Confession of a closeted left handed guitar player

You know, I never thought to mention this, but I am left handed. Now this may not seem important to most, because there are certainly a lot of guitar players our their who are left handed, but most left handed guitar players who are capable of great technique and guitar speeds, typically choose to string and hold their guitars completely opposite.

This is not me. I play guitar the same way that most right handed guitarists play. What is the correct approach if you are a left handed person is just starting to play guitar? well, naturally there is no right or wrong way to go about it. I can remember when I first started playing, for the first 3 months, I couldn't do what most right handed guitar players had accomplished in that same amount of time.

So, if it was that difficult for me, then why did I go this route? because I was told that I had too, and that playing my guitar in reverse would be harder to practice on. What do I think now? its rubbish of course. Just because a right handed guitar player might imagine it to be a difficult task, doesn't mean that a left handed person will have a hard time with it. I mean, asking someone to go against their physical or genetic design, is like asking them to walk on the ceiling.

Oh, it gets better!!

This is really quite fascinating. The other night I was reading about being ambidextrous, because I claimed to be so to a particular person once. She told me that I was not ambidextrous, but that their was a different name for my capabilities, and that I was only "half" ambidextrous. So, I put it out of my mind, but when I read this article the other night, I was blown away by what it had to say about ambidextrous people.

The article explained that basically if you can do one thing that you shouldn't be able to do with your unfamiliar hand, then you are technically ambidextrous. Here's where it gets good. The article went on to explain that most people who are ambidextrous, start out as left handers, and learn to become ambidextrous because we live in a right handed world. Fascinating!

This tells you that what you believe someone can do is only based on them being "gifted", "lucky", or "blessed" is total B.S. I've said it for years, but people just like to make excuses for themselves, I think. I mean that's easier to do, right?

Anyways, imagine that you wanted to become ambidextrous for some reason - could you do it? hell yes you could! When I was six I broke my left arm, and it was in a cast for a very long time. I loved to draw, and spent most of my time doing this. So, I had to learn how to write and sketch with my right hand. I'm way out of practicing now, but at the time I learned to develop my right hand pretty well.

Exhibit A - written with my left hand.

Exhibit B - written with my right hand.

Anyways, if you are a left handed guitar player, don't let others make fun of you and push you around. This whole article came about from me watching a left handed guitarist in a video. He was amazing, but everyone was leaving hateful comments - just because he was left handed.

So, the question now becomes, "how should I hold my guitar?" or "do I need to re-string it?". My answer is that you should just pick something and go with it. I mean guitar is a challenging thing anyways, and you certainly can find little short cuts to make it easier, but if you were always looking for those shortcuts - you'd probably never get any practicing done.

I suggest going against the grain. I mean, if you practiced or played just like
everyone else, wouldn't you sound just like everyone else? yes, and guess what? most guitar players sound just like the guitar player standing next to them.

Guitar teachers all around the world teach the same stuff, with the same approach,
and if you collected all of these methods and put them together - you would have a manual for how to play guitar. Yet, how can man assume the authority to write such a thing, when music is art? how can you define what proper guitar playing or a proper guitar sound is? Do most guitar players want to do everything the way everyone else is? do they aspire to be birthed from the mold of regurgitated art?

Let me give you an example. If these very famous left handed guitar players were told to learn guitar the way everyone else does, do you think we would even know their names with that iconoclastic twist?

James Marshall Hendrix
Frank Anthony "Tony" Iommi
Kurt Donald Cobain
James "Iggy Pop" Newell Osterberg, Jr.
Sir James Paul McCartney

Strive to be original in whatever you do.

Some interesting facts about left handed people can be found in this.
left handed article

Also be sure to check out Left Handed Guitarists.com for a very complete list of left handed musicians.

Go get 'em south paws! ;)

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Wear Your Music

I was recently introduced to a really cool idea that combines both an interesting concept for a bracelet, as well as something of a benefit for mankind.

