Are You Ambidextrous?

11 years ago

Nope just "uni" dextrous. lol If thats a word. Being ambidextrous would be cool though. Im jealous of your son! He is phenomenon I tell ya!

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thunderbird

11 years ago

Originally Posted by John Durham

Nope just "uni" dextrous. lol If thats a word. Being ambidextrous would be cool though. Im jealous of your son! He is phenomenon I tell ya!

I wonder what it means for him, Maybe it could be an advantage in sports, if he's sports-inclined. I gather that the world is a little bit more dangerous for left-handed people since machines and whatnot tend to be designed for right-handed people's use.

One thing I enjoy about seeing parents with their kids is how they seem to see their child as the most wonderful phenomenon in the world, and that's the way it should be.

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John Durham

11 years ago

Originally Posted by thunderbird

I wonder what it means for him, Maybe it could be an advantage in sports, if he's sports-inclined.

Probably. Most CERTAINLY in music.

Steves post was pretty cool. Mirroring someone else, then inward mirroring. If only we all that that ability. It may seem harder for me to comprehend because I broke my left arm as a child so it isnt as coordinated. More than likely in sports, if he were a body builder, it could also help him achieve better body symmetry than others.

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thunderbird

11 years ago

Originally Posted by John Durham

Probably. Most CERTAINLY in music.

<snip>

How would it help in music?

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ThomM 11 years ago

Originally Posted by thunderbird

How would it help in music?

Can't speak for other instruments, but in drumming you have to be ambidextrous.
For example a 'right' handed drummer will have their kit set up with the smaller toms in front going to the bigger toms and floor toms on their right. Going around the drums from left to right is easy for a right handed drummer doing 4,6,8,etc. rolls as you are always leading with your right hand. But unless you can do the same left handed going around the drums from right to left is difficult. Same applies to odd number stroke rolls. There to go left to right you need to start with your left hand on the first drum and do a parrididdle somewhere in the rolls on the rest of the drums to always start with your right hand, again you have to reverse that to go from right to left.
Same applies to your feet. If your playing the bass drum with your right foot and hi hat with your left you need to be able to keep time with either foot depending on where the down beats and accent beats fall.
Then to top all that you have to do it in different times for each appendage. You may be playing one foot in 4/4 time while the other is playing 6/4. One hand may be playing in 8/4 while the other is doing a simple 2/4. All at the same time.
So being ambidextrous is a must for drummers, that and always knowing where 1 is
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John Durham

11 years ago

Originally Posted by thunderbird

How would it help in music?

Two ways

1: Most instruments require two hands , like guitar and piano for example. On piano my bass hand (left) isnt nearly as coordinated as my right, and I see that as a big weaknesss, If I were ambidextrous it wouldnt be an issue.

2: In guitar playing the same applies, but you could also apply this to just about any instrument, what I am about to say. "Timing" one reason that one guitar player sounds alot cleaner than another playing the same lick is because their hands arent in sync, in other words they hit the notes with their left hand milliseconds before striking with their right and they end up picking up their fingers too soon on half the notes so they end up sounding like what we call unintentional "Ghost notes"; when the pick hits at precisely the time that the left hand lay down on the frets, you can move faster and cleaner. Most importantly "cleaner". I can see this being an advantage on the violin too.

Also most guitarists have one hand that is capable of moving faster than the other, thats why alot of guitarist pick every note, while others rely more on techniques we call hammer ons and pull offs.

Being ambidextrous also means that you brain can think of both hands simultan eously I would assume , so that could help tremendously with classical picking and string skipping, playing moving baselines and lines at the same time as some guitarists can do. I dont have much problem with the guitar, but I could be alot better...

I can see being ambidextrous as a huge advantage. Maybe your son will have more musical ability due to this.

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socialentry

11 years ago

Originally Posted by John Durham

Two ways

1: Most instruments require two hands , like guitar and piano for example. On piano my bass hand (left) isnt nearly as coordinated as my right, and I see that as a big weaknesss, If I were ambidextrous it wouldnt be an issue.

I can see being ambidextrous as a huge advantage. Maybe your son will have more musical ability due to this.

I received formal education in piano for several years. I never really taught that my left hand was any weaker then my right. Or perhaps the changes were so smooth and gradual that I never really noticed a handicap.

