Champ wrote:

> > Which hand do you use to try to unscrew a tight jar lid?
>
> Jar in left hand, lid in right
>
> I'm right handed

Jar in right, lid in left.

Not sure what I am in handedness.

I write with my right, eat with my left (knife and fork is reversed).

I was a child of the 70's and teachers made me write with my right.

--
Simon

Turby wrote:

> I shoot right-handed, but it doesn't matter which foot is front, I
> can twist my torso either direction. It's which eye is looking down
> the sights that matter.

I can look down sights with either eye but I alway have a shotgun at my
right cheek - I don't think there's a choice.

--
Simon

siwilson wrote:

> Shoot a rifle (left?) handed (LH on the trigger)

Right handed - can't see how a rifle works LH - you'll get hit by the
bolt.

> Photography, I am left eyed - and this is a real pain. (I just cannot
> wink with my left eye)

Either eye - I still use film cameras so there's no screen. I suppose
it's mostly right but some Contax rangefinder clones I tend to use my
left.

> Scissors right handed (though I can use them
> with either)

Yep, but I default to RH.

> Motorbike don't mind if gear change is on left or right

That's not a RH or LH thing - I can easily swap between the two. I I
Think that's just being used to riding British (or old italian)
machines.

> Can just about start a bike with left foot if the kickstart is on
> that side.

I'm now trying to think - I can start a bike with a kickstart [1]
either side but I will use the leg that faces inwards. RH kickstarter
I use my right leg, LH kickstarter left leg. This isn't straddling the
bike, but stood alongside.

[1] Norway and an Armstrong I needed an Alex F as an aux starter...

--
Simon

"sweller" <sweller@mztech.fsnet.co.uk> wrote in news:k936ieF7ghtU1
@mid.individual.net:

> siwilson wrote:
>
>> Shoot a rifle (left?) handed (LH on the trigger)
>
> Right handed - can't see how a rifle works LH - you'll get hit by the
> bolt.
>
>

I shoot left handed, rifle and pool cue.

I used a Martini action rifle for .22 but used a right handed .303 rifle on
my left shoulder at school. Of course, I had to take the butt off my
shoulder to operate the bolt and eject the cartridge, which was not ideal
as when target shooting, you want to keep everything as still as possible
between shots.

I had an air rifle at home for target shooting. I taught my also left
handed cousin to shoot left handed. He joined the army. He had to relearn
to shoot right handed as the army only do RH automatic rifles and the
ejected cartriddes would take your jaw off if you tried to go LH.

On 04/04/2023 18:42, sweller wrote:
> Turby wrote:
>
>> I shoot right-handed, but it doesn't matter which foot is front, I
>> can twist my torso either direction. It's which eye is looking down
>> the sights that matter.
>
> I can look down sights with either eye but I alway have a shotgun at my
> right cheek - I don't think there's a choice.

Apart from paying a fortune to have a crossover stock made to fit or
wearing an eyepatch, or keeping the dominant eye shut or

--
Rusty Hinge
To err is human. To really foul things up requires a computer and the BOFH.

On Mon, 03 Apr 2023 18:17:01 +0100, Champ <neal@champ.org.uk> wrote:

>On Fri, 31 Mar 2023 09:53:15 +0200, Ace <Ace@ch.com> wrote:
>
>>>>Not convinced. In general one's non-dominant hand is stronger, so for
>>>>most right-handed people it's easier to fret using the left hand than
>>>>the right.
>
>Hmm. Took me ages (when I was 15) to get the hang of bar chords

And I can't really do them at all, despite decades of trying. My index
finger just isn't long or strong enough. Not sure what it has to do
with the handedness discussion though.

>>The right one needs to be able to select individual strings with
>>individual fingers in traditional 'classical' styles or finger-picking
>>like wot I do, or indeed the precise plectrum use of rock lead guitar
>>playing.
>
>Hmm x 2. Certainly the way I play guitar <quiet at the back, please>,
>the left hand is doing more complicated stuff than the right

Yebbut you normally use a plectrum, innit?

>>>I would have thought, holding a guitar conventionally,
>>>the left, with strumming a relatively simple task for the right,
>>
>>Naah. Even if you're 'only' strumming it there's still a lot more
>>precision about which string(s) you hit first, which you hit hardest,
>>particularly so if using fingers rather than a pick.
>
>I respectfully disagree

Watch a Flamenco player 'strum' to see what I mean.

