So she does have the desire and talent.

Why would you want to hamper that?

It's your daughter.

If you have 8 she could play you have 1 you could sell.

Yes?

:evil:

I started out playing Bluegrass with my dad. So learned a TON of picking techniques / became very good at it. so once I got into the legatto it was even better.

Agreed. I would love to learn the piano one day. Plus knowing the piano will greatly help her with guitar. Basically the same layout but guitar is built in octaves

The cheapest lefty I've found was $139. Believe it or not, there aren't as many lefty sticks out there as you think. Our guitar center has about 300 used guitars - they had FOUR lefty and all were over $400.

I've looked online but I'm wary with guitars - I've gotten burned on that before. I want to play it before I buy it.

That's actually a very good idea.

That's not unique. That's inherent to playing the guitar, regardless of which hand is dominant. ;)

Are you suggesting I need to SACRIFICE?

You shut your whore mouth!

LMAO

I really hope that one day I can just dedicate a solid 3 months to piano.

It is truly sad that we don't have many huge names in the music industry that utilize piano currently AFAIK (granted you've got your Ben Folds, Regina Specktor, Rufus Wainwright) but nothing that compares to Billy Joel or Elton. Bummer.

For what it's worth, I took a guitar class in college, and I really felt hampered by being forced to play right handed. I'm very much left hand dominant, and I just didn't have the dexterity in my right hand to play well at all. I really struggled.

Sad? That music is LAME, man.

;)

you are setting her up for fail. if she wants to play a lefty get her a cheapo lefty guitar and let her have fun.

I think you can say that about music in general. We are replacing instruments with computer beats. The days of the great pure musicians is quickly fading. Very sad and depressing when you think about it.

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/uAsV5-Hv-7U" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

She's never played guitar so she doesn't know whether she wants to play left or right.

As I said earlier, let her try both and see what she's most comfortable with.

oh, well then tell her to let you know when she makes up her dizzy female youngster mind :D

He's ****ing limb-lining.

Rotten pr!ck...

Or be a real man and force her to play RH regardless whilst laughing maniacally in the background as she learns scales.

That's what I'm thinking. Just take her to guitar center or one of the pro shops and let her try it out.

Soooooooooo....thread not necessary, common sense prevails, you've always been good with.....

Man, **** you...just.....Eat my swampy fat white ass...

I truly, honestly did not expect that large number of "I'm left-handed but play right" responses.

The thread was absolutely necessary and fruitful.

you are poisoning his mind :D

I have a hard time believing you don't know how to make a decision on your daughter's musical instrument.

Just me.

http://www.morethings.com/fan/saturd...an_lawyerc.jpg

I was conflicted. It's not that I couldn't make a decision, it's that I didn't want to without having more information.

And when one wants information, where does one go?

Chiefsplanet of course!

I'd think back to what my grandparen-NOOOOO!

:facepalm:

Well, don't stop believing- hold onto that feeling. :-)

put me down as another lefty that plays righty(Phobia will probably be along shortly to post a pic of proof :D )... I would strongly suggest she go that route!!!

Right handed guitars are actually easier for lefties. Most of the work is w/the left hand.

http://www.setileague.org/photos/cons/lgm_gig.jpg

Please, don't let this happen to her.

I currently play in a band with a lefty lefty... dude walked into Guitar Center in Dayton, OH last week and couldn't pick up a single guitar to play... can you imagine the horror!!!!

As a very important point, recognize that if you get her a guitar you will be forced to hear Smoke on the Water nonstop for long periods of time. However, if you get her a banjo you will enjoy Foggy Mountain Breakdown for long periods of time.

Kinda depends. I'm fully capable of fretting with my left and right. Can't finger pick for shit with my right.

****, I hope so!

LMAO

Why the hell did i get so many neg reps over this?

Lefties = very sensitive about being left handed apparently.

So this is an interesting thread. I have a daughter about the same age, and have been thinking about getting her started on guitar lessons. I want her to play an instrument, and just feel like the guitar has more potential than things like clarinet, etc.

I'd like to hear anyone and everyone's thoughts on the subject. Good age to start? Startup costs? How to choose an instructor? Was thinking acoustic, is that a good place to start, does it matter etc? Would also add that my wife wants her to play piano, and I'm not opposed to that so would like to hear opinions on an earlier statement that hinted that it might help her in learning other instruments. Piano first? Concurrent?