I went on piano exams several times but the issue about the left hand never came up and I can't think of anyone who did have left hand problems (both my siblings played piano extensively).

But then again, endless scales tend to "convince" recalcitrant left hands.

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John Durham

11 years ago

Originally Posted by socialentry

I received formal education in piano for several years. I never really taught that my left hand was any weaker then my right. Or perhaps the changes were so smooth and gradual that I never really noticed a handicap.

I went on piano exams several times but the issue about the left hand never came up and I can't think of anyone who did have left hand problems (both my siblings played piano extensively).

But then again, endless scales tend to "convince" recalcitrant left hands.

Maybe its just me. I suffered some damage to my left arm as a kid that made it a little weaker...I have often thought that it made sense that ambidextrous people may not have to try as hard.

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thunderbird 11 years ago

Originally Posted by John Durham

<snip>
I can see being ambidextrous as a huge advantage. Maybe your son will have more musical ability due to this.

If he does have musical ability, it won't be from me (musically untalented), it'll be from his mommy who has sung professionally in the past (Chinese pop songs, eg Teresa Teng). He's enjoys music for sure and likes to sing and hum along to it -- big-time Jackie Evancho fan and he likes to sing along to such "oldies" as the theme song to Toy Story. While artistic pursuits are something he entertains himself with from time to time, his main interests are cars and trains, kicking down snow-men, tearing paper, and jumping on the sofa.
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Kurt

11 years ago

Originally Posted by John Durham

Probably. Most CERTAINLY in music.

Steves post was pretty cool. Mirroring someone else, then inward mirroring. If only we all that that ability. It may seem harder for me to comprehend because I broke my left arm as a child so it isnt as coordinated. More than likely in sports, if he were a body builder, it could also help him achieve better body symmetry than others.

I think most people write better with their opposite hand than they believe.

Try this...using your left/opposite hand write your name BACKWARDS on a piece of paper. Then hold up the paper in front of a mirror and look at it.

I think you'll be surprised how good it looks, especially considering how little practive you've had writing with your opposite hand.

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seasoned

11 years ago

Originally Posted by thunderbird

I wonder what it means for him, Maybe it could be an advantage in sports, if he's sports-inclined. I gather that the world is a little bit more dangerous for left-handed people since machines and whatnot tend to be designed for right-handed people's use.

Probably not DANGEROUS, but uncomfortable. At least in THAT case he can get left handed stuff. Supposedly about 10% of the US is left handed. As I said, some whole CULTURES should PREFER left handed people.

One thing I enjoy about seeing parents with their kids is how they seem to see their child as the most wonderful phenomenon in the world, and that's the way it should be.

As long as they are still realistic, YEP! And I never mentioned, I try to switch hands on EVERYTHING but writing. HECK, I'll even read a page upside down sometimes, rather than turn it around.

And you SHOULD encourage your son to switch off, etc.

Steve

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seasoned

11 years ago

I HAVE tried signing with my left hand, and done it reasonably well. It is reasonable that your son would have a better chance with his right hand, if he were ambidextrous, simply because MIRRORING is easier, since the OTHER person was right handed. He probably then took that ability and mirrored it almost within himself.

Fewer are what I would call TRULY left handed anyway. Probably 2/3 of left handed people try to do exactly what right handed people do with their right. Of course, latin based languages, and probably MOST languages, are for the RIGHT hand. Arabic, hebrew(IIRC), and asian languages tend to favor the left hand, being written from right to left.

The hardest part with writing with your left hand, as far as I am concerned, is keeping a constant pressure and rate. With your right hand, and latin script, you start on the left and pull to the right, TOWARDS your arm and control.

With your LEFT hand, there are generally TWO ways:

1. Start on the left, and push to the right AWAY from your hand and control, and try to move your arm as well.

2. Start on the left, contort your wrist so the hand is on top of the writing implement, and try to pull towards while moving everything over to the right.

My mother was ambidextrous, and wrote for a time with her right, but seemed to always favor her left. I have NO idea why. There really ARE mechanical reasons to favor your right, at least when writing. Sports, different daily operations, etc.... are a different story. There is often no reason for preference.

Steve

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SeoKungFu

11 years ago

I can, and managed on many occasions, too, to scratch my arse with any of the two hands - does this count ?

