Advice wanted for left-handed learner.

Subject: Advice wanted for left-handed learner.
From: The Shambles
Date: 16 Apr 99 - 04:08 PM

My daughter, after being surrounded by guitars and music for her 21 years and now having left home, wants to learn to play the guitar.

When she was at school in Shetland she did start learn to play the fiddle. She is left-handed and learned to play in the conventional (ie right-handed) fashion. She seem to be happy enough this way but I was never too sure whether she would have found it easier and kept it up longer had she played it left-handed.

What would your advice be on what her approach to learning the guitar should be, apart from not teaching her myself?

Re-string the guitar or not?

Subject: RE: Advice wanted for left-handed learner.
From: Joe Offer
Date: 16 Apr 99 - 04:28 PM

Gee, Roger, maybe that's why I'm no good on the guitar. On the other hand, maybe it's just because I'm clumsy. Certain activities, like playing the guitar, require dexterity in both hands. In that case, what's the difference? There are more accomplished guitarists who play left-handed who would disagree with that, though.
-Left-handed Joe-

Subject: RE: Advice wanted for left-handed learner.
From: MichaelM
Date: 16 Apr 99 - 05:13 PM

I suppose it depends on how left-handed your daughter. I write with my left hand (oral punning penalty!) and throw/open jars with my right hand. I also play guitar "right-handed" and haver never understood how that right-handed label was arrived at. Your right hand has six strings and combinations to worry about, moving in only one dimension. The left fretting hand has six strings, combination (chords) and frets and has to deal with two dimensions.

My right hand is basically the engine; strong but dumb while the nuances, pull-offs hammer-ons, moving bass lines and melody are all in my left hand.

This "left-handed" person finds playing the guitar "right handed" makes perfect sense to me.

Subject: RE: Advice wanted for left-handed learner.
From: Herge
Date: 16 Apr 99 - 05:43 PM

When learning to play an instrument you are learning to do something that fells unnatural with both hands so its dosnt matter which type you try. I would suggest learning right handed because you dont see too many fiddles or guitars set up for left hand players. That would mean the player would not have the pleasure of trying out other musicians instruments during sessions etc.

Herge

Subject: RE: Advice wanted for left-handed learner.
From: Tiger
Date: 16 Apr 99 - 06:00 PM

Shambles....

Here's a likely problem with reversing the strings.

The bridge is usually angled such that the top (high) strings have a shorter length from bridge to nut. The reasons for this are complex, relating to string tension, harmonics, intervals and a lot of other scientific mumbo-jumbo. Needed for proper chording, though.

To make a long story short, It will be harder to tune the guitar, and more difficult when playing chords more than a few frets up the neck (but maybe she doesn't do that anyway).

But, it worked for Libba Cotton, so if she likes it, go for it. Or she could play left-handed AND upside down, like Bill Staines.

I'd recommend resetting the bridge for lefty use - a simple job for a luthier or guitar technician.

Good luck....Tiger

Subject: RE: Advice wanted for left-handed learner.
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 16 Apr 99 - 06:03 PM

There are a few resources now for left handed players(a few years ago there were virtually none) but the REAL drag for someone who strings it upside down and plays left handed is that you NEVER get to play at impromtu jams if you don't have your instrument with you. You can't go into a music store and kill two hours playing everything on the wall. And when the time comes to impress that potential significant other, you can't do it on his/her guitar. Dig in your heels and learn right handed, it will take a little (not that much) longer, but there's a big payoff down the line.

Subject: RE: Advice wanted for left-handed learner.
From: bill\sables
Date: 16 Apr 99 - 06:31 PM

A friend of mine wanted to play guitar, He was left handed and got himself a leftie guitar but couldn't make head nor tail of the chord book diagrans. I recomended he took the guitar back to the shop and got a right handed one as he had only had it a few days. With his right hander he improved in leaps and bounds because the chord diagrams made sense. If your daughter had wanted to play piano or sax what would she have done. It must cost a fortune to restring a piano, and have you ever tried to get a left handed thumb pick. Cheers Bill

Subject: RE: Advice wanted for left-handed learner.
From: Tony Burns
Date: 16 Apr 99 - 07:27 PM

My son is left handed and plays guitar right handed. I don't think it was any harder for him to learn than anyone else.

