This is fantastic. As a left hander, when looking and asking about left handed instruments, I have been laughed at, told there is no such thing, told to get over myself and learn the ‘proper’ way, told not to bother I will never be any good at it, told no one would ever want to play with me, told that orchestras never allow left handed people… the list goes on and on. Your openness and positivity is so rare I am almost in tears of joy! I will share this video far and wide! And… I must start saving, I would love one of your instruments… I may even sell some of my guitars! Well, maybe. I came to the violin in my late ‘50’s, so I will never be orchestra standard but I love the instrument so much and love play. Thank you for this video! Inspiring! One thing I would add if I may, the peg orientation is important to change, especially for adults with large hands. I have tried playing a right handed peg orientation, and my hand was hitting the peg all the time. I have a left handed instrument with the peg orientation made left handed, and having that space is very helpful when playing. ;))
I think the ability to hold your finger down on the notes while writing with the right hand to add fingerings classified it as right-handed. While left-handers has to place the instrument down and write evey single time . In the classical guitar space rotation is equally acceptable. I am interested in the cello as an adult but the sitring tuning always gives me a head ache as I think it should be on the next directions. I may have to play it on the reverse shoulder or get a left handed one, . Have you ever see. A left handed cellist?
I have been playing left handed since I was young and I want to thank you for this video from the bottom of my heart! I have had luthiers refuse to make me an instrument because having a left handed instrument would be a stain on their reputation. Thank you for making fine Instruments for those of us who play left handed! ❤
Thank you so much for your kind words! It’s an honor to support left-handed players like yourself, and I believe everyone deserves a fine instrument, no matter which hand they play with. 🎻 Your message truly means a lot Keep playing and making beautiful music!
I am left handed and at first I was worried about learning right hand bowing, but so far I haven't had a problem. I think because I'm kind of ambidextrous. I've tried playing switching to my right shoulder just to see if there was a significant difference, and my bowing does seem to be more stable in my left hand, but I think that is because I am stronger on my left side. The advantage I feel for me to continue with the standard set up on violin, is my left hand and fingers are used to doing more precise fine motor skilled movements. So I think that could be an advantage foe me using lefthanded fingerings, rather than a detriment. But one of these days further along I might consider getting a left handed violin just to see how it goes. I am only learning violin for my own enjoyment. But it's wonderful that you offer left handed violins! Thank you! For lefthanded people who find it difficult to adjust to the regular setup, I'm glad there seems to be more acceptance into providing instruments for anyone who wants to play left handed.
If I really had to buy "this" violin, which is usually for right-handed people, me, being left-handed, would have to turn the bridge and strings around as well as use a left-handed chin rest, but also I would have to mirror the sound post to the other side of the violin, bummer! And still it would not be considered a left-handed violin, because the bridge is still a right-handed bridge. Also the bass bar is still on the wrong side. Also the nut would now be backwards. End of story is if you're left-handed, then purchase a left-handed violin. It makes everything easier!
My father made violins for over 30 yrs as a hobby. You probably know all about the theories concerning varnish, wood, etc. Over the years one thing my dad and i messed with was the bending of plates. He carved most of his violins but the ones he made bending the plates actually have more sound vibrations. I believe the less wood grain removed is better because the sound travels through the grain of the top spruce plate. If you have an opinion on subject i would like your professional insight. Thank you so much.
