Left-handed Guitar Chords

You will find a majority of guitarists playing the instrument using their right hand, with the left hand for chording. Using the left hand for chording and the right for rhythm is usually the case of a right-handed guitarist. However, what if a left-handed person wants to play the guitar?

Remember that playing the guitar left handed might be more difficult and confusing if you know to play the instrument using the right hand. For a lefty, learning to play using the left hand directly might be a somewhat easier concept to understand. However, a few right-handed guitarists may understand the left hand patterns correctly in very less time.

Be it a right or a left-handed guitar, it will have the 6th thickest 'E' string at the top, with the thinnest 'e' being at the bottom. On a right-handed guitar, the musician strums with the right hand and frets with the left, whereas, in a left-handed one, the person will use the left hand for strumming and the right for chording.

If a standard guitar is used by a left-handed player, he will have to play a guitar which has the 1st string at the top and the 6th at the bottom. This will make it very hard for him to play left-handed guitar chords in the standard format.

For this purpose, left-handed guitars are appropriate. These guitars have the string pattern and body changed as per the left-handed guitar playing style and format of musicians. So, by using the left hand for strumming and right for chording, musicians can play with the 6th string on top and 1st at the bottom.

Remember that the notes of right-handed guitar chords are to be played in the same manner in case of a left-handed fretboard. A left-handed guitarist will hold the notes on the fingerboard in a way as if a right-handed guitarist is playing in front of a mirror.

Standard left-handed guitar tabs are the same as that of right-handed chords, but with the modified instrument to left-handed playing.

The 'E' is the last string, whereas 'e' is the first. The numbers relate to on which fret that particular string is to be pressed. The number '0' means, the string has to be played open, whereas 'X' indicates not to play the string.

'B' Major Chord
e-----2-----------------------
B----4-----------------------
G----4-----------------------
D----4-----------------------
A----2-----------------------
E----X-----------------------

''C' Major Chord
e-----0-----------------------
B----1-----------------------
G----0-----------------------
D----2-----------------------
A----3-----------------------
E----X-----------------------

'D' Major Chord
e-----2----------------------
B----3-----------------------
G----2-----------------------
D----0-----------------------
A----X-----------------------
E----X-----------------------

'E' Major Chord
e-----0----------------------
B----0-----------------------
G----1-----------------------
D----2-----------------------
A----2-----------------------
E----0-----------------------

'F' Major Chord
e-----1-----------------------
B----1-----------------------
G----2-----------------------
D----3-----------------------
A----3-----------------------
E----X-----------------------

'G' Major Chord
e------3-----------------------
B-----0-----------------------
G-----0-----------------------
D-----0-----------------------
A-----2-----------------------
E-----3-----------------------

'A' Minor Chord
e-----0----------------------
B----1-----------------------
G----2-----------------------
D----2-----------------------
A----0-----------------------
E----X-----------------------

'B' Minor Chord
e-----2-----------------------
B----3-----------------------
G----4-----------------------
D----4-----------------------
A----X-----------------------
E----X-----------------------

'C' Minor Chord
e-----3-----------------------
B----4-----------------------
G----5-----------------------
D----5-----------------------
A----3-----------------------
E----X-----------------------

'D' Minor Chord
e-----1-----------------------
B----3-----------------------
G----2-----------------------
D----0-----------------------
A----X-----------------------
E----X-----------------------

'E' Minor Chord
e-----0-----------------------
B----0------------------------
G----0------------------------
D----2------------------------
A----2------------------------
E----0------------------------

'F' Minor Chord
e-----1-----------------------
B----1-----------------------
G----1-----------------------
D----3-----------------------
A----X-----------------------
E----X-----------------------

'G' Minor Chord
e------3-----------------------
B-----3-----------------------
G-----3-----------------------
D-----0-----------------------
A-----X-----------------------
E-----3-----------------------

Using left-handed guitar tablatures is all about playing like the right-handed reflection in the mirror. Another method wherein a right-handed person can play a modified left-handed guitar is by using unconventional chords. Likewise, a lefty can also play a standard guitar with the same unconventional notations and chord positions.

But remember that by strumming the strings placed upside down, you will also need to modify the rhythm accordingly. You can refer to the style of famous left-handed guitar players such as Jimi Hendrix, Kurt Cobain, and Paul McCartney for knowing more about this unique way of playing the guitar.