Help With a Left Handed Beginner

[Mandobart]

I usually end up posting this comment at some point in the LH/RH discussion, because most people haven't run across this, not being nuclear sub folks.

It's true that in the US about 11% of the population is left handed. I spent almost nine years in the USN as a submarine reactor operator. I've spent the last 22 years at a commercial nuclear power plant. I'd say about half of the people I've worked with in this field are left-handed.

[Wade Hampton]

Perhaps my strenuous defense of lefties who play left-handed has led some to read my posts as advocacy of left-handed playing ONLY, which is not what I intended. I agree that attempting to play right-handed is always best to start with, simply because most lefties are far more adapted to living in a right-handed world than if the situation was reversed and right-handed people had to do things left-handed. (I'm ambidextrous, so I'd skate in either situation!)

So starting off right-handed is best. But being doctrinaire about it is foolish: not all lefties can successfully play right-handed, and to pretend otherwise makes matters that much more difficult for them.

As I wrote in a previous post in this thread, perhaps two thirds or even three fourths of lefties can learn to play right-handed. But that leaves a substantial minority of lefties who cannot. No amount of hoorahing and browbeating them into playing right-handed will work, frankly, try as you might.


Wade Hampton Miller

[Steel and wood]

Like others have said, it depends on where you are on the left-handedness spectrum. (Around 9 out of 10 lefties or thereabouts instinctively play right handed and it's not natural for them to play left handed like my wife and son). This group of lefties are more ambidextrous than right handers like myself and the small percentage of left handers on the extreme end of the spectrum.

The only way to tell is to give a left-hander a right handed guitar and if it feels unnatural (they want to turn it the other way) then it makes sense to give them a left handed guitar. (Should not be forced to play right handed because learning guitar on its own is hard enough).

[Gabby84]

you are spot on, Wade. I do not think your posts were advocating for lefties to just play lefty.

Originally Posted by Wade Hampton

Perhaps my strenuous defense of lefties who play left-handed has led some to read my posts as advocacy of left-handed playing ONLY, which is not what I intended. I agree that attempting to play right-handed is always best to start with, simply because most lefties are far more adapted to living in a right-handed world than if the situation was reversed and right-handed people had to do things left-handed. (I'm ambidextrous, so I'd skate in either situation!)

So starting off right-handed is best. But being doctrinaire about it is foolish: not all lefties can successfully play right-handed, and to pretend otherwise makes matters that much more difficult for them.

As I wrote in a previous post in this thread, perhaps two thirds or even three fourths of lefties can learn to play right-handed. But that leaves a substantial minority of lefties who cannot. No amount of hoorahing and browbeating them into playing right-handed will work, frankly, try as you might.


Wade Hampton Miller

[The Bard Rocks]

I would imagine if we took a survey of left-hand guitarists you'd find the majority played right-handed. So it obviously is generally workable. In my own case when I started, I figured the left hand has the hardest work to do, all the fingering while the right hand just strummed, you didn't need your fingers to do anything difficult or intricate. So I was pleased as punch to learn to play right-handed, figuring I finally found myself at an advantage to right-handers.

I learned more later on of course, but I still think it might be easier for a left-hander to start playing right-handed. But everyone is different, she might be the minority in the minority that does not adapt well.

Facts:
1) Next to men, left-handers are the largest minority group in the world.
2) Athens - I have been told there are such things as left-handed pianos.

Musing:
Unlike the guitar, a right-handed piano tends to have the intricate stuff done more by the right hand while the left does the more repetitive stuff - so it's opposite the way a guitar is played. Then, why are both considered right-handed?

[Wade Hampton]

Originally Posted by Mandobart

....It's true that in the US about 11% of the population is left handed. I spent almost nine years in the USN as a submarine reactor operator. I've spent the last 22 years at a commercial nuclear power plant. I'd say about half of the people I've worked with in this field are left-handed.

So are you suggesting that left-handed people are more resistant to nuclear radiation than the righteously right-handed people who dominate online guitar forums?

Perhaps if there’s a nuclear holocaust, the only living creatures to survive will be cockroaches and lefty guitarists playing left-handed!! I’ll bet that THEN those right-handed guitarists who’ve told lefties to man up and play right-handed will be sorry!!!


