lefty piano players
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- monkeyshine
Any here? I want to learn piano but am very much a lefty and not sure how difficult it will be for me to play righty. I play a wee bass (lefty bass) and have played drums (lefty set up). Any advice?
- AndyRoss0
Paul McCartney plays OK piano, and he's very much a lefty.
- menos0
im a lefty but i dont play piano. but i use the mouse on my right hand (can't do it on the left!).
- monkeyshine0
ha! I use a mouse with my right hand too...but have a stylus on my left.
- flashbender0
left handed people are demons.
- perhaps, but we're smart and irresistible.monkeyshine
- You demon!kalkal
- Corvo0
I wouldn't bother. I'm a lefty too and it's hard to think how that hand will be just over there, forgotten... for sure. But Piano work will be good for you, as a lefty, because it develops an awareness over your right hand too and you'll get ambidex-power soon. If you took chords that would indeed be a downer, because no one likes to teach lefties.
- molo0
how do you play piano left handed? on your head?
- or are you saying piano players who happen to be left handed? things get tricky after a few bowlsmolo
- lefties fear the piano, because the dominant hand is on the right. I don't think you can understand lefty piano-fear.Corvo
- It's even worse when you're a lefty and an only-child.Corvo
- i guess i never considered it. it's tough training your hands to be independant to begin with.molo
- Corvo0
Sorry. I must explain because my posts were contradictory. I took piano lessons and never had any particular difficulty because I was a lefty. In fact, they did give me better feeling in the right hand. But everybody put me off from the Cello (which was my beloved instrument) because its structure is made for a right-hand player and you hardly can find any teacher willing to teach you. They're all really picky about this. I actually felt somewhat discriminated from learning the cello because I'm a lefty - I'm not going into trial for this though. But that felt really bad; and now I know what discrimination feels like. It's not very good. I'll learn the cello on my own when I can afford one (usually a L-cello costs 150% more).
- harlequino0
There is no left handed piano. It's like saying left handed bugle. It is what it is. The left hand plays the lower register and the right plays the upper.
- it's not about the keyboard, harleq. It's about the representation of your left hand. It's a real issue f lefties.Corvo
- That's bizarre. I'm a lefty and never had the issue. First time I've heard this, actually.harlequino
- You didn't feel that with strings intrums, when you were learning? That would be the bizarre.Corvo
- No, never. Weird.harlequino
- You're saying that because you studied Piano? and naturally transposed for the rest?Corvo
- That could explain it, I think. getting to the piano first.Corvo
- Flutist first. Then Sax, other woodwind. Then Guitar (main instrument). Then piano, voice, brass, percussion.harlequino
- I played the Piano, flute, then sax, then guitar.Jaline
- Also, I know no one asked ;) I just posted because I found similarities between harle and myself in terms of instruments...Jaline
- Man that's not so weird then. that's a good time-span there. Your brain got formatted from soon (8 yo most?). I took it too late (15 yo). That w explain it.Corvo
- ok Jaline you just got more go with the wind than home-struck by hammer-works. that is utterly good :PCorvo
- I like the sax the best...
;)Jaline
- Corvo0
Unless you're feeling it like an obligation, go for it monkeyshine. Don't waste any time because time is really a precious asset when you're studying music.
- Jaline0
I played piano for about 5 years.
I don't get how it would be more difficult for left-handed people to use both hands compared to right-handed people. Isn't it proven that left-handed people have an easier time learning to write with their right hand as well? I know that more notes and important bits are played with the right hand, but you can probably find enough music that has special parts focusing on the left hand.
But you have a good question about the left-handed piano...
- Corvo0
It's really funny - most of left-handed people never bother with everything being planned for right-handed people: like rulers, cameras, stove buttons, wc handles, screwdrivers, door-knobs, etc., and most of everything you get your hands into. It's just a part of reality. But when it comes to learning music it is really an hindrance in your mind for some instruments - especially in string instruments which were conceived for right-handed players. I think you have to be a lefty to understand what I'm saying.
- Jaline0
Corvo, I get it for string instruments, for sure. The piano is slightly different though.
Anyway, I do actually think about how it would be to be left-handed since I use my left-hand for certain things and my bro is left-handed.
- Corvo0
as to lefties having extra-puff magic to write with the right hand - well that's true. We do have that extra puff because we're always developing our right-hand side. I can write with my right-hand 75% as perfect as with my left if I put my brain to it. It's even easier to draw the letters if you're really thinking about how letters are formed (they are formed by a righty pov). But this is nonsense: almost lefties don't care about it and never think about it. Except when it comes to music instruments - then your difference counts.
- harlequino0
I spent most of my life studying classical music including 4 years in a conservatory and about 10 years teaching. I understand your issue, and I do say this with all sensitivity and friendliness - you may need to spend time with the idea that the hangup is all in your head. I had a wonderful teacher from Hungary who was uncanny at pointing out these "hangups." I can't do this, I can't do that. You can actually.
Not to sound flippant or anything, but put the hangup or the "I can't aside" and simply do it. It may sound starnge, but I'm serious. You, as did hundreds of this man's students did, will be very surprised at your ability.
- Llyod0
Did you know that Elton John plays the piano left handed but gives rusty trombones with his right?