I was just wondering, does anybody here play the flute left handed? When I started playing the pennywhistle, for some odd reason (I’m right handed, I think) I played it left handed. with my right hand on top, and then when I got a flute, I played it the same way. Is there any problem with this, do you think, as long as I steer clear of the keyed flutes? I’ve started with a Boehm too, but I have to play that right handed, so I’ve sort of just been switching based on what instrument I’m playing.
Hi Philip.
I’m left handed. Lucky for me, I played the Boehm flute for many years before moving to Keyless and keyed wooden flutes. It sounds like your just developing habits, so I’d recommend taking your time now, and learning to play like a right handed person. It will make it much easier in the future, should you look for another flute, or a keyed woody.
Should you choose one of those flutes that are advertised as good for self defense, you would always have the added advantage of switching to your stonger arm in the middle of a fencing duel
Best wishes, eilam.
I agree with the others, if possible it would be simpler for you to switch to “right-handed” before your habits become set in stone. This would help you to avoid having to have special flutes/headjoints made for you. (Headjoints are normally made to play from one direction only). You use both hands equally when you play the flute, so the direction you hold it really isn’t easier either way. (BTW, I’m left-handed).
Hmm… Maybe there’s weight to that. And responding to the hand switching in a duel, maybe I could do that in a fluting duel. I’m competing with some young hot stuff, and they start to get the better of me, I just throw the flute in the air, turn it around, and start playing right handed, a la Princess Bride.
There’s something attractive, though, about getting specially made head joints. Plus that way I could decide who I wanded to drop spit on, which dirrection.
On a slightly different note, I do enjoy going adventuring with my current flute, a plastic Tony Dixon. It’s great for self defence.
dude, just play the thing right handed, and use it as a blow dart.
Get an 8 key, or a short foot so you can properly seal the bore (for better projection)
Seriously, I know that any reputable maker won’t let a bad embouchure cut out of his shop, but they are better used to cutting the thing for a “normal” played flute.
Andrew might have a lefty R&R for sale?
Have fun stoimin the castle, boys. eilam. (As you Wiiiiiiiiiiiiiish..)
A lot of flute and whistle players in Ireland play left-handed. A friend of mine said that about 30 percent of the flute players he met when he lived in Ireland for six months played left-handed, though I suspect that was a chance thing and the actual percentage is probably lower.
Many flute makers will make lefthanded models on request, so I don’t think you’ll have much trouble finding an instrument. If playing leftie is more comfortable for you, just stick with it.
I think part of it all depends on how right-handed you are. Do you throw and bat right-handed? IF you do, you might possibly find that more advanced gracenotes (like long crans) are easier with your dominant hand on the bottom of the flute. Upper-hand gracing tends to be less complicated, I’d say, and once you start doing fancy stuff you might want to have your right hand on the bottom if you’re not a southpaw.
Second, and this is minor but real, if you’re like a lot of us you might go through several different flutes before you find one you fall in love with. Left-handed flutes are (a) harder to find and (b) harder to sell. That’s partially because left-handers are oppressed by society in general, and partially because, well, most of us play right-handed.
Third, I just looked at your band’s webpages. If you’re the guy playing whistle in this picture, you are playing right-handed, unless the negative’s backwards and the guy with the guitar is also playing lefty.
Hi guy’s. Got on this thread a bit late. But I’m a mix hander. I play the flute and whistle left handed. No problem, that’s what I am more comfortable with. I have no problem with finding instruments. My experience also is that most makers make their embouchures ambidextrous, so they are just as playable in eighter direction. Some makers don’t but they most often make you a leftie embouchure cut, no extra charge. A few months ago, I got into playing the Boehm flute, and had quite a headace for a while with the dilemma; should I swich to right handed on the simple system flute as well? I decided to play what I was most comfortable with, left handed. The Boehm of course right handed, but it’s no problem. Acctually I have found it easier to keep the distance between the different instruments this way.
And it’s cool when people note on a concert when I play both simple system and Boehm that I hold them in different directions. Some people have been impressed with that!
I’d say, for gods sake, do what you like! If your used to play leftie, stick with it. You won’t have nearly as big problems dealing with makers and lefty vs. righty instruments as you will have trying to swich to something you are not really comfortable with.
Cheers
Edited to say that leftie keyworks are just as available as leftie embouchures. All makers I have talked to regarding the issue will make you leftie key’s with little or no extra charge.
I´m in the same situation as you. I´m right handed, picked up the whistle almost 1.5-2 years ago and automatically put my right hand closest to mouth. Of course I had to buy a woodenflute in the end and didn´t know what to do… start playing “right” or continue with what feels most natural to me.
I bought a McGee and had Terry make the embouchure hole playable from both sides. I still play lefty but it feels good to have a flute that can be played the other way if I decide to “re-learn” if I decide to go with a keyed flute in the future. (oh my english sucks..)
A couple of times I´ve tried to play both whistle and flute with the left hand close to my mouth and I learn really fast to make it work. I´d guess a couple of weeks of practice and I´d be playing as good (or should I say bad ) as I do “my way”.
Hey Peter. Looks like we are in the same situation again here.
Not easy fer us Swedes to kick it on this board full of yanks
when we can’t speek our own tounge.
German airline pilot [in German]: Please update coordinates.
German ground crew [in English]: If you want an answer, you must speak in English.
German pilot: I am a German flying a German plane over Germany. Why must I speak English?!
British pilot [listening in from another plane]: Because we won the bloody war!
By all means, if people feel like writing in their native tongue on this forum, I think they should do so without hesitation. We have people speakin’ Francais, Espanol, Deutsch, Gaeilge, etc. on this board, just to mention a few…And just because the US happens to be engaged in actions that are, er…I mean, may be interpreted as promoting unjust American hegemony throughout the world, is that any reason for all the Canadian and Brits on this forum to go blameless for writing in English as well?. [/rant]
Sorry. Got carried away. Aaaanyway, I play the flute left-handed and I cannot imagine the thought of playing it any other way. Standardization of right-handed playing really only dates back to the mass production of instruments. Some of Ireland’s very best players play the flute left handed including:
Michael McGoldrick
Vincent Broderick
Cathal McConnell
And many, many others. If anyone tells you that you can’t or shouldn’t play the flute left-handed, thank them for sharing their opinion and then politely tell them where to stick it. Most any flutemaker worthy of the title will willing to make a left-handed flute for you at little or no extra cost.
No Peter, I’m not that guy.
Acctually, haven’t even heard of him. I play in three bands but none of the bands has got a website up yet. My main band has had plans to get a website for years and acctualy have had some concrete (can you say that in english ) plans on one.
My name by the way is Henrik Johansson.
Aha! So Catherine McEvoy is a leftie as well. I had seen photos of her playing but I wasn’t sure if she was really left-handed or if the photo was reversed. Cool.
.
) plans on one.