Wade Hampton “I’m Ambidextrous, So Maybe I’ll Be Spared, As Well” Miller

[vindibona1]

I didn't read all the responses, but I'm going to weigh in with my opinion, hopefully not duplicating much of anything else already written.

There are lots of reason for both ways, learning left or right. I'm an advocate for RIGHT HANDED playing, especially for children. If you look at orchestras across the world, how many left handed string players do you see? Almost none. While I think there may be a few lefties who just washed out because they couldn't play righty, but somehow I speculate not many. What if she decides down the road she wants to learn violin or cello or upright bass? Ain't gonna happen. Left handed mando? Left handed flute? I don't think so.

Why might she want to learn righty? Because there is a cross-transference and adapation is fairly quick even if not something isn't designed for one's handedness. Additionally there are some mental benefits by playing opposite to your strong side that are hidden. If you're a shooter and know about the Quell system you'll know what I mean. Look at ball players. Some of the better players are those that can bat both left and right. Pianists don't have a choice and nobody ever offered to sell them a left handed piano. You learn to do what you learn to do. Once you start down the left handed road it's hard to turn back. If you start down the right handed road, righty or lefty, you won't know the difference.

A lot of trumpet players who use their right hands for trumpet can immediately switch to French Horn which uses the left hand- with immediate transference. I have a friend who played trumpet on one of Rod Stewarts albums. He played righty for decades until he injured his right hand. As a professional, to keep on playing he had to play with his left. When his right hand healed, he just kept on playing lefty. Another aspect of right or left is reading Hebrew or Arabic. We're used to reading English left to right, but if you're taught at young age to read script that flows in a different direction, you just do it and not even think about it. So many similes and metaphors regarding this conundrum.

Perhaps I might have a different take were we talking about a 40 year old dude. But an 11 year old girl is still very maleable mentally and physically. She may have picked up the guitar and oriented it to what she thought was natural, but in reality you learn what you learn as you learn it. So, I'm in the camp as to teach her righty and see what happens and not let get very far down the road playing lefty, lest it be too late to change course. You can always switch to lefty down the road if in deed it is more natural.

[Wade Hampton]

That’s fine, Vin, but as I’ve repeatedly tried to get across, it’s simply not an option for those lefties who are most strongly left-handed. You can speculate that it’s “not many,” but it’s a significant minority.

But given the general intransigence towards the idea that has been on display here, it seems as though the truth of the matter is never going to sink in with those of you who are hostile to left-handed playing and unreceptive to the simple neurological fact that not everyone has the option of learning to play right-handed.

You don’t want to believe it, so you never will.


whm

[Steel and wood]

I'm with Wade.

There's a big difference between those who are predominantly left handed to those who are singularly left handed.

The 1% or so of the population who are extremely left handed should never be discouraged from playing left handed (overcoming their left handedness) even if their guitar options are limited. (I think it's fantastic that the major guitar manufacturers recognise and cater for them).

[Pinetreebob]

Originally Posted by MHC

Thank you all for the thoughtful responses. The issue off a range of dexterity between strictly right and strictly left handed is fascinating and important to consider.

What makes it difficult to determine is that learning and instrument IS already hard, so how can you tell which part of hard is due to the lefty/righty issue and which part is simply the normal course of things.

Unfortunately I'm in New York and my niece lives in Michigan so I cannot sit with her and teach her a few chords to see how it goes. BUT, I gave her a call and we talked about it. She plays the piano fairly well and she said that she doesn't really detect an issue with hand dominance there.

We also talked about all sorts of activities, including air-guitar (which made her laugh).

By the end of our conversation, she let me know that she was going to learn in a right-handed fashion. There were three primary reasons:

1) She loves the guitar and swapping it out would be a major buzz kill for her. It's HER guitar.

2) Knowing that kids immediately hop on YouTube to learn just about anything, I steered her to Justinguitar.com (I think his beginner lessons are a solid way to go). She told me that she just wants to play the way Justin plays. She believes it'll be easier for her to follow along.

3) It didn't seem to her that the right handed position would be any greater challenge and she was ready to dive in, like, now.

So she's going to be learning right handed. I'll be keeping an eye out for her progress, and I hope it works out.