The nomenclature of the "left-handed" violin is funny. I teach elementary school strings, and left-handed individuals seem to have a very slight advantage when starting out. I believe this stems from their left hand being able to more quickly acclimate to fingering. Meanwhile, all students struggle with the bow hold at first, because it is so unlike anything else we do in life, and I have not noticed right-handed students acclimate to the bow hold any quicker than left-handed students. This initial advantage that left-handed students display only lasts a couple months, at which point they're no longer distinguishable from right-handed students. This is why I called it a "very slight advantage" - it's a negligible difference in the long-term. As students get older, one might expect that the need for finer bow control and advanced bow strokes would translate into a later-stage advantage for right-handed individuals, but I've never noticed this, either. It seems that by this stage, the natural ability difference between lefties and righties has been dwarfed by years of practice and is no longer a significant element. Today, when lefty students ask about using a left-handed violin, I let them in on my "secret theory" - all violins are left-handed! Reversed violins, which most of the world calls "left-handed", would actually be more suited for a right-handed beginner! I do occasionally have students use reversed instruments, but it's in order to overcome disabilities with their left hands. Students with reduced mobility in their left fingers, or a reduced quantity of left fingers, can usually learn to bow just fine with that hand, whereas fingering would present significant challenges. This gives further evidence, I think, that the normal violin is suitable for left-hand-dominant individuals ... it's only when there are problems with one's left hand that one needs to switch! Nonetheless, I would not advocate for anything drastic like switching right-handed students to reversed instruments. Since violin requires adept use of both hands, it does not really matter (from a psychomotor prospective) which way the instrument faces for most individuals. However, the tradition and pedagogy of the instruments is for them to be fingered with the left hand, and I believe it's best to continue that tradition for most students.
I think the ability to hold your finger down on the notes while writing with the right hand to add fingerings classified it as right-handed. While left-handers has to place the instrument down and write evey single time . In the classical guitar space rotation is equally acceptable. I am interested in the cello as an adult but the sitring tuning always gives me a head ache as I think it should be on the next directions. I may have to play it on the reverse shoulder or get a left handed one, . Have you ever see. A left handed cellist?
When you tell us that left-handed people even have an advantage learning, because their left hand might me quicker and stronger - are all right-handed people train particularly hard, because they are not using their "stronger" right hand for pressing the strings? This is just such a big misconseption!
This is fantastic. As a left hander, when looking and asking about left handed instruments, I have been laughed at, told there is no such thing, told to get over myself and learn the ‘proper’ way, told not to bother I will never be any good at it, told no one would ever want to play with me, told that orchestras never allow left handed people… the list goes on and on.
Your openness and positivity is so rare I am almost in tears of joy!
I will share this video far and wide!
And… I must start saving, I would love one of your instruments… I may even sell some of my guitars! Well, maybe.
I came to the violin in my late ‘50’s, so I will never be orchestra standard but I love the instrument so much and love play.
Thank you for this video! Inspiring!
One thing I would add if I may, the peg orientation is important to change, especially for adults with large hands. I have tried playing a right handed peg orientation, and my hand was hitting the peg all the time. I have a left handed instrument with the peg orientation made left handed, and having that space is very helpful when playing. ;))
I think the ability to hold your finger down on the notes while writing with the right hand to add fingerings classified it as right-handed. While left-handers has to place the instrument down and write evey single time . In the classical guitar space rotation is equally acceptable. I am interested in the cello as an adult but the sitring tuning always gives me a head ache as I think it should be on the next directions. I may have to play it on the reverse shoulder or get a left handed one, . Have you ever see. A left handed cellist?
I'm right handed but thank you for taking care of the left handed people.
I have been playing left handed since I was young and I want to thank you for this video from the bottom of my heart! I have had luthiers refuse to make me an instrument because having a left handed instrument would be a stain on their reputation. Thank you for making fine Instruments for those of us who play left handed! ❤
Thank you so much for your kind words! It’s an honor to support left-handed players like yourself, and I believe everyone deserves a fine instrument, no matter which hand they play with. 🎻 Your message truly means a lot
Keep playing and making beautiful music!
@@EdgarRuss You’re welcome! I also agree, every player deserves a quality instrument regardless of hand preference.
I am left handed and at first I was worried about learning right hand bowing, but so far I haven't had a problem. I think because I'm kind of ambidextrous. I've tried playing switching to my right shoulder just to see if there was a significant difference, and my bowing does seem to be more stable in my left hand, but I think that is because I am stronger on my left side.
