Considering playing the harp left handed

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This topic has 16 replies, 10 voices, and was last updated 18 years, 4 months ago by carl-swanson.

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November 30, 2006 at 5:54 am #88195

unknown-user
Participant

I am planning to buy a pedal harp in the next couple months.

November 30, 2006 at 6:47 am #88196

Elizabeth Volpé Bligh
Participant

I don’t know if there are pedals harps designed to be played with the left hand. Some lever harps can be custom-made for this, though. Nothing is stopping you from trying it, but I think the way the neck is carved, it might be difficult to get comfortable.

November 30, 2006 at 12:56 pm #88197

Kelly R
Participant

That is a very interesting question, Lea!

November 30, 2006 at 4:45 pm #88198

erin-wood
Participant

There was an interesting thread on playing on the left shoulder a while back.

November 30, 2006 at 5:52 pm #88199

barbara-brundage
Participant

Well, unless you have a lever harp designed for this it will be uncomfortable. You’ll have a face full of tuning pins with most pedal harps, for instance.

FWIW, many great harpists, like Tournier, have been left-handed, but they played the harp normally, just as left-handed pianists don’t need a backwards keyboard.

November 30, 2006 at 11:35 pm #88200

carl-swanson
Participant

I agree. I just want to point out that Emily Mitchell is left handed, and she won the Israel competiton in 1979. I’m very right handed normally, but I’ve got a great left hand when I play the harp because I worked so hard at it. And I’m very ambidextrous when I use tools too. I think, weighing the pluses and minuses of either playing the harp with it on your left shoulder, or playing it with it on your right shoulder and working hard on your right hand, I think I’d go for working hard on the right hand.

December 1, 2006 at 6:19 pm #88201

Saul Davis Zlatkovski
Participant

Good training makes one ambidextrous. If I think about what I am doing, I am perfectly able to write with my left hand. So, I think it would be taking an easy way out to switch shoulders, and not favor equal development. The easy hand is the one that ends up not being as sure, in my experience. Once I have learned a piece well, it is the right hand that has to be watched the most.

December 1, 2006 at 7:18 pm #88202

unknown-user
Participant

I play Irish flute, and there are some players who play left-handed. Many Irish flutes don’t have keys, and even when they do, the keys aren’t used much for trad tunes, so the only

December 1, 2006 at 7:21 pm #88203

unknown-user
Participant

And PS — are you planning to just switch hands, or to turn the harp around? I had assumed turning the harp around in my previous response.

December 4, 2006 at 6:40 am #88204

unknown-user
Participant

Thank you, everyone, for your responses.

December 4, 2006 at 12:47 pm #88205

jennifer-buehler
Member

Playing left handed used to be the traditional way.

December 5, 2006 at 3:33 am #88206

Saul Davis Zlatkovski
Participant

I didn’t read your post in depth, but I do not believe it at all. I am very much right-handed, and my left hand is much more secure, has 96% percent of the facility of my right at least, is stronger etc. Having more facility is not an advantage. If my left hand played all the melodies, like your right hand might feel, it would be so eloquent and expressive. Perhaps you should watch the movie “My Left Foot.” It’s just not a big deal. I don’t think it affects anyone’s chances in competition. Most harpists neglect to develop their left hands enough anyway.

December 6, 2006 at 1:38 am #88207

unknown-user
Participant

One other reason to keep your harp on your right shoulder: so you can see the discs, which can be quite important.

December 8, 2006 at 1:00 am #88208

Shawnmarie S
Participant

I’ve played the lever harp for about a year and a half and I

December 13, 2006 at 9:06 am #88209

Anonymous
Inactive

One of the problems with playing the harp “right-handed” is that there is limited hand room at the top.
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