BUT I just have to say that I've stepped in the shoes of left-handed players in terms of buying guitars these last few days. I did a lot of searching on-line and in stores for a left handed alternative for my niece just in case. Man o man the offerings are pathetic. There are some great shops that deal in beautiful high end guitars, but mid-range and beginner guitars is tough. Companies like Yamaha, Seagull, Ibanez do offer left handed guitars, but not their full range. Mostly, they offer lefty dreadnoughts. Smaller sized guitars are harder to come by. AND stores REALLY don't stock lefty guitars. I do understand that it's a supply and demand thing, but I also feel that if there were more lefty guitars on the shelves, there might be more lefty guitar players.

Luthiers like Lame Horse and Thomas Rein have created complex adjustable necks, so I wonder if someone could invent a system where a guitar ships with two nuts and two saddles allowing the guitar to be a lefty or righty.

Anyway... thanks again to AGF.

That idea of the convertible guitar is actually a pretty cook idea. It actually would work with a symmetrical guitar design such a Gibson SG, the knobs would be reversed and might get in the way of strumming but turning the nut around is no problem. The bridge and saddle is s bit more challenging by should be workable without professional luthier skills.

[Crazyguitardj]

Originally Posted by Melt in the Sun

I am a lefty who learned right-handed, and am very glad I did. She's going to be terrible either way so I'd say teach her righty...

Agree totally. I am left handed and learned right handed guitar. It would probably be best for her to learn right handed because of the cost factor of finding left handed guitars...

[s2y]

Originally Posted by Crazyguitardj

Agree totally. I am left handed and learned right handed guitar. It would probably be best for her to learn right handed because of the cost factor of finding left handed guitars...

Availability is getting better and there are specialty lefty stores these days. I started before the internet. Local shops would order left handed guitars, but NO returns and trade-ins. This was because it was difficult for them to resell those guitars. Brick and mortar stores often still behave by these policies because they need to sell and move product to keep the doors open.

To this days, many of the basses and guitars that made me who I am have never been released in left handed versions. Not 100% sure if I would have continued playing without them.

[Londonlefty]

I’m a lefty, who can only play lefty, some lefties can play right handed. Agree with Wade that I’ve seen some very heated arguments on guitar forums about this issue usually from ill informed patronising right handed players telling lefty’s to just get on and play right handed- some of us just can’t do it!!
You can find good left handed guitars from beginners to high end you just have to look a little harder.
Lefty’s should remember that the most innovative guitarist the world has ever produced was a lefty - Jimi
Don’t be bullied by right handed guitarists!

[Steel and wood]

Originally Posted by Londonlefty

I’m a lefty, who can only play lefty, some lefties can play right handed. Agree with Wade that I’ve seen some very heated arguments on guitar forums about this issue usually from ill informed patronising right handed players telling lefty’s to just get on and play right handed- some of us just can’t do it!!
You can find good left handed guitars from beginners to high end you just have to look a little harder.
Lefty’s should remember that the most innovative guitarist the world has ever produced was a lefty - Jimi
Don’t be bullied by right handed guitarists!

I also see arguments from a lot of left handers who have no problem playing right handed and expect their lefty brothers and sisters to be able to do the same. (Without understanding that a percentage of their left handed brothers and sisters on the extreme side simply can't).

[s2y]

Originally Posted by Steel and wood

I also see arguments from a lot of left handers who have no problem playing right handed and expect their lefty brothers and sisters to be able to do the same. (Without understanding that a percentage of their left handed brothers and sisters simply can't).

How hard is something if approached with a "can't" attitude? Nobody is being so bold to say that absolutely nobody should play lefty. Flip it around and the guy who sold me my first guitar, another lefty playing right handed and his approach was that it's no big deal. This gave me extra confidence to learn right handed. Confidence builds momentum and momentum builds even more momentum. Attitude and follow through go a long way in life. I've learned this on guitar, academics, my career, athletics, etc.

Neither fretting nor picking are easy. If guitar were easy, it wouldn't be special.

I find it strange that the lefties playing right handed draw much more ire than the right handed majority. I have a few friends who are into competitive shooting events. They can shoot weak side better than most can shoot with their dominant side. One handed? No problem. Can I do that? Not even close. Could I if I devoted the time and practice? Probably.