This TRULY Stumped Me…Trying to Play Left Handed

In this episode we discuss handedness and see if I can play Back In Black left-handed.
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[@theonlyjasonkirk]

I never knew I was ambidextrous - my playing is awful left or right 🤣

[@alex0589]

Consistency is key

[@channelsixtysix066]

😆

[@TimBoulette]

That might technically be known as “adextrous”….

[@harrystewart9707]

I think that's called ambisinistrous.

[@seanhollandcanada]

I'd give my right arm to be ambidextrous.

[@TomStrahle]

Back when I was teaching privately, any time I had a new student who was taking their first ever guitar lesson, a true beginner, before the student would show up I would spend about five minutes trying to play left handed. This would help me to remember what being a beginner was like so as to better empathize with them.

[@scottbaines4747]

Brilliant.

[@TomStrahle]

@@NickNicometi I'll have to check that out.

[@thomasmancine7650]

I do the same thing, it really helps to put things in perspective.

[@terrymckown2441]

You literally took the words out my mouth. Did that too, great for getting perspective. Good stuff my friend. 👍

[@nicolasfox]

I'm a left handed guitarist and I've been watching Rick for 5 years. This is the first thing I've been able to play better than him...

[@larrimos]

Word.

[@Dalwhat]

Mate, it pisses me off so much when certain right handed friends come round and can play my left handed guitars better then me.

[@larrimos]

@@Dalwhat I hear you. Although, when my right handed friends have their guitars around it’s always cool to see the shock on their faces when I can play their guitars. Just the cowboy chords but I’ve had to learn to play a little bit right handed over the years if those were the only instruments around.

[@DancingBearshy]

Same!

[@colinbirnie6537]

@@styopin SAME HERE! LEFTY-LOVE!

[@sneifert1968]

I’m left handed and play guitar right handed. It’s just the way I learned. I have noticed an advantage using by dominant hand for fingering scales and chords.

[@thewindupsweetheart]

same

[@ronforeman2556]

I'm left handed. 1971, freshman year HS: I buy a left-handed "Beatle bass" knockoff, but lack patience to get over the hurdle, lose interest, quit, and sell the bass. 1979: I'm living and working in LA when my best buddy/uberchopsmeister guitarist (a right-handed-playing lefty) and his drummer arrive in town, 2/3rds of a rock trio, with dreams of "making it." They audition a bunch of bass player prospects, but aren't finding the right fit. One day, my friend says, out of the blue, "Why don't YOU just play the bass with us?" He has a right-handed Rickenbacker 4001 that the band's former bass player back home had given him. I pick it up and it immediately feels more natural to me than my old left-handed instrument. Picking the strings with my right hand is no big deal, and my dominant hand is free to fly around the fret board. Within a few weeks I'm rehearsing with the band, and in a couple of months we're ready to record a demo and start playing the clubs in Hollywood.

[@johnmcchavs]

Same for me. I'm left handed, but playing right handed felt more natural to me, I guess.

[@lemaywebdesign]

same here. I simply cannot imagine trying to fret with my right hand. Forget it.

[@jacksonredd_]

Same, I learned ukulele first and did that right handed. I did the same thing for guitar obviously, and the one time I tried doing it was so confusing.

[@GrimReacts]

As a lefty, this was super entertaining and pretty much how I've felt all my life trying to play right handed guitars. Put off getting a guitar for the first 23 years of my life, got one last year finally after deciding "screw it, I'll learn left handed despite how hard it might be (spoiler: not any harder than learning right hand.)" - Needless to say that was the best decision ever and learning guitar over the past year has been an absolute dream. I love the challenge and am so glad I committed to just getting a lefty after EVERYONE including the guy at my local music store warned me against it. It just feels absolutely unnatural to play right handed and with how many hours I clocked in on guitar hero on lefty mode as a kid, I really was naturally used to strumming with my left hand! Awesome video Rick and shoutout to Lefty guitarist across the globe!

[@NeilCrouse99]

I'm surprised the guitar store guy told you not to get one. Especially with an instrument. A tool that humans invented to convey their feelings and experiences with. So why start off trying to learn something while feeling unnatural to yourself?? I never understood people who try to convince someone not to start off with a left-handed guitar if they are left-handed?

[@sgtbigballs666]

Lefty high five! Good luck finding a higher end guitar if you take it that far, id recommend learning the "correct" way for that fact alone

[@channelsixtysix066]

I never learnt because getting a LH instrument where I live was almost impossible and more expensive. I'm heavily left handed, I don't have much dexterity at all trying to do anything right handed. A LH guitar would be a must.

[@potterpotter8953]

Hey I watch all your VIDS. Im loving the TCAP Episodes!!!! Pretty sick of big ed and Liz. Mostly because shes hot and hes big ED and I aint getting laid. PeACE!!

[@sgtbigballs666]

@@channelsixtysix066 beginner lefty guitars are certainly available at pretty much any store, god bless if you stick with it because higher end instruments are nigh impossible to find, I build my own haha

[@TheArtofGuitar]

I do a few things left-handed just for the thrill of it, guitar isn't one. ;)

[@spudvader]

c'mon dude, we don't want to hear about that pfff

[@MrLiamHenderson]

@@spudvader agreed. Save the bass talk for another channel

[@zachg7356]

Lmao its crazy to see you commenting

[@Cthulhu_Awaken]

It's funny because I read it imagining your voice.

[@A_Final_Hit]

You sew left-handed, too?! 😃

[@DavidDiMuzio]

This was way more interesting than I expected it to be at the beginning of the video 😄

[@weird_wild_world]

yup

[@johnnorth6004]

Have yet to see a bad Beato video. There all great in my humble opinion.

[@ScottDaddyMac]

100%

[@Pim3211]

Agreed

[@josuegavi]

Absolutely!

[@ohhimarc6192]

For me, I always connected my dominant hand (left in this case) with precision, and my right hand with power. I write with my left hand, I throw with my right. Therefore for me, playing right-handed guitars seemed pretty intuitive as I feel there is more precision needed for finger placement rather than picking, which is often a more "explosive" movement.

[@AGhostintheHouse]

That is exactly how I am! My right arm is actually a little more muscular than my left arm.

[@HUGEHARDTHICKANDVEINY]

That's kind of like me! Even before I played guitar my left fingers were just more... individuated. Like tapping my fingers in different patterns to music always worked better with my left while on the right my fingers much prefer working together as one with more strength. At the same time, I've noticed in day-to-day stuff my left hand's fingers have a much higher tendency to "trip over each other"; like I've got more ability to move the fingers independently but it also takes more effort to actually utilize it well.

[@Osmium38]

@@AGhostintheHousegiggity?

[@thequebee_0101]

@@Osmium38 lmaooo family guy reference

[@pnut3844able]

Exactly me as well

[@gabrielperrymusic]

Great video! Jon Damian, a guitar teacher at Berklee, calls this "experiment", the Incredible Time Machine. The idea is... if you're ever feeling down about your playing like you're not progressing fast enough, just flip the guitar around and try to play a simple chord or familiar scale or lick. You're suddenly a beginner again! And, you suddenly realize that you've come a much further along in your playing than you often realize. It's cool, right?

[@philosophicsblog]

Nope. No difference for me. 🤣🤣

[@theironherder]

After years (and years ...) of trying to be a musician, I realized that part of my problem (on top of a sad absence of talent) was that I have a profound intolerance for the slow progress that I made playing (at) the piano or trumpet. I couldn't tell that I was making any improvement. Meaning that, among other things, successful musicians don't let the slow process of learning discourage them. Or maybe they made discernable progress because of their talent. But, even if I can't make music, I can still enjoy what real musicians do.

[@fpbrazz]

Justin Guitar learned to play left handed to be able to better teach on his website in the Nitsuj series! He definitely deserved a shout out here ;)

[@dean9498]

I watched all of the Nitsuj videos. Very interesting,to say the least.

[@erezinyo]

It saddens me to say this, but this is one of the most entertaining posts you ever uploaded. I love the interview with Joni Mitchel, the "what makes this song great" series, and obviously the videos where you guys shoot the breeze about guitars and all the jazz. But this is pure magic. Made me laugh so hard

[@stevehunt6741]

Sounds like me 😆

[@javedalam5549]

Watching him try to play the lick at the end had me in tears. I've never laughed like that from a Rick Beato video before.