--
Ace
http://www.chaletbeauroc.com/

On Wed, 05 Apr 2023 12:23:11 +0200, Ace <Ace@ch.com> wrote:

>On Mon, 03 Apr 2023 18:17:01 +0100, Champ <neal@champ.org.uk> wrote:
>
>>On Fri, 31 Mar 2023 09:53:15 +0200, Ace <Ace@ch.com> wrote:
>>
>>>>>Not convinced. In general one's non-dominant hand is stronger, so for
>>>>>most right-handed people it's easier to fret using the left hand than
>>>>>the right.
>>
>>Hmm. Took me ages (when I was 15) to get the hang of bar chords
>
>And I can't really do them at all, despite decades of trying. My index
>finger just isn't long or strong enough. Not sure what it has to do
>with the handedness discussion though.

Ah, it was the reference to strength. To play a bar chord, you use
some strength in your left hand (index finger and thumb) to make the
bar across the neck
--
Champ
neal at champ dot org dot uk

I don't know, but I been told
You never slow down, you never grow old

On Mon, 3 Apr 2023 21:35:33 +0100, siwilson
<siwilson@nodamnspamn.hotmail.com> wrote:

>>>> I've no idea what I am.

<snip long list of various handednesses>

>>> Ah, yes, there is a word for people like you
>>>
>>> Can you guess what it is?
>> I'm too polite to say it.

><thinks> But, if you mean ambidextrous, I don't think I am. There's no
>way I can switch most of the things I do.

No, I was just going for "weirdo" :-)
--
Champ
neal at champ dot org dot uk

I don't know, but I been told
You never slow down, you never grow old

On Wed, 05 Apr 2023 13:40:34 +0100, Champ <neal@champ.org.uk> wrote:

>On Wed, 05 Apr 2023 12:23:11 +0200, Ace <Ace@ch.com> wrote:
>
>>On Mon, 03 Apr 2023 18:17:01 +0100, Champ <neal@champ.org.uk> wrote:
>>
>>>On Fri, 31 Mar 2023 09:53:15 +0200, Ace <Ace@ch.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>>>>Not convinced. In general one's non-dominant hand is stronger, so for
>>>>>>most right-handed people it's easier to fret using the left hand than
>>>>>>the right.
>>>
>>>Hmm. Took me ages (when I was 15) to get the hang of bar chords
>>
>>And I can't really do them at all, despite decades of trying. My index
>>finger just isn't long or strong enough. Not sure what it has to do
>>with the handedness discussion though.
>
>Ah, it was the reference to strength. To play a bar chord, you use
>some strength in your left hand (index finger and thumb) to make the
>bar across the neck

OIC, yes, I guess that gets back to the point I was trying to make
earlier. I kinda lost track a bit.

But there's clearly more to it than that, and I suspect that any
inherent strength difference would be insignificant compared to years
of practice, as in, even if my left hand were not naturally stronger
then it certainly would have become so by now.

Just played a few bar chords on the 12-string, and actually it's more
the wrist that starts to hurt quite quickly. So it's not that I can't
do them, just not for long. Probably easier on the electric, but as
you know it's never been my instrument of choice.
--
Ace
http://www.chaletbeauroc.com/

On Wed, 05 Apr 2023 23:43:05 +0200, Ace <Ace@ch.com> wrote:

>On Wed, 05 Apr 2023 13:40:34 +0100, Champ <neal@champ.org.uk> wrote:
>
>>On Wed, 05 Apr 2023 12:23:11 +0200, Ace <Ace@ch.com> wrote:
>>
>>>On Mon, 03 Apr 2023 18:17:01 +0100, Champ <neal@champ.org.uk> wrote:
>>>
>>>>On Fri, 31 Mar 2023 09:53:15 +0200, Ace <Ace@ch.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>>>>Not convinced. In general one's non-dominant hand is stronger, so for
>>>>>>>most right-handed people it's easier to fret using the left hand than
>>>>>>>the right.
>>>>
>>>>Hmm. Took me ages (when I was 15) to get the hang of bar chords
>>>
>>>And I can't really do them at all, despite decades of trying. My index
>>>finger just isn't long or strong enough. Not sure what it has to do
>>>with the handedness discussion though.
>>
>>Ah, it was the reference to strength. To play a bar chord, you use
>>some strength in your left hand (index finger and thumb) to make the
>>bar across the neck
>
>OIC, yes, I guess that gets back to the point I was trying to make
>earlier. I kinda lost track a bit.
>
>But there's clearly more to it than that, and I suspect that any
>inherent strength difference would be insignificant compared to years
>of practice, as in, even if my left hand were not naturally stronger
>then it certainly would have become so by now.

