Left-handed fiddlers...
Mark Tandy
______________________________________________________________________________
Mark Tandy - ISD, University of Canberra
______________________________________________________________________________
j.p. kiernan
>Any of these out there?
Ashley MacIsaac and many other East Coast fiddlers play "left handed",
but without reversing the strings, the way a left-handed guitarist (eg,
Paul McCartney) does.
Lori Cole
> Any of these out there?
>
Funny you should ask. I went to see Open House at the Left Bank Cafe
last night. Kevin Burke introduced the "Beare Island Reel" which was
composed by tunesmith/accordionist Finbarr Dwyer (some readers may also
be familiar with compositions by his brothers Richard and Michael). At any
rate, Kevin mentioned that Finbarr also played fiddle and that he did so
left-handed *without changing the strings around!* Must be quite a sight!!
Lori Cole
George Constantine
around to play left handed. Does anyone out there know of a pro who DOES
play on a real left handed fiddle, I.E. Gsting on far rignt.
The reason I am interested is that is how I play, and I have yet to meet
any other true lefties yet.
George Constantine
In article <4e68a6$h...@falcon.ccs.uwo.ca>, j...@mustang.uwo.ca says...
>
>Mark Tandy <markt@softserver> wrote:
>>Any of these out there?
>
> Ashley MacIsaac and many other East Coast fiddlers play "left handed",
>but without reversing the strings, the way a left-handed guitarist (eg,
>Paul McCartney) does.
--
The opinions expressed in this message are my own personal views
and do not reflect the official views of Microsoft Corporation.
Andy Seagroatt
>The reason I am interested is that is how I play, and I have yet to meet
>any other true lefties yet.
I'm not left handed myself but it is an interesting topic.
Reversing the strings might present problems unless the fiddle is
especially constructed for the purpose. Inside the fiddle,
underneath the G string, is a strip of wood called the bass bar.
If you switch the fiddle around the bass bar will be under the E
string which will affect the tone of the fiddle and may weaken it
over time.
Yet another argument for saying that:
1. Left handed people should learn to play right handed (because
really there is no true concept of 'handedness' in playing an
instrument).
2. Have you ever seen an orchestra with a left handed violin
player - do only right handed people get good enough to play in
an orchestra? Or for that matter, do only right handed people
play the piano well?
3. I finger the fiddle with my left hand and my button accordion
with my right hand - this is correct but is there any reason why
this should be so. I believe that it is fundamentally arbitrary,
but one position for each instrument has become the convention.
4. If you learn an instrument 'right handed' then you get far
more choice of instruments when you want to graduate up to a
better one.
5. Left handed people when finding an instrument difficult to
learn may put it down to their 'handedness'. How do they know
that it is not equally difficult for right handed people?
--
Andy Seagroatt, Newcastle Upon Tyne, England
BREWERPAUL
seenany left handed violinists in an orchestra personally, but have
friends who have. They report that watching such a musician is very
distracting, with all the other bows moving in the same direction.
Michael Wodzak
writes:
> Mark Tandy <markt@softserver> wrote:
> >Any of these out there?
>
> Ashley MacIsaac and many other East Coast fiddlers play "left handed",
> but without reversing the strings, the way a left-handed guitarist (eg,
> Paul McCartney) does.
I suspect the reason there are so few lhf's out there is that most children
these days when they are taught fiddle/violin are taught right handed, whether
they are left handed or not, for the simple reason that a left handed fiddler
in a line of right handed ones in say a concert orchestra, would tend to poke
his neighbor's eyes out.
Howard Chu
It's also quite hazardous for their stand-partner, assuming they're seated
on the wrong sides.
I'm surprised you've *ever* seen such a player in an orchestra. Part of
playing in an orchestra means giving up your individuality, unless you're
a section leader or soloist. Folk music has its traditions, classical has
its own as well. This is one of those traditions that's "never questioned."
I believe this "play exactly what everyone else is playing, exactly the same
way" mindset is part of why I quit playing in orchestras 13 years ago and
why I so enjoy playing fiddle today - it's never the same thing twice, and
therein lies the magic of it.