[@jscan]

You forgot to mention arguably one of the most influential lefties in modern music history! By playing on a right handed setup, Ringo created some of the coolest (albeit subtle) drum grooves ever - never would have originated from a righty!

[@WardCarroll]

How about that white tolex Marshall? Randy Rhoads lives! Gorgeous!

[@RickBeato]

Yeah!! What’s up Ward!!

[@WardCarroll]

@@RickBeato It's all you, brother! This episode was a blast!

[@ThumperzGG]

Phenomenal! We love Randy Rhoads!

[@jackielangley5154]

' Is it a left-handed amp?

[@ThumperzGG]

@@rong9758 yup lol I noticed and I guess he just edited it haha. Rock on.

[@carlwilson4425]

This, to me, is one of the most entertaining videos Rick has ever done. And, REAL educational.

[@docDeutschmann]

Biggest takeaway (even though it was borrowed from "smarter every day"): "Knowledge does not equal understanding." That seems to be so true for pretty much anything - but particularly true when trying to improve (or add) skill.

[@saedt]

100%, you can know lots of things but it takes time to truly internalize it.

[@Aaron628318]

Knowing how something is done is not the same as being able to do it.

[@TheCSpang]

I write with my right but play guitar lefty. Ironically, back when I knew nothing about guitar, I used a similar writing analogy to justify why holding the guitar lefty was correct- I assumed that because I write with my right, that I’d use that hand to do “the hard stuff” on guitar (fretting).

[@ericmills9839]

I had exactly the same thought process when I started, but abandoned the idea of playing lefty in short order. Holding the pick in my left hand felt so wrong, likely as Rick was noting the similar act of holding a pen was alien to my left hand. Also, when starting out, you have no ability to do any complex fingering anyway and I was just trying to hold simple chords. Would have been interesting to have stuck with it but having started in the early 90s when lefty guitars were still very uncommon I’m glad I went righty.

[@MrFosterGrant]

The scale runs from left to right as a piano does for left-handed players

[@pabl0sauced0]

Same here except the thing that made me learn lefty was bc my left index finger broke and gets jammed. It's so much easier to just hold a pick with it and use my right hand for fretting.

[@thealaskapicker8628]

I thought this was going to be a gimmicky video... turns out it was a fascinating exploration of handedness and musicality. Bravo, Mr. Beato, as always

[@sonovoxx]

If I was teaching guitar to kids and couldn't explain properly what to do with their hands to help, I'd flip my guitar over to play left handed, and put myself right back there with them as a beginner. Helped a lot!

[@sgtbigballs666]

I find being a lefty makes it very easy to teach people because of the mirror effect, not other lefties of course but I've never run into that

[@sonovoxx]

@@sgtbigballs666 I read the first bit of that and really thought you were going to say you found being a lefty made it easy to play left-handed! 😂

[@sgtbigballs666]

@@sonovoxx haha, playing left handed is awful, always custom orders, can never really try an instrument before buying

[@musicauthority7828]

As a guitar teacher it would probably be beneficial to learn how to play the guitar both ways. as for me I'm left handed and play right handed.

[@sonovoxx]

@@musicauthority7828 I hear you. I'm quite ambidextrous - write with left hand draw with right, play guitar right handed, drums left-handed but right footed (yay electronic kits!). Don't care which hand for knife, fork, spoon, cup, file, hacksaw, hammer etc. Quite handy at times!

[@Napalmdog]

Being a left-hander that learned right-handed, you're really on the right track with the thoughts on the pick. And it relies on *wrist* motion, not finger dexterity. I'm sure it's taken me far longer to learn this way and whenever I try to go lefty, there's just so much to *un*learn it's discouraging.

[@bobshenix]

Keep in mind it's also generally a bit easier for lefties to adapt to doing things in a right-handed way than it is for righties to adapt to doing things in a left-handed way... mostly because they are more used to being in that position. Most right-handed folks don't even think about handedness very much (I would know, I am right-handed myself).

[@lgab]

Same situation, though I can't know how it would have turned out if I had picked up a leftie guitar from the start - maybe I would have become be a sweep picking leftie god - but I don't feel limited playing right-handed, I just need to practice like everyone else.

[@davidphilipp16]

I am left handed, i do every thing with my left hand exept playing the guitar. Im a classical guitarist so i never really played with a pick but i know that if i pick up one i instinctly but it in my left hand. Its so weird i even play air guitar left handed. But when i pickup a guitar i always hold it right handed. Its confusing

[@Napalmdog]

@@bobshenix I can’t focus on someone writing with their right hand! It hurts!

[@nekrohatred9547]

I had no clue I was cross dominant. I can't believe I just learned that from this video.

[@JusticeOuinn420]

Same here!!

[@julesvonbavy]

Same here!

[@austinteis3158]

Me to 😂

[@TempleOfFive]

Same, just alwasy assumed I was ambidextrous

[@LifeHawkeye]

I’ve played guitar for about 33 years now as a lefty. Years ago I tried getting a job as a guitar teacher at my areas biggest music store. Even though the owner knew me for years and despite the fact that I had won the cities best guitar contest at age 17, he denied me the job stating that it would be too hard for right handed people to learn from me. Lol I knew that was a ridiculous reason as I had always learned off of right handed teachers and preferred it because it looked like being in a mirror.

[@davegto67]

I'm a lefthanded player that has been teaching for 30 years. I've always felt that being left handed as a teacher has been an advantage, as it is a mirror image.

[@MrLuigiFercotti]

Right handed people can be incredibly stupid and prejudiced. But forgive them, they can't help it, they were born that way.

[@timbuckxxi9690]

The Owner is a idiot...

[@PeteHerger]

We lefty guitarists appreciate you finally giving us some love, Rick!!! Great video, and it amazes me every time I am in my local music shops or browsing online that in spite of lefties being such a significant part of the music buying population, there is still a decided lack of left handed guitars being manufactured and marketed. This feeds into another part of the issue: I know many, but not all, guitar instructors who still actively discourage natural lefties from learning to play with their innate dominant handedness. Lefties need love, too!

[@EM-cz4rd]

This is why I learned to play guitar right handed instead of left handed. I was told it would be a pain to find guitars etc…

[@bernardgonzalez9487]

Rondomusic sells inexpensive left handed guitars. I bought myself a Les Paul knockoff years ago and took it to a luthier and he told me that it was about as good quality as an epiphone is nowadays. So that tells me that my $350 purchase is about as good as an $800 purchase

[@bernardgonzalez9487]

@@EM-cz4rd you and I seem to be the exact opposite. If you're dominant hand is left-handed but you play right handed guitar, my dominant hand is right-handed and I play a left handed guitar. I am so right handed I could not play what the world calls a right handed guitar

[@EM-cz4rd]

@@bernardgonzalez9487 dang that's crazy. Thing is, about 2 years ago I badly dislocated my index finger on my fret hand and my range of motion never fully came back. I can play but it's not as easy anymore to play something like an C chord (standard tuning). Have a real hard time landing that finger accurately. Am or Em pretty good. I've thought about learning how to play left handed... we'll see

[@DirkGentley42]

Another weird thing. I as in a store that had one left handed guitar. I raised a comment about the lack of choice, and said i guess you don't sell many. The guy said no, they go really quickly. (Errr.... Why don't you get more then?). It's not logical is it?

[@benzoid135]

Rick, I'm 50 years old. Never had a clue that "cross dominance" was an actual term that describes me! Guitar, writing, painting; left, and throwing a ball, shooting a rifle; right! I just thought I was weird. The things you've taught me blows my mind. Not just music theory. Thank you Rick - you're a real gem.

[@bradleycarroll156]

Same boat here! I'm not ambidextrious, I didn't really know if there was a word for it. Someone once remarked that I did more "nurturing" tasks (eat, write, make music, stir ingredients while cooking) left-handed and other types of tasks (shooting, throwing, cutting ingredients for cooking, etc.) with my right. For whatever that's worth.

