I need help from left-handed players who play right-handed

[anthonyg]

Playing ukuleles or guitars is an ambidextrous pursuit. As a lefty I just started playing right handed and never looked back. To be honest I don't understand why fretting with the left hand is considered right handed.

Both my fretting and picking can be complicated. Starting out is hard. I suspect that some lefty's psych themselves out when starting and figure they have to flip the instrument over just because.

As a lefty I couldn't play a left strung instrument any better than a Righty.



Anthony

 

[Pirate Jim]

To pick up your specific question on chord diagrams, yes there is some mental effort involved in using right-handed chord diagrams for a left-handed uke, but it soon comes second-nature. Once I've learned a chord, I'm not reading the dot positions, I'm just seeing the shape (just like reading text really).

If you've never come across a chord diagram before, i.e. you're a beginner, you won't know which way up it goes regardless so you'll just learn what it means the same as any other beginner, lefty or righty.

Agree on how great it is that most ukes are symmetrically constructed so can be converted to lefty with minimal effort. I have never and will never understand why people are so prescriptive about how to play an instrument. It's music - make it how you like and enjoy yourself!

 

[pulelehua]

The thing I've found most difficult is advanced strumming. The fan strum is just a beast for me. That being said, being left-handed, I have good finger strength for hammer-ons and pull-offs, so while I struggle to master special technique X, special technique Y is maybe a bit easier for me.

I've been playing guitar "backwards" for 26 years, and ukulele for 8. Do I wish I had started the other way all those years ago? I don't know. Maybe.

One thing was clear, being a lefty who played guitar righty, it only made sense to maintain my backwardness with the ukulele.

 

[Sallybee]

I am a beginner. I tried during Covid to learn as a lefty and nope nope nope. My dad (doctorate in human behavior) was rigid about me learning as a lefty first and teaching myself righty if I wished later. Just recently I started again and this time as a righty..huge huge huge progress..just the right choice for me.