The good people over at www.wearyourmusic.org are working on something that is really killer. They're taking guitar strings that have been previously used and donated by many string legends such as, Eric Clapton, Bela Fleck, Ben Harper, The Allman Brothers, and Pete Townsend, and turning them into some really awesome looking bracelets.

I'm a huge fan of giving back and the best part about these bracelets is that they are affordable as well as righteous. The money goes to the charities designated by the legends of the very strings that you could be wearing. Its where art meets industry meets compassion for others. I absolute adore this fantastic idea. I received mine in the mail the other day and have yet to take it off. I have very small wrists, being the very skinny fellow that I am, and have always had a hard time wearing wrist watches or bracelets in general, but these guitar string bracelets fit beautifully and they look amazing. They are flexible to facilitate different sizes (one size fits all) and they let people know what you are all about, but without doing it in an obnoxious way. Its very subtle, but interesting and I've already had people come up to me and ask me what that little bit of silver was on my wrist.

By having people ask me about my bracelet, it gives me the ability to be able to tell people about a really stellar way to give back, and these bracelets are so cool looking, that even people who don't normally play music at all are really interested.

They come in your choice of seven different colors, have become quite popular, and have compelled artists like Keith Richards and John Mayer to donate their unwanted strings, in the attempt to deliver a better life to those who most need it.

If you buy one of these bracelets you will be fully rewarded on two levels.

You'll love what you are displaying. You'll feel good knowing that your money is going to some people and parts of the world who could really use it.

Check out Wear Your Music for yourself at www.wearyourmusic.org.

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The War Against Guitar Tablature

Some of you may already be familiar with this, but regardless - I need to address it. As of recently, the music industry has been cracking down on guitar tab sites and I've been reading about it everywhere, and just about every guitar blog imaginable has covered it, so I chose not talk about it since its like a beating a dead dog. However, it is truly nagging at my soul and I can't help but address it from my own perspective.

So what is going on?

Well, the NMPA (National Music Publishers Association) and the MPA (Music Publishers Association) have been targeting infamous guitar tablature sites, making claims of copyright infringement. Sites like OLGA and ultimate-guitar.com are examples. I'm not saying that those sites have come under fire yet, nor would I ever make that claim, because I don't really know where they are sitting in all of this, but many tab sites are getting torn apart.

My thoughts

First of all, I have talked about for a long time now that tablature is great, but that it is also a quick fix to something that should be explored by the aspiring musician. Guitar tabs cannot do for you what training your ear and transcribing can. So, from my perspective it doesn't affect myself, because I have never been fond of learning music by way of guitar tabs. This could be looked at as a gateway for mental, musical evolution. To be more specific, it could definitely force a lot of young guitar players to have to use their heads, which is truly the ticket to musical enlightenment.

A matter of ethics

So now we must ask ourselves the questions that revolve around the ethics of this interesting situation. It would seem that the only reason that the NMPA and the MPA are claiming that these are acts of copyright infringement is because it takes away from sales of sheet music or song books. They are surely justified in this accusation to a certain degree, but it still feels like a weak foundation to build a case from. If I were an attorney I would not touch this with a ten foot pole. I would however love to be in a position to defend the need for guitar tab sites. The truth of the matter is that there are so many millions of songs out there by solo artists or bands that are insanely underground and do not have the street cred to have sheet music carried at stores or distributed by way of online shops. Yet those same artists have a massive following of unique listeners, which means that a lot of these listeners will truly want to learn to play some of these songs using guitar tabs, and so tab sites are the only true resource for this ever growing populous.

Its also really quite senseless considering that organizations like this tried to silence Napster, when years later we have even more ways of accessing and downloading complete albums. For me personally, downloading an album off of the internet is not for me, because I also would like to support the artist, but I do not judge others who do this, because in the name of learning - a musician will not let anything get in his or her way. I say all of that, because no matter how hard the music industry attempts to put a stop to these things, the resources will continue to prosper. The music industry is only fighting with itself, because the more they push, the more audiences despise them and revolt.

