Lefties playing Right?

[k31bassman]

I just read recently, Phil Lesh is left-handed but of course plays bass right-handed.

I'm right-handed, and can't do much of anything left-handed except shoot a rifle. If that seems weird, there's a perfectly logical reason for it - I'm left-eye (and ear) dominant.

Me, too. But I shoot pistols right-handed using my left eye. Probably not ideal, though.

 

[Flamingo21]

It seems to me there are two schools of thought here.

There's those who seem to feel lefties are on the good side of things:

I also think using our dominant hand as the fretting hand is an advantage.

I don't think I'd be much good playing left handed on any string instrument at this point. Just putting my arms in that position feels weird.

My Gr8 ukulele teacher knew I was a left handed writer, but said I should play right, because as a lefty your finger dexterity would be better for chording.

I believe it takes more dexterity to play notes / chords that to strum / pick / pluck. It's the right handers that are doing things backwards.

I consider the fretting hand to be doing just as much work as the picking hand. I prefer fretting with my dominant hand, so I play righty basses.

Which makes it almost look as if the righthanded people are doing things the wrong way around.

But on the other hand (pun not intended), there's those who seem to feel sort of "handicapped" by their leftiness:

My old guitarist plays righty and is left handed. He's a phenomenal player, but says he's a little limited in how he uses his picking/strumming hand.

Although it does provide an advantage at first (when fretting is the biggest challenge) I think it has held me back overall.
(...)
I frequently feel that playing backwards makes driving the rhythm more difficult.

I can't help but think that guitars, violins, etc. are made the way they are, with the right hand doing one thing and the left another, for a reason. Thus, I often wonder if I would be better playing the true left handed way.

An alternative idea: maybe at the end of the day, two things are unrelated. Maybe a disposition to write/cut/shoot with a certain hand, is unrelated to being comfy with a certain orientation of bass (or other instrument).

You think that's possible?

 

[mcarp555]

Actually, for all intents and purposes a piano is a right handed instrument such that the high notes are on the right (treble clef) and the low notes are on the left (bass clef). This is because treble clef is always the lead or melody which almost always requires more dexterity than the low notes or rhythm....of course this varies with the piece of music though, but....

So you admit that the hand you use for fingering on the neck is the left one; yet on a piano you would use the right one to pick out a melody. To me, a piano is left-handed because the hand with the greater need for rhythmic control is the left, whereas the hand used for melodic finesse would be the right. Or you could simply accept that a piano is neither left- or right-handed instead of trying to see it through your bias.

 

[B-Mac]

So you admit that the hand you use for fingering on the neck is the left one; yet on a piano you would use the right one to pick out a melody. To me, a piano is left-handed because the hand with the greater need for rhythmic control is the left, whereas the hand used for melodic finesse would be the right. Or you could simply accept that a piano is neither left- or right-handed instead of trying to see it through your bias.

We’ll never agree because of your left handedness. But the left handed piano link was interesting wasn’t it?

 

[delta7fred]

Another lefty who plays righty here, and very glad I do. My very small local mom and pop guitar shop has 3 lefty guitars (one strung righty) and no lefty basses. It has 12 righty basses.

When I started playing (mid 60's) I never even though about playing lefty. A friend had a Spanish guitar and we would all take turns (trying) to play it. Those of us that could play something that sounded remotely like chords formed a band. (I switched to bass because even then guitarists were a dime a dozen.)

 

[mcarp555]

We’ll never agree because of your left handedness. But the left handed piano link was interesting wasn’t it?

No, I think we won't agree because you insist on a piano being one hand or the other, which it simply isn't, no matter how much you say otherwise. As for the link, didn't click on it; not interested.

 

[Bioflava]

@instrumentalist -- thanks for the summary... To answer your question: Sure, it's possible that playing an instrument "backwards" has no impact on one's ability, but, if that's the case, can anyone name me one prominent left-handed professional bassist who plays as a righty?

Jimmy Haslip is a prominent lefty and he plays righty bases -- but upside down so his dominant hand is plucking. Of course there's Sir Paul, but he plays as a lefty... So, I can identify several famous left-handed bassists -- but none who play as a righty. Am I missing someone?

 

[Flamingo21]

If that's the case, can anyone name me [B]one[/B] prominent left-handed professional bassist who plays as a righty?

Perhaps they're there. But how will we even know them to be lefthanded people, if they play "normally", i.e. "righthanded"? You don't always get that info from interviews and the like.