[@Wolf-Spirit_Alpha-Sigma]

@@bradleycarroll156 Interesting. I'd say that that is a sign of being ambidextrous after all. Being ambi, doesn't only mean that you have no dominance at all, which I think is pretty rare, given the anatomy of the brain. In any case, as for me, I've always been a lefty, but later in life, I realized that when I have to learn or perform some manual skill under pressure, I can only do it with my left hand. But when I keep my cool and learn some skill that way, I usually do it better with the right hand, it's just a tad slower than with the other hand. Which makes sense, given that the right hemisphere (connected to the left side of body) corresponds with negative emotions, so also stress. Just goes to show for me, that maybe left handed people are just higher in neuroticism, hence they train their left hand/right hemisphere much more, which makes it the dominant one. I think I'll keep trying to be less neurotic to, at the least, get balanced brain functions. 😅

[@edwardlagrossa1246]

No, you we're right, you're just weird. Guns & guitars don't mix. Choose your master! You can't serve both music and killing.

[@sammyrothrock6981]

@@edwardlagrossa1246 tell that to Ted Nugent..

[@markwagner1997]

I learned the term (cross dominent) that describes me today as well. All my life I've welded, brazed and soldered left-handed and done everything else right-handed. Attempting to weld, braze or solder right-handed is every bit as awkward as writing or throwing a ball left-handed. I don't know anyone else who is this way. Nice to know I'm not alone! 😀 Now Rick has me thinking....maybe I could play guitar better left handed!!??

[@berkmustafaoglu9020]

As a lefty the guitar has brought so much struggle to me.I didn’t know which hand I was gonna use when I started but my teacher told me that if i start playing right-handed I won’t progress as much I will with my left hand and he is right because I do everything with my left hand and left foot.Finding left guitars is so hard especially in smaller countries that don’t have many guitar stores.Not once I’ve been to a store where the workers have told me to give up on guitar because I’m a lefty.I never gave up and couple of months later I bought my first left electric guitar.Guitar is a huge part of my life and one advice from me is to NEVER GIVE UP AND DONT LISTEN TO SUCH IDIOTS!!

[@zelenimonter4901]

I agree, and I play left handed to. You can take any guitar and just put strings in opposite direction, it might be easier than buying left handed guitar.

[@berkmustafaoglu9020]

@@zelenimonter4901 I have to find lefty parts and that will be even harder and I personally think that playing a righty guitar upside down is a bit strange

[@Fadegalaxy-mv4mp]

your teacher was so dumb lmao, my cousin is a lefty who plays righty and he’s perfectly good.

[@JASONVISION]

I'm a lefty you not alone

[@carl4138]

Can we talk about how depressing guitar stores are as lefty’s? We have 2 lefty guitars in the store. One is a beginners and one is a $7500 Martin. Lol!

[@blackstormer95]

@@emilcioran9954 Yes, happens here in Costa Rica. Went to buy one in USA and it was the same as well.

[@channelsixtysix066]

Same in Australia. It would be interesting to see the price of the RH version of the Martin. I would not be surprised if it was much cheaper.

[@mekkio77]

That's the reason why I am currently learning to play on right handed guitars despite that I am left handed. My options are few and way out of my price range.

[@oasisbeyond]

Naw, there's always $200 to $600 where I use to go, but of course less choice.

[@oasisbeyond]

@@mekkio77 plenty of good guitars at $300 to $700.

[@paulthreet9408]

Now imagine that EVERYONE (your uncle who is your hero, your friends, every music shop you walk into, music teachers -except your mother) tells you to that you can't learn to play left handed. I have had music shops flat out refuse to flip a righty. It caused me to give up trying to learn at 15 and not try again until I was in my 40's. I also hate that there seem to be less and less quality instruments past entry level. My response to that issue is I purchase Fenders and Squiers and mod them to what I want.

[@tomsimms674]

When I wanted a good electric six-string, I got an Epi G400 Pro. It's a copy of a Gibson SG Standard. It's a quality build, and a good tech can give it a lightning setup. As money becomes available, it's possible to get nicer pickups and pots. By the time you've spent the price of an SG, you have a better guitar than an SG.

[@sircampbelltenson7297]

When I first started I automatically played right handed, even though I was left handed. To me, I have more dexterity in my left hand so it seems fair to fret with that hand and it does work but the issue for me is that I could easily trem pick with my left hand but I cannot fret with my right hand, I can type with it and play piano but just cannot fret (Also never been able to write right handed now that I think about it)

[@OldMusicOnVinyl1]

Next time someone refuses to flip a righty for you, tell them that Jimi Hendrix started on a flipped righty and played them for most of his career. It's criminal to ignore for anyone who serves a lefty guitarist-because can we really question that Hendrix is one of the most revered and legendary of them?

[@rdlystad23]

Amen man. They tried to flip me when I started and I just couldn’t do it. Buying guitars, getting parts, etc has always been a nightmare for me. Pre-internet it was damn near impossible. Now I generally don’t get to play it before hand but I can at least look.

[@renedejong6386]

Most of the time a setting from the shop's are bad . in dutch dictionary by the explanation for lefthanded say's sinister.... ? Yeah why , they made us !

[@robtsologtr]

Over the years when I’ve found myself growing impatient with a beginning student I flip the guitar over and try to do the most simple things. As I often say to students “if you could immediately do this you would be a freak.”

[@MLGballyMeisterSamBall]

I just learned something new. I always just assumed I was left handed but apparently I'm cross dominant. I write left handed but play guitar right handed and used to do sports right handed. This video also explains why I can play guitar with my fingers but find using a pick really hard. We've got a left handed guitar in our classroom. As teachers we pick it up once in a while just to remind us how hard it is to learn.

[@LeonardoPolichuth]

I'm a lefty, and I learned to play the guitar as the "normal" right handed position. In my opinion I think I have a advantage, my dominant hand have a lot to deal with, while my right hand only have to deal with playing 6 strings

[@alainvosselman9960]

Same here !

[@hughjarrse]

But every righty could play lefty and have the same advantage, they don't because it doesn't feel natural. I dread to think how many wonderful guitarists we never got to hear because they gave up because it was too hard

[@thethebadboy9]

I was going to make a comment about this but since it's already here I'll give my reasoning on why as a leftie I taught myself right handed. If 90% of the world is right handed, that's theoretically 90% of guitars that may be anywhere at anytime that I could play

[@MNolanMillar]

Me too. There are probably a heap of lefties who play right handed.

[@hughjarrse]

@@MNolanMillar Steve Morse, Gary Moor, Duane Allman, Preston Reed, Shawn Lane, Mark Knopfler, Herman Li, Nick Johnston, Joe Perry, Johnny Winter, Robert Fripp ....... looks like you were right 🙂

[@TwisteddigitTK]

As a lefty, with a 5 year old son who's also a lefty, I love this. I also remember my mother giving me a book which contained a section about famous lefties. I was thrilled to see that 2 of the Beatles were amongst us. It made coping with living in a world built for right-handers just a little bit more tolerable.

[@Markle2k]

If you find yourself in San Francisco, there is a store on Pier 39 called Lefty's just for you and your son. Want some actual decent quality scissors for the left hand? A can opener? A guitar? They got 'em.

[@billbuffett]

Both Coldplay’s Chris Martin and Guy Berryman are left handed, but play (seamlessly and gorgeously) guitar and bass respectively right handed. For Chris, maybe it’s because he’s mainly a pianist as well. Anyway, for me being a right handed, this has always been an amazing thing to watch.

[@stubbzzz]

I’m cross dominant like your son. Back when I first started learning guitar, I could have done either, but we made a conscious decision to learn right handed just because it’s usually more convenient in most situations and there are more options for right-handed guitars

[@sean9983]

Yeah… I know kinda wish I did the same thing. At least walking into a guitar store would be what do I feel like testing today instead of I wonder if they have a lefty that I can try.

[@nabooster]

How long do you reckon it would take you to learn left-handed?

[@mikemetz4300]

Great video! I’m a lefty and been playing for 25 plus years. Whenever I grab a RH guitar, I just hold it lefty and the strings are upside down like Albert King. It is challenging but allows you to think differently. I think you should try to play back in black RH on his lefty guitar for a different kind of challenge. That is what us lefty’s do all of the time!

[@ThePurpleHarpoon]

So .... if your strings are upside down, chord charts and tabulation are pretty much useless, right?

[@mattkassell9510]

I saw a Beatles tribute act at The Cavern once, I think they were Argentinian. Anyway, their “Paul” was amazing, perfect copy of the real thing, playing Abbey Road in full on a lefty Hofner bass. Then at the very end he borrows “John”’s right handed acoustic and plays Her Majesty right handed! I was blown away, maybe he’s in the 1% like your brother.

