south paw

cance

Hi guys!

decided nows as good a time as ever to achieve a goal of mine, learn to play the guitar... i was suggested that accoustic guitar would be a good start so thats where im going!

I have a hectic work / home life and would like to have 1-2 hours a night with something i can do for myself.

Now the important question, i am as the title suggests and awkward git when it comes to hand usage. i am a lefty and am quite weak in my right arm. part of my learning/playing i have set a goal to be able to pick up another persons guitar and jam away (when i have the ability to do so) but this of course means i will probably need to learn to play right handed.

has anyone any advise, experience or tips for what i should do about the hand playing dilemma?

Dord

Play left handed if thats what you use normally.

who's yer one?

i'm an Uber leftie, my right hand sucks at everything (expect scissors, whic is due to a left handed scissor conspiracy in primary school but that's a whole other issue) but yeah, i play right handed guitar, it feels much more natural for me, and ive never been able to play left handed (ive tried and it just feels spaztastic)
i also learned on an electric guitar, (mainly cos my brother had a cheap electric and an acoustic fender i wasn't allowed to touch, and i wasnt allowed my own guitar until i knew i was gonna stick with it) but i found that the softer strings on the electric hurt you just enough that you buiild up a bit of a callus, alowing me to move on to acoustic a bit more callousy and prepared.

this was just my experience. im trying to relearn again since ive not played in about five years, and it hurts like a mo-fo, so ive resorted to my electric to build up mym tolerance again. some more guitar-y types on here are likely to give you much better opinions, but that was my experience
xxx

NoQuarter

ive always wondered about this! thinkin back to when i started i wonder if it would have made any difference which way to learn....

im right handed so im assuming i would be a better guitarist if my right hand was my fretting hand although it seems strange to think about it now that im playing a few years! its an interesting thought!!

Voodu Child

Ive always been of the opinion that someone in your circumstances (never played before) could just as easily play right-handed as left.

Both hands are going to be learning new skills.

Obviously, once you've already played for a little bit as either a right/lefty, that was is going to feel more 'natural'. But on day one, with no prior preconceptions, either way is going to be equally difficult. (imo)

So i'd suggest playing righty - more range of instruments etc.

i am a lefty and am quite weak in my right arm. part of my learning/playing i have set a goal to be able to pick up another persons guitar and jam away (when i have the ability to do so) but this of course means i will probably need to learn to play right handed.

All the more reason to play righty - because, imo, the fretting hand is actually doing the more difficult stuff, both in terms of co-ordination, flexibility, and strength

nyarlothothep

play whatever feels most natural, I play left handed and there are the disadvantages mentioned but then that translates as the opposite with regards to the picking hand. Less guitars to choose from too, especially those with funky designs but meh I have never regretted playing left.

NoQuarter

so were all agreed that right handers have to play right handed because its handier although its possible that we would be better players if we played left handed!

and left handers should play right handed and they will get the best of both worlds! feckers!!!

Gaspode

cance wrote: »

Now the important question, i am as the title suggests and awkward git when it comes to hand usage. i am a lefty and am quite weak in my right arm. part of my learning/playing i have set a goal to be able to pick up another persons guitar and jam away (when i have the ability to do so) but this of course means i will probably need to learn to play right handed.

has anyone any advise, experience or tips for what i should do about the hand playing dilemma?

You're not actually an 'awkward git' you're left-handed. It's just that too many right-handers have told you you're awkward!!;)

Dord wrote: »

Play left handed if thats what you use normally.

+1

voodoo_child wrote: »

Ive always been of the opinion that someone in your circumstances (never played before) could just as easily play right-handed as left.

Both hands are going to be learning new skills.

I disagree, its hard enough to learn a new skill, why handicap yourself by using you're weakest hand to do it.

So i'd suggest playing righty - more range of instruments etc.

nyarlothothep wrote: »

play whatever feels most natural, I play left handed and there are the disadvantages mentioned but then that translates as the opposite with regards to the picking hand. Less guitars to choose from too, especially those with funky designs but meh I have never regretted playing left.

The range of instruments to choose from for lefties is more restricted, but there are more out there than you'd think. There's so many online options now that it's getting much easier than it was when I started.

I still say go with the left hand, it will make learning easier (IMO), and at the end of the day, you only really need to find one good leftie guitar and you're away, you'll have it for years. It's only if you develop GAS problems later that the range might be an issue for you.

Voodu Child

deswalsh wrote: »

I disagree, its hard enough to learn a new skill, why handicap yourself by using you're weakest hand to do it.

