| Judging from the people I've talked to, usually the | | | | guarantee. |
| desire to play an instrument is something that | | | | Unfortunately. If you special order a left handed |
| they just always wanted to do. For the 10% of | | | | guitar from a music store, it will cost more than |
| the population that is left handed, that desire may | | | | its right handed counterpart so you should try to |
| be suppressed because a person may not know | | | | buy it online so you can eliminate the middle man. |
| that it is possible to find left handed guitar lessons. | | | | Another way to deal with the cost issue, at least |
| It used to be that only if you lived in a big city | | | | in the big city, is to look for a used musical |
| could you find help for a lefty, but now with the | | | | instrument store. Selection will be limited, but at |
| internet, left handed guitar lessons and even | | | | least you can try before you buy. |
| instructors are much easier to find. | | | | At last you're ready for your left handed guitar |
| Before you take any lessons though, there are | | | | lesson. If you chose option#1 above, then finding |
| some steps that you need to take first. If you | | | | an in-person instructor will be very hard. If you |
| are left handed, but decide to play guitar right | | | | choose option #1 and are willing to work online |
| handed I can tell you right now that that will most | | | | with someone, then try Ben Willis. He has several |
| likely result in disaster. You'll feel awkward when | | | | websites including He will even email lessons to |
| you play and you'll probably give up and play the | | | | you. |
| tuba or something instead. | | | | If you have chosen either the second or third |
| Hopefully, you've decided to go ahead and play | | | | option, your left handed guitar lessons will actually |
| left handed because it "feels" natural, but before | | | | be almost the same as right handed guitar |
| you start your lessons, you'll have to make even | | | | lessons, in fact, once you figure out how to adapt |
| more decisions (nobody said this was going to be | | | | tablature to your situation, your lessons will |
| easy,) The decision you're going to have to make | | | | essentially be the same and you can use an |
| is to decide which way you going to use to play | | | | instruction book that was written for right handed |
| left handed guitar. | | | | players. |
| The three ways are:i. Play a right handed guitar | | | | For those that don't know, tablature is a simplified |
| upside down leaving the strings the same as for a | | | | way to see which strings have to be pushed |
| right hander.ii. Play a right handed guitar upside | | | | where so that the student doesn't have to learn |
| down, but reverse the strings so that the high E | | | | to read sheet music. |
| is on the bottom and low E is on the top.iii Play a | | | | By the way, if you do read music, that will make |
| special built left hand guitar. | | | | it much easier to learn to play left handed. |
| Each option has its pros and cons, but the third | | | | If you are having trouble figuring out the |
| option is probably the best choice. | | | | mechanics of a left handed chord, go to for |
| The biggest problem with the third option is that | | | | instructions. |
| music stores rarely carry left handed guitars and | | | | Finally, if you can't find an instructor and you really |
| if they do, they're probably not very desirable. | | | | want to play, don't give up. A lot of guitarists are |
| Enter the internet. Buying online can be scary | | | | self taught. I was self taught because I didn't |
| because you can't first touch what you are | | | | have the money for lessons, but I had a desire to |
| buying. You can look at the right handed model of | | | | play. Being self-taught will end up taking you longer |
| the guitar you like, and then order its left handed | | | | to be proficient, but you'll have a better ear |
| counterpart. The quality should be the same, but | | | | because you are forced to figure out certain |
| just in case, make sure you get a money back | | | | songs on your own. |