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shackle
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| Joined: | Wed Oct 25th, 2006 |
| Location: | Croatia |
| Posts: | 8 |
| Instrument Interest: | Clawhammer Banjo, Bluegrass Banjo |
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Posted: Thu Oct 26th, 2006 03:57 am |
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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.
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Richard Hefner
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| Joined: | Sat Apr 10th, 2004 |
| Location: | Gastonia, North Carolina USA |
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| Instrument Interest: | Ukulele, Clawhammer Banjo, Bluegrass Banjo, Guitar, Harmonica |
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Posted: Thu Oct 26th, 2006 09:46 am |
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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??
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Philj200
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| Joined: | Thu Jun 2nd, 2005 |
| Location: | New York USA |
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| Instrument Interest: | Clawhammer Banjo, Bluegrass Banjo, Guitar, Harmonica, Dulcimer, Mandolin, Fiddle, Autoharp |
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Posted: Thu Oct 26th, 2006 01:17 pm |
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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.
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Lefties... the world's largest minority.
Last edited on Thu Oct 26th, 2006 01:18 pm by Philj200
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shackle
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Posted: Thu Oct 26th, 2006 08:55 pm |
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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.
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shackle
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Posted: Thu Oct 26th, 2006 08:55 pm |
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Last edited on Thu Oct 26th, 2006 08:57 pm by shackle
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banjo brad
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| Joined: | Wed Apr 14th, 2004 |
| Location: | Tucson, Arizona USA |
| Posts: | 2416 |
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Posted: Thu Oct 26th, 2006 09:01 pm |
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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
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bluegrass tyme
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Posted: Tue Dec 11th, 2007 05:00 pm |
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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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banjo brad
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Posted: Tue Dec 11th, 2007 09:14 pm |
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" I think wether right or left handed it is all muscle memory right"
Yup! Practice, practice, practice.
Brad
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BanjoKyle
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Posted: Tue May 6th, 2008 03:00 am |
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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.
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Philj200
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| Location: | New York USA |
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Posted: Tue May 6th, 2008 12:57 pm |
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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.
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