my self being a lefty and the fact that everything I do but play bass and golf lefty, i found those two things are easier for me right handed. why? left hand has the most control.
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Lefties why didn't you start playing a righty?
- Thread starter KenToby
- Start date
I seem to remember playing a lefty bass when I was just starting out, and it felt weird. So I stuck with righty basses ever since. I also remember I had a friend over one day who picked up my right handed bass upside-down and started playing it lefty. Right handed guy who had never played bass/guitar before. I guess it just depends on what you're comfortable with. Personally, I think some lefties start playing left handed instruments just because they're told that they should, because they're 'left handed'. And they would have done equally well if they had started on a right-handed instrument. Likewise, some people who play right-handed instruments might play just as well if they had started out on a left-handed instrument.
I don't see any particular reason why being left-handed would make it easier to play a 'left-handed' bass. Seems like both hands are equally important on bass. If anything, our left-hand (fretting hand) is moving around more, stretching farther, and using more fingers then the right hand. The whole system almost seems backwards to me
I don't see any particular reason why being left-handed would make it easier to play a 'left-handed' bass. Seems like both hands are equally important on bass. If anything, our left-hand (fretting hand) is moving around more, stretching farther, and using more fingers then the right hand. The whole system almost seems backwards to me
So I skipped from the first page. So if I am repeating stuff, sorry, but my internet is taking about 3 minutes to load a page currently.
In someways, I see where you are coming from. Unfortunately, I think you are over looking some key things.
First, your examples, such as driving...are horrid comparisions. Playing a bass requires fine motor skills (fretting, plucking, picking, etc.). Driving does not, it requires general motions to successfully navigate a vehicle.
Second, I play lefty because when I started, I physically could not play right handed. Why? I was born with two (2) right thumbs, which were deformed. luckily for me modern science cut them off and built me a new thumb at the tender age of 9 months...unfortunately that new thumb had a third joint that didn't work. So the last bit of my right thumb wobbled (which was painful...think of having a cast removed from your wrist after 3 months, then someone grabbing said wrist and bending the hand down). The thumb had to stay that wobbly way until I was done growing. Being the slightly impatient person I am, I didn't feel like waiting to learn to play the bass for another 3 years (I got the fusion when I was 17). So, because of the wobble, which caused pain by the way, I figured it would be a far more comfortable and successful route to learning if I had my right hand do the fret work.
But, I'm bored of writing this. So...I'm off.
In someways, I see where you are coming from. Unfortunately, I think you are over looking some key things.
First, your examples, such as driving...are horrid comparisions. Playing a bass requires fine motor skills (fretting, plucking, picking, etc.). Driving does not, it requires general motions to successfully navigate a vehicle.
Second, I play lefty because when I started, I physically could not play right handed. Why? I was born with two (2) right thumbs, which were deformed. luckily for me modern science cut them off and built me a new thumb at the tender age of 9 months...unfortunately that new thumb had a third joint that didn't work. So the last bit of my right thumb wobbled (which was painful...think of having a cast removed from your wrist after 3 months, then someone grabbing said wrist and bending the hand down). The thumb had to stay that wobbly way until I was done growing. Being the slightly impatient person I am, I didn't feel like waiting to learn to play the bass for another 3 years (I got the fusion when I was 17). So, because of the wobble, which caused pain by the way, I figured it would be a far more comfortable and successful route to learning if I had my right hand do the fret work.
But, I'm bored of writing this. So...I'm off.
Because when me and my mom went to buy a bass from the crappy local music store, we didn't know there was a "handedness" component. So, I learned how to play righty.
I'm generally right handed and footed but I skateboard goofy (left foot at the back for those that don't know much about skating), a hell of alot of people who'd usually be right footed do this, it's just a strange comfort thing. My brother plays pool left handed even though he's right handed is another example of this kinda thing.
I can see why it might be seen as strange, but if your right handed your right hand is alot stronger and faster then your left so fits that role in playing guitar alot better then applied the other way round it seems to me, can see how lefties get over it though. I'm sure most people will have played lefties or got curious and reversed their guitars at some point, but when I've done either of those it doesn't feel like I've just started out on bass again from my experience (one of my old friends brought in a lefty guitar to play at school when I was a beginner and it felt strange then too so it's not just cos I'm so used to it after 8 years or so).
