Left-handed but playing on right-handed instruments

Deacon_Blues · #1 02-11-2007, 07:52 AM

Hi!

I'm curious to know how many other left-handed bassists there are here that are playing in a right-handed manner, and to hear your experiences on this.

I'm playing in this way as the first guitar I got was a right-handed. My parents said the cheapest left-handed was several times more expensive than the one I got, so I had to start with it. I don't wish I played with lefties and I could not imagine to switch, but I have had difficulties playing certain things that others don't have any real problems with. These have for me been:

- playing "tight". When I have to use the "worse hand" for striking the notes, I've had to practice this a lot to achieve a good timing on all notes. It's quite ok nowadays, however.

- speed. I've always been quite poor at playing fast, but for a Roxette project I played las year in I had to pratice speed a lot to be able to play "The look" - it requires both speed and endurance (16th:s, tempo about 96 bpm for 3-4 minutes... a few bpm more would have been mssion impossible to me.. However, I've seen a right-handed bass player playing that song easily with a smile on his face and no signs at all of getting tired...

- slapping. I cannot slap properly and I use it only occasionally as effects... I seem to loose the control too easily when I try to play something a bit more advanced. I cannot even play the "domm-ticki-domm-ticki" pattern slowly...

Most of these problems I have been able to sort out by developing the right-hand technique, but I still feel more limited than other bassists, especially concerning the slapping that I've been trying to get to work for a long time but I never seem to get it...

Of course there are advantages too with playing in this way, related mainly to the left hand movement. I can for instance stretch my left hand quite much, which can be very useful when playing e.g. funk licks....

Again, what are you're experiences on this issue?

Axeman20 · #2 02-11-2007, 08:01 AM

I write with my left hand so i guess that labels me as a left handed person

i play right handed on bass as well as guitar and don't have any problems playing it that way but playing left handed basses gives a major headache for me

Deacon_Blues · #3 02-11-2007, 08:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Axeman20

...but playing left handed basses gives a major headache for me

True, that's why I never wanted to switch. There are also several advantages by playing on right-hand basses so I will stick to those. I'm a fairly good bassist nowadays (i'm 28), but I still feel I've had more difficulties with those three issues mentioned above than most right-handed, I think... especially concerning the slapping. Feels that will never work well for me, so I'm concentrating on developing a good fingerstyle instead... :-)

puff father · #4 02-11-2007, 08:37 AM

The two best gui*ar players that I know personally are leftys that play righty. Just keep at it.

ulrich · #5 02-11-2007, 11:29 AM

I'm left handed, play right handed. Maybe it's just that the first guitar I picked up was right handed, but playing righty just feels normal.

However, the few times that I've tried my hand at drums, the right-handed set up seemed totaly backwards, and wrong.

UncleNuzzy · #6 02-11-2007, 01:45 PM

I'm a lefty (writing) that plays righty- i just thought that it made more sense to me to use the hand that i use most to fret notes- its stronger to start with. My right hand just took some time to get the speed i need. often, my left hand frets notes much faster than my right can keep up, so you know, nothings perfect, but it works for me. Hope this makes sense.

dave s · #7 02-11-2007, 01:50 PM

Since there a so few 'true' leftys in the total sense of the word, I would guess there are more leftys playing righty (like me) than true left-handers playing left.

For me, it's write and throw left-handed, everything else is done from the right side of things. Bass, guitar, drums included and I guess the horns I played in high-school would be right-handed as well since they only go one-way.

dave

Milk eWay · #8 02-11-2007, 08:52 PM

i play the "righty" and im a left. Speed is the only issue i have come across, but i believe practice on technique improves all.

As for horns, you forgot about the french horn, its a "lefty" standard.

Ricky Daion · #9 02-11-2007, 09:15 PM

I'm a lefty and play left-handed. I fret with my right hand. I also play a right handed bass. I just flip it over. I don't even restring it. The E string is on the bottom. I've played for 28 years that way and have had no problem at all. Correction, the only problem I had was turning the volume down because my arm would rub on the control knobs. I finally had the knobs removed and hardwired everything wide open. Works for me!

Jim Carr · #10 02-11-2007, 09:54 PM

I have taught a lot of beginners. They all have more trouble getting plucking speed, as compared to fretting speed, regardless of handedness.

Kristopher · #11 02-12-2007, 12:33 AM

I'm a lefty that plays right-handed. I went back and forth in the beginning few months. The one thing that sealed the deal for me was when I realized how much harder it would be to buy or sell a decent left-handed instrument. I now find it ironic that my decision ever so slightly compounded that very same problem for other lefties.

chaosMK · #12 02-12-2007, 10:56 AM

I am left handed and have never had any trouble.