[@ethanchouinard4157]

Maybe so! It could also be that the bass was easier to play left handed? You only really use one finger at a time when fretting, and a couple fingers while plucking. While the guitar often requires all four of your fingers to play chords. Still pretty amazing though!

[@J-BirdFlysAgain]

Paul does not play one finger lines sir... he plays bass much like a guitar

[@gooddogtrainingservices5351]

Probably learned bass lefty for fun 🤩

[@soeffingwhat]

@@ethanchouinard4157 no the bass is not easier to play left-handed, the same coordination is required, and its not like Beatles bass lines are "easy". This guy was probably lucky and very very ambidextrous.

[@MostlyElectrolytes]

I remember once asking my algebra teacher as he was writing on the board if he was sure that he wasn't actually left handed. He drew three little circles on the board about 3 feet apart and had me put my nose in one of them and a finger from each hand in the other two for the rest of the period. I guess that in today's world that would be considered wrong, but even in the moment I just thought to myself "yeah, I kinda had that coming". The job of the class clown is difficult sometimes.

[@dentoncrimescene]

Any world really.

[@mjc4art]

I had a middle school music teacher in the 80’s that did that to a friend. She also chucked a mouthpiece at my head… the good old days 😂

[@jeffsimpson6599]

I would give my left arm to be ambidextrous…

[@jakubbielak7273]

I'm left-handed guitarist and I feel discriminated that LH guitars cost more than right-handed ones.

[@jacobakesson]

I’m left handed too and I completely agree!

[@candie1230]

Why don’t you just buy a right handed guitar, and string it left handed

[@alanredversangel]

@@candie1230 Because everything else is still reversed???

[@alanredversangel]

I'm more worried about the pots being correct ie. Reverse log or linear.

[@wesleyalan9179]

Should've just learned to play right....like normal people,lol! My dad and wife are BOTH left handed...they learned to play right. I don't think it matters if ya right or left handed....what matters is weather you bought a righ or left handed guitar to learn on!

[@The_ViciousOne]

That is unbelievable! Even with all his widespread knowledge about guitar playing, chords, notes and what not... Excellent example about what "learning" really is, in context of physical movement. It's far beyond just "knowing". 👍

[@TanguyBlanchard]

I have chronic pain issues in my arms and experts actually recommend to learn ambidextrous guitar. Always been a challenge but a fantastic brain workout for sure

[@Better_Call_Raul]

If there is pain in both arms, don't see how ambidextrous playing would help. Have had nerve pain when squeezing with my fretting arm but just played thru the pain. Would have been far less painful to switch and fret with right hand but did not try it. Suspect it would have been a nightmare to learn. As far as brain workout there are enough challenges as it is with normal righty playing.

[@valebliz]

@@Better_Call_Raul there’s multiple causes for chronic pain…

[@virginiusmaximus7006]

I write left handed, but play guitar right handed for some reason. I wasn't forced into it, it just came more naturally to me.

[@bryantwalley]

Your left hand is your good hand and you are now making the chords and playing the leads with your good hand. It makes perfect sense. Why some people do it backwards is what makes no sense.

[@eeeeyuke]

Same. Prefer fretting with dominant hand.

[@MarcoBlumMusic]

Same here 😂

[@simonscott8183]

Same for me lefty play guitar right handed! By choice. Over 30 years!

[@LM-dh1ub]

Yep, same here. Was a choice when I was a kid, as when I 1st picked it up I naturally started left handed, but as it was more commonly done and easier to buy a guitar, went right. Does your pick hand ever feel like it's dragging though? As the dominant hand is on the fretboard?

[@craig9802]

This is one of my favorite episodes, Rick. I love Smarter Every Day, I love to see people challenging themselves and trying new things, and I love seeing people laugh when they realize they are human after all. :) Cheers.

[@ChrisDIYerOklahoma]

Don't forget about Ringo Starr being a lefty! He played a right handed drum kit. To me, one of the greatest drummers/drum sound out there. You really have to pay attention to what he does...it's amazing.

[@NahreSol]

Great video! Super fascinating… also it’s never something I even thought about - how there aren’t any “left handed” violinists (playing-wise!).

[@arthurpiccio7906]

Charlie Chaplin was one.

[@YouTubeHandlesAreMoronic]

Nor are there left-handed trumpets, trombones, horns, pianos, harpsichords, flutes, harps, etc. Guitar seems to be the only instrument which lefties are encouraged to play backward. It's needless.

[@davegto67]

@@KZbinHandlesAreMoronic Well, there's definitely right handed assholes.

[@arthurpiccio7906]

It's only needless if you don't have the need.

[@arthurpiccio7906]

@@davegto67 IKR. it's like they got triggered by the idea that not everything is about them.

[@purplewound]

Being a pure lefty, i started playing right handed when i was 14. I was progressing pretty good at that time. But once i got into these lefty guitar legends and their music, i thought i would play better with a left handed guitar. So after 2 years, i switched to playing lefty. I'd say it's all about building muscle memory. Left or right handed, it does not matter at all. Once you practice the hell out of your instrument the discrepancy felt by playing either side disappears. But i gotta warn those beginners, finding a proper left handed guitar is damn hard so choose wisely. Options are pretty limited. You'll end up either with investing into low quality guitars or expensive custom made ones.

[@roberthurless4615]

I have played lefty since I was 12 and I am 66 now. I always felt natural to play that way. At least more manufacturers make lefty instruments now than when I started. Btw Rick, a while back you mentioned that you stopped producing because you could not find musicians that could play a piece all the way through. I can play almost anything you want from start to finish. I read charts and I can improvise over changes. I can also play by ear if needed.

[@jingle1161]

The mirror thing is very true. As a lefty it's always been fairly easy to watch what was happening on the fretboard of my teacher. When I watch a lefty playing I get disorientated.

[@ericecho]

Also another thing righties may not realize is that us lefties are always at a disadvantage when it comes to spontaneous jam sessions or parties/hangouts when the only available guitar is a righty. This has led me (and perhaps some of us) to learn to play a righty upside down and know chords upside down. So you can say we know more than ONE way to play the guitar😎

[@F.guitar82]

same here, greetings from argentina!

[@peteandurnot]

Same with me on the bass

[@TheLucidDreamer12]

Some of us just learn guitar right handed and reduce picking with more legato and sweeping

[@peteandurnot]

@@TheLucidDreamer12 some yes, but not all lefties can do that.

[@MoreMeRecording]

As a lefty, this is one of the many handicaps I encountered...Frustrating

[@robcarter6599]

I’ve been teaching music for 30 years. This is the first year that I’ve taught class ukulele. I decided to teach myself to play lefty so the kids could mirror me. It really helps them a lot, but I feel like there’s a cross hemispheric storm going on in my brain since I’ve been playing right handed guitar since 1986!

[@davedavem]

Playing left handed, I'd do it really quietly. Rick sticks it in a half stack!! 🤘😆🤘

[@MEGAMIGA]

🤣🤣🤣

[@MrMixolydian7]

Cross dominant cat here (write right handed but play guitar left handed). I recently bought a lefty Gibson SG Faded (2004). I can’t believe how good it sounds!!

[@chrisgdyer]

I have never heard the term “cross dominant “ until today. I’ve always considered myself to be ambidextrous but now after watching your video I understand that I am actually cross dominant…thank you.

[@tomvan22]

Same here!

[@dadof2553]

And here.

[@xtrict]

Same here also.

[@mcltlandgrebe]

1% rules!!

[@iangillen6958]

Me too!

[@daniel_el_kaffee4031]

I am a righthanded person playing the guitar left handed, because I'm forced to. I usually can't do anything with my left hand, I do everything better with my right hand. Unfortunately I injured my left hand as a child, so bad that I can't move two of my fingers propperly, so left hand = fretting hand was out of the question. I was 9 at the time and I'd already learned to play the guitar a little. Due to that injury, I gave up playing the guitar for 9 years, but the urge to play this instrument never truly left me. When I was 18 I thought I'd give it another shot. Fortunately, because of the long break and because I hadn't learned to much when I was 9, I managed to work it out better than I expected in the beginning. I am now two years in and I am not doing too bad, but there will always be things and techniques I will have to do differently because of my injury.

