Lefties why didn't you start playing a righty?

[avid]

Definition:trolling


If you feel inclined toward research you can see that most of the anti-arguments would fit into one of the following categories of illogical reasoning.

Link Removed

 

[KingOfAmps]

Is there a reason why the dominant hand plucks the strings?

This, IMO, is the most important question in this thread.

 

[nellie48]

So you were completely unaware they came in left and right handed models?

Of course not. I knew that their were left handed models, but as a 12 year old kid it would have seemed ridiculous to play something you were not "supposed" to.

 

[KenToby]

Once we imagine ourselves without a concept of how a bass should be held or played (only knowing the basic tone it produces), we may even find ourselves playing it with our toes and noses (for example).

From what I'm reading, unfortunatly most are starting their argument somewhere after an informed, commonly accepted concept is formed.

Start at my square one concept and it isn't so difficult to understand.

Thanks,

P.S.

The name calling, etc. isn't bothering me. The fuss over such a simple concept is quite entertaining I must admit...

KT

Still can't see what's so difficult to understand. Of course this subject does carry some emotional weight.

But can't you naysayers see that it doesn't make sense that the dominant hand (right handers for example) is just doing simple picking when the left is doing the intricate fretting. That's not an opinion. That is a fact.

So why is it so natural for the weak hand to do the hard work? Handedness doesn't really come into play here.

This was just an exploration into a fresh subject on these boards. And that should be pretty cool in itself.
And I'm really sorry it's so hard for lefties to find basses. Truly I am.

 

[Brad Johnson]

Once we imagine ourselves without a concept of how a bass should be held or played (only knowing the basic tone it produces), we may even find ourselves playing it with our toes and noses (for example).

From what I'm reading, unfortunatly most are starting their argument somewhere after an informed, commonly accepted concept is formed.

Start at my square one concept and it isn't so difficult to understand.

Thanks,

P.S.

The name calling, etc. isn't bothering me. The fuss over such a simple concept is quite entertaining I must admit...

KT

I don't get the anger in this thread... does being a lefty piss LH'd people off?

 

[Brad Johnson]

Yea I have an Idea, go outside with somebody and have a catch with a football left and right handed and then comeback and tell us how stupid you were for starting such an idiotic thread about a common sense subject!

Most people I know catch a football with BOTH hands... or, barring that, the hand closest to the ball.

Stupid? Common sense? Idiotic? Wow.

 

[Brad Johnson]

Of course not. I knew that their were left handed models, but as a 12 year old kid it would have seemed ridiculous to play something you were not "supposed" to.

That makes no sense in light of this:

"Originally Posted by Disc
This is entirely true. When someone firt handed me a guitar I flipped it over, not because I knew it was the lefty way but because it didnt feel right (lol) the other way".

If he didn't know which way he was not "supposed" to play something, why would he think it was ridiculous?

 

[nellie48]

There must be a reason why the dominant hand is in charge of the string plucking/strumming and the weaker hand is in charge of the the more dexteritous job. Anybody know??? I would like to have a reason for playing the way I do, not just because "that's the way it's always been boy".

 

[nellie48]

That makes no sense in light of this:

"Originally Posted by Disc
This is entirely true. When someone firt handed me a guitar I flipped it over, not because I knew it was the lefty way but because it didnt feel right (lol) the other way".

If he didn't know which way he was not "supposed" to play something, why would he think it was ridiculous?

I had no idea what I was doing when I first played bass. I was just a little kid with no guidance. It didn't even occur to me that flipping it over was an option. I wish I had tried it out both ways. It would have answered a question that is impossible to answer now. Which way was more natural for me?

 

[Brad Johnson]

I had no idea what I was doing when I first played bass. I was just a little kid with no guidance. It didn't even occur to me that flipping it over was an option. I wish I had tried it out both ways. It would have answered a question that is impossible to answer now. Which way was more natural for me?

You've addressed nothing in what you quoted. In fact, this is the second time you quoted me with something that has nothing to do with what I wrote.

 

[Brad Johnson]

There must be a reason why the dominant hand is in charge of the string plucking/strumming and the weaker hand is in charge of the the more dexteritous job. Anybody know??? I would like to have a reason for playing the way I do, not just because "that's the way it's always been boy".

Because the first thing you learn to do is strike the string. Defining pitch comes later.