A lot of guitar teaching sites like this one have had to abandon teaching songs to people through their sites. It just goes to show how much of an effect this new tribulation can have. Now think a little further. Take me as an example. What if I were to say "Ok, I won't show guitar tabs for other songs anymore, but I will continue to teach my viewers by way of video." This means that by their own standards, me teaching you a song through a video lesson could be constituted as copyright infringement as well. Which also means that the music industry is promoting the message that if I were to have a little studio set up and were teaching a student, in a one-on-one setting an AC/DC song, that they could take me to court. That is an extreme scenario, but one thing leads to another and that is exactly what they are saying, because the similarities of those three methods of teaching a student guitar are so close together.

Hurting themselves

Unfortunately the industry still does not seem to realize that they are constantly moving in a direction of smootherment of future artists. If they continue this route, then there will be nothing left for future musical creation, which translates to them as future dollar signs. Its especially offensive to individuals like myself, whom teach guitar by way of their own songs. I share with all of you my own tricks, passages and approach to playing and encourage you to steal it in order to make you a better musician, and I ask for nothing in return.

How does this affect GuitArticles?

It doesn't. I could care less. The music industry is out-numbered by shear passion. My advice to them would be to first locate their souls and then look deep inside them. They are simply out of their minds and have lost touch with what they call reality. Apparently the word reality has been replaced with the word, legality.

How does this affect us as guitarists?

It doesn't. You can teach yourself. I will show you. Others will show you. There will always be tab sites out there. Its a lot like the stock market. It is controlled by whether or not people perceive it to be good, or perceive it to be bad. Eventually, people will get so sick of the industry's whining, that their voice will die away. Its all irrelevant since no one likes the idea of a police state, anyways.

It goes both ways

They say "it doesn't matter that you think its ok to get free tabs, we say that it isn't" and we say "it doesn't matter that you think its wrong to get free tabs, we say that it is acceptable and there are more of us".

I am not condoning anything illegal in this article by the way. I due have the right to freedom of speech after all. This is my opinion and since it seemed to me that there are so many ways of addressing the ethical issues of this movement, I thought that I would bring up some other things to take into account. Who knows? maybe I am off of my rocker and am completely unethical. Regardless, I would love to know what everyone else thinks. So many sites are reporting the news of this, but not offering their own opinions and perspectives. I had the notion to start that.

Watch this video..

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Guitar Flicks For Guitar Lovers

Normally this site is dedicated to guitar instruction, and of course this will always be true, but I still like to keep GuitArticles as diverse as possible. I find that any blog that hashes out the same content over and over again, no matter how relevant the content is, can be quite boring, so I thought that I would take the time to talk about two amazing films that revolve around the subject of guitar.

Sweet and Lowdown.

Sweet and Lowdown is that infamous film directed by Woody Allen that stars Sean Penn. Its a really fascinating movie, because its a strange hybrid between drama, comedy, and documentary. One could call it a total mockumentary, but it is so thoughtful in nature, that it is almost impossible to classify it.

I did an article, not all that long ago, about the great
Django Reinhardt, called Two Finger Madness. Many of you are familiar with Reinhardt's work already, but many of you have probably never even hear of Sweet and Lowdown. The movie is not about Reinhardt, though he does make a guest appearance, by way of a very talented actor. Instead, the film is molded around him, or rather from him. Sean Penn plays the Reinhardt-like character Emmet Ray, a very self-centered, sickeningly talented and egotistical guitarist, who cannot cope with his own failures and inability to set aside his ego to really go far.

The film is a blast, and its a really tribute to Woody Allen's abilities as a story teller, that everyone believed that Emmet Ray was a real person. Indeed, he is just a figure of Allen's imagination, but the use of interviews such as the ones with the infamous jazz critic, Stanley Crouch, give the film a lot of solidarity. The music is fantastic, and at times exhilarating.