[@lamper2]

I have a similar story

[@mightymikethebear]

Life is about adapting to changing conditions. I am right handed but had an injury to my right hand years ago. I had to learn to do everyday things left handed. I still to some of the things I had to learn left handed with my left hand.

[@Mesder13]

If you haven't heard of him already, you should look up Django Reinhardt. He was a jazz guitarist who lost the use of two of his fingers from an injury when he was young, but he was still one of the greatest players of his day.

[@jozjonlin3170]

I play right handed but am ambidextrous. My problem is multiple injuries to all my fingers on my left hand. At the best of times I can't make a completely closed fist. Thankfully, that's not a prerequisite to playing. I find that playing my guitar and doing scales is one of the best physical therapy activities I can do. I'm no Petrucci, but I can still rip through some scales and runs up the neck with remarkable speed, especially considering the condition of my 4 fingers on my left hand.

[@louisdutoya857]

And Tommy Iommi took inspiration from Django and create prosthesis for his injured fingers and play LH

[@danielmiddleman8613]

His point about having a left-handed teacher and it being easier to learn is a brilliant point. I made little guitar necks to transcribe scales on and would always make them as a mirror image. It seemed to make much more sense to me than the typical way these things are tabbed out in magazines for instance. I am also a lefty but play guitar right-handed.

[@brus11]

I am 99.9% lefty, but I play guitar the right way. When I started to learn, both hands had challenging tasks and I figured it was easier to finger chords with my dominant hand.

[@robertstone1409]

I often try to play the guitar left handed to remind me how difficult it is just to press the strings down correctly and get a clear sound. It helps me empathize with my students - especially in the beginning.

[@alainvosselman9960]

Good move !!

[@cam-the-bassist]

When discussing upside down strung guitars, I wish more people would bring up Doyle Bramhall II. Phenomenal player and singer/songwriter who has played with the likes of eric clapton and was taught by none other than Stevie Ray Vaughan. Anyone who sees this comment, please check some of his songs out - his album jellycream is awesome

[@jimideez9829]

yup, he's incredible...

[@gtechblues]

Yes, absolutely…. I love seeing that guy playing…

[@andraxin122]

It's amazing to hear and see Rick laughing while trying to play lefthanded. It's cognitive dissonance at its finest. The brain knows, but it doesn't understand, so it copes through laughter. Amazing stuff!

[@Heroball299]

I'm left handed but when it came to guitar i never even knew lefty guitars were a thing. It felt totally natural to me as a lefty to play right handed, using my strong hand for the tricky fretting of strings while leaving my right hand for the comparably easier task of plucking/strumming.

[@lazur1]

Many lefties play righty: Easier to learn from righties without "translating" to left; legato styles & fingerpickers don't require great pick-holding coordination.

[@MrTomDangerous]

Also because it's hard for some people to get hold of left-handed guitars.

[@dylanadams1455]

I actually found learning from righties easy, because it's a mirror image

[@mattmckeon1688]

@@MrTomDangerous I think that's a huge motivator for players who use right handed guitar flipped rather than trying to find a reverse strung lefty guitar. Pretty sure that's why Hendrix did it because true lefty guitars were scarce.

[@Uubbfippk]

Yeah I'm a lefty and I play a right handed guitar, and what you said is true

[@Bryt25]

I use a computer mouse with either hand now after a bout of RSI, same with wet shaving. But as a 'righty' I find I can throw a ball much more intuitively with my left arm. All said, musicians have to do plenty of complex work with both hands equally for most part.

[@Ric-Phillips]

I’m left handed. When I took up guitar a friend reminded that while I might find learning right handed a bit harder I would be able to pickup almost any guitar and play it. If I learned left handed I would always need a guitar that was set up for left handers. So I decided to learn right-handed. It gave me quite an advantage learning chord shapes, scales etc. But nearly all the expression is in the right hand - so playing hard things was kind of easier, but playing well was a real challenge.

[@saltmountain]

What's crazy is that the more people who do what you did, the more it makes it self-fulfilling that there are so few left handed guitars.

[@michael1]

"But nearly all the expression is in the right hand" - Really?. You can change the dynamics of the note based on how hard you pick, and the tone based on what you pick with - finger, fingernail, plectrum etc - and you can start and stop the note and dampen it to get some rhythmic variations from your picking hand - but once the string is vibrating (well, for a pianist at this point they can do nothing) as a guitarist you can use your left hand to make the guitar sing and speak. I guess to some extent with guitarist since EVH a lot of this expression on sustained notes has switched to the whammy bar and I guess you can twiddle the volume control and if you have a guitar like buckethead or john 5 or the guy from muse you can press a button with your right hand to cut out the sound or otherwise affect it. So yeah - there are definitely expression / rhythmical / pitch related things you can do with your right hand to add expression. but if you've heard a player whose long sustained notes sing and talk that's typically because they're using their left hand to add expression - microtonal bends, other bends, vibrato, slides, hammer ons and pull offs et al. I'd argue as much of the expressive nature of the instrument comes from the left hand. Possibly more. It will depend on the style of your music. Hell, if you have a wah-wah or volume pedal you're getting expression with your foot - now you can start the discussion about which foot you use on a wah-wah pedal or to tap the beat :) It seems clear to me that you need 2 hands to play the guitar well, and that whatever 'handed' you've decided you are (or someone else has labelled you with) you can learn to do either of the challenges required by the hands - our long list of famous guitarists or our brothers playing guitar with their left, writing with their right, throwing balls with their 3rd hand - serves only to suggest to me that handedness is baloney - it's all stuff we learn to do. Somehow millions of people have figured out how to pluck or fret strings - with their supposedly defunct or less capable hand. I don't really believe people have a defunct or less capable hand though. Otherwise that would suggest only certain people who can somehow overcome their defunct hand or are ambidextrous could play guitar to a high standard. but I don't think Guthrie Govan, VAI or EVH are great at guitar because they are one of the few humans that are great with both hands, leaving the rest of us mere mortals struggling along trying to fret or pluck with a 2nd rate appendage. No, I believe guitar playing is a learnable skill and it really doesn't make a great deal of difference which way you chose to hold the guitar when you started playing. It'll obviously make a big difference if, several years later you try and swap.

[@fewwiggle]

"But nearly all the expression is in the right hand" I suspect that is mainly psychological and you can convince or train yourself to feel the opposite way.

[@JustSomeGuy]

This reminds me of when I tried to draw with my left hand. It's like I forgot how pencils work. The same thing happens with gaming though. My brain is so used to using my left hand for directional movement and the right for actions that when I try playing with a mouse and keyboard, I instantly suck. Oddly enough, I don't have problems fretting with my right hand. It's strumming with my left that throws me off.

[@Dr_Reason]

I played Half Life with the old school keyboard settings and mouse aiming and trigger on the left hand mouse. It took 20 minutes but I got really good. Guitar on the other hand....

[@JustSomeGuy]

@@j_freed It seems to be a coordination problem. You know the whole pat your head while rubbing your stomach trick? I can make circles with my right hand and tap with my left, but not the other way around. My left hand wants to match my right when I try to do it, so they both try to tap, but if I only use my left hand, I can swirl or tap just fine. Same thing happens with strumming. If I don't fret with my right hand, no problems strumming with my left. The moment I try to fret something, my left hand tries to do the same thing. I don't understand why that happens, but it does.

[@JefAlanLong]

O wow. That thing when a you tuber you follow turns up following g another you tuber you follow

[@Paldasan]

Playing FPS as a lefty requires me to think differently. Most games are set up for right handers and even something like looking around a corner is completely different when you are holding the firearm the wrong way around. I was very unhappy with Hitman 3 when they switched from ambidexterity to right handed only. The way I have to approach maps now is completely wrong and popping out from cover to take a shot usually results in me being spotted.

[@SamIAm-kz4hg]

I grew up on keyboard and mouse. Gaming controllers are just bad news to me.

[@windrag]

Loved your video. It reminds me of one of my favorite guitar stories: Danny Gatton toured with the rockabilly artist Robert Gordon in the late 70s/early 80s. He realized pretty quickly that his sound was too polished for RGs style. So he restrung his guitars and learned to play the set left-handed to get a more raw feel. I think I read about this in Guitar Player Magazine in the mid- to late-80s. I love this example of dedication to craft-sometimes playing technically ‘better’ is not what serves the music. Keep up the good work!