 

[alfredpunkjazz]

GOOD POINT IN THERE...

 

[slugworth]

I don't get the anger in this thread... does being a lefty piss LH'd people off?

Being left handed is the mark of the beast. Everybody knows that

 

[Brad Johnson]

Being left handed is the mark of the beast. Everybody knows that

And the beast is in a particularly foul mood.

 

[SGT. Pepper]

Most people I know catch a football with BOTH hands... or, barring that, the hand closest to the ball.

Stupid? Common sense? Idiotic? Wow.

The point isin't suppose to be the catching part, the point is the throwing part. In other words do you throw left handed or right handed? If you are right handed did you ever try to throw a ball with your left?
Doesn't workout too well does it. You can't through as accurate or as hard.
Well it's the same thing with left and right handed basses :scowl:


(EDIT MM) Name calling will not be tolerated !

 

[danomite64]

can't you naysayers see that it doesn't make sense that the dominant hand (right handers for example) is just doing simple picking when the left is doing the intricate fretting. That's not an opinion. That is a fact.

So why is it so natural for the weak hand to do the hard work? Handedness doesn't really come into play here.

If everybody thought this way, 99% of all instruments would be what we now call left-handed, as your 'fact' would apply to righties too.

 

[One Drop]

Following the logic of the points brought up concerning whether the dominant hand should be plucking or fretting, and following the OP's argument that everyone can learn to play one way, it is just as easy to argue that everyone learning to play electric bass should start by playing lefty.

Some of the points in this thread are very interesting to me, namely how important a dominant hand is when the action involved requires the synchronization of both hands. What hasn't been explored is the relationship of the brain's functioning to the hand being used to perform an action: I suspect this is as important to the issue as the pure physical act of performing the action.

I don't understand why people are so inflamed by the OP, but as a lefty I can understand the reflexive anger at the assumption that performing any action left handed should be discouraged for any reason. Even if there is absolutely no advantage to learning either way for a complete beginner, I still defend the right of people to decide to play lefty or righty, even if it is merely an aesthetic choice. The idea of a crusade for uniformity for the sole purpose of giving a right handed player a greater choice of instruments sounds a bit misguided to me, to say the least.

 

[rickon]

The performance of each hand is obviously associated with the hemisphere it coincides with.

I don't think KenToby was after a greater selection of
instruments for righties. We already have that. Just an interesting observation in human behavior and physiology.

I don't claim to know why an instrument such as a guitar or bass intended for the majority of the population(righties) is designed with the left hand doing the more complex fretting.

Could be that since the guitar came first and it was picked arpeggio style at first that the right hand did indeed do at least as much if not more work than the left. And the subsequent instruments to come were just constructed in the same fashion. Whether they be rhythm guitars, basses or whatever.

Just idle conjecture, as a fun excercise in thought.
Take it or shove it.

 

[Brad Johnson]

Following the logic of the points brought up concerning whether the dominant hand should be plucking or fretting, and following the OP's argument that everyone can learn to play one way, it is just as easy to argue that everyone learning to play electric bass should start by playing lefty.

Some of the points in this thread are very interesting to me, namely how important a dominant hand is when the action involved requires the synchronization of both hands. What hasn't been explored is the relationship of the brain's functioning to the hand being used to perform an action: I suspect this is as important to the issue as the pure physical act of performing the action.

I don't understand why people are so inflamed by the OP, but as a lefty I can understand the reflexive anger at the assumption that performing any action left handed should be discouraged for any reason. Even if there is absolutely no advantage to learning either way for a complete beginner, I still defend the right of people to decide to play lefty or righty, even if it is merely an aesthetic choice. The idea of a crusade for uniformity for the sole purpose of giving a right handed player a greater choice of instruments sounds a bit misguided to me, to say the least.

I'm guessing you meant the crusade was for left handed people, not right. And I didn't see where that was the sole purpose of Ken's thread.

Didn't realized so many left handed people were so angry about this stuff.

 

[goathead]

IMHO, rhythm is foundational, the "line work" of a drawing/artwork. Color is less important and only looks as good as it's laid out to begin with.

The dominate hand takes care of the important, and gets less credit than deserved because...it's easyer to manipulate do to the fact that it's dominant.

I will say though, that a player can mature and start expreseesing rhythm with fretting and plucking hand, and I'm enjoying this thread...