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MissTerraK 11 years ago

Originally Posted by SeoKungFu

I can, and managed on many occasions, too, to scratch my arse with any of the two hands - does this count ?

Does this count? Why, yes it does, in the crude post department that is. Congratulations, you're +1 there. :rolleyes:

Terra
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MoneyMagnetMagnate

11 years ago

Yes - I am ambidextrous - but not a good as President James A. Garfield , who not only knew Greek and Latin, but used his ambidexterity to write both at the same time...(try that one! :rolleyes

James A. Garfield knew both Latin and Greek. As the first ambidextrous president, Garfield entertained his friends by having them ask him questions, and then writing the answer in Latin with one hand while simultaneously answering in Greek with the other.

But alas...as an ambidextrous 'outcast', I am always pegged as 'left-handed'...sinister...gauche...work of the devil - it still amazes me in today's age where, when I sign something with my left hand, someone says, "oh - you're left handed" - like I'm about to be branded a witch or something... :rolleyes:

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seasoned

11 years ago

Originally Posted by MoneyMagnetMagnate

Yes - I am ambidextrous - but not a good as President James A. Garfield , who not only knew Greek and Latin, but used his ambidexterity to write both at the same time...(try that one! :rolleyes

But alas...as an ambidextrous 'outcast', I am always pegged as 'left-handed'...sinister...gauche...work of the devil - it still amazes me in today's age where, when I sign something with my left hand, someone says, "oh - you're left handed" - like I'm about to be branded a witch or something... :rolleyes:

Yeah, I tried to write ENGLISH simultaneously with both hands. THAT would take me some time to be able to do at a decent speed. Obviously Hebrew and Greek are HARDER.

Why would you fear someone only remarking that you are left handed? Nobody really understands the brain, but people use the hand that they are most comfortable with and that is often the one they have the most coordination in. In this case called dexterity. That is often a combination of innate ability and practice. I Haven't seen any real pattern in the way people think, or their abilities, based on handedness.

Steve

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HeySal

11 years ago

Originally Posted by MoneyMagnetMagnate

Yes - I am ambidextrous - but not a good as President James A. Garfield , who not only knew Greek and Latin, but used his ambidexterity to write both at the same time...(try that one! :rolleyes

But alas...as an ambidextrous 'outcast', I am always pegged as 'left-handed'...sinister...gauche...work of the devil - it still amazes me in today's age where, when I sign something with my left hand, someone says, "oh - you're left handed" - like I'm about to be branded a witch or something... :rolleyes:

Holy cow - that's talent!

I'm mostly ambidextrous, but some things just seem to be more natural with one hand or the other. I can write with either, if the scribbling I call penmanship can be considered writing with either hand. Golf is a right handed sport for me while bowling is left handed.

Originally Posted by Dennis Gaskill

I might be omnidextrous, but it's tempered with a small case of dissentience.

LMAO - oh, you've been waiting to use that one.

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SteveWF

11 years ago

Well I wouldn't really consider myself ambidextrous because I
can't write illegibly with both hands. That said there are a few
other things I can do with both hands but I don't think we can
discuss them on a family oriented forum such as WF

Steve

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SteveWF 11 years ago

Well I wouldn't really consider myself ambidextrous because I
can't write legibly with both hands. That said there are a few
other things I can do with both hands but I don't think we can
discuss them on a family oriented forum such as WF

Steve
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Kurt

11 years ago

I am.

I write right handed, but shave left handed. In basketball, I shoot jumpers right handed, but close to the rim I prefer to shoot left handed. If I paint a wall, I'll do the major painting with my right hand, but the trim/delicate work with my left hand.

I can eat with either hand. Generally, when eating, I'll use a knife with my right hand and the fork with my left. If I don't need a knife, I use my right for the fork. As a kid during family gettogethers, the adults would often place me next to the left handed people and tell me to eat left handed so our elbows wouldn't bump. I made making seating arrangements easy, since I can eat with either hand.

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MoneyMagnetMagnate

11 years ago

Originally Posted by Kurt

I am.

I write right handed, but shave left handed. In basketball, I shoot jumpers right handed, but close to the rim I prefer to shoot left handed. If I paint a wall, I'll do the major painting with my right hand, but the trim/delicate work with my left hand.

