can Left be right?

As a newbie (I guess it can only really be a decision for a newbie) the decision to play left-handed was an unconscious one. I had always played air guitar left-handed, I was left-handed at many but not all things and I just assumed I was supposed to be a left-handed guitar player.

Its taken me two false starts over 30+ years to try my (left) hand at it again.

Lisa M the Guitar Tricks tutor really made me think though when she suggested in one of the early lessons of Guitar Fundamentals that it was probably worth just making the effort to learn right-handed than to create all the future drawbacks by persisting with my "natural" inclination to play left-handed. She pointed out that both hands were learning brand new skills anyway and with a little initial resolve it would pay dividends in the long run.

Unfortunately that advice came too late for me as I already have my LH drive guitar and I don't think I could bare another distraction to moving on through that initial struggle barrier of learning enough to actually play a few basic songs and keep the desire there.

I wonder if anyone else has made the decision to play Right even against an initial sense to play Left?

Does anyone know of any science, or pseudo science to support staying left. The only thing I can remember regarding left-handedness was that supposedly Left-handed kids made to write right-handed sometimes developed stuttering etc. Possibly an urban myth...

Maybe in my case it was a repressed desire not to be put on the spot as I could always say - "no I play left-handed" if offered to play a friends guitar.

Anyway so far so good - its a really great program and fully featured

cheers Steve

Originally Posted by: spbk12As a newbie (I guess it can only really be a decision for a newbie) the decision to play left-handed was an unconscious one. I had always played air guitar left-handed, I was left-handed at many but not all things and I just assumed I was supposed to be a left-handed guitar player.

Its taken me two false starts over 30+ years to try my (left) hand at it again.

Lisa M the Guitar Tricks tutor really made me think though when she suggested in one of the early lessons of Guitar Fundamentals that it was probably worth just making the effort to learn right-handed than to create all the future drawbacks by persisting with my "natural" inclination to play left-handed. She pointed out that both hands were learning brand new skills anyway and with a little initial resolve it would pay dividends in the long run.

Unfortunately that advice came too late for me as I already have my LH drive guitar and I don't think I could bare another distraction to moving on through that initial struggle barrier of learning enough to actually play a few basic songs and keep the desire there.

I wonder if anyone else has made the decision to play Right even against an initial sense to play Left?

Does anyone know of any science, or pseudo science to support staying left. The only thing I can remember regarding left-handedness was that supposedly Left-handed kids made to write right-handed sometimes developed stuttering etc. Possibly an urban myth...

Maybe in my case it was a repressed desire not to be put on the spot as I could always say - "no I play left-handed" if offered to play a friends guitar.

Anyway so far so good - its a really great program and fully featured

cheers Steve

Are you maybe ambidextrous?

I was told I was born ambidextrous but my parents 'trained me to do everything right handed. As I got older, some stuff I just change to left handed because it was easier for whatever reason.

Pool playing, I always struggled right handed but one day I just swapped left for some reason and it was natural. Handy that I was ok right handed too cuz some shots can use 'the other' hand. Rifle shooting, what little I did, same way.

It doesn't really answer your question but because we think we're supposed to be one way doesn't always actually mean it's true. I do nearly everything right handed but not everything.

Even if you may not seriously change to a righty, stop by the local store a few times to try playing right handed just to try it a few times. It's not going to be 'natural' per se but it may seem more comfortable.

It's free to try, ya know. In the end, you're playing to enjoy so it it works better lefty or righty, go with the one that works.

So, I am a "left hander" when it comes to holding a pen and writing - the fundamental way of differentiating between L and R-handers. But I play guitar right handed as it just seemed to me the more comfortable/instinctive way to do it. I'm not sure I agree with the advice from Lisa of forcing yourself to play "wrong-handed".

Hi Steve,

I sometimes find it unsettling that guitar instructors who aren't left-handed give such advice. I fully disagree with Lisa on this.

This topic is kind of old, but it is nice to read lefties reaction on this question: https://www.guitartricks.com/forum/showthread.php?t=38434

Here I can comment the same again, by stating that the only right answer is: Go with what feels right for you.

I have no trouble learning left-handed with online video lessons, and my own guitar teacher had no issues finding my errors or teaching me. Being able to mirror the lessons used in GT makes it rather easy for most lefties to pick up things since the instructors fretboard is exactly mirrored to ours with a left-handed guitar. For me left-handed felt much more natural and that's why I'm happy with the choice I made.

When you are starting out you should definitely try out both right-handed and left-handed guitars at a guitar store to see which feels right for you. You could still do that but the choice is yours. For me there are no "future drawbacks" with playing lefty, that is nonsense in my opinion.

Hope that helps!

JJ

Recently there have been stories of left hand amputations in parts of Africa because left-handers are seen as witches. My Lady tells the story of her brother in parochial school being rapped on the left hand with a ruler for using that hand. There has been, is and will forever be disagreement about learning guitar with one hand or the other.

Left-handers have it hard enough in this right-handed world and should be encouraged to do whatever they find comfortable, IMO. Thinking about it...I've heard that same encouragement about guitar playing.

On the other hand, three of the four last Presidents are left-handed...just sayin'. ;)

Originally Posted by: john of MTOn the other hand.....

Freudian?

:cool:

Originally Posted by: JeffS65Freudian?

:cool:

Ummm...more Ionian, I think. :D

Originally Posted by: john of MTUmmm...more Ionian, I think. :D

Well played. ;)

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I'm left handed, but learned to play right handed because that's what was accessible at the time. The only real impediment it might've contributed to is that I have a hard time developing speed with my picking hand, since it's not dominant...then again, maybe learning chords and the like was easier than for right-handers? I guess it's down to what you get used to and how you make it work for you. :)