Right and Left hand???

    
Right and Left hand???    14:13 on Friday, October 19, 2007          

MusicRawks
(426 points)
Posted by MusicRawks

This question is really dumb and sounds kind of stupid.
You know how you can get right or left handed guitars?
Well... can you get right or left handed violins?
Just wondering.
Could anyone tell me?

<Added>

Anyone willing to help?


Re: Right and Left hand???    10:52 on Saturday, October 20, 2007          
Re: Right and Left hand???    14:18 on Saturday, October 20, 2007          

Account Closed
(904 points)
Posted by Account Closed

I am not really a string person, but I believe that if you want a left-handed violin (or any other string instrument), you would have to get it custom-made. I would personally (being left-handed myself) find it more awkward and difficult to learn a string instrument opposite that of my right-handed fellow musicians.


Re: Right and Left hand???    21:29 on Saturday, October 20, 2007          

MusicRawks
(426 points)
Posted by MusicRawks

Thanks... thats what i was thinking.
I'm left handed, too, but when I started learning some guitar, I went ahead and started using a right handed guitar because it felt more natural.


Re: Right and Left hand???    07:27 on Sunday, October 21, 2007          

kyfiddler
(6 points)
Posted by kyfiddler

A violin is neither right or left handed. It is symmetrical so if you want to bow with your left hand you simply reverse the order of the strings.


Re: Right and Left hand???    16:14 on Sunday, October 21, 2007          

MusicRawks
(426 points)
Posted by MusicRawks

would you just move the chin rest then too?
thanks


Re: Right and Left hand???    16:47 on Sunday, October 21, 2007          

blackhellebore89
(156 points)

You just have to take the strings off, turn around the bridge and reverse the string order, you will have to get a different chin rest. are you left handed? i am a left handed violinist and i play the conventional way. its great because i am left handed as i can do the fingering so much easier. its the fingering that is the hardest, and the bowing is just a movement that does not change (your right arm will just do the same thing really even if you ar doing double stops and staccato and stuff.) i think being left handed is an advantage because you will pick up difficult fingering so much quicker. thats just my opinion. and watch out, some teachers will not teach people with violins around the wrong way! mine doesn't!


Re: Right and Left hand???    17:37 on Sunday, October 21, 2007          

Account Closed
(904 points)
Posted by Account Closed

Once again, I am stressing the importance of learning the violin the conventional way. Most (if not all) orchestras all have their violinists holding the violins the same way, just as they have them finger, bow, and do other things all the same in order to preserve the asthetic appeal. NO ONE wants to see a chaotic pool of violinists each taking their own way when they come to listen to an orchestra or other musical event. As for the advantage thing, I will stress this even more because of the flexibility gained when writing left-handed will make those difficult passages flow with ease, and I'm sure stops (is that the word for chords on strings?) can be executed with the most utter delicacy of professionalism.


Re: Right and Left hand???    18:13 on Tuesday, October 23, 2007          

MusicRawks
(426 points)
Posted by MusicRawks

i'm left handed... but i would make scence to just keep the violin the way it is. I was just curious, wanted to know if it was possilbe. Thanx guys!


Re: Right and Left hand???    22:48 on Wednesday, November 7, 2007          

Terianne
(32 points)
Posted by Terianne

you CAN have a left handed violin haha.

but the comment earlier that they aren't "left or right handed" is correct

i will say this. if you're left handed, you will develope a BEAUTIFUL vibrato!! use it to your advantage!
i used to play with a girl who was left handed and was very skilled with her "right handed" violin because of it.

i knew of another lady who was in an accident and lost a couple of fingers on her left hand.
thus she wasn't able to play on a "right handed" violin.

so she had the strings reversed and got a chin rest fitted for the other side or something.

she could hold the bow with less fingers in her left hand and use the fingers on her right hand to play.

so it IS possible, but being left handed can be a great advantage as well


Re: Right and Left hand???    00:45 on Thursday, December 6, 2007          

auroraflame
(45 points)
Posted by auroraflame

I think being left-handed is a great advantage to playing the violin. Why would you want to play it the other way round? It is possible though.


Re: Right and Left hand???    17:50 on Thursday, December 6, 2007          

Scotch
(660 points)
Posted by Scotch

its great because i am left handed as i can do the fingering so much easier. its the fingering that is the hardest, and the bowing is just a movement that does not change (your right arm will just do the same thing really even if you ar doing double stops and staccato and stuff.)

Psychologists call this defense mechanism "sweet lemon" (the converse of "sour grapes"). You can be very sure that if bowing with your non-dominant hand really were an advantage that the convention would be to bow with your left hand and finger with your right. The slight advantage of being able to finger with your dominant hand is more than compensated by the tremendous disadvantage of not being able to bow with your dominant hand. Bowing is setting the string in motion. Without bowing there would be no sound at all.


Re: Right and Left hand???    17:58 on Thursday, December 6, 2007          

Scotch
(660 points)
Posted by Scotch

Once again, I am stressing the importance of learning the violin the conventional way.

The importance to right-handed bigots or those indoctrinated by right-handed bigots, that is.

NO ONE wants to see a [loaded term omitted] pool of violinists each taking their own way when they come to listen to an orchestra or other musical event.

It just so happens that I was very pleased once to see the Saint Louis Symphony's first chair cellist playing left-handed. ("Listening" wouldn't have revealed it.) Am I "NO ONE"? As a left-handed person content with (if not necessarily actually proud of) his left-handedness, maybe from your point of view I am. Wouldn't surprise me at all.


Re: Right and Left hand???    20:03 on Thursday, December 6, 2007          

MusicRawks
(426 points)
Posted by MusicRawks

I'm left handed...
i've decided
FOR SURE
that when i learn to play violin (someday)
I'll play it the "normal" way
Maybe it will be to my advantage!
thanks for your imputs


Re: Right and Left hand???    22:31 on Thursday, December 6, 2007          

cbo-7string
(16 points)
Posted by cbo-7string

Being,unique or different is not "evil",M.R. that fretless bass I told you about on another post,I play it with (Here goes A Pick) But Ive worked so hard to perfect my pick technique on bass over the yrs that you would think I was playing with my fingers(A guy at a music store---who couldnt see me---thought I was). Be Blessed Chaz.


   








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