Do You Strum With Your Dominant Hand

So, You're a Leftie Who Plays Guitar? Let's Chat!

Picture this: I'm at a local jam session, and this guy, let's call him Dave, is shredding on his guitar. Now, Dave's a lefty, and I'm watching him play with his non-dominant hand. I'm thinking, "Wow, that's cool! But isn't that a bit... weird?" And that's when it hit me - we guitarists have this unspoken rule about using our dominant hand, right?

But hold on a sec, why do we do that? Is it some ancient guitar law? Or is it just because we're creatures of habit? Let's dive in, shall we?

Why the Dominant Hand, Though?

You know, it's not like we're all born with a manual for life that says, "Thou shalt play guitar with thy dominant hand." So, why do we? Well, it's mostly because of ergonomics. Our dominant hand is usually stronger and more coordinated, making it easier to fret chords and play complex riffs.

Think about it - have you ever tried to write with your non-dominant hand? It's a struggle, right? Now imagine trying to play "Sweet Child O' Mine" with your left hand if you're a righty. Yeah, not so easy.

But here's the thing - just because it's harder doesn't mean it's impossible. And that's where our lefty friend, Dave, comes in.

Lefties of the World, Unite!

So, Dave's playing with his left hand, and I'm over here, all curious and stuff. I mean, it's not like he's playing a left-handed guitar or anything. He's just going against the grain, you know?

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Turns out, there are plenty of lefties out there who play guitar with their non-dominant hand. And guess what? They're killing it! Take Jimi Hendrix for instance. He played a right-handed guitar upside down, and look how that turned out!

Now, I'm not saying you should all go out and start playing with your non-dominant hand. But hey, if you're a lefty who's been playing right-handed, maybe it's worth giving it a shot. Who knows? You might just find your unique sound.

But What About the Rest of Us?

Alright, so you're a righty who's been playing with your dominant hand. Does that mean you're stuck in a musical rut? Not at all! There are still plenty of ways to switch things up and challenge yourself.

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How about trying to learn a song with a different chord progression? Or maybe you could try playing a song in a different key. Hell, you could even try playing a song backwards. The point is, don't be afraid to mix things up and get out of your comfort zone.

After all, that's how we grow as musicians. And who knows? You might just discover something amazing about your playing.

So, What's It Gonna Be?

At the end of the day, it doesn't really matter which hand you play with. What matters is that you're playing and having fun. Whether you're a lefty playing right-handed or a righty playing with your non-dominant hand, the important thing is that you're expressing yourself through music.

So, go on - pick up your guitar and strum away. And who knows? Maybe one day, you'll be the one shredding at a local jam session, making everyone wonder, "How the heck does he do that?"