Does everyone play the whistle with the left hand on top? All the players I know do, but recently some of the kids I've been teaching (mainly boys) are continually changing to the right hand on top. All the kids doing this are right-handed. This got me thinking about left-handed whistlers. Does it make a difference?
Also, although I've played with many traditional flute players who play left-handed, I've never come across a left-handed keyed flute. Does such a thing exist?
Any comments most welcome.
Hi Sharon,
Left-handed keyed flutes are available from many modern makers as custom items. I believe Seamus Egan plays flute right-handed, and whistle left-handed (that is, right hand on top).
Yup, just about any maker of keyed flutes worth checking into will do lefty keys. Many won't charge for the difference; some will. (Hammy Hamilton for instance).
Some of the more modern, "weird" whistles have a C hole on the bottom hand for the pinky. These tend to be offset, making them "right handed."
Come to think of it, a more important difference may be the cut of the embouchure - if they are a-symmetrical. Again, Hammy makes his embouchures this way. OTOH, I don't see a discernible better or worse between my Murray (lefty) and my friend's Murray (righty.)
3 replies on 5 minutes! Thanks!
By left-handed keyed flutes, I meant full boehm-system flutes - I've seen left-handed adaptions for 8-keyed flutes etc.
You're right about Seamus Egan. I've seen him do the same thing, which blows my mind when you think about him picking up a flute on the next song and reverse his hands back to a normal position. Wish my brain functioned so well!
I'm left handed and play with the left on top. It just happened long before I learned it was the "right" way.
I'm glad I did, though. I don't think it makes any difference in terms of difficulty, both hands do the same work.
It may make a difference later if your students switch to flute. they'll either have to relearn the right handed way, or seek out a lefty flute. To me, since there's no real difference in difficulty from the start, I'd encourage them to play righty.
I'm a lefty and I play with the left hand on top. Of course, that would be because I've played clarinet a lot longer than I've played whistle and there's really only one way to play clarinet.
As to lefty Boehm system -- maybe? I'd imagine someone could make one. I think the nice thing about learning to play with the left hand on top is it makes getting a keyed instrument a lot easier and a lot cheaper.
I taught myself recorder as a child and always played with my right hand on top. (I'm right handed and this felt most natural to me for some reason).
When I switched to whistle it was easier to play it the same way. I agree with Crysania, however - if there's any chance of the student wanting to play a keyed instrument....... then left on top is better.
Well, there's Mary Bergin and Brid O Donohue and both in their teaching are not too fussed about what hand goes on top whether you're left or right handed.
I know a woman who started teaching herself, and by the time she realized she had things backwards, she was comfortable with the alternate hand position. It really doesn't make a difference on most whistles, and since that is what she plays as a main instrument, no problem has arisen. Now, if and when she decides to take up the flute, that could matter....
I don't know how Seamus Egan plays the flute one way and whistle the other..........but then again, he is unique in his musical abilities in so many ways.
A piper friend of mine taught himself whistle lefty. When he wanted to start playing the pipes he wasn't sure whether he should switch hands and play pipes the normal way or get a left-handed set of pipes. Some well known piper advised him to take the latter option, which he did.
Mike McGoldrick plays flute, whistle and pipes left-handed even though he is right-handed. When he started playing the whistle he put his right hand at the top because nobody told him otherwise.
He insists it doesn't matter which hand is at the top, even when teaching. I think this is a bit foolish because of having to get left-handed instruments down the line if moving onto flute or pipes.
There are definitely people who play the full, metal Boehm system flutes, although I don’t think it’s as common as in Irish music, because the whistles and basic Irish flutes are easily played either way. There were actually two brother composers/performers named Franz and Karl Doppler (early-mid 1800) that are famous for their duets that they would compose, and then perform on two flutes that would stick off in different directions, giving an interesting visual.
I play right/over/left, but not because I am a lefty. It's because when I took GHB lessons, I sat across the table from my teacher and *mirrored* everything she did. I had been taking lessons for something like 4 months before we caught it.
The weird thing is that I am left-handed naturally for writing, although that has nothing to do with my instrumental ergonomics. I play recorder in standard fashion.
I'm right handed, but learned to play the whistle and subsequently the flute "left-handed" (i.e. with my right hand on the top).
No big deal really until it comes to getting flutes made. Most good flute makers are pretty well accomodated to doing this (or have been to me anyhow), so I wouldn't really worry about it to be honest.
Loads of other players I know play "left-handed"; Mike Goldrick etc etc, and they told me not to bother my hole changing when I was younger, but it's up to yourself.
Left-handed whistles?
Left-handed whistles?
Does everyone play the whistle with the left hand on top? All the players I know do, but recently some of the kids I've been teaching (mainly boys) are continually changing to the right hand on top. All the kids doing this are right-handed. This got me thinking about left-handed whistlers. Does it make a difference?
Also, although I've played with many traditional flute players who play left-handed, I've never come across a left-handed keyed flute. Does such a thing exist?
Any comments most welcome.
# Posted on February 6th 2007 by Sharon the Flute
Re: Left-handed whistles?
Hi Sharon,
Left-handed keyed flutes are available from many modern makers as custom items. I believe Seamus Egan plays flute right-handed, and whistle left-handed (that is, right hand on top).
# Posted on February 6th 2007 by kkrell
Re: Left-handed whistles?
