Switching to Lefty

[mstillman]

TL;DR: If you've ever switched to playing lefty, how hard was it? What was it like? Any tips? Was there an 'epiphany' where your mind/hands/ just 'got it'?

Background: Yes, it's one of my dumber sounding thread titles, but there's a reason behind it...plus, I'm bored waiting for IT to remotely mess up my laptop.

That left elbow pain absent for a few years has returned. Saw the specialist and I start PT next week. When I mentioned I recently increased my bass playing from about 3 hrs/wk to maybe 6 (whether that's a lot depending on how you score it), he said he doesn't see many bass guitarists or guitarists with tennis elbow; that's lateral epicondylitis for you anatomy geeks. He's saying it's much more likely that free weights aggravated it.

Even so, it makes some sense that extending my gympy left elbow might be better than flexing it, so I'm thinking of getting a lefty bass. It's an apples-to-oranges comparison, but I made the righty mouse to lefty mouse switch without any problems with the handedness or primary/secondary buttons.

Looking for feedback by folks who have done this, realizing there'll likely be much individual variation. Tips appreciated, other than "Go back to playing keys." I'm already considering that.

 

[two fingers]

I'm guessing there aren't many of us here who have switched after years of playing the other way.

But the mind and body are both amazing designs. Sure, it will take some effort. But I say go for it. I'm left handed but play right handed. Left handed people type on the same keyboards and play on the same pianos as everyone else. You WILL adapt.

Also, back down on the weight of your free weights and increase volume. I had some joint pain when I first hit the gym hard earlier this year. Lowering the weight and increasing the reps (until I got stronger and allowed my muscles/tendons/ligaments to build up) really helped. Now I'm increasing weight dramatically.

Looking into an anti-inflammatory diet could help as well.

I'm no orthopedist or general practitioner. So ease into anything you try and stop and/or call your doc if something goes haywire.

 

[51PRI]

TL;DR: If you've ever switched to playing lefty, how hard was it? What was it like? Any tips? Was there an 'epiphany' where your mind/hands/ just 'got it'?

Background: Yes, it's one of my dumber sounding thread titles, but there's a reason behind it...plus, I'm bored waiting for IT to remotely mess up my laptop.

That left elbow pain absent for a few years has returned. Saw the specialist and I start PT next week. When I mentioned I recently increased my bass playing from about 3 hrs/wk to maybe 6 (whether that's a lot depending on how you score it), he said he doesn't see many bass guitarists or guitarists with tennis elbow; that's lateral epicondylitis for you anatomy geeks. He's saying it's much more likely that free weights aggravated it.

Even so, it makes some sense that extending my gympy left elbow might be better than flexing it, so I'm thinking of getting a lefty bass. It's an apples-to-oranges comparison, but I made the righty mouse to lefty mouse switch without any problems with the handedness or primary/secondary buttons.

Looking for feedback by folks who have done this, realizing there'll likely be much individual variation. Tips appreciated, other than "Go back to playing keys." I'm already considering that.

I considered getting a left handed guitar and messing around with it. There was left handed Strat copy cheap at the local music store. Then, after thinking about it, I realized that it would be dumb, at this point in my life, to go back to, essentially, square one and start to relearn everything again instead of spending time trying to improve on my right handed technique. I DID play that left handed guitar in the store, and realized that playing left handed would be a big challenge, and in the end for me a waste of time. I've used the mouse left handed, too, and learned to eat left handed so I can still work. Those are pretty easy. Left handed guitar not so much. Good luck, though, whatever you do.

 

[buldog5151bass]

I've read of several Macca clones who did it. My suggestion , before you spend any money, take your cheapest bass and re-string it. If the knows are in the way, put a piece of painters tape over them. Start with something simple a few minutes a day, and keep increasing.