[@carsandhealthtoddrosenzwei2661]

Back in 1988, when I was hit by a car and broke my tibia and fibula, I asked my parents to buy me a guitar to start learning how to play while I was held up in a cast for 9 months. I taught myself and initially bought a left handed guitar, since I'm left-handed. So I thought I needed a left-handed guitar... but it turns out that I played better right-handed and still over 33 years later, I continue to play right-handed

[@carsandhealthtoddrosenzwei2661]

@@j_freed lol... right footed, always was. I throw a frisbee right handed too.

[@ryanbaptiste249]

Fascinating video. I've discovered that doing what would normally be subconscious chores - such as brushing teeth - with the non-dominant hand is a great way to get into the 'state of flow', so one is always fully aware instead of going through the day on auto-pilot and not even remembering half of it.

[@fredherfst8148]

Too true! I happen to have familial shakes (or essential tremors) but only on my right side. As a righty, I can no longer control a pen, let alone a pick. i'm gradually switching basic tasks from right to left. Shaving was an important one! I noticed right away it kept me very present and in the moment, having to concentrate. At 75, I don't expect to have enough time to switch my guitar/bass playing. Fortunately, my right thumb still works as long as I can anchor my hand. Loved watching Rick struggle with the strap! Excellent episode.

[@Bubba-zu6yr]

lol, as a teacher and right handed this is exactly what I do to center myself on approaching a novice student, and in my case… it’s like riding a bike with my hands crossed on the handle bars. Great stuff, Rick!😉😅👍

[@Guitarraeficaztutorialesytabs]

Glad I was not the only one to try that!

[@brendonleary]

Do it Rick. Spend the next 12 months learning lefthanded guitar. I have been teaching myself to throw a ball, play table tennis, and write left handed for about 12 months. I am now almost as good at table tennis, and my writing is improving, but throwing the ball for dog is proving to be the hardest.

[@Cringe34R]

Yes! Finaly some left handedness!

[@jenso413]

What would be really interesting is a long term study to see the difference between time-to-learn between a complete beginner and an experienced player playing left handed. How much would that prior knowledge come in handy without any muscle memory?

[@drtone]

It's pretty much what you expect. I'm doing it. You are your own teacher, which is amazing...you know what to do...but it's still harder than you think it should be,..since am a naturally lefty who was raised righty and played guitar rt. handed 50yrs. I prefer playing flipped rt. handed guitar over a lefty guitar. For me its regret, because it feels natural lefty, never has righty. I have successfully switched to lefty basketball, tennis, billiards, darts, pingpong...but now i have neuropathy and put off switching too late. Wish i woulda figured out earlier. One of the ways i figured out, i caught my self playing lefty air guitar a few times...lololol. Cheers. Every Noob guitarist needs to try both ways and go with what works best.

[@jenso413]

@@drtone interesting story! i’m a lefty who also plays righty but it’s always felt “right” to me (pardon the pun)

[@JL897139]

Justin from justinguitar has an entire video series of him trying to learn to play left handed

[@viciousdope66]

You learn faster if your already play than you would starting from scratch. I commented above about my own year of playing as a lefty (with 20+ years experience right-handed). I encourage everyone to give it a shot. It improved my overall playing.

[@billsedutto8824]

I would guess it would be a faster since you already know the theory, how to read music etc but definitely not as quickly as some might think.

[@santiagovanegas3812]

I'm a lefty. When I first picked up a guitar on my very first lesson, my teacher said, "just do what feels natural". So, I held it lefty and 25 years later I still do. That's all fine. The kicker, of course, is that there's hardly any lefty guitars out there to choose from. I've never walked into a guitar store with the ability to just pick any guitar on display and try it out. That sucks. Yes, there are some great lefty guitars out there, and I'm fortunate to have some of my own. But having a just a fraction of a fraction to pick from compared to right handed folk is a lifelong bummer. On the flip side, nobody ever asks to borrow my guitar, or if I'm somewhere that has a right handed guitar, I'm not asked to "hey, play something" (that's just me... I can see how this could be a downside to some lefty players) . Anyway, great video Rick!

[@mfrankleblanc3289]

Fascinating!!! I'm a true left-hander - throwing a frisbee is the only exception I've ever noticed - but I play right-handed guitar and bass. This happened out of necessity, because I only had access to right-handed instruments. Ear and innate musical abilities aside, I've always wondered how playing on the "wrong" side impacted/affected my playing. I've done the same experiment and CANNOT play even the most basic parts.

[@douglasjaeger1559]

I saw an interview where Terry Reid was talking to Hendrix about Jimi playing left handed, and Hendrix flipped the guitar around and played the same lines right handed, which obviously flabbergasted Mr. Reid.

[@chrispile3878]

We'd all like to see video of that.

[@danielmiddleman8613]

Yeah, I've heard that story before. I'd like to see that.

[@GaryTisdaleFungkSta1]

Had a friend like that in Florida who said (Heard it somewhere else) that a lefty who learns to play righty, usually have more dexterity if they flip and play lefty

[@douglasjaeger1559]

@@freesk8 The interview I saw was at least 10 years ago, so unfortunately I don't have any idea what TV show it was in, and the interview did not show Hendrix playing right handed. It was just Terry Reid describing his having met Hendrix early on in England when Hendrix was "discovered".

[@alaskanoutlaw]

This was EXCELENT haha! Definitely helps remind me that patience is a virtue. Dare you to give us a 6 month update of this riff!!! 5 mins a day???

[@drsmith4582]

I second that!

[@jimmycocopop]

loved this Rick! i'm a lefty and play a right-handed guitar upside down. taught myself on an Eko ranger 12 string. tough to play on that, but i learned chord shapes. i can't play lefty strung guitars. nice to see a legend struggle a bit. haha :P xx

[@pumpster999]

Very cool video, brings back fond memories of a '64 Gibson SG Special Lefty I bought at Main Street Music in Santa Ana for $200 in 1979. Sold it in 2009. It really is fascinating that our "off hand" does all the amazing fret work. As a bonus, this video was released on October 5, a birthday I share with Larry Fine.

[@lukegleeson2134]

Lefty here :) The hardest part for me was always finding guitars, and getting over feeling "excluded" (which I know isn't a malicious thing guitar makers do, there are fewer lefties, therefore fewer left-handed guitars) but now I live in Japan near a store with a whole floor for lefties! It's awesome, they even have this gorgeous white Suhr Classic T that I play when I get my strings changed - total heaven!

[@philipbuhler5101]

Any chance that's on Yasukuni Dori in Tokyo?

[@lukegleeson2134]

@@philipbuhler5101 it’s in Ochanomizu, Taniguchi Gakki bldg. 3rd floor :)

[@migueesteve]

That is about the only store in tokio with lefties models. I went to Ochanomizu (the musical instruments district in tokio) only to find there are way less lefties in Japan in general (it is a cultural thing). A candy paradise for a diabetic😬

[@Mixolydio]

When I have access to a lefty, I like to play it briefly before giving a beginner guitar lesson to get more in touch with what it feels like to be a beginner

[@fabpern]

The thing you said about the motion of using a pen being similar to the one of using a pick is very true but you have to know that both Jimi Hendrix and Kurt Cobain wrote right-handed despite playing the guitar left-handed. Eric Gales, which you mentioned and who is a genius, does the same. On the contrary, Mark Knopfler, Joe Perry and Noel Gallagher, for example, do the opposite, that is write left-handed and play the guitar right-handed, so did David Bowie. I myself play the guitar left-handed but can write with both hands even if I prefer the left. It's just that I learned to do it right-handed at school. So this is all a matter of feeling.

