Overhand technique for the left hand

[AlstottMVP2]

I saw a local guitarist play a complex lead the other night - he played it with his left hand over the top of the guitar. very cool, crowd went crazy, etc.

I was wondering if anyone had any experience playing this way, or any youtube clips of guys playing that way. thanks!

 

[tswd]

I've never done it myself. The only person I know who plays that way all the time is Jeff Healey. He usually sits down, but I've seen clips of him standing up and playing.

 

[jschwalls]

I do this alot.. probably even when i don't need to.. but it does get a great response every time.. Even better is to watch my guitarist try to do it after they see the response i get.. and they fall on their face every time... LOL

I started after seeing Billy Sheehan do it back in 1992... Michael Angelo Batio does it ALOT. And several other players use it from time to time.

The best way to get into it is to find a cool one string riff in one of your favorite songs you play.. practice it. And hit the stage..

i also like to flip flop my hand during the riff, over/under/over/under.... that gets a much better reaction..

check out some Steve Vai and Billy Sheehan vids.

 

[grieverOSOK]

practice. thats all there is too it. just take liens you would play live and practice them with your hand over top. you'll prolly pick it up pretty quick.

i dont do it much but if its at an appropriate point in a song i will to give the crowd something interesting to look at

 

[sabassman]

Yep I've done it too. What's funny is I'm a country player (coming from a rock background way back in the 80s). You shoulda seen the singer's eyes the first time he noticed me doing it. Ha!!

The guitarist pulled it off too! Now it's something we do together once in awhile. Tre cool.

Anyway, I saw it first with Rudy Sarzo of Quiet Riot, Ozzy, Whitesnake etc.

 

[Muss]

I do it alot in my metal band, especially in the parts when the bass plays a lone, and you have the full attention of the crowd-that's you're moment to shine!
I saw a billy sheehan video and said something like: " I Tried to play this way and I saw it wasn't that hard so I kept going"..
so I triedd it and it ti's hard! so I keep doing it

 

[OldFunker]

For those wondering what this technique is about, here's Sekou Bunch letting it rip towards the end of the video.

 

[Ritter667]

That's all fine and dandy but can you play it with the bass upside down on your back, swapping hand function as well, while doing a backwards flip through a loop on fire?

 

[Major Seven]

Ever see Stanley Jordan play two guitars?

 

[TOOL460002]

This has two guitarists doing that around 30sec in:

 

[TOOL460002]

Nevermind. Dragonforce also has simultaneous dual guitar plus bass all going over the neck. Not sure I've seen this live version:

 

[Shenron]

If it makes me do some lines that are otherwise impossibile in a normal position, then I might check it out one day. Otherwise I have never been interested in something purely for shows (such as playing with the guitar behind your back).

Flipping hands i.e. using the right hand behind the left hand does have some uses. For instance on guitar you can hold down lower notes with the right hand to work as pivot while hammering/pulling off higher notes with the left hand. I don't know if overhand can let me do something I normally can't, maybe some unusual chord?

 

[SteveCS]

If it makes me do some lines that are otherwise impossibile in a normal position, then I might check it out one day. Otherwise I have never been interested in something purely for shows (such as playing with the guitar behind your back).

Flipping hands i.e. using the right hand behind the left hand does have some uses. For instance on guitar you can hold down lower notes with the right hand to work as pivot while hammering/pulling off higher notes with the left hand. I don't know if overhand can let me do something I normally can't, maybe some unusual chord?

Totally with you on the parlour-tricks aspect of over-hand playing. I can't imagine anything that can't be done through normal means. I do occasionally use the right behind the left, and I do use a variation on 'thumb position' to enable certain open chord voicings - stacked 6ths and 5ths instead of 3rds and 4ths.