Guitar aiding in drumming?

So recently I've been thinking to pick up the guitar just enough to help explain to a guitarist what sound I want, and even to help me write some music. As I thought deeply about this (usually upon the toilet where I do my best contemplation) it raised a question.

While learning a bit of guitar, do you guys think it would benefit my drumming to play the guitar left handed? I know my left hand is quite a bit behind my right in terms of overall control, and I thought that maybe learning to strum with my left may help me get used to more unique notes behind the kit.

Now I know that I have heard that it can help quite a bit in a drummers technique to begin doing every day things with his left hand (assuming his right is dominant) And this has been said to help balance out the hands and help the left catch up with the right, so do you guys / gals think this is also true in playing a lefty guitar?

Any input?

Also, thought I shoul add that I am aware that I can improve my left hand by just working with it more during practices, but the guitar question raised some true curiosity in me

Thanks guys!

most of the left handers that i know play guitar right handed.

it's a pain in the butt to find a left handed guitar that suits your specific needs (whatever they might be), or if you need a quickie replacement on the fly.

and try to find left handed strings some time.

the last one was a joke.

(much like left handed sticks jokes).

: )

have fun.

I think there's no benefits from doing so, maybe even one slight disadvantage. Lemme explain. (I've been playing the guitar for 22 yrs now, started drumming 2 yrs ago. So coming from the guitar being my main - or former? - main instrument, haha.)

Well it depends on how/what you'll be playing - fingerpicking? Using a pick? Easy stuff? Complicated stuff? But keep in mind that a right-handed guitarist would fret the notes with his left hand and pick them with the right hand. You might fret some single notes - which is relatively easy - or some chords - those can be from simple to complicated (e.g. big stretches). Your right hand has some different purpose and usually doesn't stretch a lot. What I mean is that a 'normal' guitarist has his hands executing different functions so the hands aren't treated equally to begin with. Now from a "which hand does more" perspective I think it's rather my L hand than my R hand - especially if you're thinking fast legato stuff when soloing (hammer-ons/pull-offs).

So I'd say if you have to pick one hand doing 'more' over the other then for a R-handed guitarist it might be your L hand! That's why learning the guitar L-handed doesn't seem beneficial to me from a "how can I improve my L hand?" perspective. It might be beneficial for some individual though if it's a more normal way to learn to play if those folks are L-handed.

Plus, if you learn the guitar L-handed it might be a tad more complicated to explain your 'real' guitarist what's on your mind because they see everything (voices/fingerings/chords) mirrored.

Plus, you can still (for the hell of it) practice R-handed being a L-handed guitarist and vice versa. I've been doing this sometimes, to shock my other hand.

I think there's a big difference between the different hand functions for guitarists and the pretty balanced out functions for drummer hands. So while working/focusing on your L hand in drumming will get your L hand up this approach doesn't seem to work for guitarists IMO.

Now if you're into fingerpicking (better do this on an acoustic/classical guitar, not on an electric) working your other hand might have some (I assume rather slight) coordination benefits you could transform into drumming. But I think it's FAR more effective to simply adjust your drumming practice for the results you want to get than learning new instruments, and doing so learning them the other way round (handwise). While it's not a bad thing to learn new instruments of course...

Just the man I was hoping to hear from actually!

The reason I was thinking this is because as I was air strumming with both of my hands I noticed that my right hand moved more easily and in time since its had years of training as my hi hat and ride hand. My left hand can do the exact same stuff but I noticed that I was having to try much harder to keep it smooth.

But even if playing left handed won't benefit in drumming, how difficult do you think it would be to learn lefty as a right hander? It's not for any real reason other than I want to be a little more unique haha

It would definitely make you more unique - go for it ;-)

Just to point out what can be done staying R-handed but still approaching the instrument differently (might be esp. interesting for drummers - that guitarist is incorporating some ultra cool percussion effects, too):

Andy McKee - "Hunter's Moon"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFreRb1EzgM

That's what I've been doing for the past 4 years (picking up the acoustic guitar) and it has largely expanded my horizon, going from 2D to 3D, haha.

If you dare - there's the Chapman Stick around, it was invented in mid-70's (by Emmett Chapman). Here's an example:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7kIclA4yq4

Again, you can simulate this way of playing on an el./ac. guitar but having less strings your hands are more prone to get in conflict than on the stick where you have dedicated bass/treble sections.

You know what helped me to develop my L hand? (And I'm not there yet but getting results.) Learning/practicing trad grip. I'm glad I picked it up pretty early. Took some time to get into it but now it feels really good.

