Learning Guitar as a Left Handed Child/Student

Cliff Kane · From: the late great golden state

Hi folks,
I hope that I get some good advice from some of you teachers and lefties as to the best way to go on this. My nine-year-old daughter wants a regular six-string guitar for Christmas to learn to play guitar. She is left handed. She takes cello class at school, and they have her playing cello right handed, and it seems fine for her. When she plays around on my steel she adapts to that right handed guitar, but when she plays "air guitar" Very Happy

she naturally play strums with her left hand. Is it best to just let her learn and adapt to a right handed playing style, or would she be better off learning left handed? She may switch out of cello, so I'm not too concerned about her getting confused between instruments in case she learns left handed on guitar, but I do want to start her the best way for her situation. Any advice you can share is very much appreciated!

Thank you; Merry Christmas!
Cliff

Graham · From: Marmora, Ontario, Canada

As a leftie, I would recommend that she learn right handed guitar if she has no problem with it. I myself could never master playing right handed, perhaps because when I started playing drums at a very young age, my teacher switched me to playing left handed as it is natural for your "strong" hand to lead when doing rolls from snare to floor tom. It just felt natural then when I started playing flat top in 1968 to play left handed.

In the mid seventies, I was drumming in a group with a steel player and he tried teaching me right handed steel. I very quickly got frustrated and that was the end of it.

But there are many lefties who are very accomplished musicians playing right handed. Lloyd Green comes to mind, so, if she can do it - right handed.
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Rebelï¿½

Rick Schmidt · From: Prescott AZ, USA

Hi Cliff...I too am a lefty who plays guitar right handed. Thank goodness for that! Just tell her that most of the action is in the left hand anyway. (it is!) It's also really much easier to learn when you can play your friends guitars and they can play yours. Buying and selling guitars is also much easier for the right hand variety! I'm sure 99.9% of all teaching method books and videos are right handed too.

Rick Campbell · From: Sneedville, TN, USA

I'm a lefty too, but I play all my instruments right handed. I'm glad I got started this way. Having to depend on having a left handed instrument all the time would be a pain.

Besides, you use both hands when you play. Just learning to play will feel weird, no matter which hand you use. Might as well learn right handed.

Best of luck to her, and her guitar endeavors.

Larry Jamieson · From: Walton, NY USA

I teach guitar. I always recommend that left handed people learn on a right hand guitar if they can... We have one player in my home town who takes right hand guitars of my wall, and plays them, left handed, and plays them well.

That being said, there is only one method book that I know of that is written for left handed players. Left handed guitar cost more, and many music stores stock only two or three, if any at all. Some acoustic guitars, if they do not have a pickguard or cutaway, can be restrung left handed. You should really make a new nut for the guitar in order to do it right.

And, as mentioned above, most of the learning materials and pop music with tab, is written for right handed players. Think about all these facts in making your decision.
Larry J.

frank rogers · From: usa

How many left handed pianos have you seen? It's a "both handed instrument" , so is guitar, Have her learn right-handed, take it from a "lefty" Smile

Geoff Barnes · From: Sydney, Australia

I'm also a lefty.
Back when I started, my teacher made me learn right handed. Her logic being that, I would always be able to sit in with a band, or pick up any instrument and play it without too many problems.
Today I tell folks when they comment on it;
"I play left handed, because my best hand is on the fretboard".
I'd recommend learning to play it regular.
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Too much equipment....I think I need help.

Graham · From: Marmora, Ontario, Canada

Larry:
I have owned many left handed guitars since 1968 and the only one that cost me more than a right handed was when I ordered my Martin D-35 in 1985. Charged me 30% surcharge to make it left handed. Today, Martin charges the same price for either left or right.

Didn't pay more for my left handed steel either.
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Rebelï¿½

John De Maille · From: On a Mountain in Upstate Halcottsville, N.Y.

I'm a natural leftie, also. But, I play guitar and steel guitar right handed. Both instruments are 2 handed instruments, so, it really doesn't matter how she learns. Most lefties become, or, are ambidextrous anyway. We live in a right handed world, but, we're the ones in the right mind.
Seriously, I don't think it matters in the long run.

Don Drummer · From: West Virginia, USA

I run into more parents lately who have decided to get their left handed child started on a left handed instrument before evan trying a regular guitar. When asked I explain the obvious and they seemed kind of let down. Like hey! My child is special. Don D.

Cliff Kane · From: the late great golden state

Hi guys,
thanks so much for your help and advice. All that you're saying makes sense for starting her right handed, and she can use my guitars, too.
Thanks again,
Cliff

Blake Hawkins · From: Florida

Cliff, I am also a left hander who plays steel, 6 string and bass right handed.
When I learned, it never occurred to me to play any of them left handed.
I agree with all the comments above.

The few musicians I've known who played left handed
figured it out on their own.

When I was in first grade, the nuns were going to tie my left hand behind my back to force me to write with my right hand. My Mother (With a full blown Irish Temper) read them the riot act and I was permitted to use my left hand. Was still required to point the paper the way the right handers do, so when I write I turn my hand and write "upsidedown and backwards."

I agree with John, most of us are ambidextrous.

Blake

Stephen Gambrell · From: Over there

Another lefty here. I play everything right handed. Some lefties just can't get the hang of it, so they learn to throw baseballs, instead. These people are often referred to as "wealthy."

Alan Coldiron · From: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA

I'm LEFT HANDED!! I play everything left handed, drums, guitar, bass, and yes a left handed steel. I'm personally tried of this argument of being made to play right handed to conform to right handed people. If your are left handed, play that way. If you are right play that way. Play what ever makes you comfortable not what narrow minded people have to say. I've seen this argument out here before and I'm tired of it. I tried to play right handed and couldn't. Because of this attitude manufactures won't make a lot of good quality equipment so I have to take what ever is avaialable. How I would love to have my choice of instruments on a shelf but thats never going to happen.

Larry Edwards · From: Broadalbin, NY

i play a righthanded guitar lefthanded been playing that way for years. i play steel guitar lefthanded and i can even play 5 string banjo lefthanded and some mandolin lefthanded. as the ol"e saying goes if theres a will theres a way. i guess the best way to put is play the way your most comfortable with. but it is hard to find things for me cause i play backwards. i allways wanted a tele with b-bender but i:ll never be able to have one so i use a hipshot works good for me.just play and have fun at it
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I have 2 pedalmaster steels dbl 10
with 8 pedals and 5 knees.and a dbl body single neck with 3 pedals and 5 knees. I play a vegas 400 and I have a new steelking. I am a leftie.

Ellis Miller · From: Cortez, Colorado, USA

I had a left handed student years ago that I started playing right handed. When I encountered some uncertainty with the Mom, I corresponded with Mel Bay, who was a the quintessential teacher and author of student literature at the time. Mr. Bay was adament that the child should learn right handed.

Another big issue that has been lightly touched upon is the lack of availability of left handed instruments. The left handed player will not be able to try out instruments at the local music store, sit in on someone else's axe, etc etc. They will also pay more for an instrument.

+1 for teaching the child right handed
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Ellis Miller
Don't believe everything you think.
http://www.ellismillermusic.com

Gordy Hall · From: Fairfax, CA.

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