Josh,
I think you and I are examples of how guitar can be healing. Learning to play guitar with the "opposite hand" isn't so hard.
Way back when I was in college and bombed a test, that was usually followed by about 3 or 4 hours straight of playing my guitar to work out my frustration...often followed by falling asleep with it in my hands (okay that might sound "gay", but it beats passing out drunk on the bathroom floor)...
Now that I've been married 15 years my wife might get a little jealous if I fell asleep with my new lefty Ric in my arms instead of her...
Growing up can be so hard...that's why we play guitar though...
Left-Handed RICs
Moderators: rickenbrother, ajish4
I'm really curious about the production aspects. What changes must be made in order to facilitate the production of the lefty instruments?
I'm a righty, but I'm playing lefty now, too, 'cause I wanna be Paul McCartney when I grow up. (I'm only 38 and a half years old.) To me, it's simply like learning a different instrument. I don't recall having had any less difficulty when I started playing right handed.
The most difficult part of "switch hitting" has been in training the muscles. I find that my brain isn't anywhere near as confused as I had expected. (Or maybe it is, and I'm too confused to notice!)
I know at least one person who's left handed but has always played right handed. I don't think it makes any difference whatsoever. I think anyone who can play could play either way. It's just a matter of which way you happen to learn.
I'm a righty, but I'm playing lefty now, too, 'cause I wanna be Paul McCartney when I grow up. (I'm only 38 and a half years old.) To me, it's simply like learning a different instrument. I don't recall having had any less difficulty when I started playing right handed.
The most difficult part of "switch hitting" has been in training the muscles. I find that my brain isn't anywhere near as confused as I had expected. (Or maybe it is, and I'm too confused to notice!)
I know at least one person who's left handed but has always played right handed. I don't think it makes any difference whatsoever. I think anyone who can play could play either way. It's just a matter of which way you happen to learn.
Actually I like learning left.
its alomost like Im cheating cuz I already know what I have to learn and what order I want to learn it in.
last time I learned I focused on chord progressions and basic scales, this time Im focusing on scales and their rooted chords.
currently working on blues scale.
I can see all the chords and notes just the same as before, its just a matter of making my finger go to them...
Im having trouble right now getting my RH pinky to collapse to hit all 3 string in an open A-frame barr chord.
I used to be able to play the open G as a barr chord right handed, but Im not even close to doing that left handed.
Unfortunatly this past year has been crazy and I havnt had much time to play, so when I have played its not all that amusing that I can work out my frustations with it.
Now that Im living off loans, Ive got lots of time to play and things are progressing nicely, if I can get my pinky to cooperate...
JP
its alomost like Im cheating cuz I already know what I have to learn and what order I want to learn it in.
last time I learned I focused on chord progressions and basic scales, this time Im focusing on scales and their rooted chords.
currently working on blues scale.
I can see all the chords and notes just the same as before, its just a matter of making my finger go to them...
Im having trouble right now getting my RH pinky to collapse to hit all 3 string in an open A-frame barr chord.
I used to be able to play the open G as a barr chord right handed, but Im not even close to doing that left handed.
Unfortunatly this past year has been crazy and I havnt had much time to play, so when I have played its not all that amusing that I can work out my frustations with it.
Now that Im living off loans, Ive got lots of time to play and things are progressing nicely, if I can get my pinky to cooperate...
JP
Yeah, I suppose there is a bit of "cheating" involved, if you already play "the other way."
At the same time, it might actually make it more difficult, as you find yourself fighting your brain's tendency to do things the other way around. Someone who learns initially to play lefty (or righty, if that's the case) wouldn't have to overcome this.
Josh, have you found that certain strumming or picking patterns are more difficult to learn "backward" than others? I had the most trouble with shuffles, for some reason.
At the same time, it might actually make it more difficult, as you find yourself fighting your brain's tendency to do things the other way around. Someone who learns initially to play lefty (or righty, if that's the case) wouldn't have to overcome this.
Josh, have you found that certain strumming or picking patterns are more difficult to learn "backward" than others? I had the most trouble with shuffles, for some reason.
Im probably a bad case for determining relative difficulty
my left hand(fretting) was quite immobile when I bagan, so my strumming was light years ahead of my fingering before I could even play open C
but now Ive got the left hand stumming and picking.
It seem slike Im either in the groove or not. If not then its real bad, but for the most part it comes pretty naturally.
No real trouble with changing between the two. Its almost like a switch.
I just see that G is still in all the same places... eventhough its backwards
Ive even taken to playing the lefty, righty. Although some things are difficult, its like another setting I have - I cant recall ever accidently playing a right handed chord shape with the lefty stringing.
JP
my left hand(fretting) was quite immobile when I bagan, so my strumming was light years ahead of my fingering before I could even play open C
but now Ive got the left hand stumming and picking.
It seem slike Im either in the groove or not. If not then its real bad, but for the most part it comes pretty naturally.
No real trouble with changing between the two. Its almost like a switch.
I just see that G is still in all the same places... eventhough its backwards
Ive even taken to playing the lefty, righty. Although some things are difficult, its like another setting I have - I cant recall ever accidently playing a right handed chord shape with the lefty stringing.
JP