Any String Players Here? Advice wanted...

Messiah · 24th February 2006

I'm left handed.

How straight forward is it to convert violins, violas and cellos to left handed?

I had lessons when I was 6 years old and was forced to play right handed, I lasted about 3 weeks...tutt

rayne · 24th February 2006

i've played violin for 14 yrs, and i assume you would string it with the e on the left and the g on the right, and turn the bridge around.

T9c · 24th February 2006

Quote:

string it with the e on the left and the g on the right, and turn the bridge around.

There will be a little more to it than that, I think.

The nut would need to be recut or replaced and the fingerboard would also need remounting and or shaving applied to match the change of the strings. The soundpost would have to put on the other side, the bass bar swapped. There may be even more structural changes needed, I dunno. I do play violin, but I don't work on them.

That's a lot of work to be done. I'd look for a lefty. They shouldn't be that hard to find.

Rick

krs · 24th February 2006

T9C nailed it, to do it properly will cost thousands of dollars. Assuming you want it to sound/play exactly like a normal one. Tough call, it perhaps can be advantageous to be a leftie with a normal setup. I know some great lefties that play 'normal' :-)

Best, Kirk

Messiah · 24th February 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by krs

T9C nailed it, to do it properly will cost thousands of dollars. Assuming you want it to sound/play exactly like a normal one. Tough call, it perhaps can be advantageous to be a leftie with a normal setup. I know some great lefties that play 'normal' :-)

Best, Kirk

Hmmm, you may be right... hang on, you do mean play a normal instrument left-handed or do you mean some of your known lefties play normally?

(Confused myself a bit here...)

I can play back to front with guitar quite proficiently when I need to, and I'm quite used to playing bass that way... so I don't think it would take me long to get my head round it.
I'm wanting a violin and a cello, btw...

orville · 25th February 2006

I m not a cellist but it sounds far more plausible that you could just restring a cello & play leftie. A violin is far less forgiving in terms of its resonator and its physical structure.

I think its probably easier for you to try it as it is conventionally. There is left handed people who play conventional violins (i assume cello too), on the other hand i ve never seen a 'backwards' violin.

Also, by the time & practice it takes to get to know the instrument you ll probably be fine (i.e. play as if you re right-handed).

just my 2p.

Dr.Grace · 25th February 2006

The same considerations apply with both the cello and violin. The fingerboard is not symmetrical: it's shape follows the shape of the bridge to allow for a larger vibrational amplitude on the lower strings.

Everyone who is classically trained uses the bow in the right hand, regardless of whether they're right- or left-handed. There may be some self-taught people who try to do it another way, I suppose. But it would not be straightforward or recommended.

Don

structuredloud · 25th February 2006

FWIW, there are plenty of people in the Oberlin Conservatory who are left handed but play violin/viola like "normal". You could certainly do it hendrix style but you'll have to move the chin-rest either to center or to the right side, and look for a shoulder rest that suits you.

David Rick · 25th February 2006

I don't recommend you do this. Apart from the fingerboard/nut issues which have already been mentioned, the internal construction is not symmetrical. The low side has a bass bar glued to the inside top, while the high side has a sound post held in by string tension against the bridge.

My belief is that you'll probably have an advantage over "rightie" beginners on the same instrument, in that you have good left-hand dexterity to begin with. I don't think you had problems last time because you were left handed. I think you had problems because learning a violin-family instrument is just damn hard.

Not trying to be a jerk, but the best strategy is a great teacher and ninety minutes (45 minimum) a day of practice. Be diligent, but also be patient. The payoff to playing a the violin (or cello, my instrument) is that your sense of pitch is going to take a quantum leap. I've never met a guitarist (only) who could really hear proper intonation.

David L. Rick
Seventh String Recording

jajjguy · 27th February 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by orville

I m not a cellist but it sounds far more plausible that you could just restring a cello & play leftie. A violin is far less forgiving in terms of its resonator and its physical structure.

No, everything T9C said applies equally to cello.

con_ritmo · 27th February 2006

Barring a physical injury in the middle of a playing career...there is simply no such thing as a left-handed violin/viola/cello.
Don't even let the concept enter your head, it just isn't going to happen...

As people have already mentioned, the violin/viola/cello is not built symmetrically...not just the stuff on the outside, but the innards as well.
So restringing is not possible...plus the way the bridge is made (the front side tapers and the feet are custom-crafted for the violin)...you can't flip it around.

Chalk up your first experience to the extremely steep learning curve of a violin/viola/cello/etc. It had nothing to do with your "handedness".

btw, I make my living as a violinist, I'm left-handed, and I play it the way EVERYONE does...with the bow in the right and the violin in the left.

the bottom line:
the teacher is everything. and even with a spetacular teacher and good diligent practice...you're still looking at a couple years before you will be safely out of the beginner phase...