I actually want to pick up a left handed bass to retrain my brain/coordination a little.

bassbully43 · #13 02-12-2007, 11:16 AM

Weeelll you see sonny wayyyyyyyyyyys back in my day there were no left hand guitars or basses that i knew of

I'm 45... really my first cheap guitar was right handed and im a lefty. I doubt my parents even knew there was such a thing as a left handed guitar in those days...i didnt till years latter...they just were not around. I dont know any other way to play than right handed but wonder what kind of a player i would of been if i would of learned to play lefty. I agree with slap thing ...i never was to good at it myself....could be the lefty thing there for sure?

Jim Carr · #14 02-12-2007, 06:43 PM

Oh...I forgot to add something that I have stated in another thread on this topic:

Go see a Symphony orchestra. The string players all play "right-handed." Oh yeah, there are a few reverse-built violins, violas, cellos, and double basses out there, with the bass bars and sound post reversed and all the other structural stuff carved the the other way.

However, there are pretty close to zero of those players in orchestras. In fact, there are pretty close to zero "left-handed" classical string instrument players (there are a few, and I am sure they are fine musicians).

Why is this? Two simple reasons: 1) consistent traditional bow motion orientation within a section to avoid bumping into each other (which means habit and custom). 2) Builders skills and practicality (and habits and customs).

Guess what? For most musicians, it really doesn't matter much at all.

So What does?

What matters is practicing five to seven hours a day for seven to ten years while under 20 years old. That is what some scientific studies have shown is THE thing that all successful music professionals have in common. Nothing else.

Practice. A lot. Everyday. For years. Do it.

Deacon_Blues · #15 02-13-2007, 10:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Carr

What matters is practicing five to seven hours a day for seven to ten years while under 20 years old. That is what some scientific studies have shown is THE thing that all successful music professionals have in common. Nothing else.

Practice. A lot. Everyday. For years. Do it.

Good I'm not aiming on a professional career as a bassist.. Being 28 and having played bass only for 5-6 years, my chances to become one seem to be quite minimal...

To be a reasonably good amateur is enough for me, even though I of course try to get better all the time... And, yes, I'm practicing as much as I have time for...

**Gladowsky** · #16 05-11-2007, 02:29 PM

I'm a lefty (I write, eat, & shoot left handed) but play my bass right-handed. It never dawned on me that may be the reason for the difficulty in the slap technique. Good thread.

DocBop · #17 05-11-2007, 03:04 PM

Handedness (is that a word?) doesn't matter. Guitar/bass/drums the few instruments they make lefty versions of. Don't see left handed pianos, violins, horns and so on. You learn to play what they give you. I was an art student for awhile and we did exercises to work on being ambidextrous it makes drawing/painting things easier being able to use either hand. So not having a left handed instrument is no excuse for anything you can't do. Some say its an advantage being a lefty playing right handed. You've developed a lot of control of the left hand for writing and that is your fingering hand that does more than the right hand. I have no problem slapping other than I don't do it a lot so not great at it. Now what is weird to me is lefties playing right handed bass and slapping like Jimmy Haslip.

Oh BTW I am a lefty who plays right handed. I was given a right handed guitar and when I took my lesson they said here's how you play and I just did it.

avid · #18 05-11-2007, 03:47 PM

Don't have a lot of time but I see some improper arguments being applied here.

There are no left handed string players in orchestra ergo left-handed instruments aren't necessary.

This just could be a matter of social darwinism. True left dominants can't ever catch on well enough to perform at that level, perhaps.

We don't need left handed string instruments because there aren't left handed pianos, woodwinds, drums etc.

Those instruments happen to be symmetrical or relatively symmetrical instruments in comparison to a string instrument in which the techniques for each hand are highly asymmetrical.

If one looks up improper arguments in Google and is willing to take the time you could actually name these kind of specious argument techniques.

There are various degrees of handedness especially when it comes to lefties. We spend our entire young life accomodating to skills thrown at us. Some of us become quite adept at faking various thing right handed. Some of us become ambidextrous and some learn to peform with either hand depending on the skill.

Now for those "lefties" who claim that anyone can learn bass right handed try this out. Tomorrow you can only write with your right hand. Then in a couple of weeks,get back to us and let us know how things are working out.

Gee, I thought anyone could do anything with either hand, what's the problem?

p.s. In regards to the ageism happening in this thread; there are imaging studies that show changes in the brains of even elderly people learning stringed instruments on the fretting hand side of the brain.

Lokire · #19 05-11-2007, 03:53 PM

I'm left handed and I've always played right handed instruments. I started on a right handed bass, but I tried a couple left handed basses at the time as well and they just never felt quite as good.

It's never given me any problems, and I'd say I'm a pretty good player

I don't really want to get into the discussion much, but as another point of interest; there is a left handed pianist who actually plays a custom built left handed piano. Check out his thoughts on the subject:

http://www.lefthandedpiano.co.uk/

Infernal Affair · #20 05-11-2007, 04:22 PM

Deacon_Blues, you pretty much nailed all my experiences as a player, right down to playing 5-6 years and being 28! I think the only different between you and me is that you seemed to have practiced a lot more. For me, working plus not being in any bands most of my time playing has caused me to get pretty lazy with practice in the past.