Left Handed Guitars Vs. Right Handed
Which is Handier?
Have you ever wondered why some people are left-handed and play left handed
guitars, and others are right handed? Have you ever wondered why you can't do a dang thing with your left
hand but you can write, use a pair of scissors, or snap your fingers with your right hand? And the same goes for
those that are left handed, have you ever wondered why you couldn't use your right hand for hardly
anything? Or, have you ever asked yourself why everyone isn't left handed or right handed or could use both hands?
Well there are a lot of theories about this. Left Handed Guitars Best Prices Most
Reliable Source
When a person is right handed, according to scientific theory, the left hemisphere of the
brain is the dominant hemisphere. The left hemisphere of the brain is said to be the rational side of the brain.
This side of the brain responds to verbal instructions, solves problems by logically and sequentially looking at
the parts of things, tends to look at differences in things, is more planned and structured, prefers established
certain information, prefers talking and writing, prefers multiple choice tests, and also the left hemisphere of
the brain controls feelings. A recent study found that right handed people use the right side of the brain to focus
on an entire image; however the left side of the brain is used to focus on the details within the image.
85 to 90 percent of the world's population is right handed. Nine in every ten people are said to be right
handed. On average, right-handed people live nine years longer than left handed people. A good number of
technological devices today are made primarily for right handed individuals, such as refrigerators, scissors,
microwaves, can openers, button down shirts, guitars, and even military rifles. In the past, many
schools have forced children to write right handed. Left Handed Guitars Best Prices Most
Reliable Source
People who are left handed, according to scientific theory, the right hemisphere of the brain is the dominant
hemisphere. The right dominant type talks in feelings, but often in the negative, is past oriented, many people of
this type are very charismatic and extroverted, they search for fun activities like painting, making music, working
in gardens, and being creative. People who are left-handed tend to think of many things simultaneously and start
many activities.
Approximately 10-13 percent of the population is left-handed. Generally, males are three times more likely to be
left handed than females. Genetics can be a cause for left handedness, it does run in the family, however even
though both parents can be left handed, there is only a 26 percent change that the child will be left handed as
well. There is a theory stating that left-handedness is due to brain damage during the birth process. Difficult or
stressful births can cause a number of birth defects including if the baby is exposed to higher rates of
testosterone before birth. Testosterone suppresses the growth of the left hemisphere and so more neurons migrate to
the right hemisphere. The highly developed right hemisphere is now better suited to function as the center of
language and handedness. The fetus is more likely to become left-handed, since the right hemisphere controls the
left half of the body. The theory goes on to tie the exposure to higher levels of testosterone and the resultant
right-hemisphere dominance to autoimmune disorders, learning disorders, and stuttering, as well as increased
spatial ability.
Although most infants will begin to reach for things with their right hand beginning at 5-6 months, often they
will shortly begin to use the left hand as well. It is not until the child is approximately two years old that
parents can fairly accurately determine which hand is preferred. If, however, you notice that your child is only
using one hand exclusively before age two, please alert the pediatrician, since it may represent a weakness in the
muscles of the unused hand. If you are right handed and need to teach a left-handed child, don't try to transform
them into using their right hand. Studies have shown this leads to problems with reading, writing, speaking, and
other motor skills, along with frustration with school and schoolwork. Instead, just sit opposite your child, and
be their mirror they'll learn a task like tying shoes more quickly.
In 2005, statistics showed that left-handed people are more likely to be schizophrenic, alcoholic, delinquent,
dyslexic, and have Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.
Throughout history being left-handed was considered as negative - the Latin word sinister meant, "Left". Hence
the many negative connotations associated with the word "left-handed": clumsy, awkward, unlucky, insincere,
sinister, malicious, and so on. There have been, however, many famous left-handed people, and the associated right
brain hemisphere that is said to be more active in left-handed people, has been found in some circumstances to be
associated with genius and is correlated with artistic and visual skill.
Looking even farther back into history, during the Ice Age, caves that were found during the Upper Paleolithic
period, about 30,000 years ago, left-handedness may have conferred prehistoric man advantages. Looking at 507
handprints from 26 caves in France and Spain, they deduced that 23% of them were right-handed, which indicated that
left-handers made them. Researchers suggest that because left-handedness is relatively rare it provides certain
advantages over those who are right-handed, such as in solo and group fighting. Their findings add to the evidence
that the evolutionary forces that cause right and left-handedness are independent of culture.
The prominence of right-handedness has taken over the world and has been affecting those who are left handed
more than just needing special scissors. Here are some other examples of normal daily things that right handed
people never think of, but left handed people have problems with on a daily basis.
Left-handed people write from left to right, so that their hand smears the fresh ink across the page. Those who
are right handed do not touch the ink until they get to the next line, so the ink has a few seconds to dry.
If you grab a coffee mug with your left hand, the picture will be facing away from you. Those who are right
handed get to look at the picture while they drink.
Left-handed people have little choice where they get to sit at large dinners, lest they bump elbows with a
right-handed person.
Car stick shifts are on the right side of the driver. Less frequently used controls, such as headlight switches,
are on the left side.
When pants only have one back pocket, it's always on the right side. Those who are left-handed have to fumble
around for their wallet with their "bad" hand.
I personally am right handed, and looking back on all the information that I have found regarding this
particular subject, some of the information applies, and some does not. I seem to be very creative and function as
a whole from both hemispheres of my brain. However, a friend of mine is left-handed and functions greatly from the
right hemisphere of his brain. He is very intelligent, however does suffer from dyslexia, and as many left-handed
people normally do, he has to convert his surroundings to fit his left-handedness.
Scientists and researchers will keep compiling information and statistics of the who's, what's, where's, when's
and why's of right vs. left handed people, but one thing that I believe that we all have to remember is that
everyone is different and nothing can be solely based on which hand we prominently use. Since everyone is different
and there may not be as many left handed people out there as right handed people, I believe that we have to all
come to some realization that they exist and make the technological devices that are out there a little more
compatible and suitable for those who are left handed.
And in closing, when raising your child, as a parent you have a very domineering role in their lives, but always
remember that letting them choose which hand they are comfortable with in using gives them individuality as well as
gives them an easier time in growing and learning. If they play the guitar and are left handed,
buy them left handed guitars so they will be comfortable. Left Handed Guitars Best Prices Most Reliable Source
|