to play left handed or right hand?
I think I will teach myself, and play what I can build.
Just to complicate things...(-;
I am right handed but learned to play left handed due to an old hand injury, i pick with left and fret with right hand, over the years i have got used to it but still play air guitar right handed with no problems...(-;
Hoping CBG will eliminate a number of problems i had with 6 string guitars esp. acoustics, i could never get on wth them at all, but in CBG world you can design your own custom models of course - there are no rules as they say and many examples on this great site bear out this free thinking philosophy.
A few right handed players i know prefer to play left handed, the guitar industry as a whole have taken lefties on board properly in the last few years, reading chord charts in reverse has become second nature but generally after beginner stage one forgets about such things and just gets into the music!
Thank you for your comment and question. LOL I am left handed too. I write and eat with my left hand. Same story. I started playing with my cousin's guitar. He was right handed. I don't know how to answer your question. Bascially I always felt I had an advantage by using my left hand to finger notes. This seems easier to me. Why it is considered righty to use your left hand to finger notes is beyond me. The only reason I can figure is that your right hand (usually the stronger one) can strum out the chords or pick out the notes. Give it a try...if you have a left handed instrument. I guess you will never know for sure until you give it a go. For myself, I am too far down that road to think about changing now! Enjoy.