Which hand?

[Jake Chess]

I'm new to the bass and before I start, it would be important to know which hand I should 'strum/pluck' with and which hand I should hold the strings down with.

Erm... How do I know if I am a lefty or righty bassist?

[sonnet79]

Originally Posted by Jake Chess

I'm new to the bass and before I start, it would be important to know which hand I should 'strum/pluck' with and which hand I should hold the strings down with.

Erm... How do I know if I am a lefty or righty bassist?

Usually it's determined by what hand you write with (there are a few anomalies out there).

[Jake Chess]

Alright, that makes sense. The thing is that I am semi-ambidextrous.

I write with my right hand, but for other things such as playing baseball, tennis, and fencing I use my left hand.

[mister-o]

If you have the opportunity, try out lefty and righty basses and see what feels right to you. There is no universal right or wrong answer, only what works for you.

[Jake Chess]

Originally Posted by mister-o

If you have the opportunity, try out lefty and righty basses and see what feels right to you. There is no universal right or wrong answer, only what works for you.

A very sound piece of advice, thanks!

[defiend]

I'm left handed, still choose to go for the "Right-handed" way. Now I'm glad I did it since I get to keep my left hand on the fretboard. I would suggest just sitting down with a bass and see what feels natural.

[Setebos]

I'm a lefty too but decided to start playing as a righty. I dont regret it.
You can play on any bass and you have more options when you want to buy a bass.

[NKUSigEp]

Just go right-handed. It's easier finding a right-handed bass. And there's no such thing as "semi-ambidextrous". It's like being pregnant, you are or you aren't.

[maturanesa]

if you are righty, you are a righty bassist and viceversa...

[FretlessMainly]

So many people, musicians included, ask me why a righty fingers with the left hand, because they think that the fingering is more difficult than strumming or picking or pizzicato.

The thing is, a righty uses the right hand to pluck the notes because the dominant hand is generally better at maintaining a cadence and at being coordinated in large movements. Fingering the notes can be learned by the non-dominant hand because it relies more on small-scale precision than on larger-scale fluid consistency. The dominant hand is more in control of the overall movement on the instrument in the plucking position.

My thoughts, anyway.

Whichever hand/arm is more fluid (think rhythm) to you; that's the one you should strum/pick/pluck with. If they seem equal, go righty, as NKU said.

[Jake Chess]

Alright, I'll just go and try a lefty bass and a righty to see which feels better.

[electracoyote]

Originally Posted by Jake Chess

Alright, I'll just go and try a lefty bass and a righty to see which feels better.

I usually have my students go with the hand that has more rhythmic control. Yes, eventually you will want both hands to have a coordinated rhythmic control, but putting the dominant rhythmic hand on the strumming/plucking end seems to work best at the outset.

Left-handed instruments are not as abundant and sometimes more expensive, but if your left hand is truly the rhythmically dominant, you should approach it as a lefty.

[Plays_For_Dog]

My bet is you will use a right handed bass. A strong, independent left hand will help with learning cords. Plus, there are a lot more bass options for right handed bass players.

[mambo4]

I vote righty, simply for the less expensive and greater options of instruments available. Lefties have played righty without issue.

Unless you need to share a mic with george harrison...

[Jhengsman]

Originally Posted by Jake Chess

Alright, that makes sense. The thing is that I am semi-ambidextrous.

I write with my right hand, but for other things such as playing baseball, tennis, and fencing I use my left hand.

That is exactly what I am. I learned guitar right handed. You can play anyone's bass on loan and teaching material is set up for the majority

[Engine207]

Originally Posted by NKUSigEp

And there's no such thing as "semi-ambidextrous". It's like being pregnant, you are or you aren't.

I don't agree. I dunno what the technical definition for my condition is, but my left side has more strength, while my right side has more dexterity. When I started playing bass, my teacher suggested that since I was just starting out, I wouldn't have a strong natural preference (especially considering my "bidexterousness").

As it turns out, it was good advice for the reasons that others have mentioned about the availability of instruments and many teachers have an easier time communicating their lessons when working with same-handed students.

Funny thing is, when I "air bass"...I do it lefty!

[Jake Chess]

Well, I checked out my brother's bass and a friends bass (my friend is lefty) and asked me to repeat strumming a pattern of notes G, G, A, A, D, D, E, E (nothing for fretting) in different rhythms and tempos.. It was a test to find finger consistency. My left hand did very well, but my right hand would get tired more and loose it's place (and is generally slower).

Knowing this, what should I do now?

[FretlessMainly]

Put on a copy of "The Kids are Alright" and air guitar to Townshend.

Which way did you instinctively do it?

I'm actually quite serious. Your body should be somewhat predisposed to doing things the way it perceives is the best way.

[Engine207]

Originally Posted by Jake Chess

Well, I checked out my brother's bass and a friends bass (my friend is lefty) and asked me to repeat strumming a pattern of notes G, G, A, A, D, D, E, E (nothing for fretting) in different rhythms and tempos.. It was a test to find finger consistency. My left hand did very well, but my right hand would get tired more and loose it's place (and is generally slower).

Knowing this, what should I do now?

It's really just an indication of stamina. Either of them will build strength and endurance as you continue to play. Playing left-handed may give you a faster start, since it's doing well, but it's not really possible to say where your right hand would be in a week or two...

It's just a good old fashioned case of weighing the benefits and disadvantages of both:

Lefty (+)
Currently comfortable
Looks cool
Inevitable Paul McCartney comparisons

Lefty (-)
Difficult to find basses
Possible additional expense
Possible difficulty with teachers/texts
Bump headstocks with guitarist if you are on stage left
Inevitable Paul McCartney comparisons

Righty (+)
Huge selection of basses from which to choose
Most instructional material written/taught for righties
Generally less expensive used market, due to competition

Righty (-)
Might take some getting used to
Look just like everyone else
Susceptible to more frequent GAS attacks

There are probably more, but that's a start...Good luck, man!

[FretlessMainly]

Good stuff from Engine207. Forget about speed and stamina right now. Which way felt more natural?