Kinda Strange

Hello. I am right handed and trying to learn guitar from no experience. I bought a nice used fender guitar and new amp. The strange part is that I had to get a left handed guitar and I'm trying to learn that way. I broke my left arm when I was young, it didn't heal right in the elbow and have serious issues reaching the frets with that hand.

I'm having a very hard time getting started learning and becoming very frustrated. I've been practicing for a few months now and don't feel like I able to do anything. I'm very inaccurate when picking and very slow... Some of the more basic lessons I can do but poorly. I really am motivated to learn the guitar but feel like I'm missing something or doing something wrong.

Is there anyone here who learned from no experience not with their dominant hand? The injury I had is holding me back too. Feel like I can keep my determination up if I find someone with a similar situation who might have advice.

I don't know what lesson you are working on, so I'm guess on a remedy..
You should have come across anchoring a finger on the pick guard. That using slight movement of you wrist. This is common for finger picking acoustic but also works with electric.. I think more common with electric is using your palm heal anchoring on bridge.. This is also convenient for muting. Either method you need to find the same anchor point every time..
Practice on open string so you are only focused on your picking hand.. It's just going to be practice, practice, practice. Gradually add a fret, then two.. change to another string and go through the same scenario. When you get comfortable go to the scale finder and find a scale to practice..
Hope this helps you out..
Good luck and happy picking

Originally Posted by: tmmanleyHello. I am right handed and trying to learn guitar from no experience. I bought a nice used fender guitar and new amp. The strange part is that I had to get a left handed guitar and I'm trying to learn that way. I broke my left arm when I was young, it didn't heal right in the elbow and have serious issues reaching the frets with that hand.

I'm having a very hard time getting started learning and becoming very frustrated. I've been practicing for a few months now and don't feel like I able to do anything. I'm very inaccurate when picking and very slow... Some of the more basic lessons I can do but poorly. I really am motivated to learn the guitar but feel like I'm missing something or doing something wrong.

Is there anyone here who learned from no experience not with their dominant hand? The injury I had is holding me back too. Feel like I can keep my determination up if I find someone with a similar situation who might have advice.

So just to understand you correctly, you're more comfortable with your left hand as your "fretting" hand, correct? However you're playing a left-handed guitar and fretting notes with your right hand because of the injury to your left arm?

Just want to make sure I understand the issue correctly before I offer up any advice.

Originally Posted by: GT StaffSo just to understand you correctly, you're more comfortable with your left hand as your "fretting" hand, correct? However you're playing a left-handed guitar and fretting notes with your right hand because of the injury to your left arm?

Just want to make sure I understand the issue correctly before I offer up any advice.

Yes this is correct.

Originally Posted by: compart1I don't know what lesson you are working on, so I'm guess on a remedy..
You should have come across anchoring a finger on the pick guard. That using slight movement of you wrist. This is common for finger picking acoustic but also works with electric.. I think more common with electric is using your palm heal anchoring on bridge.. This is also convenient for muting. Either method you need to find the same anchor point every time..
Practice on open string so you are only focused on your picking hand.. It's just going to be practice, practice, practice. Gradually add a fret, then two.. change to another string and go through the same scenario. When you get comfortable go to the scale finder and find a scale to practice..
Hope this helps you out..
Good luck and happy picking

I will go back and practice this one until it gets more comfortable. My hands and wrist just start to hurt pretty quick, did that happen when you started?