Hello...this is my first post to the forum. I have never played guitar, but will be doing so soon. I am Left-hand dominant (write, eat, throw) with a coordinated Right hand (from sports; functioning in 'righty' world). Picking up and holding an acoustic guitar to play left-handed is very comfortable (feels natural). Holding it as a Right-hander is less comfortable, but tolerable. I have read many differing recommendations for a lefty to play the same or go righty. I have an interesting problem for the readers to troubleshoot and help determine hand choice:
I am unable to flex (bend) my R thumb at the joint nearest the thumbnail without the R index finger also bending at the 2 joints nearest its fingernail. Try to picture a "finger gun" with thumb up (trigger), index finger straight out (barrel), and other 3 fingers curled in against the palm: the trigger thumb bends at the one joint...with simultaneous bending of the index finger barrel. (Note: my right hand is normal otherwise, full strength & joint range of motion).
Would the above condition negatively affect R-hand/finger placement on the guitar neck for chords/notes (ie, play L-handed)? Would it be a problem with finger picking (ie, play R-handed)?
FYI: I probably have an anatomic anomaly consisting of a slip of tendon from the thumb muscle that goes to my index finger.
I can't answer your question but I would like to welcome you to GuitarNoise.
It shouldn't be a problem for either.
I'm assuming that your right index finger can bend independently of your thumb, but also bends sympathetically with the thumb.
If you end up playing lefty, your right thumb will be supported by the neck - it won't bend very much. If you play righty, you'll either be using a pick (in which case the finger/thumb won't bend after the pick is gripped) or you'll be using fingerstyle... in fingerstyle, the thumb only bends at the joint to the palm.
'Old' classical style used to use the thumb bending from the joint nearer the nail - that technique is sometimes called the 'Tarrega wiggle' - but since Segovia, almost all fingerstyle guitarists in any genre keep a stiff thumb.
Guitar teacher offering lessons in Plainfield IL
I would go with whatever guitar feels most natural to you, left or right, and then work from there.
I had significant nerve damage to my left arm (I play right handed) and was told that I'd never use my arm again. After a few dozen years of surgery, therapy and healing I'm back to playing the guitar again, and I can play just fine even though I have some minor coordination problems with my fingers of my right hand.
One of the greatest guitarists of all time, Django Reinhardt, had his hand injured in a fire so badly that he could only use two fingers on his left hand. But his solo's are still studied by guitarists everywhere who marvel at his speed and dexterity.
Welcome guitarnoise, grab a guitar and get started!
"The music business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free, and good men die like dogs. There's also a negative side." -- HST
as a fellow lefty i learned to play righty because friends who started teaching me only had right handed guitars.
i agree try both and see which feels best.
and welcome to GN
#4491....
I guess I'm the only lefty who picked up the guitar and started playing right handed naturally :?
I'm left handed too but play right handed. It never occured to me to try left handed when I started. Guess it has something to do with me playing the violin earlier - thinking of that : has anybody seen anyone playing violin leftish?
And - my right hand technique sucks - but I'm pretty good at chord changes, scales etc...
Welcome to GN. As the Django case shows - almost anything is possible - find your own way.
Lars
...only thing I know how to do is to keep on keepin' on...
LARS kolberg http://www.facebook.com/sangerersomfolk
I am a lefty , born southpaw and yes i play guitar LEFT HANDED.Oh yeah , you heard me right.If lefty feel comfy for you just play like it , you will learn faster and enjoy playing guitar much more....
Rahul
Am I the only one who has the opposite situation? I'm a right-hander... who picked up a guitar, and because I do everything (write, throw, cut) with my right hand, i naturally thought it seemed easier to make all those complicated chord shapes with my right hand... BUT because I didn't have any left handed guitars, I ended up learning right handed anyway...
But I'm thinking, since you do have a known condition in your right hand... why not just go with playing right handed, that way you'll know down the line there won't be problems...
By the way, I've read somewhere that you can help to work out the neurons in your mind and increase mental dexterity by doing daily activities with your non dominant hand... brush your teeth, comb your hair, throw... I guess guitaring with a non dominant hand can be one of those things.
Thanks for the welcome to GN. I am impressed at the generosity and good nature of all the respondents throughout the Forum in helping each other. At this point (from the feedback), I'm leaning towards playing Left-handed. Thanks again!
Novice Lefty
My daughter is a lefty, and she is learning on righty guitars. She thought she wouldn't be able to do it, until I pointed something out to her: Watch a classical orchestra. No such thing as a left-handed violinist. Everyone learns to play the same way.
A sucking chest wound is Nature's way of telling you to slow down.
Godin Freeway Classic, PodXT Live, Seymour-Duncan 84-50.
(All this so I could learn 'Twinkle, Twinkle, Little' Star for my youngest.)