[@markmiwurdz202]

@fabpern. Other lefties who play guitar right - handed Steve Morse (Dixie Dregs (?), Deep Purple) Wilko Johnson (Dr Feelgood) Nick Lowe (Brinsley Schwartz, Rockpile, Little Village)

[@michael1]

Yeah it's BS, well meaning BS but it's obvious that guitar uses 2 hands so you need some reason to explain why being left handed would make a difference and that's when they pull a fantasy out of the air about picking being like writing. Only, as you note, for it not to be true for some really famous examples of supposedly left-handed players. I write left-handed and play right-handed guitar too. It's just whatever way around you learnt to do it. And to some extent as the elasticity in our brains reduces as we get older it would become increasingly difficult (but not entirely impossible) for older people to learn to play and/or to learn to do things with their opposite hands. As a kid->teenager you really have a choice what hands to use for things - you're not limited at all by some notion that your brain is left handed or right handed. This is the only reason you have people like me and some of Beato's brothers who write one way and throw another - because that's what we did when we were kids. There's no such thing as 'cross-dominant' is just a dumb word researchers come up with when they start waffling about left handedness and right handedness a bunch of people come along and say "No, that's not right, I write with one hand and do this with the other" so instead of saying "Let's go home - our research is a pile of crap" they devise a way of keeping their research grant by saying "Hmm, let's call these people cross dominant"

[@Snowdog216]

Good point. Many times it is simply the way someone picked up the guitar the first time they played. I guess someone like Dick Dale picked up a right handed guitar flipped it over and learned that way. But the strings were upside down. So a year or so later if someone said hey thats not right....it was too late to change? Ringo is left handed, but plays a right handed set up. I saw a video where he explained that is why his fills are basically backwards.

[@fabpern]

That's the way you feel more comfortable to play that matters. That's it. Still, the majority of the people playing left-handed also write that way and same goes for right-handed people, but there are a lot of exceptions, depending on many things.

[@billnorton7062]

It's always puzzled me that we play guitars the way we do. Fingering chords requires quite a bit of individual finger dexterity, a task that would appear to be more suitable for the right hand (for right-handers, of course). The right hand, especially for beginners, is mostly just strumming chords made by the left hand - down, up, down, up. Not a lot of dexterity required. I've also noticed that, when professional guitarists are playing a difficult passage, they tend to look down at their left hand. Orchestral instruments are a different animal. With the violin, for example, the left hand is usually fingering a single string (I think), but the right hand is really working it from the shoulder on down. (I've never played a violin, so I could be way off base here.) So that makes sense. Brass instruments are always fingered with the right hand. I don't know if there is a handed bias for reed instruments. Rick's argument about the connection between writing and the guitar makes sense, but, for me at least, seems incomplete.

[@adriancoppin977]

50+ years ago, I played right handed. Then, in an impetuous moment, I bought a WEM Rapier 33 (Strat lookie-like). Arrived home to find it was left handed. Tried to Dona Hendrix vice-versa. Didn’t work! Started playing left handed and now, all my guitars are lefties. Still waiting - after one year - for my lefty GLPC ‘57 reissue with Bixby to arrive in the UK. Latest from Gibson is that it should be here at end of May 2022! I watched your recent vid where you said that Mr. Fripp ( a near neighbour of mine), is left handed and taught himself to play right handed. Amazing. I have just watched the first few mins of this vid and I can def say I’m cross dominant. Cheers.

[@andrewm8924]

i started playing left handed since i am however after realizing that it’s harder to find lefty guitars and the ones you find are more expensive i bought a righty and have been playing that way for about a year now

[@bryantwalley]

If you are left handed you are now making the chords and lead with your good hand. You will get better faster now that you are doing it with your good hand.

[@bryantwalley]

@@2Funky4me no down side at all. Been playing over 35 years now.

[@DadE.O.Records]

It's not uncommon. Michael Hedges & Waddy Wachtel are both left handed but play righty, just to name a couple

[@fenderfreak215]

I’m left handed too and have played guitar righty for the last 16 years. Once you get the muscle memory developed I don’t think it makes any difference

[@TropicalLatitude]

Guitar is a left hand instrument to start with. I've never understood why left hand folks want to chord with their lesser hand.

[@MrBungle222]

Rob Scallon (youtuber) actually did a video on something like this, he recorded an album while playing a left handed guitar the same day he got it. It's so funny seeing such a great musician have once again the same struggles beginners have.

[@juanmartin606]

He actually did an entire set of instructional videos playing left handed didn't he? To show the students that he was learning at the same time than them and that the course was good for their level.

[@rodmcdonough6111]

That was so much fun to watch. Now I can say "My guitar playing sounds like Rick Beato!"

[@thomaskila3801]

I am also a lefty that learned to play a right-strung, flat-top guitar from the age of 14 yrs. old. As a fingerpicker, I used my thumb to play the high E and B strings and my pinky to cover the Bass E. The other fingers covered the middle strings. I continued playing this way for over 40 years. Throughout the years, I found it very difficult to play certain songs, but was able to work around it. Then in 2018, after retiring, I decided to order a custom-built, OM-sized guitar with a lefty cutaway. One week before the luthier (Steve Sheriff / Edwinson Guitars) started on my build, I changed my order from a RIGHTY-strung guitar with lefty-cutaway, to a straight-up LEFTY guitar. I figured if I ordered the guitar that way, that I would be forced to learn how to play a lefty-guitar. From the moment I changed my order, I purchased a used lefty guitar and began only playing that guitar. Mind you, at that time, I already had a 1992 Collings DH2, a 2014 Collings OM, a 1979 Les Paul, and a few others, all of which were righty guitars. Over the next several months, I only played that one lefty guitar and was able to relearn the fingering and picking patterns necessary to play the songs I had been playing, as well as learn a few new songs. By the time I received my Edwinson guitar, I was well on my way to playing as a true lefty. Truth be told, I wish I made this conversion years ago. I could not be happier in my guitar-playing journey. I was just too afraid to try it. I have since converted my Collings OM to a lefty, and am in the process of doing the same to my 1992 DH2. I also picked up a couple more lefties and will be selling the righty-strung ones. Oddly enough, on the rare occasion that I pick up a righty-guitar, my fretting hand has no problem fingering the proper chords. However, my picking hand requires a few seconds of remembering the picking pattern before I can play it smoothly. The way I see it, the biggest disadvantage of being a lefty is the smaller number of left-handed guitars on the market. Keep up the good work, Rick! You're the Best!

[@picp7313]

Hey! Your story actually scares me! I am left handed. I started with the piano when I was 11 and at the age of 14 I started playing my right handed sister’s guitar! Then I’ve got a righty electric guitar and still playing until today as a righty. I’m 32 years old now. I can play Redemption song reversing a guitar but because I trained once. I wish I had the courage to try like you.

[@thomaskila3801]

@@picp7313 If I was just a left-handed person that played guitar like a righty, then I would not have changed. But I played a right-handed guitar held "upside-down". I honestly have no regrets relearning 40+ years of guitar playing. I would strongly encourage new players to play guitars made for their "handedness". Again, the biggest downside is the smaller number of left-handed guitars out there. Good luck in your Guitar Journey...

[@picp7313]

@@thomaskila3801 ooh I got you now. I have also a friend who plays like this and sometimes is kinda hard to understand where he is at or what chord he is playing on the neck because chords shapes and patterns are upside down.

[@38bass]

As a lefty bassist who plays Basses that are strung traditionally, I love this video! ❤️ Playing an upside down Bass is a super pain in the Butt, I’ve managed over the decades to be able to play an upside down bass about 65% as well as a normally strung lefty. 😅

[@alvon911]

I hear you! I play a traditionally-strung upright bass left handed. I just stand on the other side. AND, I can play anyone's bass.

[@LinusE]

”The first chord is this” *immediately starts fumbling with the pick*

[@guitarbyniko]

I'm a lefty and when I started my guitar journey bought a right handed guitar. Been playing guitar for almost 2 years, well this year been in the army so not that much of a progress this year, but i have developed great fretboard coordination and Metallica solo's (four horsemen, fade to black, seek and destroy etc.) pretty much spot on after warming up and when i have playing in my everyday routine . Really thankful i bought a right handed guitar even i felted wayy more natural playing lefty in school(forced music class in primary school but after high school bought my first guitar and absolutely didn't know or couldn't play anything) but friends told me buy a righty, cause there ain't many lefty guitars in the world.

[@Tbug666]

Also you brought back memories. I once knew a very good guitar player that was left-handed and he would string his guitar up normally but yet he could play a right handed strung guitar too and play chords upside down with no problem. Even play leads. It totally was unbelievable to see and hear. He was also very strange. He claims he was abducted by aliens and he honestly believed that. Now it has me wondering

[@gjbingham]

Ha! Good stuff!

[@WowzaGuy]

I was dying laughing along with Rick when he started that riff. Rick is such a cool guy.

[@johannesmeier5550]

"...I'm playing my son Dylans left handed Gibson SG" you have a very cool dad Dylan!

[@oskarus3]

I'm lefty, cross-dominant actually, and I play electric bass right handed because when I started with a guitar, we only had right handed guitars in the house and I never bothered to learn the other way.