Subject: RE: Advice wanted for left-handed learner.
From: catspaw49
Date: 16 Apr 99 - 07:39 PM

My wife tried off and on for many years to play lefty with very little success, including having a lefty Fender acoustic---does anybody want to buy this thing?----This last time, she started on a RH guitar, properly set up, and had a great time and is learning more easily. The first thing that takes hand dexterity and hand memory is done with the left hand anyway...seemed a significant advantage to me...and it was to her.

catspaw

Subject: RE: Advice wanted for left-handed learner.
From: campfire
Date: 16 Apr 99 - 09:21 PM

As another "lefty" who plays right handed, I agree. I don't know that it would have been any easier to learn to play left handed. I also learned to crochet "righty" because no one could teach me lefty; then I transposed it myself. After all that work, I found it easier to do it righty - the way I learned it originally - after all. I realize the guitar is quite a bit more complicated than a crochet hook, but.... learning is learning. And now, I can play anyone's guitar - and even better, anyone can play mine. Anyone but a left handed player, that is.

Although I knew a guy once who, instead of re-stringing his guitar into a left-handed one, just learned all the chords "upside down". In other words, he played a regular-strung guitar, left-handed, so the lower strings were at the "bottom" intead of the "top", looking down at it. So he could still play anyone's guitar - but nobody could follow along with him; You'd get "dizzy" watching!

Subject: RE: Advice wanted for left-handed learner.
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 16 Apr 99 - 09:39 PM

Lotta people play upside down and get a slightly different sound. Certainly Libba Cotton is unique.

Cat. a fender acoustic? har de har har! I'll trade you the mudflaps from a 48 Hudson for it.

Subject: RE: Advice wanted for left-handed learner.
From:
Date: 16 Apr 99 - 10:16 PM

Bill Staines and Jimi Hendrix come to mind as modest left handed talents. Playing conventionally strung guitars upside down. When my left hand was so injured that I was sure I'd never play again I looked into learning Bill Staines style. As I practiced with my right hand on the neck and what still was working with my left hand holding a pick I realized my left hand was getting stronger much my delight and my Doctors amazment. I couldn't have lived as just another really mediocre guitarist who played guitar strangely. I would have given up soon had not my hand gotten better. I think it matters more how you start to learn than how you change horses in mid stream.

I would tell her to try to learn as right handed guitar player. Otherwise she won't be able to just play the house guitar at parties. Definately don't just restring that old Levin you have lying about hovel. You'll wreck the guitar.

Don

Subject: RE: Advice wanted for left-handed learner.
From: Barbara
Date: 17 Apr 99 - 12:06 AM

I'm left handed and play the guitar 'right handed' too. I think it's the way to go, Roger. Unless she enjoys the eccentricity of the other. Only thing I wonder about is that it's harder for me to do alternating bass in my picking pattern because I don't have the fine motor control to know where the strings are under my right hand.
Blessings,
Barbara
The swallows are back here, barn and tree.

Subject: RE: Advice wanted for left-handed learner.
From: catspaw49
Date: 17 Apr 99 - 12:34 AM

We do seem to have a lot of lefties playing righty. Are you sure that just isn't a ploy to keep the HUAC folks off your back? Any of you had any association with any subversive organizations? Communist party,Amnesty International,Weather Underground building bombs in your basement?...Are you a member of something known as Mudcat?

RICK---Yeah, thanks.......never heard me mention it before either did you? I'm so ashamed...Karen already had it when we got married, but that's no excuse I know. Can you forgive me? I mean it just hides in the corner in it's chipboard case (of course). Say...maybe we should talk about those '48 Hudson flaps...Are they new or at least in good shape?

catspaw