No matter which way you do it, BOTH hands are learning new skills, your weakest hand is going to have to learn something new whether you like it or not.

Paolo_M

:pac:

voodoo_child wrote: »

No matter which way you do it, BOTH hands are learning new skills, your weakest hand is going to have to learn something new whether you like it or not.

I agree with Voodoo.
Both hands have to learn a motion that is completely alien to a non guitarist (playing guitar on your tennis racket doesn't count) so I don't believe it makes any difference which way around you learn.
You could argue that a leftie playing right handed will hand a physically stronger fretting hand which may help but don't forget that you'll also have a weaker strumming hand which needs to catch up. The same (but opposite) applies to a righty learning right handed, ie stronger strumming hand and weaker fretting hand. Given that both will be starting from scratch anyway I cant see it making any difference.
In case you're interest I'm leftie and play right handed simply because on the day I bought my first guitar the righties were £5 cheaper than the lefties and £5 was a lot of pocket money back in the day!!:pac:

Hoagy

If you're planning on learning folk/fingerstyle guitar then I think you should play left handed. The picking hand controls the expression of the sound, the fretting hand is less important.

This is from anything left- handed

Some teachers will even argue that with any stringed instrument the right hand has to be pretty dextrous so it shouldn't make any difference which way round the instrument is played. For folk or classical guitar playing, the argument goes against this theory because much of the control is carried out by the right hand, which left-handers might find difficult.

But what if you have already been encouraged to play guitar right-handed - is it too late to change? The Guitar Workshop in New York made a detailed study of left-handed guitar playing and found that it took three to six months for players who changed over to regain their previous level of attainment, after which they improved even further! Composer and guitarist John Duarte, a 'changed' man said: "Now I would not encourage a lefty to learn right-handedly, and when I inherit a student who does play that way round, I advise him to change if he does not appear to be reaching his potential. I think there has been much irrational prejudice against lefties, and such things die hard"

Paolo_M

Hoagy wrote: »

If you're planning on learning folk/fingerstyle guitar then I think you should play left handed. The picking hand controls the expression of the sound, the fretting hand is less important.

This is from anything left- handed

Some teachers will even argue that with any stringed instrument the right hand has to be pretty dextrous so it shouldn't make any difference which way round the instrument is played. For folk or classical guitar playing, the argument goes against this theory because much of the control is carried out by the right hand, which left-handers might find difficult.

But what if you have already been encouraged to play guitar right-handed - is it too late to change? The Guitar Workshop in New York made a detailed study of left-handed guitar playing and found that it took three to six months for players who changed over to regain their previous level of attainment, after which they improved even further! Composer and guitarist John Duarte, a 'changed' man said: "Now I would not encourage a lefty to learn right-handedly, and when I inherit a student who does play that way round, I advise him to change if he does not appear to be reaching his potential. I think there has been much irrational prejudice against lefties, and such things die hard"

I totally disagree with this.
The guitar is a two handed instrument and therefore does not favour any so called left of right handed person and that's irrespective of the style of music. Having great picking, strumming, flamenco or whatever style is completely useless if you cant fret a note and having lightning fast fretting hands are useless if you cant match their speed with your strumming hand. Both hands have to work in unison. There is no prejudice, I'm a lefty myself. Convincing left handed people that their being prejudiced against and that your company understands their pain might help sell a few more lessons though.
Anyway, after that rant I'm going to get a sandwich which I'll eat with my left hand probably. :pac:

Rigsby

I dont see what all the fuss is about.

OP : IMO when you hold the guitar in your hands, nature will tell you what is the right way to play. When we were all learning to write, we did n't sit down to decide which hand to use. We picked up a pen and used what hand came naturally. Why should guitar be any different. Dont think in terms of R/H versus L/H. Whatever feels natural to you is the way to go.

cance

Sorry to Necro just wanted to say thank you to everyone for your valued and appreciated feedback.

I was him'ing and haw'ing about my options and nearly lost sight of my goal. Fortunately i left my previous job on friday, and in a touching display my team had a chip in and they presented me with a left handed guitar, bag, stand, dvd and strap!

I was gobsmacked but so happy with my gift, i have since named my guitar "patience"... in that i have none, and I'm playing through sore finger syndrome!

Thanks again

Dord

That was a nice gesture from them!

You should take a break for a day or two if your fingers or hands are hurting. You should also post a picture of the new guitar, it's obligatory!