[@cactus-mcjacktus]

awesome to see King’s X up there with “some of the biggest bands of all time”

[@rbagel55]

They should be. I saw them play in a club years ago. I was blown away because they sounded just like the record, all the vocals were there. Top rate musicians they are.

[@smudge1619]

hell yeah - most underrated band of all time

[@hiromtm]

The loveliest guitar video ever! Btw, after 45 years of electric with pick, I am a kind of switching to Flamenco guitar, where is the saying "guitar is played with left hand", despite that right hand is extremely difficult!! I think the most difficult point to lean guitar is to "sync" the timing of both hands. And after years to try Paco De Lucia tunes, I am recently coming to the theory that "a right handed guitar beginner should start in left handed way (and vice versa)", My reason in short is, fretting hand should act sooner and picking hand follows, Just like you throw a ball by right hand and catch it by the left. What do you think?

[@kashinewell6239]

Haha yeah it's a great idea! I'm left handed and play righty for the last 15 years. My right hand still struggles to keep up but yeah a lot of the expression comes from the fretting hand and it's a lot easier to learn to fret with your dominant hand. But ahhhh I would say if you pick with your non dominant hand it's a good idea to include exercising for picking dexterity and strength. I have a right forearm injury from childhood too so that makes it harder for me to move a pick up and down and hold it properly so I mostly fingerpick. never tried flamenco though and that's a cool saying! Must be great to still be learning new things after 45 years:)

[@markmiwurdz202]

Have you seen The Gypsy Kings? I seem to remember them having 6 guitarists - 3 lefties and 3 right handed back in the last century.

[@JeffLearman]

@@markmiwurdz202 Well that's only 5 guitars too many.

[@coupe-lee]

I’m left-handed, play right-handed guitar and can’t imagine playing a lefty guitar. I wish I could understand that one😂! I have to admit that I’m actually more cross dominant/ambidextrous about a lot of tasks, but some are set in stone too.

[@mtvaill]

On a traditional right-handed guitar, it's the left hand that requires the most speed, dexterity and fine motor control. As a (cross-dominant, apparently) lefty, I've always thought of 'normal' guitars as left-handed.

[@joejones9520]

@@mtvaill yes, I didnt know there was an option at the time but when I started I was glad I was left handed because fretting was the much harder thing.

[@radekashah2099]

@@joejones9520 did you just say ‘frotting ’ brah?? Wrong forum

[@tommo6747]

Same here, write left, guitar right, pool cue left, racquet left, throw left, golf/cricket right..😂😂

[@coupe-lee]

@@tommo6747 That’s so scary! I’m exactly the same for the additional activities you posted!

[@ChrixOfficial]

I’m so glad I stumbled on this video. I am cross-dominant I write with my left and play sports/soccer with the right side of my body. I am learning guitar and I was deciding wether to learn upside down left handed or right handed. I’m going to do both so I’m able to play the way that feels the most natural to me and so I can use any guitar

[@nickvickers3486]

It's a good idea to try both, I'm not an expert but I'd also advise starting with a nylon strung classical/Spanish guitar, the neck is bit bigger so it feels a bit less cluttered when you start out. Also you may get a good feel for finger-picking and it's easy to string them left or right! It's interesting regarding the football though (sorry I'm British saying 'soccer' is a bit strange for me)) in theory I don't think we really have a dominant foot, it's just force of habit that most players kick with the right but you should be able to pass or shoot just as well with either foot, and I think the University of Sheffield did a study involving amateur players getting them to kick the ball with their other foot and after a while they could play just a well with both - so maybe next time you play let a shot rip with your left peg and see what happens!

[@DavidDiMuzio]

“I can’t even put the strap on” …when you know you’re trying something new 😜

[@erock.steady]

... that's what SHE said OOHHH bada BING

[@SecretAgentPaul]

I didn't even know you could get a left handed Strap-On.

[@DavidDiMuzio]

@@SecretAgentPaul haha

[@shegocrazy]

"cross dominant" strap on? hmmn

[@normanlacy3390]

I've always felt that being cross dominant and a drummer most of my life has been a huge advantage. I write left handed learned on a right handed kit I can play a kit either way but prefer a traditional kit. I play open handed left hand on the hats. I feel I have more freedom and efficiency this way but still can play right hand right foot lead. Super interesting thank you so much rick you are best keep on keeping on.

[@markh2901]

My son AJ is a pro drummer and plays open-position (basically a lefty playing a right-handed kit). Some of the best drummers on the planet play open-position - Billy Cobham, Simon Phillips, Carter Beauford, etc.

[@michael1]

Seeing a clip of someone using 2 hands and 2 feet to play an instrument and having a voice over saying "Phil Collins is playing the drums left handed" really made me chuckle - like how obvious does it have to be that these notions of handedness are flawed. The emperor is running around butt naked when someone is using all 4 limbs in a complex coordination, and yet someone is talking as though he can only use 1 of his arms.

[@davhas35]

I have MS which has affected the strength in my left hand and has left me unable to play anything but cowboy chords. A while back I bought a left handed PRS, what I found most challenging was picking, the pick just doesn’t feel ‘right’ in my left hand. Your video has got me thinking that I used to be able to write semi legibly with my left hand, and I wonder if practicing writing lefty would help with picking lefty.

[@JasonBhoy7]

just keep practicing picking and strumming. IttTakes long enough to learn new things, don't make it last longer or over complicate things by doing soemthing differeent to what you are aiming for.

[@JamesSeaberry]

I hope you can continue to get enjoyment from playing no matter how much you have to make adjustments.

[@whichgodofthousandsmeansno5306]

As a lefty that always played righty guitar I can vouch picking is a major struggle... and the reason I tend to not use a pick unless the music contains arpeggios and the such that are almost impossible to play clean without a pick... and I can only play them if it utilizes a specific pattern. Otherwise it's cheat city.

[@whichgodofthousandsmeansno5306]

As far as doing anything else righty I am unable. Can't even write my name.

[@srhatfield]

Back in the 90s I attended a guitar clinic with Steve Morse, who is actually left handed, but he plays guitar right handed. He said that it makes more sense for him to do it that way because his right hand is weaker, and only needs to move the pick back and forth, while his left hand is dominant and stronger and needs to do more work while playing scales and arpeggios, and suggested in the clinic that it would make more sense for right handed people to play what we call left handed guitars. It was so interesting!

[@stuartmenziesfarrant]

I would love to see a series of fun videos of guitar heroes playing something in their 'less dominant' hand. It would give everyone hope!

[@arthurpiccio7906]

Just don't invite Michael Angelo Batio.

[@superflea7219]

that’s actually a really cool idea. 😎

[@j_laf9575]

The neck dive moment at 2:55 made me jump out of my seat haha! Weird to see you struggling on the guitar but awesome video nonetheless! Edit: Would love to see how you progress with this left handedness over a few months of practice!!

[@alex0589]

Those SGs are neck diving festivals, it think i'd straight up drop it holding it lefty

[@calebkey2050]

We can’t forget Clapton when we’re talking lefties! One of my old coworkers was also a lefty that played righty. He actually liked how it placed his dominant hand on the fretboard, and is convinced that guitar makers have the orientation all backwards

[@fthrgasp]

yes! absolutely this! i've wondered that very same thing for years. as a lefty who plays right handed guitars, i've always thought i had an "advantage" because i was using my left hand for the fine motor work.

[@nalkassar]

Also - Gary Moore and Mark Knopfler, both lefties playing right-handed way

[@hamimabd]

@@nalkassar and Herman Li too

[@progmeup]

This is the first time I hear of Eric Clapton being left-handed... Does he comment on this anywhere?

[@calebkey2050]

@@progmeup Wanna bet on that? EDIT: I do stand corrected! I can’t find anything about him being lefty now! But in trying to find it I did find just how many great guitar players actually are lefty that I never even knew about

[@taylodl]

That cross-dominant phenomenon is real! My son is left-handed. Took me forever to teach him how to throw and catch a baseball. It just wasn't working. Had the left-handed glove and everything. Then he tried throwing with his right hand. Perfect! When it came to batting be preferred to bat left-handed, though he could bat nearly as well right-handed. He always played guitar right-handed. We ultimately learned to try things left-handed and then try it right-handed and see which felt the best.