Any Righties Tried Paying A Lefty (or vice versa)?
- Thread starter Kandinskyesque
- Start date
I've always played lefty upside down. That would be like your Elizabeth Cotten example, or Albert King. There was a right handed guitar in the house and I just started messing around with it. I would look at chord books and hit the dots with whichever finger could get to it. With the little strings on top, I found it easy to bend strings by pulling down instead of pushing up with a fingertip. The idea of pushing a string up to bend seems like trying to push a rope.
Attachments
No, not restrung. She seems to be playing the downbeat on the treble strings with her thumb, and the back beat on the bass with one finger.
jvin248
Doctor of Teleocity
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I just swapped the pickguard for a Lefty-Slant style and get the tones.
Thread reminds me of an old psychology experiment where they had a guy wear inverted goggles and eventually they filmed him riding a motorcycle after he got used to it. However, the switch back to normal vision after taking off the goggles took ten times as long and was really difficult for the guy. I was unable to find that video but here are a couple of similar ones.
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I just swapped the pickguard for a Lefty-Slant style and get the tones.
Thread reminds me of an old psychology experiment where they had a guy wear inverted goggles and eventually they filmed him riding a motorcycle after he got used to it. However, the switch back to normal vision after taking off the goggles took ten times as long and was really difficult for the guy. I was unable to find that video but here are a couple of similar ones.
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Nope; I can't bat or throw left-handed either. But I can make clicking noises with the left side of my tongue, but not with the right side. So I'd say I'm right handed and left-tongued.
Dana Rudd
Tele-Afflicted
I'm a lefty and in my 72 years I have never seen a left handed guitar to even try one out. I think about just ordering a cheap on to satisfy my curiosity, then wonder what I'd do with all my guitars if I was a natural lefty. Guess at this stage I'll keep playing righty.
Jazzcaster21
Tele-Holic
100%. When I was younger, at elementary school, I used to think I was a weird kid because I was the only lefty in my class. My Mom had to assure me that it was okay.
For all you guys that are lefty that play righty, good for you!
Jazzcaster21
Tele-Holic
SixStringSlinger
Poster Extraordinaire
I've tried playing "lefty" just for laughs. It was like normally being able to talk or walk or something competently only to suddenly lose that ability. I hated it.
And I'm a natural lefty.
Play how you want, but it goes to show that playing guitar is simply not subject to "handedness" in the way that other activities are. Obviously, as you need some dexterity in each hand to do it. There's the way you're used to, perhaps a way you're more comfortable with to begin with*, but no way you "have to" play just because you favor a particular hand for other, completely unrelated activities.
*I even take issue with that, because I was more comfortable play "righty" just because that's how I played air guitar, until someone informed me of "how lefties play" and I switch my air guitar playing to that which was super awkward until it wasn't. Then, when I actually started playing guitar, my teacher suggested I at least try playing "righty" to see how it goes (given that "righty" guitars are so much easier to find), and guess what? It was super awkward until it wasn't.
And I'm a natural lefty.
Play how you want, but it goes to show that playing guitar is simply not subject to "handedness" in the way that other activities are. Obviously, as you need some dexterity in each hand to do it. There's the way you're used to, perhaps a way you're more comfortable with to begin with*, but no way you "have to" play just because you favor a particular hand for other, completely unrelated activities.
*I even take issue with that, because I was more comfortable play "righty" just because that's how I played air guitar, until someone informed me of "how lefties play" and I switch my air guitar playing to that which was super awkward until it wasn't. Then, when I actually started playing guitar, my teacher suggested I at least try playing "righty" to see how it goes (given that "righty" guitars are so much easier to find), and guess what? It was super awkward until it wasn't.
If you ever need someone to play a single root with quarter notes on a backwards guitar, I’m your man. If I could play backwards on a guitar, I would play drums.
tanplastic
Friend of Leo's
As an artist I have done the following exercise:
Holding pad of paper beside my head, with pencil in left ('wrong') hand and facing a mirror, draw a self-portrait in reverse with left hand.
This messes with perception and motor skills but I am able to adapt a little during the process.
The brain is fascinating. You hear that, Brain? I'm talking about you, ya pink blob.
Holding pad of paper beside my head, with pencil in left ('wrong') hand and facing a mirror, draw a self-portrait in reverse with left hand.
This messes with perception and motor skills but I am able to adapt a little during the process.
The brain is fascinating. You hear that, Brain? I'm talking about you, ya pink blob.
drewg
Tele-Holic
However he does it, that guy can play! Nice guitar, too.
boxocrap
Tele-Afflicted
glad to hear it..wish i had that option when i was younger (much younger
)
My teacher is a lefty who plays right handed. I've never tried to play a left handed guitar.
The original question was:
Any Righties Tried Paying A Lefty (or vice versa)?
No, I have not tried paying either, I'm not even sure what to offer either. Or, what I'd be paying them for.
Any Righties Tried Paying A Lefty (or vice versa)?
No, I have not tried paying either, I'm not even sure what to offer either. Or, what I'd be paying them for.
Lucius Paisley
Tele-Afflicted
Beside your head? That can't be right. Your hand would be in the way 90% of the time.
Matt Sarad
Tele-Afflicted
When I gave group lessons I would always play lefty to show that I understood how hard it was to learn to play.
tanplastic
Friend of Leo's
Try it. With the paper on either side of your head you can see what you are doing.
tanplastic
Friend of Leo's
I'm impressed you can play at all, Gritty.
Keeping that beard out of the strings can't be easy!
