Keanu Reeves is left-handed, but plays bass guitar with his right hand.

[noelk27]

[quote name='Biggsy' post='338462' date='Nov 27 2008, 02:42 PM']Just a nature/nurture kind of thing? How disappointing. I thought it might be down to sides of the brain, and I was some kind of genius flitting between both abnormally. Clearly I was just grasping at straws![/quote]

Well, how your brain is hard-wired is going to have something to do with it. But don't ask me about that bit, because I've no idea. I just learned the dominant arm/leg tests from doing certain sports.

[eubassix]

John Patitucci is left-handed but plays right!
Surprised me by signing his autograph LH when I met him in Singapore (Yamaha promotion prior to his concert).

Noticed that somebody mentioned Keith Horne earlier - I've only just become aware of him (.. I was loking for info. on Bassball pedals but was directed to his 'Bass Ball' perfomance - link below) - didn't realise that he was also RH (playing left) but am now even more impressed: monster player !!

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5h5NcLtHkHg"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5h5NcLtHkHg[/url]

[KevB]

Lee Pomeroy (It Bites, Take That) is a lefty playing a lefty bass but with the strings the wrong way round. I'm assuming he probably first started playing a righty bass upside down but didn't restring so when he's eventually moved onto a proper lefty bass he's kept the odd stringing pattern. There are some photos on the IB website;
[url="http://www.itbites.com/"]http://www.itbites.com/[/url]

[EdwardMarlowe]

[quote name='Delberthot' post='275847' date='Sep 2 2008, 10:15 PM']The drummer in my band also teaches and he was saying that no one teaches drums left handed any more[/quote]

That I can see, actually - given how often drummers end up playing gigs using house kits, or the support act playing the headliners or whatever (in smaller venues) to save switchover / set up time, it probably is a whole lot easier to work with one standard. POf course, a lefty will still approach it in a different way, with a different feel.... I'm sure I read somewhere being a lefty with a right handed kit was part of Ringo's schtick that influenced his sound....

[bluesparky]

My best mate is left-handed and used to be a very good guitarist.
At his first lesson he picked up the acoustic guitar left handed, and the teacher said "oh, you're left handed, give me a few minutes to re-string it for you so you can play it more comfortably".
He replied "no, i want to play now!" - so became a righty.
He then went on to become an awesome drummer, and played that right-handed just because the drum kit he learned on was righty, yet drinks, writes, smokes and picks his nose with his left hand.
Nice.

[bluesparky]

Also, i know of a family where the dad and older brother are left handed.
The guitars (electric and acoustic) in the family were handed down from father to son as the son's progress improved.
The younger son was RIGHT handed, and could pick up the acoustic guitar as it was re-strung right handed.
The father did try to suggest that he play left handed so he could start to play his electric when the time was right without having to buy a new right handed electric.
It didn't work, so he had to put his hand in his pocket!

[buff]

Im left handed but play right handed.

[Lew-Bass]

Lefty through and through!

[max363]

I could say I am 100% lefty, that is I use left hand for pretty much everything except bass.

[OutToPlayJazz]

Traditionally, there's no such thing as a left handed instrument. They're a pretty recent development, coming from the popularisation of the guitar.

If you look at the classical world everyone plays the same way, regardless of whether they're right or left handed. Particularly in the string section - Imagine eighty string players hitting eachother with bows in opposite hands!

As part of my daily teaching, I do "wider opportunities" classical guitar full class lessons in primary schools (as well as violin and cello schemes in other schools) & I have to make all the left handed kids play the "correct" way, as all the instruments are right handed. Never had any problems.

It does nark me that the manufacturers nearly always charge more for the honour of being left handed, though!

[Gareth Hughes]

I'm another lefty that plays righty. Can't even hold a lefty guitar neck properly. Maybe someone mentioned it already, but I heard that Hendrix was a righty who played lefty. I could be wrong.

[EdwardHimself]

[quote name='EdwardMarlowe' post='595907' date='Sep 11 2009, 06:10 PM']That I can see, actually - given how often drummers end up playing gigs using house kits, or the support act playing the headliners or whatever (in smaller venues) to save switchover / set up time, it probably is a whole lot easier to work with one standard. POf course, a lefty will still approach it in a different way, with a different feel.... I'm sure I read somewhere being a lefty with a right handed kit was part of Ringo's schtick that influenced his sound....[/quote]

When i used to have drum lessons my teacher was left handed but he plays right handed, so that people weren't confused. I think he used to play left handed though so he had to learn both. Also you did bring back up a thread who's last reply was over 6 months ago.