The advantage I feel for me to continue with the standard set up on violin, is my left hand and fingers are used to doing more precise fine motor skilled movements. So I think that could be an advantage foe me
using lefthanded fingerings, rather than a detriment.
But one of these days further along I might consider getting a left handed violin just to see how it goes. I am only learning violin for my own enjoyment.
But it's wonderful that you offer left handed violins! Thank you! For lefthanded people who find it difficult to adjust to the regular setup, I'm glad there seems to be more acceptance into providing instruments for anyone who wants to play left handed.
If I really had to buy "this" violin, which is usually for right-handed people, me, being left-handed, would have to turn the bridge and strings around as well as use a left-handed chin rest, but also I would have to mirror the sound post to the other side of the violin, bummer! And still it would not be considered a left-handed violin, because the bridge is still a right-handed bridge. Also the bass bar is still on the wrong side. Also the nut would now be backwards. End of story is if you're left-handed, then purchase a left-handed violin. It makes everything easier!
My father made violins for over 30 yrs as a hobby. You probably know all about the theories concerning varnish, wood, etc. Over the years one thing my dad and i messed with was the bending of plates. He carved most of his violins but the ones he made bending the plates actually have more sound vibrations. I believe the less wood grain removed is better because the sound travels through the grain of the top spruce plate. If you have an opinion on subject i would like your professional insight. Thank you so much.
Hello how do I go about getting a left handed violin made for my wife?
Hello Daniel, feel free to write me an email at edgar@eruss.it and we will talk about it 😉
I'm left handed but every time when both hands are required I do things like a right handed person.
The nomenclature of the "left-handed" violin is funny. I teach elementary school strings, and left-handed individuals seem to have a very slight advantage when starting out. I believe this stems from their left hand being able to more quickly acclimate to fingering. Meanwhile, all students struggle with the bow hold at first, because it is so unlike anything else we do in life, and I have not noticed right-handed students acclimate to the bow hold any quicker than left-handed students.
This initial advantage that left-handed students display only lasts a couple months, at which point they're no longer distinguishable from right-handed students. This is why I called it a "very slight advantage" - it's a negligible difference in the long-term.
As students get older, one might expect that the need for finer bow control and advanced bow strokes would translate into a later-stage advantage for right-handed individuals, but I've never noticed this, either. It seems that by this stage, the natural ability difference between lefties and righties has been dwarfed by years of practice and is no longer a significant element.
Today, when lefty students ask about using a left-handed violin, I let them in on my "secret theory" - all violins are left-handed! Reversed violins, which most of the world calls "left-handed", would actually be more suited for a right-handed beginner!
I do occasionally have students use reversed instruments, but it's in order to overcome disabilities with their left hands. Students with reduced mobility in their left fingers, or a reduced quantity of left fingers, can usually learn to bow just fine with that hand, whereas fingering would present significant challenges. This gives further evidence, I think, that the normal violin is suitable for left-hand-dominant individuals ... it's only when there are problems with one's left hand that one needs to switch!
Nonetheless, I would not advocate for anything drastic like switching right-handed students to reversed instruments. Since violin requires adept use of both hands, it does not really matter (from a psychomotor prospective) which way the instrument faces for most individuals. However, the tradition and pedagogy of the instruments is for them to be fingered with the left hand, and I believe it's best to continue that tradition for most students.
I think the ability to hold your finger down on the notes while writing with the right hand to add fingerings classified it as right-handed. While left-handers has to place the instrument down and write evey single time . In the classical guitar space rotation is equally acceptable. I am interested in the cello as an adult but the sitring tuning always gives me a head ache as I think it should be on the next directions. I may have to play it on the reverse shoulder or get a left handed one, . Have you ever see. A left handed cellist?
When you tell us that left-handed people even have an advantage learning, because their left hand might me quicker and stronger - are all right-handed people train particularly hard, because they are not using their "stronger" right hand for pressing the strings?
This is just such a big misconseption!