A lot of potential guitarists are put off by an entirely fictitious blight- finding good…
There have been countless famous left-handed players, inlcuding such greats as Kurt Cobaine, Jimi Hendrix, Paul McCartney, Al McKay from Earth, Wind and Fire, Mikey Demus (Skindred) and many more. Despite this, many a left-handed person will find their career in guitar made more difficult by their dextrous inclinations. Many younger lefties are put off becoming the next Jimi Hendrix because left handed guitars for beginners are significantly more expensive. In answer to the “it’s too expensive to get a left-handed guitar” complaint I can only point out that your instrument’s resale value when you upgrade will be significantly higher due to left-handed guitars’ scarcity. A quick Ebay search for “left handed guitar” or a left handed edition of any model will yield significantly more expensive second hand results than its right handed counterpart. As with any instrument, a good guitar is an investment and for most lefties a model which is suited to their southpaw style will help a great deal with their learning- not everybody can play upside down a la Jimi Hendrix!
I have also heard numerous would-be learners say things like “I’d like to get lessons, but being left-handed how will you teach me upside down?”. This question bothered me too when I first began teaching the guitar, until I found my first left handed guitar pupil and realised that learning left handed is MUCH easier, because pupils can directly copy a mirror image from my hands! This is much much easier than right handers’ constant struggle to interpret a shape into a back to front version on their own frets.
Another benefit which facilitates the learning of the lefty is the extra creativity of thought given by the predominance of the brain’s left hemisphere. While left-handedness has been linked to several negative traits, including social anxiety, increased risk of breast cancer and even schizophrenia (more on this here), one thing that can definitely be said for left handers is that their creative thinking is generally better than that of righties, which is hugely beneficial to their musicianship.
All in all lefties have it pretty good in the sphere of learning guitar! If you’d like to learn guitar in Sheffield then contact me today for a free first lesson.
Other resources which may interest left-handed learners (I will update this with any interesting sites I stumble across):
2 Comments
Hi Nye, being a leftie myself I think about my handedness most of the time. I first picked up a guitar in my teens and the 1st thing I did was to switch the strings around and here I am in my 60’s (late I spose grr). If asked for advice, and often even if not I say if you’re a leftie and you’re learning, persist with a right hand strung guitar, you wont regret it.
I figured that I wanted to have my “best” hand strumming because I wanted to fingerpick really well, I can fingerpick but I would have learnt that anyway.
When you start your hands don’t know which way round you’re supposed to be anyway, so don’t conform to “normal” There are many advantages to learning with a RH strung guitar. As a leftie your left hand on the fret board gives you a special comfortable link to the psyche and when you progress the bends speed of change and other necessary movements will be slightly enhanced. Ask Mark Knopfler leftie on a RH guitar.
An annoying by-product of learning on a LH guitar is you cannot walk into a shop and try anything apart from 1 or 2 LHG situated somewhere in the line hanging, or play your mates…I’m pretty good playing a RHander upside down, and………… I don’t want to be…………….see Bob Geldof, famous guitarist.
Frank (from Exmouth)
Hi Frank. You make a good point about not being able to play many guitars – the left-handed ones can be so expensive too! That being said I still think that it is easier for left hander to learn with their dominant arm performing the rhythmic motions of strumming and picking.