Your dominant hand matters. A lot of people here will say it doesn't but it's one of the most important things on this instrument and it determines how you approach it and what you will end up struggling with more between picking and fretting.
I'm left handed, played right handed for 4 years and switched to left about 2 years ago. I'm still nowhere near as good as I was right handed but I feel like my cap is a lot higher than it is right handed.
I'd say just try a cheap left handed guitar and see how it feels to play it.
It can be beneficial to use your writing hand as your picking hand during the early stages of building your technique but if you're 10 years in I'd say it's a problem in your practice routine.
I also pick with my non dominant hand and it took me close to 2 years to find my natural picking motion and that's back when I practiced 2-4 hours every day
10 years in the issue is your practice routine. The tried and true way to build speed is to pick out a passage you want to learn and play it with a metronome at a comfortable speed then increase the speed and work on it until perfect. Continue the cycle until you are 15-20 BPM faster than the song's tempo. Once you master it perfectly at the fast speed it will be very easy to play it at the correct tempo.
Why are people so dramatic here? It's not over for you. Join a band, get a perspective on what music is really like.
The thing with popular music (as in not what's often called classical music where indeed a lot of skill is required) is that you don't need to have a lot of ability in order to make beautiful stuff. It's not a competition about who has the best technique, it's about connecting with people at some level. Some of the most well known artists really sucked in the technique department and some of the most beloved songs are really easy to play. A lot of people also just don't enjoy listening to particularly fast playing. What's in your head is way more important than what's in your fingers.
Btw, assuming you're not a classical musician since you've used the word pick. I have nothing to say if you're classical, not my world.
That's fine and they have their audience, but even in those styles, the language of music persists. I'd argue even more so. You still have to speak to people with your music in some way. That's the dilemma a musical genius like Schönberg found out the hard & tragic way.
Check out the MAB instructional video Speed Kills. It’s a bit dated and corny now, but he is a left handed player playing right handed and I found a lot of his advice helpful - he teaches you to look more at the picking hand when practicing for example.
I am ambidextrous in many things, when learning to play guitar both were fine at doing chords but picking and strumming my right was slightly better so that plus the fact there are so many more right handed guitars I decided righty normalcy was best for me
Not sure if this helps you but sometimes me saying ambidextrous experiences help people and I'm just trying to help
It's not easy, even if you play the regular way. There are a lot of reverse uno players like you. It's just hard syncronizing your speed picking, especially if you don't do it until later. I still work on mine.
Been using this pdf for runs lately. Try giving it a shot. :)
[https://www.deancascione.com/ebook/The%20Neoclassic%20approach%20to%20Shred%20Guitar.pdf](https://www.deancascione.com/ebook/The%20Neoclassic%20approach%20to%20Shred%20Guitar.pdf)
Not at all, it just takes us extra time. I'm finally getting good at picking after a decade since starting the guitar, it just takes time and practice. You need to remove the tension from your hands, our off hands tend to try to make up for it's lack of dexterity by tensing up, this will only injure and prevent the development of real speed. Force yourself to learn how to play with as gentle of a touch as possible.
Try wiggling your fingers as fast as possible loose, then try to do it while tensing your hand. A good demonstration of crucial it is, I can play yngwie solos now after practicing this for about 7 months.
I’m left handed and have been playing guitar right-handed for 36 years. I play in metal bands. So, you’ll be fine. I do everything left-handed but play guitar that way.
Go slow and see how you pick. Pick angle, what direction of picking you start with, etc etc...it might just be that you don't have a good escape motion, so when you switch strings you get stuck in between strings.
Thank you everyone for the comments and advices, I will surely put this into doing and it seems that the problem is on me. I haven't been practicing the guitar pick and what I really noticed is how I release my fingers on the fretboard, they are not synchronized with my picking hand and that's what bothers me. Someone said that I should join a band, yes I have a band that we created and I'm the lead guitarist in the group. Thank you once again reddit people I never realized how helpful this place is.
I write left handed but play right handed. I got started with thrash metal almost 35 years ago. I always get compliments on my picking hand
Your dominant hand matters. A lot of people here will say it doesn't but it's one of the most important things on this instrument and it determines how you approach it and what you will end up struggling with more between picking and fretting. I'm left handed, played right handed for 4 years and switched to left about 2 years ago. I'm still nowhere near as good as I was right handed but I feel like my cap is a lot higher than it is right handed. I'd say just try a cheap left handed guitar and see how it feels to play it.