Interestingly, my daughter is also a lefty but I feel like she would do fine learning right handed because she's nearly ambidextrous anyway.

Just would like to see this thread continue on. I wish I had learned guitar as a kid instead of the worthless 1 year of f'ing saxophone, but now I'll live it vicariously through my daughter.

Well, I typed up a big long response and somehow when I hit submit, it disappeared.

In a nutshell:

1. Have her start on piano. Learn to read music and develop both hands.
2. If she wants to play in school band, check with the school. My kids' program doesn't include guitar.
3. I would start her on acoustic. I think it builds finger strength and encourages good fret mechanics. Electrics with lighter gauge strings can breed laziness.

Don't do it man you'll have loser band members at your place

My personal and professional opinion is to teach her piano.

There's nothing more satisfying than being able to walk into a room at any age, whether it's 10 or 20 or 30 or 70, read sheet music and play any song.

It's the universal language for a reason. It's an ambidextrous instrument, it teaches history (Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, etc.) and there's nothing like the accomplishment of playing historically significant musical pieces or a song from the present.

If you can't afford a piano, rent one to see if the desire is there. Outside of that, guitar is a difficult instrument, especially first instrument, for many reasons.

First off, it's painful to press metal strings on wood to make sound. Most guitars are set up like ****ing shit, whether it's a $100 guitar or a $3000 Gibson (I just had a beginner at my house last week with a $3k 335 that was ****ing dogshit).

Secondly, 99% of all teachers teach the instrument incorrectly, so students don't even like playing after a few weeks. Who wants to play their favorite song on an unplayable $99 dollar acoustic?

Furthermore, if your kids can't sing (i.e., sing in tune, have pitch, etc.) you're wasting your time. I hate to sound like a dick but if you can't sing (and I'm not referring to great tone, sounding like a gospel singer, etc.), your kids will bomb with any instrument.

Good luck!

question, i have an idea that requires necks of guitars...what would be a good way of aquiring old guitars to confiscate the necks?

Well, that's difficult to answer. Do you want them for a specific reason, i.e., memorabilia or re-sale? Or to trace, for a possible re-creation?

PM me. I'll help out as much as I can.

I really want to learn to play the piano. If you can play the piano, you can wow people at parties or occasionally in the mall.

We didn't know it, but a fellow on our block passed away this summer, and his estate sale was this weekend. We went over there to check it out, and this guy had a harpsichord, a really nice one that was also art. I really wanted it, but it was $4,500 and the wife laughed at me.

For point 3, I've always felt that using an electric with lighter gauge strings, (coupled with low action), can show quicker results which breeds a further fascination with the instrument, thus, increasing interest in expanding her musical horizons


Did you put a patch on her right eye when she was born so she wouldn't be lazy with her sight?
Why would you want to handicap her out of the gate?

With the intelligence you've shown over the years, along with the rhythm of your posts, I'm sure you'd pick it up in a heartbeat.

There's nothing better than scenes in Woody Allen movies, where just about anyone can sit down at the piano and play old standards. I've always thought that was lovely and such a party treat.

I can guarantee that if you bought any old piano, had it tuned and hired a teacher, you'd be playing and enjoying yourself in no time.

Sincerely.

Not to hijack your thread htis, but youtube Guthrie Govan - Along the Tracks.

I think it's something you might appreciate.

Lots of wisdom in this post.

Wait a minute, aren't you the guy that warned against frequent use of hammer-on's and pull-off's? :P

Yes, lighter strings and a lower action might lead to quicker results. I can also say from personal experience that it fosters bad habits.

Futhermore, now that I play my electric in B standard with 12-56 strings, the time I spent on the acoustic is invaluable. Switching from 8's or 9's to these would be very hard to do simply from a finger wear/fatigue standpoint. They're chunky.

And my youngest daughter had a strabismus. She had to wear a path over her eye for 2 years. How dare you!

I've found that kids are more likely to stick with guitar when it's not drenched in their own blood.
I learned on an electric with 8's and moved on to acoustic later.
BTW - I'm sorry about your daughter's strabismus, (I had to look that up). I hope she's better now.:thumb:

I look at it like a sport - no pain, no gain.

I would start on an acoustic because I think it teaches better technique if and when she chooses to pursue it further, say classical guitar in college.

The last thing I want is for her guitar playing to turn out like mine! :D