Bekannte linkshändige Guitarists

The main difference between a left-handed and a right-handed guitar player lies in the way the guitar is held and played, which results from the player's dominant hand.

A right-handed guitar player holds the neck of the guitar in his left hand and plucks or strums the strings with his right hand. The left hand is used to finger chords or play notes on the fretboard.

A left-handed player holds the guitar in a mirror image, with the neck in the right hand. The strings are struck with the left hand. This requires either a special left-handed guitar where the string arrangement is reversed, or a converted right-handed guitar where the strings are also wound in reverse.

Many guitars are specifically built for right-handers, with the contour of the body and the placement of the controls tailored to the right hand. Left-handed guitars are specifically designed to offer the same ergonomics but for the opposite hand position. Some guitar models are built symmetrically and can be more easily adjusted for left-handed players, while other models have a noticeable asymmetry that makes adjustment more complicated.

Some left-handed players develop unique playing techniques or adaptations in their playing style to meet the demands and availability of predominantly right-handed instruments and teaching materials.

Country

Name

Description

Adam Levine

Adam Levine is best known as the guitarist and lead singer of the American pop rock band Maroon 5, which achieved worldwide success with hits such as "Memories", "She Will Be Loved" and "Moves Like Jagger". In addition to his music career, he also made a name for himself as a coach on the television show "The Voice", where he promoted young talent and won the season several times.

You can clearly see that he is left-handed when he signs autographs. He signs with his left hand.

Albert King

Albert King (1923–1992) was an influential American blues guitarist and singer, known as one of the "Kings of the Blues." His best-known album, Born Under a Bad Sign (1967), is considered a blues milestone and had a major influence on rock music. He was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 1983 and posthumously, in 2013, into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Andreas von Holst

Andreas von Holst (also called Kuddel) is the guitarist and songwriter of the German punk band Die Toten Hosen, one of the most successful music groups in Germany.

He is actually left-handed because Kuddel plays his guitar left-handed. This is a direct and visible indication of its handedness. It is also occasionally mentioned in interviews and media reports about the band that he plays as a left-handed player. Press photos and images from concerts also confirm this.

Arnim Teutoburg-Weiß

Arnim Teutoburg-Weiß (born 1978) is the lead singer of the German indie rock band Beatsteaks and a member of the DJ team Fra Diavolo, known for albums like "Smack Smash" and hits like "Hand in Hand".

It is common knowledge that he is left-handed because guitar is played left-handed. There are numerous images as evidence of this, which can be easily found using Google image search.

Billy Corgan

Billy Corgan (born 1967) is a musician, record producer, songwriter, lyricist and lead singer of the American alternative rock band Smashing Pumpkins, known for albums such as "Siamese Dream" and "Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness".

Billy is left-handed, although he plays the guitar like a right-handed person. He himself has stated in interviews that he is left-handed and signs autograph cards with his left hand. His left-handedness is also discussed in many articles.

Bob Dylan

Bob Dylan (born 1941) is an iconic American singer-songwriter and lyricist, known for his influential songs such as "Blowin' in the Wind" and "The Times They Are a-Changin'", which became the anthem of the civil rights movement. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2016 and has received several Grammys.

Whether he is left-handed or right-handed cannot be clearly clarified based on the currently available sources.

There are a few videos/pictures of him signing autographs with his left hand. But there are significantly more videos/pictures where he writes with the right hand. He eats like a right-handed person and plays the guitar right-handed.

Finally, we cannot assign it clearly. We would be very happy about a reference to a clear source (interview with a clear statement from him).

Bobby Womack

Bobby Womack was an influential American singer, songwriter and guitarist known for his contributions to soul and R&B music. His best-known works include songs such as Across 110th Street and If You Think You're Lonely Now. He also wrote hits for other artists, including the classic It's All Over Now for the Rolling Stones. Womack was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2009.

Calogero

Calogero (born 1971 as Calogero Joseph Salvatore Maurici) is a French singer and songwriter. He began his career as a member of the band Les Charts in the 1980s before launching a successful solo career. His music mixes pop-rock with strong melodic elements. Calogero is known for hits such as "En apesanteur" and "Si seulement je pouvais lui manquer". He has received several awards, including the Victoires de la Musique, but he has not received any Grammy or Oscar awards.

Calogero plays the guitar like a left-handed person. He is also listed as a left-handed guitarist in Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_musicians_who_play_left-handed

Chris Rea

Chris Rea (born 1951) is a British rock and blues singer, guitarist and songwriter. He is particularly known for his distinctive, smoky vocals and his slide guitar skills. His most famous hits include "Fool (If You Think It's Over)", "On the Beach", and "Driving Home for Christmas". Rea has received several awards and accolades throughout his career, including the Ivor Novello Award.

Chris Rea is listed as a left-handed player on many lists. This is even mentioned in Wikipedia, although he plays the guitar like a right-handed person.

David Byrne

Dick Dale

Dick Dale (1937–2019) was an American guitarist, known as the "King of the Surf Guitar" and pioneer of the surf rock genre. One of his most famous works is the iconic song Misirlou, which gained new fame through the film Pulp Fiction. Dale was known for his groundbreaking playing technique and his influence on later rock music.

Diego Baliardo

Diego Baliardo (born 1957) is a French musician and guitarist, best known as a founding member of the band Gipsy Kings, known for their distinctive mix of flamenco, salsa and pop music. Their well-known hits include “Bamboleo” and “Djobi Djoba”. The Gipsy Kings are internationally successful and have received Grammy nominations.

Diego Baliardo plays the guitar like a left-handed person. You can't see this in pictures of the band's performances, it's also mentioned in various articles about the band.

