More than one way to play guitar

[sgosnell]

I can't play guitar like this, but it's just one more of my limitations. It's not all jazz, but some of us have more interests. I think it's worth a watch. Proof that a Les Paul is not just a rock tool.

[brent.h]

Holy sh

[ragman1]

Sort of like Braille for guitar :-)

[frabarmus]

Gains one extra finger (the thumb)!

[RJVB]

I guess that if you're going to play dobro-style with a pick and mostly ignore the bottom 2 strings, you can indeed just as well to learn to play a righty if you're left-handed...

[ccroft]

Another blind guy that plays this way is of course Jeff Healey. Only he plays righty with the thing pointed the other direction. It's said they both started with it in the lap because at around age 3 it was the only way they could handle the instrument that was in the house.

I met a guy in '71 who played this way. He wasn't blind. It's just the way he figured it out and nobody told him it was wrong until he was already a very good player. I couldn't believe what I was seeing and hearing.

If somebody thinks any of these guys mostly ignore the bottom 2 strings they need to pay attention to Rory in the posted clip where he holds down that Chet style alternating base the whole time he's singing Act Naturally.

Not really my cuppa', but here's Jeff doing it on a nice ol'... L7(?) Good shots of him comping around 2:20 and 20:25. He seems to play trumpet or sing most of the rest of the time.

[DawgBone]

Another blind guy that plays this way is of course Jeff Healey. Only he plays righty with the thing pointed the other direction. It's said they both started with it in the lap because at around age 3 it was the only way they could handle the instrument that was in the house.

I met a guy in '71 who played this way. He wasn't blind. It's just the way he figured it out and nobody told him it was wrong until he was already a very good player. I couldn't believe what I was seeing and hearing.

If somebody thinks any of these guys mostly ignore the bottom 2 strings they need to pay attention to Rory in the posted clip where he holds down that Chet style alternating base the whole time he's singing Act Naturally.

Not really my cuppa', but here's Jeff doing it on a nice ol'... L7(?) Good shots of him comping around 2:20 and 20:25. He seems to play trumpet or sing most of the rest of the time.

Jeff was an amazing talent. As good as any who ever took the blues rock route. Always enjoyed his work.

[Cunamara]

Saw this on YouTube a few years back.

[sgosnell]

I had never heard of Jeff Healey, unfortunately. Thanks for curing my ignorance. I enjoyed exploring his music on the Tube. He was an amazingly talented multi-instrumentalist and vocalist. Even when he was singing or playing trumpet, there was a very capable guitarist on the set. First time I've seen a monkey-on-a-stick held in place by paper, but whatever gets the job done. Today was a good day in spite of the other bad news, because I learned about another musician.

[olliehalsall]

Thumbs Carlisle