Right-handed player playing a left-handed bass the left-handed way to build dexterity

[Invisible_Kid]

I've played bass for 2 years and IMO I've got a great right hand technique. But as I get farther into my band making more songs I keep having these nightmares about being at a gig where all my basses are gone and the only thing available is a left-handed bass. I know this is completely irrational (well, maybe not completely) but I have the great urge to start trying to learn to play a lefthanded bass, just a cheap one maybe on craigslist, in the extremely unlikely case that this somehow happens to me in the future.

So, TB'ers, have you ever tried this?

[Fergie Fulton]

Simple answer, pointless.

The dexterity skills of the hands are different. The time wasted learning to do something as pointless as this is time away from developing what you can do and should be improving....the technique you use, a technique that is tried and tested.

[Invisible_Kid]

Originally Posted by Fergie Fulton

Simple answer, pointless.

The dexterity skills of the hands are different. The time wasted learning to do something as pointless as this is time away from developing what you can do and should be improving....the technique you use, a technique that is tried and tested.

What about lefties that have to play right handed basses? There are plenty of those.

[TOOL460002]

Some mlb players bat lefty as it is an advantage, but that's learning something early on. Tlhere isn't a huge advantage to being able to play righty or lefty.

I agree with all above: save your money, spend your time practicing normally, and just bring your own bass. Why is that a problem?

[zephyr_words]

That situation will never happen to you.

[Fergie Fulton]

Originally Posted by Invisible_Kid

What about lefties that have to play right handed basses? There are plenty of those.

You answer your own question with the inclusion of "have to" in it. You are talking brain function not physical function when such ideas are adressed
Having options and having no option greatly affects the way we do and function in tasks.
For example if you are right handed and lose your right hand, in time the left hand will be a good in function and ability as your right hand was because the brain will re-order to suit.
If it is just an idea to change, and you struggle then deep down, no matter what you think or say, your sub-consious knows it can stop and change back at any time. If you don't realise it already we mostly live in a right handed world, from doors to light swiches, keyboards to cars it is all set up for right handed as a rule.
Left handed people function better in a right handed world because they have to, people that are ambidexterous are generally left handed to start with and it is the functioning in a right handed world from early age that develops the skill.

In music and in sport those inner demons that come out to ruin a chance, that infect a performance to the extent the person fails to live up to their potential, is that deep sub-concious bringing out their doubts and fears, in fact it is the truth of what they really believe about themselves and their abilities. So a sportsman crumbles under pressure, or a musician has panic attacks or stage fright, its the same thing as learning to play with the other hand....deep down you know there is no real reason so the task is not properly learned.

There are those that are ambidexterous, a different function completely because to the brain it makes no differnce, left or right is just as easy. In the end play with the action that is the easiest and develop it, remember any time spent away from that is just time lost and time to be added on to get to where you want to be.