Jimi Hendrix Research Paper

Most people are either predominately right handed or left handed. There are some people who are ambidextrous. But, can you imagine being able to play the guitar either right or left handed? This biography essay is about a guitarist who is an icon in the world of music by the name of Johnny Allen Hendrix or “Jimi” Hendrix. According to the Rolling Stones, “Hendrix was a left handed guitarist who took a right handed Fender Stratocaster and played it upside down.” Hendrix also broke new ground by not only using his guitar as an instrument but as a new a source of electronic sound. In doing so, Hendrix turned electric guitar playing into a new sound. Rolling Stones stated that Hendrix turned this sound and others “into a controlled, fluid vocabulary

Hendrix had a relatively short life. He died on September 18, 1970 from an overdose of sleeping pills in Kensington, London, England. Jimi was the first born of five children to Al and Lucille Hendrix. The Hendrix family was impoverished and frequently moved from place to place. When Al looked for work or worked long hours, Jimi often moved and lived with his aunt or other relatives. When Jimi’s parents divorced, Al was granted custody of Jimi. It was while Hendrix and his father were working to remove some rubbish from an older women’s home that Hendrix found his first musical instrument which was a ukulele with one string. Hendrix did not have money for music lessons, but instead, learned to play by ear. He played single notes on the ukulele and followed along to popular music of the time such as Elvis

He began playing the guitar for hours every day. He watched others and got tips and information from more experienced guitar players. Hendrix was born left-handed; however, his father did not allow him to play left-handed. This was because Hendrix’s father believed that using the left hand or playing left handed was evil or a mark from the devil. In order to address this, Hendrix took right-handed guitars and restrung them for playing left-handed. As a result, he learned to play right-handed and left handed. When his father was not around, he played left-handed and upside down. Once he started making modifications that allowed him to play left handed with the strings in the correct order, he began to excel in his skills and talent. Although, when Hendrix’s father was around, Hendrix still had to play the correct way which was with his right-hand. Consequently, Hendrix also learned to play right-handed with the strings upside down. It was at this time that Hendrix formed his first band called the Velvetones’ and started playing and experimenting with his first electric guitar; an Supro