Igotsoul4u · 27th February 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr.Grace

The same considerations apply with both the cello and violin. The fingerboard is not symmetrical: it's shape follows the shape of the bridge to allow for a larger vibrational amplitude on the lower strings.

Everyone who is classically trained uses the bow in the right hand, regardless of whether they're right- or left-handed. There may be some self-taught people who try to do it another way, I suppose. But it would not be straightforward or recommended.

Don

Can't really say it any better. Never seen a bow in a left hand.

Mike O · 27th February 2006

Can you imagne a "leftie" in the middle of a section? Disaster waiting to happen. I suppose some lefties would want a left handed piano!

24th February 2006	#1
Messiah Lives for gear Joined: Dec 2002 Location: North West Coast, UK. Posts: 603 Thread Starter	Any String Players Here? Advice wanted... I'm left handed. How straight forward is it to convert violins, violas and cellos to left handed? I had lessons when I was 6 years old and was forced to play right handed, I lasted about 3 weeks...tutt __________________ Best Regards, Carl.

24th February 2006	#2
rayne Gear nut Joined: Nov 2005 Location: orlando, fl Posts: 114	i've played violin for 14 yrs, and i assume you would string it with the e on the left and the g on the right, and turn the bridge around. __________________ Raynes Room

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24th February 2006	#4
krs Lives for gear Joined: Jun 2004 Posts: 882	T9C nailed it, to do it properly will cost thousands of dollars. Assuming you want it to sound/play exactly like a normal one. Tough call, it perhaps can be advantageous to be a leftie with a normal setup. I know some great lefties that play 'normal' :-) Best, Kirk

25th February 2006	#6
orville Gear maniac Joined: Feb 2005 Location: london Posts: 205	I m not a cellist but it sounds far more plausible that you could just restring a cello & play leftie. A violin is far less forgiving in terms of its resonator and its physical structure. I think its probably easier for you to try it as it is conventionally. There is left handed people who play conventional violins (i assume cello too), on the other hand i ve never seen a 'backwards' violin. Also, by the time & practice it takes to get to know the instrument you ll probably be fine (i.e. play as if you re right-handed). just my 2p.

25th February 2006	#7
Dr.Grace Gear interested Joined: Jan 2004 Location: San Diego, California Posts: 21	The same considerations apply with both the cello and violin. The fingerboard is not symmetrical: it's shape follows the shape of the bridge to allow for a larger vibrational amplitude on the lower strings. Everyone who is classically trained uses the bow in the right hand, regardless of whether they're right- or left-handed. There may be some self-taught people who try to do it another way, I suppose. But it would not be straightforward or recommended. Don

25th February 2006	#8
structuredloud Lives for gear Joined: Feb 2006 Location: Oakland, CA Posts: 659	FWIW, there are plenty of people in the Oberlin Conservatory who are left handed but play violin/viola like "normal". You could certainly do it hendrix style but you'll have to move the chin-rest either to center or to the right side, and look for a shoulder rest that suits you.

25th February 2006	#9
David Rick Lives for gear Joined: Mar 2004 Posts: 561	I don't recommend you do this. Apart from the fingerboard/nut issues which have already been mentioned, the internal construction is not symmetrical. The low side has a bass bar glued to the inside top, while the high side has a sound post held in by string tension against the bridge. My belief is that you'll probably have an advantage over "rightie" beginners on the same instrument, in that you have good left-hand dexterity to begin with. I don't think you had problems last time because you were left handed. I think you had problems because learning a violin-family instrument is just damn hard. Not trying to be a jerk, but the best strategy is a great teacher and ninety minutes (45 minimum) a day of practice. Be diligent, but also be patient. The payoff to playing a the violin (or cello, my instrument) is that your sense of pitch is going to take a quantum leap. I've never met a guitarist (only) who could really hear proper intonation. David L. Rick Seventh String Recording

27th February 2006	#11
con_ritmo Gear Head Joined: Apr 2005 Location: socal Posts: 50	Barring a physical injury in the middle of a playing career...there is simply no such thing as a left-handed violin/viola/cello. Don't even let the concept enter your head, it just isn't going to happen... As people have already mentioned, the violin/viola/cello is not built symmetrically...not just the stuff on the outside, but the innards as well. So restringing is not possible...plus the way the bridge is made (the front side tapers and the feet are custom-crafted for the violin)...you can't flip it around. Chalk up your first experience to the extremely steep learning curve of a violin/viola/cello/etc. It had nothing to do with your "handedness". btw, I make my living as a violinist, I'm left-handed, and I play it the way EVERYONE does...with the bow in the right and the violin in the left. the bottom line: the teacher is everything. and even with a spetacular teacher and good diligent practice...you're still looking at a couple years before you will be safely out of the beginner phase...

27th February 2006	#13
Mike O Lives for gear Joined: Jun 2002 Posts: 1,121	Can you imagne a "leftie" in the middle of a section? Disaster waiting to happen. I suppose some lefties would want a left handed piano!