LR_Player Posted August 6, 2011 Share Posted August 6, 2011 I am left-handed and 2 years ago I began to play guitar for right handed and I do not know whether this is good or bad for me so I'd like to hear what you think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Fraser Posted August 6, 2011 Share Posted August 6, 2011 I am left-handed and 2 years ago I began to play guitar for right handed and I do not know whether this is good or bad for me so I'd like to hear what you think. I think whatever way you figure out to make the music you hear in your head is the best way to do it. Do what works for you. Scott Fraser Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caevan O’Shite Posted August 6, 2011 Share Posted August 6, 2011 There have been lefties who played lefty, lefties who played rightie, lefties who played right-handed axes flipped-over with the strings still arranged righty (upside-down), and lefties who played right-handed axes flipped-over with the strings also changed (rightside-up). Whatever works best for you is alright! <- Noted Lefty Being left-handed but playing "rightie", you may well have an advantage on the fretboard, over right-handed players who pick with their favored/strong-hand. Ultimately, only you can decide which way is best for you. Keep at it, whichever way you go, and stick arond and keep us posted on your development! Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do? ~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~ _ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
picker Posted August 6, 2011 Share Posted August 6, 2011 RIk Emmentt with Triumph(a 70's/80's band out of Canada) plays right handed while being lefty, and he's pretty facile, so it's not necessarily a bad thing. The main question is, is it working for you? If so, keep going. If not, change over. Always remember that you are unique. Just like everyone else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bartholomew Posted August 6, 2011 Share Posted August 6, 2011 When I started out I had a guitar teacher who played left-handed - he just flipped the axe over. He was amazing at creating jazz melody-chord lines and improvising. Been round the block but am not over the hill... http://www.bandmix.ca/jamrocker/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chad Thorne Posted August 6, 2011 Share Posted August 6, 2011 You're fine. My son is a lefty and plays righty. I'm a righty and play lefty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobRose Posted August 7, 2011 Share Posted August 7, 2011 Left & Right is not like Back and White. There's a LOT of grey. Think of it like a sliding scale. We all know hopeless righties and lefties and then we know folks who can do something right and some things left and we may know a person who is ambidextrous. Most players will play in a style that feels natural to them based on where they fit on the scale. I am a lefty that plays right, meaning my left hand is my fret hand and is very active. On the other hand (pun intended) when I play keys, it's my right hand that is more active and capable. Stick to what feels natural. More often than not it will match the way you're wired. Nash-customized Gibson Les Paul, Godin Progression Plus Quilter MicroPro Mach 2.0 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Geoff Posted August 7, 2011 Share Posted August 7, 2011 Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't (isn't) Joe Pass a lefty playing righty? I wouldn't say he was a mundane player........ G. "When the power of love overcomes the love of power the World will know Peace": Jimi Hendrix http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=738517&content=music The Geoff - blame Caevan!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winston Psmith Posted August 7, 2011 Share Posted August 7, 2011 I'm left-handed, and have always (45 years or so) played a right-handed guitar. One of the big advantages to playing right-handed is that you can pretty much choose any guitar you like, or that suits you, and you're set. While there are left-handed guitars out there, walk into GC, or any music warehouse like that, and ask to see the lefty guitars. You'll be lucky if there are even 8 or 10 models for you to choose from - more likely 4 or 5. Say you like that lefty LP, but you wanted in another color - great, that's a special order item only, so add that inflated cost to your budget. Final word - if your axe fails at a live gig or recording session, there's a nearly 100% chance you can borrow another right-handed guitar, on the spot. Looking around for a lefty axe could shut down your session, right then and there. "Monsters are real, and Ghosts are real too. They live inside us, and sometimes, they win." Stephen King http://www.novparolo.com https://thewinstonpsmithproject.bandcamp.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griffinator Posted August 7, 2011 Share Posted August 7, 2011 Guitar playing isn't left/right handed in my opinion. Yes, there are those stubborn people who insist on playing a guitar backward (or upside down in some cases), but insisting on a left-handed guitar is about crazy to me as insisting on a left-handed piano. PS: I'm a southpaw, and I play regular guitars, basses, and pianos, not backward ones. A bunch of loud, obnoxious music I USED to make with friends. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larryz Posted August 7, 2011 Share Posted August 7, 2011 Welcome aboard LR Player...I'd go with a left or right handed guitar depending on the one you like best (seek and ye shall find), over playing the guitar upside down...just bring two guitars to the gig in case you break a string... Take care, Larryz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mooseboy Posted August 9, 2011 Share Posted August 9, 2011 Two words, one name: Steve Morse. There is no "last guitar." