Left Handed playing right handed guitar...

agent0064life · #1 January 17th, 2007

Well, I'm left handed, sort of, playing the guitar right handed. By that I mean my skills that require dexterity (writing, etc) is done left handed, while other things like throwing are done right handed. I've been playing for two months and I can play tablature pretty well, but when it comes to chords I have big problems strumming, mainly on chords where I shouldn't be playing the fifth/sixth strings and it's just not happening. Any advice?

Do I just need to keep practicing or what? Am I possibly holding the pick wrong or something? It just doesn't feel comfortable holding a pick, but it sounds better so I'd like to play that way if I can do it.

Stratrat · #2 January 17th, 2007

I'm the exact same - I write left-handed, but do most everything else (including playing the guitar) right-handed.

I'm sure you'll find that your strumming will improve with practice. It takes time to develop the "feel" to only hit particular strings while strumming and/or picking, and to keep the rest of your picking hand out of the way so you're not brushing against the other strings (something I still do if I don't concentrate on it). Like many things, the only way to develop familiarity and comfort with your guitar is lots and lots of practice!

tonedeaf · #3 January 17th, 2007

Count me in too. I have the same issues, I write lefty but throw right-handed. I tried a left-handed guitar but it was too difficult to create any chords. I finally picked up a right-handed one and found it much easier to maneuver the frets. I am quite comfortable with it now and I think that by just strumming slowly will get you used to playing right-handed. I also started doing hand strengthening exercises every day and also practice every day a little bit. Give your hands and brain some time to adjust. I think you can definitely see improvement over a few weeks or months. Just stay with it. Plus there are a lot more choices for right-handed guitars than left ones.

Teddy Madison · #4 January 17th, 2007

Long live the lefties! I found that being left handed was an advantage with the guitar. The dexterity is really needed in the fretting (left) hand more, at least with strumming.

But, It's really a matter of how you learn something, I don't have a problem working a mouse with my right hand because that's how I learned it.

I can finger pick with my right because again, that's how I learned it. Maybe it would have been quicker to learn with the left hand but the fretting would have been a horror show with the right hand.

Wayne

Bluesyzep · #5 January 17th, 2007

I'm also a lefty and do everything left-handed except play guitar. I've never felt inclined to play lefty and am totally comfortable playing righty. Lucky I guess.

agent0064life · #6 January 17th, 2007

Wow, a lot more lefty/righties out there than I thought

Teddy Madison · #7 January 17th, 2007

I don't know how to start a poll but if someone can it may be interesting.

- I'm a lefty and play right handed.
- I'm a lefty and play left handed.
- I'm a righty and play right handed.
- I'm a righty and play left handed.

If someone wants to fire this off...

Wayne

P.S. Notice the word lefty is recognzed by spell check and righty is not. Score one for the lefties!

tonedeaf · #8 January 17th, 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by Teddy Madison

I don't know how to start a poll but if someone can it may be interesting.

- I'm a lefty and play right handed.
- I'm a lefty and play left handed.
- I'm a righty and play right handed.
- I'm a righty and play left handed.

If someone wants to fire this off...

Wayne

P.S. Notice the word lefty is recognzed by spell check and righty is not. Score one for the lefties!

Maybe add plays both lefty and righty!

CanuckTodd · #9 January 17th, 2007

Hey agent006
Add me to the club of lefties who plays guitar right handed.
Fretting chords with my left came a lot easier to me than fingerpicking strings with my right hand. My right hand is ok for strumming, but ask those lazy digits on my right hand to act independently of one another and to move up and down plucking strings in concert with the fretting lefties and it sparks a revolution.

zappa · #10 January 18th, 2007

i''m left handed too , playing right handed guitar.

i didnt know there were left handed guitar when i started , but it hasnt been too much of a problem .
my right hand attack to the guitar has always been a weak point tho' , and still needs special attention.

namiguShin · #11 January 18th, 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by Teddy Madison

Long live the lefties! I found that being left handed was an advantage with the guitar. The dexterity is really needed in the fretting (left) hand more, at least with strumming...
Wayne

I have to disagree with this, I guess... I'm absolutely positive that there must be a reason why righthanded people strum with their right hand...

You need a REAL control in your strumming hand, and fretting is a lot easier to overcome with your weaker hand...
Although, for somebody who is just starting out, it seems like fretting hand is doing all the hard work, and strumming hand is just waving around, when you start playing you see how much feel you actually need for strumming...

I'm not saying that you couldn't do it reversed, but it's tougher...

All best

agent0064life · #12 January 18th, 2007

Just got a new rogue acoustic in the mail today and wow are the strings a lot more forgiving then my electric. Chords are startin to come along much better, and my friend told me of a technique I could do as well.

He told me to just mute the top strings with my thumb (hands are big enough) and just strum them all. It's much, much easier considering my left hand has enough dexterity to be able to add an extra step such as muting when doing chord progressions. The only major chord of the big 4 I can't really switch at a decent pace is F, only because I just famliarized myself with it a couple days ago.

So now I know the 4 major chords. Time to start actually playing some sogs instead of plain notes. Although I gotta admit, it make me a lot faster learning songs with notes that slid up and down the fretboard fairly quickly.

Next step, get a decent electric...

CanuckTodd · #13 January 18th, 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by agent0064life

Just got a new rogue acoustic in the mail today and wow are the strings a lot more forgiving then my electric. ...

Next step, get a decent electric...

Man, an acoustic guitar arrived in the mail, man you are lucky. The only thing I ever get in the mail are bills! I guess you'll be checking the mail every day for that decent electric!

agent0064life · #14 January 18th, 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by CanuckTodd

Man, an acoustic guitar arrived in the mail, man you are lucky. The only thing I ever get in the mail are bills! I guess you'll be checking the mail every day for that decent electric!

haha, got it from musiciansfriend for 60 bucks. Still though a good deal for a new guitar.

Teddy Madison · #15 January 18th, 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by namiguShin

I have to disagree with this, I guess... I'm absolutely positive that there must be a reason why righthanded people strum with their right hand...

You need a REAL control in your strumming hand, and fretting is a lot easier to overcome with your weaker hand...
Although, for somebody who is just starting out, it seems like fretting hand is doing all the hard work, and strumming hand is just waving around, when you start playing you see how much feel you actually need for strumming...

I'm not saying that you couldn't do it reversed, but it's tougher...

All best

I see your point. I was referring more to finger dexterity. I feel targeting a group of strings is easy with either hand as opposed to getting each finger to do it's own thing.

Of course, it's all speculation as I have not tried left handed playing (nor will I).

Wayne