Elizabeth Cotten

Gary Moore

Gary Moore (1952 - 2011) was a Northern Irish blues, blues rock and hard rock guitarist, composer and singer, known for his powerful guitar work. A well-known work is “Still Got the Blues”.

Iggy Pop

Iggy Pop (born 1947) is an American singer, guitarist, composer, drummer, rock musician and actor, known as the "Godfather of Punk" for his groundbreaking role as lead singer of the band The Stooges with iconic albums such as "Raw Power" and " "Fun House". His wild stage style and influential music have made him a legendary figure in rock history.

Jimi Hendrix

Jimi Hendrix (1942–1970) was an American guitarist, composer and singer, considered one of the most influential electric guitarists in the history of popular music. Known for his exceptional guitar playing and revolutionary music, he left behind classics such as “Purple Haze” and “The Wind Cries Mary” and influenced generations of musicians.

Although Jimi Hendrix signs autographs with his right hand and there are also photos of him eating on his right, he is definitely considered left-handed. It is said about him that he simply turned his right-handed guitar around and played it the other way around with the left hand because he couldn't buy a left-handed guitar at the time.

Kurt Cobain

Kurt Cobain (1967–1994) was the lead singer and guitarist of the American grunge band Nirvana, which achieved worldwide fame with albums such as "Nevermind" and songs such as "Smells Like Teen Spirit". Cobain became a symbol of Generation X and has a lasting impact on the music industry.

Kurt Cobain is included in many lists of famous left-handers because he played his guitars with his left and had left-handed guitars made for him. In addition, in an interview he fed a baby, which he held in his right arm.
In addition, his left-handedness is said to have been discussed by friends and acquaintances in interviews about Kurt Cobain. Therefore we think that he was actually left-handed.

Mark Knopfler

Mark Knopfler (1949) is a British musician, known as the lead singer and guitarist of the band Dire Straits. He made a name for himself with hits like “Sultans of Swing” and “Brothers in Arms.” Knopfler is also known for his work as a film composer and his signature fingerpicking guitar technique.

It is common knowledge that Mark Knopfler is left-handed, as he has mentioned in interviews and biographical accounts that he is originally left-handed. Interestingly, however, he plays the guitar like a right-handed person. Knopfler learned to play the guitar in the conventional way like a right-handed person.

Niccolo Paganini

Niccolò Paganini (1782–1840) was an Italian violinist, guitarist and composer whose virtuoso playing and innovative techniques made him one of the most legendary figures in the history of classical music. His compositions, especially his 24 Caprices for solo violin, are still standard works for violinists today.

Noel Gallagher

Noel Gallagher (1967) is a British musician and songwriter, best known as the lead guitarist, main songwriter and occasional singer of Oasis, one of the most successful British bands of the 1990s. After Oasis disbanded, he started his own band, Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds, with whom he continues to enjoy success.

Noel Gallagher is considered left-handed because he stated in an interview that he can only play the guitar with his "non-dominant" hand (see Wikipedia). There are also numerous pictures in which he signs autographs with his left hand.

Orville Gibson

Orville Gibson (*1856 – †1918) was an American instrument maker, known as the founder of the Gibson Mandolin-Guitar Mfg. Co., Ltd. in 1902, which later became Gibson Guitar Corporation. He revolutionized guitar and mandolin building through innovative design approaches and significantly influenced the development of these instruments, making the Gibson brand one of the leading names in the music industry.

There are many references to the left-handedness of Orville Gibson. There is also a very old picture of him holding a guitar like a left-handed person, gripping a typical left-handed left-handed D-Achord.

The story behind the photo can be found here in English:
https://www.siminoff.net/orville-gibson

Otis Rush

Otis Rush (1935–2018) was an influential American blues guitarist and singer who became known as a pioneer of Chicago blues. His best-known songs include I Can't Quit You Baby and Double Trouble. His unique style, characterized by intense emotions and virtuoso guitar playing, influenced numerous rock and blues musicians. Rush received a Grammy Award for the album Any Place I'm Going (1999).

Paul McCartney

Paul McCartney (1942) is a British musician, singer-songwriter and one of the most famous and successful musicians in the world. As a member of the Beatles, he made a significant contribution to the popularity and revolutionization of pop music. After the band broke up, McCartney had a successful solo career and formed the band Wings. He is a multiple Grammy winner and has received many awards for his life's work.

Robert Plant

Robert Plant (*1948) is a British musician and singer, known as the front man of the legendary rock band Led Zeppelin. With his unmistakable voice, he made a significant contribution to the success of the band, which brought hits such as "Stairway to Heaven" and "Whole Lotta Love". Plant was included in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and received numerous awards for his life's work.

Robert Plant is mentioned in many lists and articles as being left-handed. Nevertheless, he plays the guitar like a right-handed person. He also writes with his right hand. The only indication of his left-handedness is a frequent picture of him holding the microphone in his left hand. We then watched videos of interviews. Here we found many other gestures that indicate left-handedness, "hand in front of mouth when coughing", "drinking tea" or "moving things back and forth on the table".

Tony Iommi

Tony Iommi (1948) is a British guitarist and founding member of the heavy metal band Black Sabbath. Iommi is known for his innovative guitar techniques and creating heavy riffs, which had a significant influence on the development of heavy metal. Despite an injury to his fingertips, he developed a unique playing style that shaped the band's sound.

Tony Lommi

Tony Iommi (born 1948) is a British guitarist and a founding member of the legendary heavy metal band Black Sabbath. He is considered one of the most influential guitarists in the genre and is known for his dark, powerful riffs, which contributed significantly to the development of heavy metal. His best-known works include albums such as Paranoid (1970) and Master of Reality (1971).

Countries