---

Sorry for the self promotion, haha - but having checked out that Andy McKee tune - does this look familiar?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8IX_FMl51_k&feature=player_embedded
That's me, in Andy McKee copying/influenced mode, haha. And that custom guitar is a blatant functional copy of his (Greenfield) guitar, too. I got away a bit cheaper though... Whenever you feel the need to broaden your instrumental perspective - take 1-2 steps back and you'll see new horizons.

Being able 2 play a 2nd instrument will not make u a better 'drummer' but it will make u a better musician.

It gives u a better understand of music as a whole.

I also play the guitar so when I'm playing the guitar & some1 else is playing the drums I know what I want that drummer 2 do 4 me from a guitarists perspective. So when I get back 2 the drum set & I become the drummer again I know exactly how the guitar player wants me 2 play.

U know what? Check out Steve Jordan's DVD called The Groove Is Here. He touches on the topic & he explains it way better than I do.

As far as practicality goes ur better of learning the guitar right handed
1. it feels natural
2. it makes it easier 2 share the instrument around seeing as most ppl r right handed.

Though if ur main concern is ur technique then I suggest u work on that with drumsticks.

Just my opinion btw =)

I play the guitar (not to Arky's standard!) and bass guitar and have done for a long while now, so I'll give you my perspective.

Playing the guitar has not helped my drumming per se. My left hand has always been my weakness with both the drums and the guitar (I'm very right handed) so my guitar playing is mainly chord-based (and I don't practice lead enough) but whilst it hasn't specifically helped my drumming, it has definitely improved my ability to communicate with other musicians. Being able to talk about songs in terms of chord progressions, cadences and song structure in their language (that of the guitar) makes things much easier. It's great to be able to ask the guitarist in my band questions about what he's playing in real musical language and it helps me to write and voice my parts in a more co-operative way.

Also, on a pure vanity level, it's funny to meet new musicians, play the drums then pick up their guitar or bass and wail out a few things. I've got some funny looks, believe me...

Another dual function musician here. Played guitar last night in a jazz combo and playing drums Saturday for a classic rock band.

The left hand on guitar needs a lot of facility. But there are timing differences. You fret before you hit the note in time. Meaning your left hand has to anticipate the note. Much different from drumming other than I've found many trad grip players tend to wait until the note is needed and then wind up for the hit. Making snare hits slightly late. Raising a dropping the stick in match grip is a little bit quicker. So the anticipatory aspect of guitar may help there. If you get into single line stuff where you are hammering or sliding into notes you will develop timing in your left hand. Sustained hammer trills and BB King like vibrato are probably the most directly applicable to drumming.

From a basic musical standpoint, learning another instrument is always as asset. Especially for a drummer. Learning harmony and composition will definitely help you to explain things to other musicians. Some folks that know me only as a drummer are surprised when I suggest a different chord or explain something in harmonic terms. While they are looking at me funny, someone else usually says "you should hear him on guitar" or some such. The last band I played guitar in, the drummer was a music major. Keys and bass also had music degrees. Arrangements and conversations about the songs went really quickly. No need to endlessly go over parts of a song and trying to get it together by ear. "That last Db in September is dominant", "okay, got it", and on to the next song. Just as a drummer might say that this hit is on the and of the 3 and everyone else nods and gets it right.

Note that learning music properly on guitar is a bit harder than some other instruments. Most general music education is done on keyboards. Like some horns, guitar has the disadvantage (or advantage depending on how you use it) that the same note is possible in several ways. Keyboard has only one way to play a given note and they are laid out in a simple repeating pattern with all the intervals visually obvious.

If you're playing with un-studied guitarists, playing something at them may be the only way to communicate. In which case having some capability with the guitar can really be an asset.

But once you've learned music, you will probably find yourself seeking out other musicians who know what they are doing. It makes musical life so much simpler and enjoyable.

I'm positive that any additional instruments you play would certainly benefit your drumming skills.

You will fain another perspective on music, when i started learning guitar it changed the way i thought about and approached grooves and fills.

I play jazz/brazilian guitar (began 34 yrs ago) and a variety of drum styles (now jazz only)
beginning 60 years ago. I believe playing the guitar helps my drumming and vice versa.
I would suggest playing guitar right handed for the reasons cited previously.

Such great information from everybody

I've decided just to give up the desire to be super unique, and just play right handed.. I think the final point was that my friends couldn't play my guitar, and vice versa

Thanks or the input everybody! And arky, don't be surprised if I send you some messages with off the wall questions!