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#269632 - 01/01/10 05:48 AM
Left Handed Literature
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Huxy
Be Nice (I'm New!)
Registered: 31/12/09
Posts: 5
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Hi guys,
I have just started playing at the age of 41 and was quite shocked at the lack of literature on the market for left handed guitarists.I phoned a specialist shop in Manchester to request a few Tab books to get me going and was surprised at the response of something about a Steinway left handed Piano that never took of etc. and felt as if I was stupid for even asking the question.
In the days of computers and mirror imaging software for printing and manufacturing technology I cannot believe it is difficult to get the stuff manufactured so is it down to lefties not whinging enough or happy to struggle along or just a snobby industry dominated by right handers who like talking down to people.
Looking forward to any responses 
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#269639 - 01/01/10 08:51 AM
Re: Left Handed Literature
[Re: Huxy]
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Bob Gnarly
Professional Forumite!
Registered: 19/12/09
Posts: 139
Loc: Aberdeen
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How is left handed TAB any different?
I've taught lefties in the past and never had any problems.
_________________________
Current Gear:some guitars some amps usually a plectrum My tunes
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#269801 - 03/01/10 04:31 PM
Re: Left Handed Literature
[Re: Noise_Maker]
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Huxy
Be Nice (I'm New!)
Registered: 31/12/09
Posts: 5
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Cheers for the replies. Thanks for the help with the web site. Yeah its just the chord diagram's that cause a bit of a problem. Don't forget I am doing this from scratch so looking, changing it round in my head and playing is a bit difficult. The replies I get back from guys in shops is to just keep plugging away. one guy was a natural left hander and changed over to a right handed guitar and learnt that way again from scratch.
I gather that as I learn the chords and they start sticking and the looking becomes less relevant things will become easier.
The web site is handy Noise Maker Cheers
Huxy
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#275635 - 28/04/10 11:22 PM
Re: Left Handed Literature
[Re: Huxy]
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markjam83
Be Nice (I'm New!)
Registered: 22/04/10
Posts: 4
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--snip--
Edited by stickyfiddle (29/04/10 04:16 AM)
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#275637 - 29/04/10 02:36 AM
Re: Left Handed Literature
[Re: markjam83]
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english_bob
english_bob
Unregistered
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There is a school of thought that says that you're better off as a lefty learning to play guitar the regular right-handed way since you place more demands on your left (fretting) hand than your right (strumming, picking) hand. It circumvents a lot of the problems you're experiencing with teaching materials, gives you much wider choice when it comes to guitars and gives you a natural advantage as a beginner in that all those rightys spend weeks and months trying to get their left hand to do anything more challenging than scratching their @rses, while you've got a lifetime of left-hand-dominant living behind you and hopefully a much better relationship between your brain and your left hand.
Of course, if you've already started learning left-handed and made any amount of progress this is all a bit too late. I have seen some left-handed teaching materials- Amazon is probably the place to look.
Edited by english_bob (29/04/10 04:19 AM)
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#280318 - 09/10/10 01:24 AM
Re: Left Handed Literature
[Re: ]
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biffta
Be Nice (I'm New!)
Registered: 08/09/10
Posts: 8
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Don't feel forced into learning right handed. It is difficult enough learning with what is natural, let alone going against that! I am learning the guitar at 43 yrs old, and am 18 months into it.
You will soon get used to mirror imaging thinks in your mind, and at least that means that you will be able to use all material printed for guitars, borrowed or bought.
There are a famous lefties that learnt right handed, for example Gary Moore. But think of this....Jimi Hendrix reportedly could play very nearly as well right handed, but still chose to play a right handed guitar upside down rather than go against what's natural!
Have a look at my thread of "What guitar do you play" for some lefty resources.
Good luck.
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#280320 - 09/10/10 08:42 AM
Re: Left Handed Literature
[Re: biffta]
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scrinson
One of the Regulars
Registered: 02/09/10
Posts: 68
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I agree with what biffta says, I am a lefty and I spent a long time deciding whether to try playing right handed and the selection of guitars available nearly swung it for me; however every time i picked a rh guitar up it felt so alien and i settled on lh. I had lessons for the first year or so and even then I struggled with tab but now its natural. You probably have done this already but find a song you want to play on you tube and then get the tab from ultimate tab or similar and youll soon pick it up.
Gary
Edited by scrinson (09/10/10 08:42 AM)
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#280355 - 12/10/10 07:38 AM
Re: Left Handed Literature
[Re: scrinson]
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Vialli
One of the Regulars
Registered: 01/02/10
Posts: 67
Loc: Bristol
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As a lefty I agree with Bifta & Scrinson regarding which orientation feels natural. I believe the idea of the left hand being stronger meaning it is somehow more natural for a lefty to play right handed to be flawed. In my experience most proponents of this are right handed. There are a few other threads in this forum debating the same, so I will get back on to the main topic!
I've never had problems with tablature. Chord diagrams are another thing though - I've always found them confusing as you need to mentally reverse the image in a more complex way (to my brain at least  ).
On the upside, chord diagrams are something you use infrequently insomuch that once you've learned the chord you rarely need to go back to the diagram. I would find it much more of an issue if I found tab difficult.
Also, using video (or real-life lessons) is a great way to learn as a left-hander as you get a mirror image of the tutors guitar making it very simple to copy any chord shapes. Unless the tutor themselves is left-handed of course!
There are some basic lefty chord diagrams here:
http://leftyfretz.com/free-left-handed-guitar-chord-diagrams/
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#280356 - 12/10/10 07:41 AM
Re: Left Handed Literature
[Re: Vialli]
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Vialli
One of the Regulars
Registered: 01/02/10
Posts: 67
Loc: Bristol
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Just found this:
http://www.chordbook.com/guitarchords.php
It has a left-hand orientation option displaying the chords lefty.
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