Playing Guitar With Only One Hand

[Idioteque]

This maybe is in the wrong place, but I figure you talented musicy types could help me out the best.

In your experience, both from playing and watching other people play, is it at all possible for someone with one full hand and a halved arm to play guitar?

I understand this is probably a total shot in the dark, but I really really would love to play guitar, and I cannot find anything on Google to lead me in the right direction, so I figured the music section of my most visited forum is a good place to start.

Opinions are welcome as much as cold solid facts are.

[Shmuh]

Dude, you have half an arm? Awesome.

But it definitely is possible. Unfortunately you won't be able to do anything complicated like Fingerpicking (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fingerpicking) or Alternate Picking (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alternate_picking), but you would be able to pick strings and strum. Maybe you could find/come up with some crazy contraption to hold the pick?

Also, are you left handed or right handed?

*circlejerk* how did you lose it?

[JonC]

So, you're missing half your arm? Not trying to make a joke, I'm being serious.

Oh and go here: http://www.btinternet.com/~jazzworld/ffonseca.htm

Read the first paragraph, its the one in blue letters. On the page it doesn't say how to play, but basically it tells you its possible with only one full arm.

[Verdelet]

Yeah it's entirely possible!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQZ4abbKqHg



Just takes time and determination, if you have a love/passion for music, nothing should ever stand in your way!

[Idioteque]

Right handed, and it never grew in the womb. All I have are tiny fingers on the left that look like something you'd see on a fetus. I'd find a picture, but I'd rather not be an attention whore at the moment.

I've considered building something, but have no idea where to start/how it would affect overall sound.

[Shmuh]

Right-o, you might have a little bit of trouble then. Usually people who are right handed (like myself) fret with their left hand. Although I'm sure you could play a left handed guitar and string the guitar backwards. (instead of thickest string starting at the top, it starts at the bottom).

Although, it definitely is possible, and I think you should go for it. Note the guy in the video doesn't have anything complicated holding his pick, he just kind of taped it there.

[Idioteque]

Right-o, you might have a little bit of trouble then. Usually people who are right handed (like myself) fret with their left hand. Although I'm sure you could play a left handed guitar and string the guitar backwards. (instead of thickest string starting at the top, it starts at the bottom).

Although, it definitely is possible, and I think you should go for it. Note the guy in the video doesn't have anything complicated holding his pick, he just kind of taped it there.

That has been done, so maybe there is a chance here.

Thank you so much for that video Verdelet! I don't think you know how inspirational that is too me. I've gone ahead and PM'ed him for advice.

Guys, this is fantastic, keep it coming.

[Verdelet]

No problem my friend!

I'm always helping out where ever I can! =)



When I first saw that video I was blown away!

-Paul

USER WAS PUT IN TIMEOUT FOR THIS POST. (http://forums.explosm.net/eventlog.php)
Reason: Don't sign your posts.

[UnHung]

You could play just using one hand and tapping with that one hand.

[JonC]

Right-o, you might have a little bit of trouble then. Usually people who are right handed (like myself) fret with their left hand. Although I'm sure you could play a left handed guitar and string the guitar backwards. (instead of thickest string starting at the top, it starts at the bottom).

Although, it definitely is possible, and I think you should go for it. Note the guy in the video doesn't have anything complicated holding his pick, he just kind of taped it there.

Or he could just get a left handed guitar and not worry about restringing it so the strings are where they would be if it were a right handed guitar. Just a warning though, if you get a left handed guitar, they're generally bound to cost a bit more than a right handed guitar. Or, you could of course by a right handed guitar, flip it over and restring it so its like a left handed. Unless that of course is what you were implying Shmuh

[drunkchuck]

This guy is incredible, a great guitarist by any standard, not just because he has one arm:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jU_jMD9Vo5o

Notice how he uses a lot of legato, that would be the best way to play like this in my opinion.

[Kris]

You can play some great music just by finger tapping with one hand.

My room mate does a lot of this one handed on guitars and my banjo.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTbVPLXA-AA

[Idioteque]

This guy is incredible, a great guitarist by any standard, not just because he has one arm:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jU_jMD9Vo5o

Notice how he uses a lot of legato, that would be the best way to play like this in my opinion.

Thats how I plan to play anyway, since my favorite guitarists play using that style. Now I just need to figure out how he attaches that pick. FYI his arm looks exactly like mine.