So, out of all prominent bassists playing "normally", you'd have to find out for each of them whether they're rightie or leftie, before you can answer your question.

And no, I don't happen to know one. Myself, I'm a lefty playing "normally" so I dream of becoming that one.

 

[Bioflava]

@instrumentalist --> I encourage your rise to fame on one condition....

When you are interviewed, you have to mention that you are a lefty who plays righty

For my part, I have thought seriously about switching, but I'm in my mid-40s so it doesn't seem like a good use of time... So I concentrate on both working on my plucking and, as you point out, trying to move past the issue when I practice by locating the rhythm in my heart

 

[Flamingo21]

When you are interviewed, you have to mention that you are a lefty who plays righty

You got it.

 

[Luciferiad]

I'm a righty. But my dad and my little brother are lefties who play righty. For dad, my grandma tells me that grandpa forced him to learn to play guitar right handed because "no son of his was gonna play guitar southpaw." I dunno, it was western Texas in the 60s and maybe there's a story there. Or maybe grandpa was a jerk.

My brother is ambidextrous but favors his left, and learned to play bass righty because of instrument availability. I didn't teach him. He's actually sort of naturally talented which I find very annoying.

 

[ERIC31]

My young daughter is interested in playing bass and is a total lefty. I found this SX lefty bass and am considering getting it. I don’t want to force her to play righty when it doesn’t come naturally.

 

[Badwater]

I do left, but play right.

 

[drumwagon]

My experience playing drums left handed convinced me to play bass right handed. In short it's a PITA playing left handed in a right handed world.

Drums sets at stores / shared / sit in gigs, the sets are alway backwards for me. I can't tell you how many times I ended up just swapping the floor tom / snare / hi hat and playing with everything else in a horrible ergonomic position (sound guys just love it when you start moving gear).

When I took up bass I made the conscious decision to play right handed for this reason. It's so nice to walk into a store and have a wide selection to choice from, without having to compensate. Or being able to try a friend's bass as it was meant to be played.

I will say as a drummer I definitely go with the flow when things are not optimal. I have friends who freak out if things are not exactly like their set....the throne is not the right height, the crash is too high. Me, I'm happy if my left foot is on the kick pedal.

 

[Flamingo21]

View attachment 3191993 My young daughter is interested in playing bass and is a total lefty. I found this SX lefty bass and am considering getting it. I don’t want to force her to play righty when it doesn’t come naturally.

Did you buy it, ERIC31? And how is it working out for her?

 

[theduke1]

I also am left handed playing right
In 65 when I wanted to take up bass left hand bass guitars were rare and expensive my mom was a single parent so my first bas and amp was a Sears Slivertone which cost $75 used. At that time it was a whole weeks pay for my mom.
The only drawback for me is using a pick is something I have not mastered.
With my dominant hand on the neck it makes me a better player
Also
Mom
Wherever you are, weather you know it or not
You did good
Still missed after 29 years
Duke

 

[buldog5151bass]

I'm a lefty. Forty-some years ago, I started playing a right guitar. I think anyone can learn either, but I actually think it makes more sense, with your dominant hand doing the more complex movements.

 

[ERIC31]

Did you buy it, ERIC31? And how is it working out for her?

Christmas present most likely!

 

[txdahaley]

I write left handed. I eat and drink with my left hand. I shoot a rifle with my left hand (left eye dominant). If I sit down at a drum kit, I must have the highhat on my right side so I can hit it with my left hand. However, I must play the kick drum with my right foot, so drums and I never work out.

I shoot a sidearm with my right hand. I hold a knife and scissors with my right hand. I hammer with my right hand. I play bass right handed, and I do so because no one in Kiss was left handed. I dunno... it just felt natural to play right handed, so that's how I learned.

Pecan pie, though - I use both hands to eat pecan pie.

 

[Wood and Wire]

Another one here.

When I got bit by the bass bug, I borrowed my sister's acoustic guitar, stripped it down to 4 strings, and gave myself 3 months to try it strung left, and then right handed, before buying a real bass guitar.

Right handed just felt a little more natural, and the fact that right handed instruments were plentiful, and left handed instruments were significantly more expensive (as well as looking really goofy, to my eye) swung it for me.

Besides, if Bruce Willis could take back Nakatomi Plaza, as a Lefty, with right handed firearms ; I could probably figure out "Peaches" by The Stranglers, as a Lefty, with a right handed bass.