I can eat with either hand. Generally, when eating, I'll use a knife with my right hand and the fork with my left. If I don't need a knife, I use my right for the fork. As a kid during family gettogethers, the adults would often place me next to the left handed people and tell me to eat left handed so our elbows wouldn't bump. I made making seating arrangements easy, since I can eat with either hand.

I got that all the time too - still do - and I still don't understand how some people not only can't eat with either hand, but they appear to think their meal is still alive, as they stab it with a fork as though it will try to get away...:rolleyes:

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Kurt 11 years ago

Originally Posted by MoneyMagnetMagnate

I got that all the time too - still do -

It's like being a switch-hitter in baseball.
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seasoned

11 years ago

The writing backward is a good idea also. If you do it 100% backwards you'll even avoid the problem I spoke of earlier, as you would be pulling the pen.

steve

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thunderbird 11 years ago

Originally Posted by ThomM

Can't speak for other instruments, but in drumming you have to be ambidextrous.<snip>

That makes total sense. I can see how it could be an advantage in playing piano or synthesizers as well.
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Dennis Gaskill

11 years ago

I might be omnidextrous, but it's tempered with a small case of dissentience.

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thunderbird

11 years ago

Originally Posted by Dennis Gaskill

I might be omnidextrous, but it's tempered with a small case of dissentience.

I had to look "dissentience" up. Anyway, you and Mark Twain both. I can guess what omnidextrous means; it must be something octopuses ask each other.

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Dennis Gaskill

11 years ago

Originally Posted by thunderbird

I had to look "dissentience" up. Anyway, you and Mark Twain both. I can guess what omnidextrous means; it must be something octopuses ask each other.

Omnidextrous is just a dissentients way of saying ambidextrous.

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seasoned

11 years ago

Originally Posted by Dennis Gaskill

Omnidextrous is just a dissentients way of saying ambidextrous.

ACTUALLY, that isn't true. I don't know if ANYONE is OMNIdextrous! They only ones I have seen that had some good dexterity in their feet were ones that DIDN'T in their arms. Well, now that I think of it, I think I MIGHT have seen a couple. STILL, if they were also AMBIdextrous, wouldn't they say?

AMBI means BOTH, AKA TWO! The obvious implication is Right and Left HAND!
OMNI means ALL! In the case of a human, that implies hands AND feet. Humans generally don't have feet that are really that capable. Ironically, many, and perhaps most, other primates DO!

Steve

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Dennis Gaskill

11 years ago

Originally Posted by HeySal

LMAO - oh, you've been waiting to use that one.

No, those things just pop into my head. It's a curse.

Originally Posted by seasoned

ACTUALLY, that isn't true. I don't know if ANYONE is OMNIdextrous! They only ones I have seen that had some good dexterity in their feet were ones that DIDN'T in their arms. Well, now that I think of it, I think I MIGHT have seen a couple. STILL, if they were also AMBIdextrous, wouldn't they say?

AMBI means BOTH, AKA TWO! The obvious implication is Right and Left HAND!
OMNI means ALL! In the case of a human, that implies hands AND feet. Humans generally don't have feet that are really that capable. Ironically, many, and perhaps most, other primates DO!

Steve

OK, you win. I thought I made up omnidextrous. If I didn't, I obviously don't get to give it my own meaning.

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seasoned 11 years ago

Originally Posted by Dennis Gaskill

OK, you win. I thought I made up omnidextrous. If I didn't, I obviously don't get to give it my own meaning.

Maybe you DID! OMNI means ALL! Dextrous means having dexterity in. So EVEN if you made up the word, it has a meaning.

Then again, homophobia ALSO has a meaning.....Fear of same, so we KNOW that some mangle the meaning.

Steve
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Michael Mayo

11 years ago

When I was 11yrs old playing little league baseball, I would switch hit when the coach requested it.
I lead our league in the most home runs both left and right handed.

Normally I am right handed although when I shoot fire arms I shoot better using my left hand to pull the trigger.

When I throw a boomerang, I through it with my right hand and catch it with all three.
My left hand, my right hand and the back of my head!

I can write with both hands although I need a lot of practice for my left hand writing to look as good as my right.