 

[prndltech]

I write with my left hand, but do several things right handed including playing bass. I’ve always been curious about trying to play lefty, but Ive never bought one to try. I’m curious to hear about it if you decide to try it

 

[Old Garage-Bander]

See how the PT goes first. Insurance won't cover the cost of a bass.

 

[mikewalker]

I have been playing 'righty' for 48 years, and spent a lot of time in bands with two lefty guitarists - so I have become quite adept at playing a left-handed instrument upside down. (just flipped over, but still played right handed). And I always kept a lefty guest guitar around in my studio (a really nice one, so I played it that way quite a lot).

A few years ago I bought a lefty Hofner for "brain-training", with the express intention of playing it LEFTY (plucking with left hand, fretting with right hand).

HUMBLING is a colossal understatement!! Wow. I discovered how much of my musical activity is actually running on autopilot. I can play pretty much any stringed instrument right-handed with my eyes closed. Just think it, and the hands do their stuff. That totally doesn't work for me, playing left handed

 

[JimmyM]

I have no desire to work that hard.

 

[JackNoneReacher]

As a lefty I consider it frequently. The is especially the case when I want to try something at a store. I’ve wondered how long it will take me to redevelop the years or technique. I still have not made the transition, but I can play pretty well on a righty guitar and bass.

 

[Ric5]

TL;DR: If you've ever switched to playing lefty, how hard was it? What was it like? Any tips? Was there an 'epiphany' where your mind/hands/ just 'got it'?

Background: Yes, it's one of my dumber sounding thread titles, but there's a reason behind it...plus, I'm bored waiting for IT to remotely mess up my laptop.

That left elbow pain absent for a few years has returned. Saw the specialist and I start PT next week. When I mentioned I recently increased my bass playing from about 3 hrs/wk to maybe 6 (whether that's a lot depending on how you score it), he said he doesn't see many bass guitarists or guitarists with tennis elbow; that's lateral epicondylitis for you anatomy geeks. He's saying it's much more likely that free weights aggravated it.

Even so, it makes some sense that extending my gympy left elbow might be better than flexing it, so I'm thinking of getting a lefty bass. It's an apples-to-oranges comparison, but I made the righty mouse to lefty mouse switch without any problems with the handedness or primary/secondary buttons.

Looking for feedback by folks who have done this, realizing there'll likely be much individual variation. Tips appreciated, other than "Go back to playing keys." I'm already considering that.

 

[80jazz]

Also, back down on the weight of your free weights and increase volume. I had some joint pain when I first hit the gym hard earlier this year. Lowering the weight and increasing the reps (until I got stronger and allowed my muscles/tendons/ligaments to build up) really helped. Now I'm increasing weight dramatically.

As another lifter, I support this. I had to change my approach a few years ago based on the way my shoulders acted (they are fine now and I did no damage then. Having a father who had recent shoulder surgery likely helped this).

 

[Jimmy4string]

I play bad enough right handed .
Also, just looking at someone playing left handed makes my head hurt a bit. I think i will go lie down now...

 

[Ric5]

 

[kentiki]

Back in the day, we added a guitarist that I hadn't previously met. We were standing together on break at a gig, when a patron came up and asked him if he used to play in XYZ band. The guitarist replied yes. The patron said But weren't you lefthanded? Later I asked him about it. He said he started playing guitar first lefthanded with the guitar strung righty, then lefty with the strings strung lefty and then finally righty. He was pretty good.

 

[ewarren88]

Props to you for (potentially) taking on this task. I have messed around a bit with lefty playing just for the challenge of it, and it was certainly that! To be fair, I probably didn’t get past 20 hours or so. I did not have your incentive of pain-fee playing so I just kind of lost interest.

Maybe you’ve already considered this, but just as another possible path for avoiding pain… Would the position of an electric upright bass (in your typical righty orientation) be more comfortable? For that transition you’d still have the learning curve of double bass fingering, but to me that seems like an easier transition than righty/lefty.

Best wishes on finding a way through it.

Eric