LeftyP Posted June 23, 2017 Posted June 23, 2017 Hello, I'm very new to this forum having returned to the bass guitar after a 10 year lay-off. I'm nearly 67 and plan to play in our church worship band so no heavy metal! I am slowly getting back into the bass but I have taken things right back to the start using books and on-line tutorials. O.K. - I'm left handed but I play right handed. This goes back to when I was in my mid-forties and decided to learn to play the classical guitar. My teacher recommended that I play right handed as he had taught a few left handed people and found that they could not progress past a certain point. He said it would also open up a wider choice of instruments for me to choose from as simply re-stringing a classical guitar for left handed playing was not as simple as it may seem. I don't know the details but apparently the nut would need to be changed and the guitar's internal bracing was done to take account of right hand stringing. I'm not sure if any of that is true but as I had not played a guitar before I had nothing to 'un-learn' and began as a 'right hander'. I've had 66 years of being left handed so know all the problems that can bring. I am [i]very[/i] left handed and often say that my right hand is there just to prevent my right arm from fraying at the end! I was taught to use a knife and fork in the conventional way (knife in right hand) and have never had a problem with it although if I'm spreading butter onto bread I use my left hand. When I go into cafes I immediately re-arrange the cups and side plates to suit a lefty and turn my dessert spoon around so that the handle is on the left side - that confuses every body! Being left handed, I suppose we all make adjustments in our every day lives without even thinking about it. I set out to play the bass guitar and did not want to let my left handedness affect my progress. I have a long way to go until I am good enough to play in front of our church congregation but that is down to my lack of playing over the years and not because I use my left hand more than my right. I have been reading other posts on this thread and can identify with many of the comments but I am determined to get to grips with the bass - with both hands! By the way; can I really be a bass player if I only have one bass! Quote
Bassmonster Posted June 24, 2017 Posted June 24, 2017 Welcome dude, I was also told to play right handed but it just didn't take, I'm not sure I agree with that teachers opinion on progress, there's much more instruments available now guitar wise, but the bass market is still a bit hit and miss, I do wish I could play righty though, so much more choice Quote
uk_lefty Posted June 26, 2017 Posted June 26, 2017 [quote name='LeftyP' timestamp='1498252703' post='3323493'] I was taught to use a knife and fork in the conventional way (knife in right hand) and have never had a problem with it although if I'm spreading butter onto bread I use my left hand. When I go into cafes I immediately re-arrange the cups and side plates to suit a lefty and turn my dessert spoon around so that the handle is on the left side - that confuses every body! [/quote] 33 years of lefthandedness here and I've only just realised I do the same! Knife and fork used conveniently but knife only is a left hand activity! Learning something new every day. Welcome! Playing left handed shouldn't affect Tue progress as much as a teacher with a defeatist attitude in my view. Quote
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