Right handed, learn lefty?

saxnbass · #1 10-02-2006, 12:39 PM

I am wondering if anybody has ever thought about this. Maybe it's just because I have nothing to do all day. I was thinking about buying a lefty and learning how to play it. I was thinking that maybe it would help my right handed playing somehow (ie: coordination, dependence, dexterity, strength). What do you think? If I do, the lefty would be a cheap-o like a Rogue or Squire. Something under $300, preferably under $200.

gandhirrea · #2 10-02-2006, 08:44 PM

Sounds like a waste of time and money.

I doubt you are absolutely perfect at playing right handed, so I'd practice that to fill up the time when you have nothing to do.

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tone.tran · #3 10-02-2006, 09:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gandhirrea

Sounds like a waste of time and money.

I doubt you are absolutely perfect at playing right handed, so I'd practice that to fill up the time when you have nothing to do.

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+1

I'm right behind you gandhirrea. I don't think it'll help much on your right handed playing. It's all muscle memory right? so giving your hands different tasks might make them more versatile, but they won't be versatile at what you want it mainly for. So stick to what you do now and master that.

cheers,
Tony

lemur821 · #4 10-02-2006, 09:58 PM

I think it would be a fun project, although it might not improve your right handed playing much. I've toyed with the idea myself, but don't have the cash for another bass right now. It would be a nice trick. Probably you could just flip your bass over though. The strings would be in the wrong order, but that's not a huge problem.

PrimusNut · #5 10-03-2006, 08:43 AM

Waste of time and money, as has already been said. Seems kind of impractical to me.

Volk · #6 10-08-2006, 01:24 PM

Well, Jimi did it, maybe there's some hidden mojo to it, although he flipped the guitar, so he was playing treble strings on top. No need to buy a whole new bass when you could just flip the one you have now.

Poop-Loops · #7 10-08-2006, 01:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Volk

Well, Jimi did it, maybe there's some hidden mojo to it, although he flipped the guitar, so he was playing treble strings on top. No need to buy a whole new bass when you could just flip the one you have now.

No, he also restrung the guitar so the strings were normal.

middlebit · #8 10-08-2006, 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Volk

Well, Jimi did it, maybe there's some hidden mojo to it, although he flipped the guitar, so he was playing treble strings on top. No need to buy a whole new bass when you could just flip the one you have now.

Jimi changed the strings and the nut around too, he had to set up a right hander before he could play it. Besides the point anyway since Jimi didn't play 'right handed' (I am using the term for the sake of communication).

Saxnbass, I think the idea of improving your coordination etc. is great, however there are many other ways of working on this. Coltrane, for example, was fascinated with changing habitual patterns around too, and he would extend this to trivial everyday activities. He would also talk about speaking backwards, just for the discipline of being able to rearrange the letters in sequence.

But changing hands? There is a horrible example of this 'I can fret with both hands'-thing, ever hear of Michael Angelo?
For all his coordination etc., I have never heard him play anything remotely impressive. In fact, I find all he does decidedly lame.

I think you should work on what you have for the sake of what you will have one day. Don't let anything distract you!

Poop-Loops · #9 10-08-2006, 03:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by middlebit

But changing hands? There is a horrible example of this 'I can fret with both hands'-thing, ever hear of Michael Angelo?
For all his coordination etc., I have never heard him play anything remotely impressive. In fact, I find all he does decidedly lame.

I think you should work on what you have for the sake of what you will have one day. Don't let anything distract you!

You're comparing technique to creativity. Don't.

You can't really learn one from the other. He can probably outplay you on any given piece with his 4 neck guitar. But that won't mean that he can come up with anything decent himself.

The only time I'd learn left handed bass or guitar is if either or both my ring and pinky fingers on my left hand weren't usable for some reason.

I mean, sprinters don't run backwards to go faster forwards, do they?

pretaanluxis · #10 10-08-2006, 04:00 PM

If you were just starting I would say go for it, right handed people can learn to play lefty just as good as righty, but since you already play the other way it's a waste of time to switch

theshadow2001 · #11 10-08-2006, 04:35 PM

When ever there is a thread about lefties there's always one guy (at least) who says that "lefties should learn to play righty since they'd be doing all the intricate fret work on their best hand" usually said as if it should be the easiest thing to do in the world.

When the roles are reversed though and the thought of a righty forcing himself to be lefty the answer is going to be an overwhelming "No! Thats crazy talk!"

Poop-Loops · #12 10-08-2006, 04:42 PM

That's because people are stupid.

Playing both sided might help you with your stronger side, but really, it would be more productive to just practice on your strong side.

brothertupelo · #13 10-08-2006, 05:51 PM

go ahead and do it. it won't hurt anything.

i flipped the strings on a guitar i wasn't ever playing, just to do it. i rarely played it flipped, either... but if someone hands me a lefty guitar, i can still play it a little bit.

runners will run backwards to work different sets of muscles(as well as sideways, bounding, high knees, etc.)