It's partly down to the inside surface of your forefinger being very
uneven. It takes a lot of playing for your finger naturally to find
the best place across the strings so that no string is under a dent in
your finger, IYSWIM. Having said that, your forefinger generally has
to cover at most three unfretted strings, so there is room for
adjustment.

--
Colin Irvine
FJR1300A

On Thu, 06 Apr 2023 07:29:53 +0100, Colin Irvine
<look@colinandpat.co.uk> wrote:

<of bar chords>

>>>>And I can't really do them at all, despite decades of trying. My index
>>>>finger just isn't long or strong enough.

>>But there's clearly more to it than that, and I suspect that any
>>inherent strength difference would be insignificant compared to years
>>of practice, as in, even if my left hand were not naturally stronger
>>then it certainly would have become so by now.

>It's partly down to the inside surface of your forefinger being very
>uneven. It takes a lot of playing for your finger naturally to find
>the best place across the strings so that no string is under a dent in
>your finger, IYSWIM. Having said that, your forefinger generally has
>to cover at most three unfretted strings, so there is room for
>adjustment.

<thinks>

Playing F minor 7 [1] the forefinger is holding down 5 of the 6
strings!

[1] or any minor 7 with based on an E shape
--
Champ
neal at champ dot org dot uk

I don't know, but I been told
You never slow down, you never grow old

On Sun, 09 Apr 2023 16:23:18 +0100, Champ <neal@champ.org.uk> wrote:

>On Thu, 06 Apr 2023 07:29:53 +0100, Colin Irvine
><look@colinandpat.co.uk> wrote:
>
><of bar chords>

>>>But there's clearly more to it than that, and I suspect that any
>>>inherent strength difference would be insignificant compared to years
>>>of practice, as in, even if my left hand were not naturally stronger
>>>then it certainly would have become so by now.
>
>>It's partly down to the inside surface of your forefinger being very
>>uneven. It takes a lot of playing for your finger naturally to find
>>the best place across the strings so that no string is under a dent in
>>your finger, IYSWIM. Having said that, your forefinger generally has
>>to cover at most three unfretted strings, so there is room for
>>adjustment.
>
><thinks>
>
>Playing F minor 7 [1] the forefinger is holding down 5 of the 6
>strings!

Or four. I often use my thumb on the bottom E string, given that all
my guitars including the 12-string are narrow-neched enough to reach
around.

Having said that, I just gave it a try and realise that the m7 is
actually not too bad to do 'properly', as I can use the 2nd finger to
add pressure to the index finger, which is slightly sideways-on to the
fretboard, then my 3rd finger on the A string.

The worst for me is an A maj shape, cos I can't get one finger to fret
three strings, so I nearly always just play the top four.

But in fact I've often worked out other ways to play many chords
somewhat up the neck leaving some open strings. my normal A is 5th
fret, with A, E and e strings open. And can slide up or down for G or
B, sometimes sounding one or more of the open strings, sometimes not.
Only really doable for picking rather than strumming, of course.
--
Ace
http://www.chaletbeauroc.com/

On Sun, 09 Apr 2023 16:23:18 +0100, Champ <neal@champ.org.uk> wrote:

>On Thu, 06 Apr 2023 07:29:53 +0100, Colin Irvine
><look@colinandpat.co.uk> wrote:
>
><of bar chords>
>
>>>>>And I can't really do them at all, despite decades of trying. My index
>>>>>finger just isn't long or strong enough.
>
>>>But there's clearly more to it than that, and I suspect that any
>>>inherent strength difference would be insignificant compared to years
>>>of practice, as in, even if my left hand were not naturally stronger
>>>then it certainly would have become so by now.
>
>>It's partly down to the inside surface of your forefinger being very
>>uneven. It takes a lot of playing for your finger naturally to find
>>the best place across the strings so that no string is under a dent in
>>your finger, IYSWIM. Having said that, your forefinger generally has
>>to cover at most three unfretted strings, so there is room for
>>adjustment.
>
><thinks>
>
>Playing F minor 7 [1] the forefinger is holding down 5 of the 6
>strings!
>
>[1] or any minor 7 with based on an E shape

True. I do play the odd major 7th, so yes, 4 strings to fret. Having
said that, even though most of my playing nowadays is with a plectrum,
it's rare that I want to play all six strings at the same time.

--
Colin Irvine
FJR1300A

On 09/04/2023 18:10, Ace wrote:
>
> The worst for me is an A maj shape, cos I can't get one finger to fret
> three strings, so I nearly always just play the top four.

I have a feeling that you're not alone - I barre at the required
position and then use my little finger to barre the top four strings, as
my fingers are too wide to get three onto three strings.

Given my fingers, perhaps it was a mistake to think I could play the
mandolin.