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Why is EVERYONE playing mis-oriented basses?
- Thread starter stevensivak
- Start date
Well, this goes back something like 800 years. You want to look at Renaissance performance practice for lutes, lira de braccio, and viols. I have a general impression that on all those instruments there's a lot less fretting work and a lot more plucking and bowing work. Keep in mind people didn't play in a lot of keys or complex harmonies.
I think you can look at modern 5 string banjo practice as an example, Look at a good bluegrass 5 string player - the right hand is just a blur, while he frets the occasional note. Definitely more work on the right hand. Then compare that to what the guitar player's left hand has to do when she takes a break - the left hand's going wild.
But at any rate it's historically based.
Other instruments with long histories have also had periods of uncertainty about hand orientation. Both transverse flutes and recorders had a period where they could be, and were, played left handed or right handed. Eventually enough tone holes were added that this became impossible.
I think you can look at modern 5 string banjo practice as an example, Look at a good bluegrass 5 string player - the right hand is just a blur, while he frets the occasional note. Definitely more work on the right hand. Then compare that to what the guitar player's left hand has to do when she takes a break - the left hand's going wild.
But at any rate it's historically based.
Other instruments with long histories have also had periods of uncertainty about hand orientation. Both transverse flutes and recorders had a period where they could be, and were, played left handed or right handed. Eventually enough tone holes were added that this became impossible.
I'm left handed, but play stringed instruments right handed. I also golf right handed. Lefties live in a righthand dominant world and thus have been somewhat forced to be more ambidextrous since childhood.
I started on guitar many years ago, and I've found being lefthanded, but playing right was far easier as there is only typically one single motion when "plucking" strings (strumming, fingerpicking or with a pick) whereas the fretting hand must get into many different positions quickly without thinking. Our dominant hand is already more fluid and has more "muscle memory" built in.
This is why so many beginners quit guitar too soon. Our dominant hand is already stronger, and using your dominant hand to fret adapts much faster, whether it's holding chords or playing through extended runs. In the end it doesn't matter as all of it takes practice regardless.
I started on guitar many years ago, and I've found being lefthanded, but playing right was far easier as there is only typically one single motion when "plucking" strings (strumming, fingerpicking or with a pick) whereas the fretting hand must get into many different positions quickly without thinking. Our dominant hand is already more fluid and has more "muscle memory" built in.
This is why so many beginners quit guitar too soon. Our dominant hand is already stronger, and using your dominant hand to fret adapts much faster, whether it's holding chords or playing through extended runs. In the end it doesn't matter as all of it takes practice regardless.
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My dominant hand does the singing
A disproportionate number of Puerto Rican cuatro players play lefty, not sure why.
Likewise Canadian hockey players are more likely to shoot left and Americans more likely to shoot right (I'm not talking politics I swear; I'm American and shoot left)
Anybody choosing to play bass or guitar lefty is choosing to handicap themselves IMO
A disproportionate number of Puerto Rican cuatro players play lefty, not sure why.
Likewise Canadian hockey players are more likely to shoot left and Americans more likely to shoot right (I'm not talking politics I swear; I'm American and shoot left)
Anybody choosing to play bass or guitar lefty is choosing to handicap themselves IMO
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After 25 years I’d say my left hand is actually stronger than my right now but doesn’t have the same nuanced feel I get from my dominant hand. I would still find it impossible to write with my left hand.
Ever tried to follow a left handed guitar player? Its always been screwy for me. I "pluck" with my right hand because I'm right handed. I'm ambidextrous but, only play bass as such.
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Playing a lefty bass or guitar is like beginning all over again. It's just wierd.
As somebody told me long ago: Your left hand is what you know. Your right hand is who you are.
FullumMusic
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My friend teaches guitar. He had a younger teenage student show up with a Lefty guitar. Taught him guitar for months and the student never progressed. The student swore he practiced regularly. My friend was insanely frustrated.
One day he finds out that the student is actually a righty and only played lefty because he thought it looked cooler. My friend was furious and refused to teach him any longer unless he got a right-handed guitar.
The student got a right handed guitar and all of a sudden was making progress in leaps and bounds.
The student started from scratch. In theory, it shouldn't matter if you're lefty or righty if you do it from the very beginning. But, clearly this displays some sort of incongruity with that thought process; that there's something to the way our brains process the movements of lefty vs righty and our instruments.
Of course, this is one case, and for each case of switched-hand playing failing, there's an example of a lefty playing righty with virtuosity, and an example of a lefty playing on a righty bass, but with the strings reverse, or other sorts of people playing in non-traditional hand-orientation on their instrument.
So, i guess, ask a neuroscientist, not other bassists?
One day he finds out that the student is actually a righty and only played lefty because he thought it looked cooler. My friend was furious and refused to teach him any longer unless he got a right-handed guitar.
The student got a right handed guitar and all of a sudden was making progress in leaps and bounds.
The student started from scratch. In theory, it shouldn't matter if you're lefty or righty if you do it from the very beginning. But, clearly this displays some sort of incongruity with that thought process; that there's something to the way our brains process the movements of lefty vs righty and our instruments.
Of course, this is one case, and for each case of switched-hand playing failing, there's an example of a lefty playing righty with virtuosity, and an example of a lefty playing on a righty bass, but with the strings reverse, or other sorts of people playing in non-traditional hand-orientation on their instrument.
So, i guess, ask a neuroscientist, not other bassists?
But when you're starting out, it always feels the opposite. The independent finger movement fretting demands is very difficult to get over. At the same time, you're also doing things at slower tempos when starting so you're not asking as much of your plucking hand.
Then you reach a point where things flip to where I agree with you. The hardest songs then become those with insane sixteenth note tempos.
Try pounding out roots with 16th notes at 200BPM with a pick doing steady up-down picking.
Hand dominance does not matter against years of practice.
either can be trained to fluency in plucking or fretting.
plenty of lefties play righty instruments
all you are doing is overcoming habit.
either can be trained to fluency in plucking or fretting.
plenty of lefties play righty instruments
all you are doing is overcoming habit.
Anecdotally speaking, I have heard that handedness is more of a baked in preference rather than a "this is better than that" situation. Writing your name or playing guitar in the opposite direction only feels wo strange because you have been doing it for a much shorter time.
I applaud your unwavering adherence to your original argument and complete disregard for opposing viewpoints.
Did you watch the video you responded to? Or just looked at the thumbnail?
hasbeen
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FWIW, my "plucking" hand is just as responsible for nuance and dexterity as my fingering hand is.
The choice in any number of basses you can buy and play smoothly as a righty plucker is a great perk. I can’t even imagine it the other way lol
your right hand is your engine. it all begins there. I do so much muting and nuance with my right hand subconsciously after 38 years of playing its kinda crazy. decidedly more intricate than my fretting hand (which still has to do a good amount of subconscious muting). what keeps most people from being able to play a what is hip by tower of power or say Jaco's teen town isn't the left fretting hand.. its the right hand. its really really complicated to do well
Yep.
Yep.
If I were to switch, I think my right hand could learn to fret fairly easily, but I don’t think my left hand would learn to pluck so easily. Think of it that way. Plucking is a fairly complex, fast, and symmetrical task.
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