Violin/Fiddle: Learning to Play Left-Handed Lefthanded Left Handed

Oct 12, 2009, at 9:32 AM

Your Name: glynis b.
Subject: left handed fiddle and lessons.

Message: hi, a few years back my brother bought me a fiddle as i was aspiring to take up violin lessons for a very long time... i am in my early 50's , and was thrilled, but whe i picked up the violin on my first lesson and the whole issue about being a lefty came up, i was vry disconcerted.. and i felt for me, not easy, as my inclination seems not easy to force into righty mold.

family stuf got in the way, and i was forced to discontinue the lessons also frustrated with the left handed issue.. i just returned from festival acadien in lafayette la. yesterday, and to my amazement and surprise, i bumped into a craftSman who makes lefty fiddles, and said it is possible to play as a lefty.. he had said that besides strings being reversed, he reverses how the sound comes out as well, inside the violin... he explained that a right handed person could teach a lefty if you look at them as if in a mirror. i havent gotten that far, but i would love to try again, and would love to see if there is a left handed teacher in the north jersey area. i live in bergen county about 10 miles north of the GW BRIDGE. if you have any info on this subject i would be thrilled, thanks for your time... glynis b.!

Greetings Glynis,

I understand for I'm also a lefty ... that had to force myself to learn to play backwards (as a righty).

Yes, you can use a mirror when being taught by a personal instructor or by a DVD. As far as left-handed teachers, I have no idea. However, most right-handed teachers will accommodate you ... either by thinking left-handed on your behalf, or using the mirror technique. Or, again, you might consider the mirror technique with an introductory video such as:

http://www.folkofthewood.com/Violin_&_Fiddle_DVD_Info_Page.html

Additionally, you might also consider learning from the written page ... we do have introductory violin and fiddle lessons offered up free of charge.

All my best in your research efforts,

Mickey Cochran

Sep 7, 2009, at 6:32 PM

Your Name: Barb
Subject: left handed violin
Message: I was wondering if its possible to learn the violin backwards. To not have it restrung left handed, but rather to just play it left handed. Can't I just learn to finger it backwards?

Greetings Barb,

Sure, it's possible. Only, keep in mind, violins have tone bars that are designed to give the best response strung right-handed. There are some makers that do make violins specifically for left-handers and these have the proper bracings for a left-handed violin.

Now if you're referring to keeping the strings exactly as they are, and then playing the instrument left-handed, then the bracing will not be a concern. And, yes, this is possible too. Only be aware that this is extremely rare and will never work if you're planning on playing classical violin in an orchestra setting. For fiddling, anything's possible ... since fiddle styles are originated through the folk process where there are no rules nor disciplines as there are in violin, you truly have full liberty to pursue fiddle through a left-handed approach and upside down strings.

Jimmy Hendrix played guitar left-handed with the strings upside down ... and he achieved immense recognition for his unorthodox approach to the guitar.

All the best in your research and your newfound love for the violin!

Mickey Cochran

Date: Mon, 13 Apr 2009 12:42:06 -0600
Subject: Re: Older learners

Att, Mickey Cochran, Greetings from Australia! Thanks of one of the best web sites on the Net. I would like to share my own experiences of learning to play fiddle at 50 years of age hoping to encourage others. A little experience on the piano years ago was a great help as I could Identify the notes on sheet music if not read fluently. The next problem is being left-handed, I decided to go for the full left-handed approach. There were no LH violins on the Net at the time so I converted a Chinese student model, being in the engineering trade this presented no worries. I would not take lessons as I did not want to be pushed into the classical mold. Starting with Suzuki book two it seemed quite odd but the body grows into the new positions demanded. Progress became rapid until I became tired of hearing my violin that sounded like nails down a blackboard. I completed full conversion of a 1920s german factory violin using Carlin Hutchins theories on tap tuning the belly. The result of the conversion is very satisfactory as this fiddle really sings!. I have been playing for seven years now and have played with Irish bands and other traditional music. If any one is thinking of learning they should just do it as there is no time to waste.

Kind regards Bob A.

Bob: Thanks so much for your sharing your experience as a late-comer to the violin. Very impressive and keep up the great work!

Mickey Cochran

Folk of the Wood
Mystic West Products
Acoustic Music Instruction
PO Box 2810
Alto, New Mexico 88312

http://www.folkofthewood.com

http://www.mysticwestproducts.com

Subject: hello

Great web site. I have been a guitarist for 30 years and have just run into your site doing some research for my 8 year old daughter. She is interested in taking violin lessons in public school. We are both left handed. She is definitely more comfortable this way as I have started to teach her guitar that way and she plays "air violin" naturally this way. The school is reluctant to teach her this way but I want to force their hand. I know if I had been forced to play righty I would have quit guitar. Before she can begin to play at school I want to get her a left handed violin and try to teach her to begin to play. Please recommend a list of quality beginner instruments in price decending order that you can switch to left handedness. I am not very knowledable about violins but I want to get a good instrument that will last a few years. I guess she would need a 3/4 model. Thank you. Rich LaPierre

Greetings Rich,

I'm glad to assist:

First and foremost, you might consider reading through our FAQ database on left-handed violin: learning, buying, converting and restringing are some of the subjects covered...

I happen to be a left-hander who learned to play right-handed...there are a couple of good reasons to learn right-handed...only, I personally am not convinced that it's worth the extra frustration at the beginning (a right-hander really doesn't know what we go through to learn to play backwards...oops, I mean right-handed). The main one I hear over and over is that within an orchestra setting, the other violinists would be dodging a left-hander's bow. Additionally, the stage silhouette would be off...well, I still believe there should be an alternative for us left-handers...on the upside, I did learn to play violin right-handed...and feel that it's only facilitated my playing to have dexterity in my left-hand where it counts...for the right-hand only requires proper balancing of the bow. This is one good advantage for us left-handers to learn to play right-handed. Now, if the inclination is to play left-handed, and it seems to inspire the process of learning to play, while offering less frustration during the beginning stages, then by all means, encourage your daughter to play left-handed...hope this helps, Mickey