I can see why it might be seen as strange, but if your right handed your right hand is alot stronger and faster then your left so fits that role in playing guitar alot better then applied the other way round it seems to me, can see how lefties get over it though. I'm sure most people will have played lefties or got curious and reversed their guitars at some point, but when I've done either of those it doesn't feel like I've just started out on bass again from my experience (one of my old friends brought in a lefty guitar to play at school when I was a beginner and it felt strange then too so it's not just cos I'm so used to it after 8 years or so).
I'm a left handed bass player , I learn on a left handed bass. When I did my college degre in music I had to learn doublebass !!! so played right handed ... that was so ridiculusly difficult for me but I have to because in an orchestra you have to play like everyone in your section. The unity , being one is more important than each person.
and a piano ... you need your two hands so it doesn,t matter.
and the rythmic is easier to do with your writing hand.
and a piano ... you need your two hands so it doesn,t matter.
and the rythmic is easier to do with your writing hand.
I would say it depends a lot on the dexterity of the person and exactly how favoured they are to their left hand. When I started playing I instantly took a right handed bass and turned it upside down, there was no way I could even begin to comprehend playing it right handed as my left hand does not have the same dexterity as my right hand, ok for manual work such as drilling or using a scredriver my left hand has more strength and control. It is the same if a right handed person who had never seen a guitar/bass before picked up a Left Handed bass they would instinctively turn it upside down!
It is about how we have learned to use our hands thoughout our childhood and onwards. We will have all learnt the limitations of our less dominant hand and what we can or not do with our more dominant hand.
Having said this, there are no left handed keyboards and I feel quite at ease on these because my right hand is picking out the melody as would my right hand on the neck of the bass. The same goes when I learned the flute.
Back to the subject of learning the bass, I started on a right hand simply turned upside down, even without changing the strings. When I started having lessons and had to change the strings round I virtually had to start all over!
When I bought my first Left Handed bass I felt totally liberated!
It is about how we have learned to use our hands thoughout our childhood and onwards. We will have all learnt the limitations of our less dominant hand and what we can or not do with our more dominant hand.
Having said this, there are no left handed keyboards and I feel quite at ease on these because my right hand is picking out the melody as would my right hand on the neck of the bass. The same goes when I learned the flute.
Back to the subject of learning the bass, I started on a right hand simply turned upside down, even without changing the strings. When I started having lessons and had to change the strings round I virtually had to start all over!
When I bought my first Left Handed bass I felt totally liberated!
I'm a lefty that plays right handed. I did it because I didn't give it a second thought when I got my first bass back in '74. Right handed basses were what they had on the racks, so that is what I learned to play. I'm actually glad I learned and stuck with playing righty because I can walk into any music store, pick up any right-handed instrument and know whether or not I really like it. That would often not be possible had I insisted on playing lefty.
I certainly don't have the dexterity of a fast playing right hander, but I'm comfortable with that because I have also found that speed has a very limited place in music. As a lefty playing right, I learned to play well enough that I toured the US professionally for several years and I continue to be the "go to" bass player for a respectable number of very talented musicians. Most people are quite surprised to find that I'm actually a left-hander.
I certainly don't have the dexterity of a fast playing right hander, but I'm comfortable with that because I have also found that speed has a very limited place in music. As a lefty playing right, I learned to play well enough that I toured the US professionally for several years and I continue to be the "go to" bass player for a respectable number of very talented musicians. Most people are quite surprised to find that I'm actually a left-hander.
im left handed and the first time i picked up a guitar i wanted to do the picking with my left hand. that was the natural way for me. it really felt weird for me to hold a guitar right handed. my dad played guitar and it was strung for a right hander. so i started just learning on it and i have always played right handed. i couldnt play a lefty now at all. i think it did help me with fretting speed though. since my dominate left hand is doing the fretting.
A kid picking up a bat for the first time, instinctually puts it either on his/her left shoulder if they are lefty, or the right one if they are righty. Why does anyone think its' any different with a bass?