[EdwardHimself]

[quote name='OutToPlayJazz' post='602539' date='Sep 18 2009, 08:58 PM']Traditionally, there's no such thing as a left handed instrument. They're a pretty recent development, coming from the popularisation of the guitar.

If you look at the classical world everyone plays the same way, regardless of whether they're right or left handed. Particularly in the string section - Imagine eighty string players hitting eachother with bows in opposite hands!

As part of my daily teaching, I do "wider opportunities" classical guitar full class lessons in primary schools (as well as violin and cello schemes in other schools) & I have to make all the left handed kids play the "correct" way, as all the instruments are right handed. Never had any problems.

It does nark me that the manufacturers nearly always charge more for the honour of being left handed, though![/quote]

Really, i think it's not so much of a problem learning to play the "wrong" way round for a person since when you learn an instrument for the first time you're basically starting from scratch anyway.

Also someone who was my friend is really good on both the cello and piano but both right hand orientated.

Edited September 18, 2009 by EdwardHimself

[nash]

left handed right footed

play bass right handed

play drums left handed

[Bassmingo]

I'm lefty playing righty. there was an old beat up righty acoustic in my house growing up, and the only thing i knew from watching others play was that the scratchplate was on the bottom, so thats how i picked it up. i cant play lefty to save my life.

drums are different, i can play basic beats right handed, bit if i were to ever take up drums seriously it'd be right foot bass, left hats, and open handed with remote hats and ride on the right side!


as for famous players, gary sinese (CSI, forrest gump) plays bass, but he's a righty. his bands called LT. DAN i think!

[fluter]

[quote name='OutToPlayJazz' post='602539' date='Sep 18 2009, 08:58 PM']Traditionally, there's no such thing as a left handed instrument. They're a pretty recent development, coming from the popularisation of the guitar.

If you look at the classical world everyone plays the same way, regardless of whether they're right or left handed. Particularly in the string section - Imagine eighty string players hitting each other with bows in opposite hands![/quote]
I remember a guy in Halle orchestra playing a left handed violin. It's uncommon but ot unheard of. Early wind instruments could be played either way without alteration, most string instruments were basically symmetrical and could always be reversed without too much trouble, like the violin bass. It's probably the 'sinister' connotations that prevented wider usage.

[quote]It does nark me that the manufacturers nearly always charge more for the honour of being left handed, though![/quote]
It is annoying. It is a small market though, machines need re-setting, different moulds etc. If players were willing to use symmetrical designs, the price wouldn't be an issue.

[BassAgent]

I'm left handed, right footed. I play bass right handed (which is also a bit due to the fact that my mom gave me a right handed guitar when I was only 5), drums left handed, football right footed.

[kets]

Many years ago when I was at College studying music I met a guy who was a leftie. He'd taken a right handed Hohner stick bass bass and played it upside down, left handed without re-stringing (Like Jimmy Haslip)

Unfortunately, when it came to bass lessons the bass teacher took one look at this guy and said "There's nothing I can do with that" and shook his head!

Can't always be easy for lefties!

[dannybuoy]

Another lefty who plays righty! I'm left handed, so I let my left hand do all the hard work on the fretboard, makes sense to me! It's just the way that feels most natural, I wan't forced into playing this way.

I'm all mixed up though, I'm a bit ambidextrous, although most activities are either left or right only and can't be easily swapped:

[u][b]LEFT:[/b][/u]
Writing
Pouring a drink
Holding a glass
Sawing wood / chopping vegetables etc
Throwing / catching a ball
Playing snooker

[u][b]RIGHT:[/b][/u]
Playing bass / guitar
Thowing a punch
Using a screwdriver
Playing cricket / tennis
Having a Tommy Tank

Edited September 21, 2009 by dannybuoy

[Stylon Pilson]

[quote name='dannybuoy' post='604586' date='Sep 21 2009, 02:38 PM'][u][b]RIGHT:[/b][/u]
Having a Tommy Tank[/quote]

At least that makes it easier to control the mouse.

S.P.

[lazzer]

I'm another natural left hander (writing, eating etc) that learned to play right handed from scratch as the only guitar in the house when i was 4 or 5 was my Dad's right handed flamenco guitar...........

Lazzer