But more to the point - I agree that lefties already have an intrinsic
advantage when playing "right-handed." At least with bowed instruments, the
greatest demand for manual dexterity is in fingering, with your left hand.
Restringing the instrument in the "wrong" direction is just silly, for this
reason as well as due to the usual construction of the violin.
A case could be made for needing your "strong side" to move the bow, but
what the hell, any muscle grows stronger with steady use. It's harder to
develop dexterity, why throw away a natural advantage... (Of course, my own
experience is perhaps questionable; I was born left handed and forced to
switch as a child. At any rate, I find that practicing a couple hours every
day tends to develop both of my arms about equally, as far as strength goes.
But my left hand is far more agile for typing...)
--
Howard Chu Principal Member of Technical Staff
h...@locus.com PLATINUM technology, Locus Laboratory
Bill Reeder
>Path:
>news.ios.com!newsfeed.kdcol.net!news.iag.net!news.math.psu.edu!chi-news.cic.net!
>newsfeed.internetmci.com!howland.reston.ans.net!math.ohio-state.edu!magnus.acs.o
>hio-state.edu!lerc.nasa.gov!purdue!oitnews.harvard.edu!news.dfci.harvard.edu!cam
>elot.ccs.
>neu.edu!nntp.neu.edu!news3.near.net!news-server.bos.locus.com!orchard.la.locus.c
>om!troy.la.locus.com!not-for-mail
>From: h...@troy.la.locus.com (Howard Chu)
>Newsgroups: rec.music.celtic
>Subject: Re: Left-handed fiddlers...
>Date: 2 Feb 1996 21:06:10 -0800
>Organization: Locus Computing Corporation, Los Angeles, California
>Lines: 36
>Message-ID: <4euqg2$1m...@troy.la.locus.com>
>References: <310e673c...@pubnews.demon.co.uk>
><4eqtql$n...@newsbf02.news.aol.com>
>NNTP-Posting-Host: traveller.la.locus.com
I'm left-handed and play the fiddle in the usual manner. It never occured to
me to try to play it in any other fashion. I'm thankful that I'm using my
strong hand for fingering rather than bowing. I'm also thankful for all those
adults who tried to make me a "righty" when I was a child.
PLATINUM technology, Locus Laboratory
Bill Reeder
Fort Wayne, Indiana
UP, NSP, SSP, fiddle, whistle, etc.
George Constantine
my left hand. I think that people who are strongly left handed have better large
motor skils with the left but better fine motor skills with the right, I.E. ofr me
the left side is my power side, and the right my control side. It would be very
hard for me to fret with my left hand (I have tried it!)
George
In article <4euqg2$1m...@troy.la.locus.com>, h...@troy.la.locus.com says...
>
>But more to the point - I agree that lefties already have an intrinsic
>advantage when playing "right-handed." At least with bowed instruments, the
>greatest demand for manual dexterity is in fingering, with your left hand.
>Restringing the instrument in the "wrong" direction is just silly, for this
>reason as well as due to the usual construction of the violin.
>
>A case could be made for needing your "strong side" to move the bow, but
>what the hell, any muscle grows stronger with steady use. It's harder to
>develop dexterity, why throw away a natural advantage... (Of course, my own
>experience is perhaps questionable; I was born left handed and forced to
>switch as a child. At any rate, I find that practicing a couple hours every
>day tends to develop both of my arms about equally, as far as strength goes.
>But my left hand is far more agile for typing...)
>
>--
>Howard Chu Principal Member of Technical Staff
>h...@locus.com PLATINUM technology, Locus Laboratory
--
George Constantine
motor control, not my left. I have always done fine work with my right hand. I
would be willing to bet that most right handed people do fine work better with
their "LEFT" hand.
George
In article <4fb463$7...@news.microsoft.com>, a-gconst says...
Blau Zahl
violinists played left-handed; it certainly didn't make the music worse,
nor was it distracting.
Maybe recently is the wrong word, though.
Als