The verdict is that if you want to see a film that flows really well and offers great music, then definitely check out Sweet and Lowdown. Its a great film to relax to for the music and sweet story, but the acting is also really phenomenal.



Crossroads

I know, an 80's movie, but the truth of the matter is that it is really an outstanding piece of work. This film was actually one of my biggest inspirations when I was younger. Who could have imagined that the karate kid could shred like he does, and if he's not really playing, who cares? his finger work is quite accurate. The most important thing about the Crossroads, is the monstrous duel between Ralph Macchio and Steve Vai at the very peak of the tale. Of course Steve Vai gets beaten by an amazing rendition of Paganini's 5th caprice on Ralph Machio's part, but the irony of it is that Vai recorded all of the guitar work for the film, something that has never been new to the virtuoso, considering that he has done the music for many, many movies.

Crossroads got me started shredding when I heard Paganini's 5th Caprice, and though I was very young and inexperienced, I worked insanely hard on the piece. If you liked Oh Brother Where Art Thou, then you will love this film as it shares the same structure of the legend that revolved around the iconic Robert Johnson.

The verdict? check out the famous guitar duel scene below and you'll know whether you like it or not.

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Martin Acoustic

Every time I pull out my 1961 Martin I think of Indiana Jones blowing some dust off of a newly rediscovered ancient relic. The Martin is in a fragile state, with a decaying top around the pick guard, and the strings are probably as old as it, because to change or tune them could mean sudden death.

None the less the sound is amazing and I still play it, but very gently. Its really funny to think that something so small and simple could also have such an amazing sound or enchanting presence to it, but there's always been something about Martin guitars.

They were almost like the industry standards for all of the musicians that revolved around the Johnny Cash's and the Elvis Presley's of the 50s.

I was once watching The Antiques Road Show (pathetic), and there was a guy on there who had a 1955 Martin, that fetched 35-55,000. If you have one layin' around then you may just want to dig it out and do a little investigating.

The C.F. Martin company has also made their 1,000,000th guitar and have taken it pretty damn seriously. I mean have you seen that thing? I'm almost too afraid to even look at it, because it looks like it was a gift meant for Napoleon Bonaparte. I can still picture my greedy little hands around it though.

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Two Finger Madness

Sounds kinky. Anyways, there was once a great guitarist by the name of Django Reinhardt. Many people are very familiar with the late and great Guitar God, but there are still a lot of people out there who have no idea who he is. All that I can say, is that I have popped in a Django Reinhardt album time and time again for some Goth, hormonal teenager, metal-head, punk or Emo brat, and they always, always dig it.

For a long time it was all that I listened to, and I even went so far as to play using only two of my fretting hand fingers. That's not really funny, considering that Reinhardt had lost the use of most of his fretting hand in an unfortunate fire when he was 18, but I think that I can be forgiven, considering that many people of all ages and cultures share a real passion for his music. I turned on the TV the other day and their was a tribute film on, where the filmmakers went to an annual Reinhardt festival in France, where there seemed to be thousands of guitarists imitating his work.

One could almost surmise that Django Reinhardt did not live an honorable personal life, and yet he is beyond admirable along with the rest of theQuintette du Hot Club de France, for taking a strong stance against the Nazis, during their occupation of France.

I also consider Stephane Grappelli to be one of the greatest violinists of our time and it is quite clear that many would agree. The music is almost haunting, considering the harsh times that were present, during this wave of musical bliss. Simply put, it would seem that the music of The Quintette du Hot Club de France gave Europe and much of the rest of the world, hope.

I almost wish that I hadn't started this article, because I'm going to have to bow out here. If I didn't do that, I would be writing an article so long that it would take days to read.

Check out the video below of the band playing, keeping in mind Django Reinhardt's deformed hand. After that, check out the video of Bireli Lagrene playing. I believe that Lagrene nailed Reinhardt's style, at the same time creating his own.

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