How to determine if youre a right or left handed player

[ChickenKiev]

I'm left-handed but play right-handed. The reason I learnt this way was nothing to do with the number of available instruments and stuff, as when I started to learn to play guitar I was too young to know any of that stuff. I started learning in year 3 at primary school, and I think my teacher (who specialised in music) couldn't be arsed working out how to teach a left-handed person with a left-handed instrument. My destiny was with the right-handers I'm afraid.

Ever since then I've become partially ambidextrous though, which is a thing I guess. I just worry that I could have been the next Victor Wooten if I'd have learnt guitar and bass left-handed..

[ChickenKiev]

[quote name='ChickenKiev' timestamp='1384761956' post='2280278']
I'm left-handed but play right-handed. The reason I learnt this way was nothing to do with the number of available instruments and stuff, as when I started to learn to play guitar I was too young to know any of that stuff. I started learning in year 3 at primary school, and I think my teacher (who specialised in music) couldn't be arsed working out how to teach a left-handed person with a left-handed instrument. My destiny was with the right-handers I'm afraid.

Ever since then I've become partially ambidextrous though, which is a thing I guess. I just worry that I could have been the next Victor Wooten if I'd have learnt guitar and bass left-handed..
[/quote]

Another interesting note is that I have a friend who plays guitar and is right-handed. He developed some sort of muscular or nerve condition in his left hand, but did he give up playing guitar? Nope, he bought some crazy left-handed Ibanez shred machine and learnt to play left-handed instead. Insane. He's now extremely good, and plays in a professional band that does tours and stuff.

https://m.facebook.com/dreamcatcheruk?id=32174925970&_rdr

[stingrayPete1977]

[quote name='leftybassman392' timestamp='1384680130' post='2279303']


You sure about that?

[url="http://www.lefthandedpiano.com/"]http://www.lefthandedpiano.com/[/url]


or how about this...

[url="http://www.lefthandedpiano.com/midi.html"]http://www.lefthande...o.com/midi.html[/url]


Been around for a while too - check out the date on this article:

[url="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/178608.stm"]http://news.bbc.co.u...i/uk/178608.stm[/url]


I used to get really annoyed about comments like this. I'm a bit more chilled about it these days - just wish people would think it through and try to understand the notion of handedness a bit better is all. But then if you're right-handed the chances are you've never needed to.

Tell you what; here's a wiki article that might help. I found the section headed 'Social stigma and repression of Left-handedness' quite interesting....

[url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Handedness"]http://en.wikipedia....wiki/Handedness[/url]
[/quote]
Have you get a left hand drive car?

[leftybassman392]

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1384770023' post='2280369']
Have you get a left hand drive car?
[/quote]

Why would I need one on a British road? Oh I get it..... it's a pisstake, yes?

Edited November 18, 2013 by leftybassman392

[stingrayPete1977]

[quote name='leftybassman392' timestamp='1384785546' post='2280656']


Why would I need one on a British road? Oh I get it..... it's a pisstake, yes?
[/quote]
Correct.

[solo4652]

I spent years assessing people's handedness. It's best to work out someone's preferred hand and eye because the two interact and correlate with dexterity. Try this; Roll up a sheet of paper into a tube. Look out of the window (not through the tube, just using your eyes) at a distant object and, while still looking at the object and not at your brother (since it's important you don't put the telescope into either of his hands inadvertently), say something like "Think of this as a telescope. See that tree over there? Take this and look at it through the telescope." Make a note of which hand he uses to take the telescope from you and which eye he puts it up to.

Right hand + right eye = right dominant. He should probably play right-handed.
Left hand + left eye = left dominant. He should probably play left handed.
Right hand + left eye or left hand + right eye = cross lateral. Tricky. Sometimes this is associated with generally poor coordination and some clumsiness. Probably best to play with the dominant hand, but be prepared for it to be hard work.
Either hand + placing the telescope on the bridge of the nose or in the middle of the forehead = cross lateral. Same advice as above.

Of course, these aren't hard-and-fast rules, but they can give useful initial pointers.

Steve