Finger tapping huh? Sounds promising, but really difficult. Maybe I'll do both.

[AeroRocker]

Thats how I plan to play anyway, since my favorite guitarists play using that style. Now I just need to figure out how he attaches that pick. FYI his arm looks exactly like mine.

Finger tapping huh? Sounds promising, but really difficult. Maybe I'll do both.

That would be a great idea. I would also suggest mastering alternate tunings. If you use them correctly, you can rely less on difficult picking techniques and more on your fretting hand.

[UnHung]

Thats how I plan to play anyway, since my favorite guitarists play using that style. Now I just need to figure out how he attaches that pick. FYI his arm looks exactly like mine.

Finger tapping huh? Sounds promising, but really difficult. Maybe I'll do both.

In an interview with that guy, he said he gets a special mini-pick and he glues it to the black cover thing.

[Alcoholic]

Yeah, with the people who mentioned tha tapping, using what you have at your disposal, you could actually play not just functional music, but damned good stuff with what you have at your disposal. Don't everdisqualify yourself.

There's a series of different tapping methods, and my mind immediately went to the fact that when someone has a difficulty to overcome, they do it their own way, nad make their own special strengths in special areas that, a lot of the time, people never think of before.

Many players play meoldic songs using nothing but tapping and sliding a tap, which you would definitely be able to do. You may want to consider what you really want to do with it before you decide whether or not you want to play a left- or right-handed guitar.
Depending on how well you're able to use your left hand, you may be able to use it as an anchor, and maybe some hammers and pulls, albeit limited. Obviously, you know your limitations, and I don't. Just look at the technical side of whatever you end up setting your mind on.

Don't get your head down about it either, man. There's nothing to say you can't be virtuostic. Hell, enough focus and you may invent the new guitar technique. If you do, teach me! Whatever you do, have fun, and love it.

[Spiffy13]

I take my two arms for granted. This guy's music is beautiful, and he plays to perfectly considering he only has one arm. You don't need any tapping fancy-shmancy stuff to be great.

[Exodus]

If all else fails, you've still got two feet right?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIOYLMnTt0s

[Spiffy13]

If all else fails, you've still got two feet right?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIOYLMnTt0s
...I'm speechless.

[Alcoholic]

I take my two arms for granted. This guy's music is beautiful, and he plays to perfectly considering he only has one arm. You don't need any tapping fancy-shmancy stuff to be great.

Oh no, you're absolutely right. I'm just thinking along the vein of, of course, adapting to his own style which would indubitably be unique and effective, but also using what some might see as a disadvantage to learn to play in ways that even the most technical players can't perfect.

By the way, Id, compare yourself to jeff Healy. If he learned to play some rippin' blues the way he does blind, I think you'll be just fine.

[Idioteque]

If all else fails, you've still got two feet right?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIOYLMnTt0s

Wow, I gotta show that to my buddies who have that same condition.

Alcoholic, thanks for the encouragement, I'll see what there is on tapping on the internet. I've tried tapping before, but wasn't able to get much of a sound. Some work is in order. Also, don't worry, once I get some lessons in (another question: who would know how to teach me?) I plan on creating a unique a sound as possible, as my idols did.

I am also considering making a plaster cast of my arm and using that to hold a pick. Anyone done something like that before?

[buckfan]

You could play legato one handed on a left handed guitar.
Its not too much of a difference and you can go really fast with it.

[Alcoholic]

Shoot man, it took me a little forceful trying to get good sound out of the tapping. One thing I like to do with my tapping hand is slightly pull the string to the side and get a little bend out of the string before you pull your finger off. If you don't like that, try using the back of the pick, as in the rounded part instead of the sharp picking point, to hammer into the string.
It's very accute in it's attack, so you might not like the sound.
I found that with my attack, though, using the tip of my finger leaves the ringing note too hollow, so I use the meaty part of my finger, but that takes some practive to make sure it isn't sloppy.
Have fun man, and don't get too frustrated :smile:

[drunkchuck]

You could also look into getting a string dampener, like the ones Michael Batio uses when he does his duel guitar trick. That guy in the video I posted, Marc Playle, uses one for some of his songs I believe.

It'll make it that much easier to legato, I imagine it'd be tough to mute with only one hand.

[Jiveturkey]

Legato that shit.