Left-Handed Guitarists That Play Right Hand Guitars?

Question

Are there any out there? I'm a lefty, but I learned how to play on a right-handed guitar. I got to playing pretty quickly because my dominant hand was on the fret-board, making chords (esp. barred chords) easy going.
Now I feel like I've stopped evolving as a musician. I fingerpick very well, but I SUCK at strumming, and usually it's the other way around. It's like my right arm can't pick up on the subtleties of the rhythm when I try to strum, so I get stuck in lame 4/4 strum patterns that newbie players use. Are there any other lefty players on right handed guitars out there? What are your experiences?

Answer 1

I started left-handed but ended up playing right-handed. The advantage for a left-handed person playing right-handed is that he/she will have a stronger fingering hand (left hand) which is an advantage and many guitarist know this. Most right-handed guitarist lack the strength of a left-handed player playing right-handed.



So it is a plus for you. You have more endurance. As far as strumming, it isn't my forte but that is because I prefer comping. You can't master everything. I prefer solo and finger-stye picking during my leads so I can understand your issues.



In your case, you placed more effort on that style of playing. It doesn't mean that you have bad timing. That is why their are good rhythm guitarist who are bad at soloing and vice-versa. If you get stuck, you can use the other fingers to pluck the string and control the rhythm (finger-style playing).

Answer 2

Famous Left Handed Guitarists

Answer 3

Strumming beyond the "lame 4/4" takes a lot of practice for most that learn guitar. I am naturally musical, but when I was learning, it was probably the hardest part of the basics to get down. Keep trying and you'll get it. Try strumming along with a song on a cd that is made up of chords you know and if you have one around, try strumming with the beats on an electronic keyboard.



One point to remember is that strumming is more in the wrist than the arm. When people learn to strum, it's common to put way too much emphasis on the arm. Watch some videos of well known strummers and emulate them. I know you're frustrated, but it's a rite of passage all guitarists go through.



xx

Answer 4

Mark Knopfler, BB King, and Joan Jett are just a few examples of well known lefties that play normal right handed guitars. I play in a band with two left hand players...one plays a left handed bass and the other plays a regular right handed guitar. The guitarist is a phenomenal rhythm player. Every guitarist struggles a bit to train their off-hand. As you've observed, you have a distinct advantage with your chording. Can you imagine how clumsy we right handers felt at first when we tried to convince our left hands to form chords? I felt like I had logs for fingers.



A guitarist needs good control and strength in both hands. Whether you're left or right handed, you'll end up training your off-hand. In the beginning, one hand or the other will have an easier job...but eventually we all become a bit ambidextrous. There's no intrinsic reason that one hand can play rhythm better than the other. Think about piano players.



When you come to a barrier, I guess it's natural to wonder if your left handedness is a factor, but the learning curve isn't always smooth. I'm sure this is just a little bump in the road and with practice, your rhythm will improve. Best of luck to you.

Answer 5

Heya, I'm a lefty but I play right handed. I've noticed the same thing, my finger picking is a lot better than my strumming. You've really just go to concentrate on it until it improves.



On the upside our fretting hand is better than a right handed player I guess.

Answer 6

I taught myself to play the guitar. I started with an inexpensive right handed acoustic guitar and tried to play it right handed but, as you also noticed, I had no rhythm in my right hand for precise strumming. I wanted to accompany myself when I sang, so I needed to be able to strum in time to the music. Instinctively, I turned the guitar upside down and started playing that right hand tuned guitar left handed. I had no problem learning all the chords and it was much easier to strum with my left hand. Years later, I decided to buy a left-handed guitar and learn to play it the right way. To my surprise, the change was extremely easy to make. The hand positions for the chords are very similar either way so, in no time at all I was playing a left-handed guitar just as easily as a right handed one. Today I can play either a left or right handed guitar but, I play either guitar left-handed. I can't imagine how you have been able to learn to play right handed but, I do understand the strumming problem and I might suggest to you that you should try playig left-handed with either a left or right handed guitar and just see how it feels to you. I now prefer to play a left-handed guitar but to be honest, there are some chords that are much easier to play with the guitar strung right handed. There are also many chords I now play easily that were difficult to play with right hand tuning also so, it sort of balances out I suppose. Since I use my right hand on the fretboard, it was also very easy for me to learn to pay the keyboard over the last four years. I also play a left-handed bass guitar. I guess the biggest problem I face playing left-handed is that you don't have much of selection as far as what guitars are available to you. So, I when I want a really good new guitar, I end up having to have it custom made. My favorite guitars lately are the Carvin guitars. They will custom make any of their guitars as a left-handed model and they are an extremely inovative guitar manufacturer and one of just a few who make a midi ready guitar for use with a guitar synthesizer like the new Roland GR-55.

Answer 7

well either you can keep trying and get used to it, or you can buy the left handed guitar, or you can try switching all the strings? Then you can try playing it left handed and see if you like it better. Kind of a pain in the butt changing all those strings and retuning it, but it might be worth it.

Answer 8

I can play a right hand guitar using my left hand, though I am much better playing with my right. I find the guitar unconfortable when playing in the wrong hand. Finger picking is fairly easy, but shredding is extremely difficult.

Answer 9

Michael Angelo Batio is left-handed and usually plays guitar right-handed.



I say "usually" because Mike is ambidextrous when it comes to playing guitar. He can play left-handed, right-handed, two-handed... he can even play 4 guitars at once (yes, he's that cool).



He's a technical freak of nature though... but I know several people that are left handed and play guitar right-handed. It's not uncommon.

Answer 10

I think this left hand right hand thing is in our head to a certain extent. I am lefthanded and am learning to play 5 string banjo. It is hard and so I have to practice and go to my lessons regularly to improve. I really think you can't blame this on being lefthanded and you just have to practice/take lessons.

Answer 11

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Answer 12

Jimi Hendrix strung his guitar upside-down so he could play. He had the ultimate "Experience"!



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fender_Stratocaster

Answer 13

im a righty, but you should look up albert king, dick dale, and doyle bramhall II. they are all lefty players who play right handed guitars.

Answer 14

really good question, looking forward to reading the responses