TRY THIS: If you hold your hands like you're pretending you are holding a baseball bat right handed, resting on your right shoulder. -don't do anything but hold your hands in the same position and slide the bat downwards as if it was 'morphing' into a bass- then, 'slide' your right hand up the imaginary neck...viola! you are a lefty bassist! WEIRD, HUH? If you do it the other way, you are a lefty batter, righty bassist. I show people this all the time and it still mystifies them. It has always felt extremely uncomfortable for me to hold a bass in the righty position. I cannot do it. Lefty feels natural to me, and has worked great for 41 years now. Oh, I throw lefty, and I bat righty. I also write with my right hand, due to my parents 'switching' me during infancy, as was done in the early 50's. This now is why I know I'm nuts, thanks, mom and dad!
TRY THIS: If you hold your hands like you're pretending you are holding a baseball bat right handed, resting on your right shoulder. -don't do anything but hold your hands in the same position and slide the bat downwards as if it was 'morphing' into a bass- then, 'slide' your right hand up the imaginary neck...viola! you are a lefty bassist! WEIRD, HUH? If you do it the other way, you are a lefty batter, righty bassist. I show people this all the time and it still mystifies them. It has always felt extremely uncomfortable for me to hold a bass in the righty position. I cannot do it. Lefty feels natural to me, and has worked great for 41 years now. Oh, I throw lefty, and I bat righty. I also write with my right hand, due to my parents 'switching' me during infancy, as was done in the early 50's. This now is why I know I'm nuts, thanks, mom and dad!
since I play upside down, I'll throw in my 2 cents:
maybe it was my mixed up logic at the time, but I always felt to create notes from low to high, you should be playing strings in the direction of the tone -- low string on the bottom, working your way up to high string for high notes.
is it unique to play upside down? yes.
is it harder to play that way , nope.
not unless you already played the correct way, and now are trying to switch.
the only disadvantage upside downers have is no tabs or teachers, however if your good, then you do what I do...listen, and learn.
like 100 people said already, whatever feels more natural, and comfortable to you, is what you have to do to "get-it-done"
maybe it was my mixed up logic at the time, but I always felt to create notes from low to high, you should be playing strings in the direction of the tone -- low string on the bottom, working your way up to high string for high notes.
is it unique to play upside down? yes.
is it harder to play that way , nope.
not unless you already played the correct way, and now are trying to switch.
the only disadvantage upside downers have is no tabs or teachers, however if your good, then you do what I do...listen, and learn.
like 100 people said already, whatever feels more natural, and comfortable to you, is what you have to do to "get-it-done"
I play this way also. Some things are a bit harder, some a bit easier but it really doesn't make a big difference. The only notable exception to this is Slap/pop. It's totally different and you have to come up with your own style because there is certainly not going to be any info on slapping a G and popping an E string.
I think this is a pretty cool thread. I'm a lefty but play righty. When i picked up my first bass I immediately went to right handed basses. Lefty basses feel sooooo bizarre to me. It may have been because i started playing cello in first or second grade (i cant remember if it felt more comfortable to switch bow hands (didnt even occur to me as a possibility since it wasnt an option)
I'm interested in what it feels like for a right handed bassist to play a righty bass...as a lefty i really like having the increased dexterity on the neck.
I'm interested in what it feels like for a right handed bassist to play a righty bass...as a lefty i really like having the increased dexterity on the neck.
I play this way also. Some things are a bit harder, some a bit easier but it really doesn't make a big difference. The only notable exception to this is Slap/pop. It's totally different and you have to come up with your own style because there is certainly not going to be any info on slapping a G and popping an E string.
you are 100% correct, however, being the humans that we are, we ADAPT, and ya I CAN do it, and it LOOKS weird, but produces the same result, and it is a lot harder than people think, so I SAY:
LET THE NORMAL PLAYERS HANDLE THAT, ILL STICK TO STANDARD STRING STRIKES << YOU SEE I SAID STRIKES, NOT STROKES
( I always loved a challenge and for all the stuff I needed to do, slap/pop wasn't ever a necessity, just an added thrill/bonus to show the folks it can be done if needed )
I'm a lefty but the first bass I ever came in contact with at my school was right handed and it just felt good to me. I learned this way and that's the way I play.
I'm kind of ambidextrous anyways.
I'm kind of ambidextrous anyways.
