Left-handed musical instruments make it easier for left-handed people to overcome the challenges of learning to play music. Since only 1 out of every 10 individuals are estimated to be left-handed, majority of musical instruments, as well as tools and devices, were designed for right-handed people. Most left-handed people have to learn to play music the right-handed way because they have fewer options. Left-handed Musical Instruments is a website dedicated to helping left-handed people and parents of left-handed children develop musical talent through the use of left-handed musical instruments.
How Left-Handed People Cope with Music Learning
While generally ambidextrous,left-handed people often have to learn to play music by modifying musical instruments. For example, right-handed guitars have to be re-stringed and the bridge repositioned, to make it adaptable for left-handed people. Left-handed guitar players when using right-handed guitars also have to learn the chord fingerings upside down and strum in the opposite direction.
How Left-Handed People Cope with Music Learning
While generally ambidextrous,left-handed people often have to learn to play music by modifying musical instruments. For example, right-handed guitars have to be re-stringed and the bridge repositioned, to make it adaptable for left-handed people. Left-handed guitar players when using right-handed guitars also have to learn the chord fingerings upside down and strum in the opposite direction.
Learning other musical instruments such as a banjo, may also require a left-handed neck because one string has a peg half way down the neck. Musical instruments, such as saxophones, are suitable for left-handed people. The keys that give most players fits are the palm keys (for the uppermost range of the instrument) and the "Bb cluster" controlling the lowest notes; both are played with the left hand and are therefore much easier to get under control if you're left-handed.
Drum kits could also be set-up in reverse, with the hi-hat on the right. However, many left-handed drummers leave the kit in the right-handed arrangement and just uncross their hands to play. If your left foot is more dominant, the latter arrangement won’t work. You have to rearrange the kit, or buy extra equipment, to operate the bass pedal with your left foot.
Violins are traditionally played with the right hand, with the instrument held in the left and the bow in the right. This is due to orchestral groups where musicians sit at a stand and bow down to the right. Players have to be in the same direction to avoid collision. There are very few left-handed violins. In one instance, a school had to raise around $150,000 to have a violin custom made for a girl with a stump instead of a hand.
Left-handed musical instruments are often priced at a premium when bought at a local music store. Left-handed musical instruments are readily available at a more affordable price if you know where to look for them. These musical instruments were specifically designed for left-handed people. There are also instructional books available for left-handed music players. If you are a left-handed person or a parent of a left-handed child, we make it easier to find musical instruments by featuring a selection of quality left-handed musical instruments.
There are other resources that will help you understand more about your left-handed family members and friends:
Drum kits could also be set-up in reverse, with the hi-hat on the right. However, many left-handed drummers leave the kit in the right-handed arrangement and just uncross their hands to play. If your left foot is more dominant, the latter arrangement won’t work. You have to rearrange the kit, or buy extra equipment, to operate the bass pedal with your left foot.
Violins are traditionally played with the right hand, with the instrument held in the left and the bow in the right. This is due to orchestral groups where musicians sit at a stand and bow down to the right. Players have to be in the same direction to avoid collision. There are very few left-handed violins. In one instance, a school had to raise around $150,000 to have a violin custom made for a girl with a stump instead of a hand.
Left-handed musical instruments are often priced at a premium when bought at a local music store. Left-handed musical instruments are readily available at a more affordable price if you know where to look for them. These musical instruments were specifically designed for left-handed people. There are also instructional books available for left-handed music players. If you are a left-handed person or a parent of a left-handed child, we make it easier to find musical instruments by featuring a selection of quality left-handed musical instruments.
There are other resources that will help you understand more about your left-handed family members and friends:
- University of Indiana has a website dedicated to left-handers.
- You could learn more about Left-Handedness in Wikipedia.
- Famous Left-Handed People
- List of musicians who play left-handed
