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| Moderated by: Richard Hefner |
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| Lefty | Rate Topic |
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| Posted: Thu Oct 26th, 2006 03:57 am |
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1st Post |
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shackle Approved 
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I am left handed and just bought my first banjo after many years playing the guitar. Any hints or advice about the tools I need to learn to play the thing correctly.
____________________ Don't Be A Stranger |
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| Posted: Thu Oct 26th, 2006 09:46 am |
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2nd Post |
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Richard Hefner Administrator 
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Hi Shackle, Welcome to ezFolk and to the banjo! I'm left-handed too, as are many other musicians. The overwhelming majority of left-handers play their instruments just like everybody else does. You've got two hands and it takes two hands to play, so just play it. We left-handers seem to have a thing about doing everything backwards but I don't think it's really necessary to do that when you're playing a stringed instrument. There are a lot of advantages to playing a normal instrument the way everybody else plays such as being able to walk into a store and pick out an instrument and not having to special order everything. Some will disagree but I think it's best to forget that you're left-hand dominant and just get a normal banjo and hold it the normal way and take on the challenge of playing. There are a lot of things to learn when playing the banjo and they're not easy either for left-handers or right-handers, but will become much easier and more natural with practice. Hope that helps. Any other lefties want to give an opinion on this?? 
____________________ Richard Hefner Webmaster, ezFolk.com MP3 Page: http://www.ezfolk.com/audio/richardhefner Running Blog: http://old-runner.com |
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| Posted: Thu Oct 26th, 2006 01:17 pm |
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3rd Post |
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Philj200 Approved 
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You didn't mention if you play guitar lefty. And if so, do you use a right-handed strung instrument up-side down (Jimmie Hendrix) ... or actually have a left-handed instrument with the nut, saddle , strings and pick-guard reversed (Paul McCartney). Not that it matters, but if you play that way, the fastest learning curve might be to play your banjo that way too. I've heard bluegrass pickers playing well and at speed with an upside down banjo. 5th dtring where the 1st usually is. But not many. I'm a lefty as well, but the first instrument I ever touched was a right-hand strung guitar, so not knowing any better, that's the way I play. Richard is correct about the hands having a lot more independence on a fretted instrument than a keyboard (there are left-handed pianos). I've always believed that a true lefty can learn chords and achieve smooth, sure chord changes faster than a righty because of the extra strenght and dexterity already in the left hand. Likewise, more robust right-hand techniques are more of a challenge with the hand you feel is more naturally adapted to carrying grocery bags. Have fun. ---- Lefties... the world's largest minority. Last edited on Thu Oct 26th, 2006 01:18 pm by Philj200 ____________________ My MP3 Section: http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/1143/ My Myspace area: http://myspace.com/philj200 |
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| Posted: Thu Oct 26th, 2006 08:55 pm |
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4th Post |
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shackle Approved
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Thanks Guys, I do play the guitar left handed, the strings etc changed. I have bought myself Tanglewood left handed banjo to start with so I guess I will have to go with the reading backwards style, however I am determined to learn and I will make it work for me. By the way, any comments about the Tanglewood banjom good or bad?. Shackle.
____________________ Don't Be A Stranger |
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| Posted: Thu Oct 26th, 2006 08:55 pm |
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5th Post |
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shackle Approved
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Last edited on Thu Oct 26th, 2006 08:57 pm by shackle ____________________ Don't Be A Stranger |
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| Posted: Thu Oct 26th, 2006 09:01 pm |
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6th Post |
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banjo brad Super Moderator 
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Shackle- Since you have the left-handed banjo, the only thing you need to reverse in your reading is righthand for lefthand and vice-versa! Same as with the guitar. The only difference is if you are watching a right-handed player, you will think you are looking in a mirror instead of watching another player (but you're already used to that with the guitar). Good luck, and, when you tire of that loser music bluegrass, give OT a try, we can always use more clawhammerers! Brad
____________________ ezFolk Help Brad Prickly Pear Music Banjo Brad's ezFolk page TOTMC |
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| Posted: Tue Dec 11th, 2007 05:00 pm |
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7th Post |
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bluegrass tyme Approved
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I am a left handed beginner and own a right handed banjo and i just purchased a right handed guitar yesteday. I think wether right or left handed it is all muscle memory right hell I can't say nothing the only thing I can play at this time is jingle bells and the beginning of the dueling banjos . lol need all the info i can get
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| Posted: Tue Dec 11th, 2007 09:14 pm |
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8th Post |
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banjo brad Super Moderator
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" I think wether right or left handed it is all muscle memory right" Yup! Practice, practice, practice. Brad
____________________ ezFolk Help Brad Prickly Pear Music Banjo Brad's ezFolk page TOTMC |
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| Posted: Tue May 6th, 2008 03:00 am |
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9th Post |
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BanjoKyle Approved 
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I am left-handed also. However, I play a right-handed banjo, guitar, and bass guitar. I think the picking hand needs to be dominant because the picking is the hardest part, at least for me. My suggestion? Stick with the right-handed instrument.
____________________ I pick the banjo now. |
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| Posted: Tue May 6th, 2008 12:57 pm |
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10th Post |
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Philj200 Approved
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On a fretted instrument I don't see how one hand can be dominate. Certainly on a keyboard instrument it's possible. But a banjo or guitar picker's hands have to work together. If a smooth, sure right hand picks with precision and power, but the left hand can't keep up with just as much precision and power, it simply will not sound good. As Brad said earlier, practice is all important. That's true if you play an instrument upside down, or re-strung, or right handed. I'm a lefty who plays all instruments right handed. I think most lefties play that way. (An improptu poll could take place?). A friend of mine, a true lefty in everything, once said that after playing for ten years he had only played on his own guitar because true lefties were so rare. The Rooftop Singers, the people who modernized Walk Right In featured Erik Darling (after the Weavers disbanded) also had a guy playing lefty. With one guitar pointed in one direction and the other in the other, and the soprano in the middle, it made for a rather comfortable and compact stage presentation. They were all close to the single mike they used in the late 60's.
____________________ My MP3 Section: http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/1143/ My Myspace area: http://myspace.com/philj200 |
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| Posted: Fri Dec 19th, 2008 04:27 pm |
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11th Post |
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Jim Yates Approved 
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My brother Dave is a lefty, but since we had only one guitar when we were first learning and his four siblings all played right handed, he was forced to learn righty too. Libba Cotton's brothers wouldn't let her restring their guitar, so she flipped it over and learned upside down. Phil, although I'm sure Jimi could play a bit of upside down guitar, most of his playing was done with the guitar restrung. Granted, he did use a guitar made for a righty. Last edited on Fri Dec 19th, 2008 04:28 pm by Jim Yates ____________________ Jim http://www.myspace.com/jimyates http://www.myspace.com/kirbyandyates http://www.myspace.com/kirbyyatesmazurek |
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