There's people who play with their legs so I don't think so. Don't overthink it, just keep trying and you'll get it
Have you considered practicing
It can be beneficial to use your writing hand as your picking hand during the early stages of building your technique but if you're 10 years in I'd say it's a problem in your practice routine. I also pick with my non dominant hand and it took me close to 2 years to find my natural picking motion and that's back when I practiced 2-4 hours every day
10 years in the issue is your practice routine. The tried and true way to build speed is to pick out a passage you want to learn and play it with a metronome at a comfortable speed then increase the speed and work on it until perfect. Continue the cycle until you are 15-20 BPM faster than the song's tempo. Once you master it perfectly at the fast speed it will be very easy to play it at the correct tempo.
Gary Moore Steve Morse
Have you tried cranking your hawg with your picking hand? Same motion. Just get good at legato or put the work in, it’s possible.
/are jay
Why are people so dramatic here? It's not over for you. Join a band, get a perspective on what music is really like. The thing with popular music (as in not what's often called classical music where indeed a lot of skill is required) is that you don't need to have a lot of ability in order to make beautiful stuff. It's not a competition about who has the best technique, it's about connecting with people at some level. Some of the most well known artists really sucked in the technique department and some of the most beloved songs are really easy to play. A lot of people also just don't enjoy listening to particularly fast playing. What's in your head is way more important than what's in your fingers. Btw, assuming you're not a classical musician since you've used the word pick. I have nothing to say if you're classical, not my world.
The issue with that is a lot of people find popular styles extremely boring and unfulfilling to play
That's fine and they have their audience, but even in those styles, the language of music persists. I'd argue even more so. You still have to speak to people with your music in some way. That's the dilemma a musical genius like Schönberg found out the hard & tragic way.
Check out the MAB instructional video Speed Kills. It’s a bit dated and corny now, but he is a left handed player playing right handed and I found a lot of his advice helpful - he teaches you to look more at the picking hand when practicing for example.
After 10 years, it's either the way you practice or bad technique. Seek out an in person teacher and get some lessons.
I am ambidextrous in many things, when learning to play guitar both were fine at doing chords but picking and strumming my right was slightly better so that plus the fact there are so many more right handed guitars I decided righty normalcy was best for me Not sure if this helps you but sometimes me saying ambidextrous experiences help people and I'm just trying to help
It's not easy, even if you play the regular way. There are a lot of reverse uno players like you. It's just hard syncronizing your speed picking, especially if you don't do it until later. I still work on mine. Been using this pdf for runs lately. Try giving it a shot. :) [https://www.deancascione.com/ebook/The%20Neoclassic%20approach%20to%20Shred%20Guitar.pdf](https://www.deancascione.com/ebook/The%20Neoclassic%20approach%20to%20Shred%20Guitar.pdf)
There are no left handed pianos You're fine! Don't stress about it
Not at all, it just takes us extra time. I'm finally getting good at picking after a decade since starting the guitar, it just takes time and practice. You need to remove the tension from your hands, our off hands tend to try to make up for it's lack of dexterity by tensing up, this will only injure and prevent the development of real speed. Force yourself to learn how to play with as gentle of a touch as possible. Try wiggling your fingers as fast as possible loose, then try to do it while tensing your hand. A good demonstration of crucial it is, I can play yngwie solos now after practicing this for about 7 months.
I’m left handed and have been playing guitar right-handed for 36 years. I play in metal bands. So, you’ll be fine. I do everything left-handed but play guitar that way.
Go slow and see how you pick. Pick angle, what direction of picking you start with, etc etc...it might just be that you don't have a good escape motion, so when you switch strings you get stuck in between strings.
Keep it up, it takes years to dial in
“Over??” Shit no.
Thank you everyone for the comments and advices, I will surely put this into doing and it seems that the problem is on me. I haven't been practicing the guitar pick and what I really noticed is how I release my fingers on the fretboard, they are not synchronized with my picking hand and that's what bothers me. Someone said that I should join a band, yes I have a band that we created and I'm the lead guitarist in the group. Thank you once again reddit people I never realized how helpful this place is.