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caevan O’Shite Posted August 9, 2011 Share Posted August 9, 2011 Two words, one name: Steve Morse. Good point. Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do? ~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~ _ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitefang Posted August 11, 2011 Share Posted August 11, 2011 Actor/comedian Rick Moranis plays that way. Whitefang I started out with NOTHING...and I still have most of it left! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin UK Posted August 11, 2011 Share Posted August 11, 2011 I'm a left-handed person who has played stock right-handed guitars from the beginning (I started in 1980). I've nearly always encountered frowns from staff in guitar shops and also at gigs. 'How are you DOING that?' is the usual question when I start playing a few chords. It's amusing after a while. I wonder what they'd say if I told them I almost always play in an alternate tuning (which I do!). So it's great to read all the positive views on this thread. I would add a few more things: guitars will look strange on you but you'll attract attention. Conventional fingerstyle isn't possible, but you can do it YOUR way. Likewise with chords - I've developed a lot of unusual voicings through using my thumb to fret the top strings. It's rad to be odd! Epiphone Casino, Patrick Eggle New York Pro, Gibson Les Paul Classic DC, Ozark 3515BTE, Danelectro DC-12 www.the-sleepless.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caevan O’Shite Posted August 11, 2011 Share Posted August 11, 2011 I'm a left-handed person who has played stock right-handed guitars from the beginning (I started in 1980). I've nearly always encountered frowns from staff in guitar shops and also at gigs. 'How are you DOING that?' is the usual question when I start playing a few chords. It's amusing after a while. I wonder what they'd say if I told them I almost always play in an alternate tuning (which I do!). So it's great to read all the positive views on this thread. I would add a few more things: guitars will look strange on you but you'll attract attention. Conventional fingerstyle isn't possible, but you can do it YOUR way. Likewise with chords - I've developed a lot of unusual voicings through using my thumb to fret the top strings. It's rad to be odd! www.the-sleepless.com I take it that you take a righty guitar, still strung righty, and flip 'em over, right? Ehr, correct? Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do? ~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~ _ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin UK Posted August 11, 2011 Share Posted August 11, 2011 Yes that's what I do. ("Dead on" as they say in the auld country!) Epiphone Casino, Patrick Eggle New York Pro, Gibson Les Paul Classic DC, Ozark 3515BTE, Danelectro DC-12 www.the-sleepless.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caevan O’Shite Posted August 11, 2011 Share Posted August 11, 2011 I've known a few of you flippin' folks; I always got a kick out of how I could so easily play your backwards & upside down guitars... Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do? ~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~ _ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin UK Posted August 12, 2011 Share Posted August 12, 2011 I'd have been worried if you couldn't! Epiphone Casino, Patrick Eggle New York Pro, Gibson Les Paul Classic DC, Ozark 3515BTE, Danelectro DC-12 www.the-sleepless.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caevan O’Shite Posted August 12, 2011 Share Posted August 12, 2011 I'd have been worried if you couldn't! What's funny is that it's baffled and impressed onlookers... Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do? ~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~ _ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin UK Posted August 12, 2011 Share Posted August 12, 2011 Hang on... are you right-handed or left-handed? Epiphone Casino, Patrick Eggle New York Pro, Gibson Les Paul Classic DC, Ozark 3515BTE, Danelectro DC-12 www.the-sleepless.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caevan O’Shite Posted August 12, 2011 Share Posted August 12, 2011 Hang on... are you right-handed or left-handed? I'm right-handed, but amusingly enough, it confused people who saw a lefty playing a flipped-over righty-instrument, and then hand it to me, flipping it righty and playing- as if this was some incredible trick or something. Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do? ~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~ _ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin UK Posted August 14, 2011 Share Posted August 14, 2011 Ah, yes I've had that too - but the other way round! Right-handed person passes his/her guitar to me and onlookers are a bit nonplussed to see me flip it over and start playing it. Epiphone Casino, Patrick Eggle New York Pro, Gibson Les Paul Classic DC, Ozark 3515BTE, Danelectro DC-12 www.the-sleepless.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caevan O’Shite Posted August 14, 2011 Share Posted August 14, 2011 Ah, yes I've had that too - but the other way round! Right-handed person passes his/her guitar to me and onlookers are a bit nonplussed to see me flip it over and start playing it. In THAT case, it IS a bit surprising and impressive; it just amused me that I got that kind of reaction from non-players when it was the other way around. Ask yourself- What Would Ren and Stimpy Do? ~ Caevan James-Michael Miller-O'Shite ~ _ ___ _ Leprechaun, Esquire _ ___ _ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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