Yup, just about any maker of keyed flutes worth checking into will do lefty keys. Many won't charge for the difference; some will. (Hammy Hamilton for instance).
Some of the more modern, "weird" whistles have a C hole on the bottom hand for the pinky. These tend to be offset, making them "right handed."
# Posted on February 6th 2007 by wormdiet
Re: Left-handed whistles?
Come to think of it, a more important difference may be the cut of the embouchure - if they are a-symmetrical. Again, Hammy makes his embouchures this way. OTOH, I don't see a discernible better or worse between my Murray (lefty) and my friend's Murray (righty.)
# Posted on February 6th 2007 by wormdiet
Re: Left-handed whistles?
3 replies on 5 minutes! Thanks!
By left-handed keyed flutes, I meant full boehm-system flutes - I've seen left-handed adaptions for 8-keyed flutes etc.
# Posted on February 6th 2007 by Sharon the Flute
Re: Left-handed whistles?
Kkrel,
You're right about Seamus Egan. I've seen him do the same thing, which blows my mind when you think about him picking up a flute on the next song and reverse his hands back to a normal position. Wish my brain functioned so well!
# Posted on February 6th 2007 by nofrets
Re: Left-handed whistles?
Well, there's that Cathal McConnel, plays his old wooden flute left-handed. Never thought to look at which way he holds his whistle.
# Posted on February 6th 2007 by Guernsey Pete
Re: Left-handed whistles?
I'm left handed and play with the left on top. It just happened long before I learned it was the "right" way.
I'm glad I did, though. I don't think it makes any difference in terms of difficulty, both hands do the same work.
It may make a difference later if your students switch to flute. they'll either have to relearn the right handed way, or seek out a lefty flute. To me, since there's no real difference in difficulty from the start, I'd encourage them to play righty.
Good luck!
# Posted on February 6th 2007 by ottoschmelk
Re: Left-handed whistles?
I'm a lefty and I play with the left hand on top. Of course, that would be because I've played clarinet a lot longer than I've played whistle and there's really only one way to play clarinet.
As to lefty Boehm system -- maybe? I'd imagine someone could make one. I think the nice thing about learning to play with the left hand on top is it makes getting a keyed instrument a lot easier and a lot cheaper.
# Posted on February 6th 2007 by Crysania
Re: Left-handed whistles?
I taught myself recorder as a child and always played with my right hand on top. (I'm right handed and this felt most natural to me for some reason).
When I switched to whistle it was easier to play it the same way. I agree with Crysania, however - if there's any chance of the student wanting to play a keyed instrument....... then left on top is better.
# Posted on February 6th 2007 by morning star
Re: Left-handed whistles?
Well, there's Mary Bergin and Brid O Donohue and both in their teaching are not too fussed about what hand goes on top whether you're left or right handed.
# Posted on February 6th 2007 by kilfarboy
Re: Left-handed whistles?
I say just switch the holes, so that the higher notes are on the bottom. Mission accomplished...
# Posted on February 6th 2007 by Steve Austin
Re: Left-handed whistles?
I know a woman who started teaching herself, and by the time she realized she had things backwards, she was comfortable with the alternate hand position. It really doesn't make a difference on most whistles, and since that is what she plays as a main instrument, no problem has arisen. Now, if and when she decides to take up the flute, that could matter....
I don't know how Seamus Egan plays the flute one way and whistle the other..........but then again, he is unique in his musical abilities in so many ways.
# Posted on February 6th 2007 by AlBrown
Re: Left-handed whistles?
A piper friend of mine taught himself whistle lefty. When he wanted to start playing the pipes he wasn't sure whether he should switch hands and play pipes the normal way or get a left-handed set of pipes. Some well known piper advised him to take the latter option, which he did.
# Posted on February 6th 2007 by seisflutes
Re: Left-handed whistles?
Mike McGoldrick plays flute, whistle and pipes left-handed even though he is right-handed. When he started playing the whistle he put his right hand at the top because nobody told him otherwise.
He insists it doesn't matter which hand is at the top, even when teaching. I think this is a bit foolish because of having to get left-handed instruments down the line if moving onto flute or pipes.
# Posted on February 6th 2007 by Fiddlebabe
Re: Left-handed whistles?
Right hand on top, because I do a lot of two handed things as a leftie, if that makes sense.
# Posted on February 6th 2007 by bodhran bliss
Re: Left-handed whistles?
There are definitely people who play the full, metal Boehm system flutes, although I don’t think it’s as common as in Irish music, because the whistles and basic Irish flutes are easily played either way. There were actually two brother composers/performers named Franz and Karl Doppler (early-mid 1800) that are famous for their duets that they would compose, and then perform on two flutes that would stick off in different directions, giving an interesting visual.
# Posted on February 6th 2007 by PaddyBowling
Re: Left-handed whistles?
I play right/over/left, but not because I am a lefty. It's because when I took GHB lessons, I sat across the table from my teacher and *mirrored* everything she did. I had been taking lessons for something like 4 months before we caught it.
The weird thing is that I am left-handed naturally for writing, although that has nothing to do with my instrumental ergonomics. I play recorder in standard fashion.
# Posted on February 6th 2007 by wormdiet
Re: Left-handed whistles?
I'm right handed, but learned to play the whistle and subsequently the flute "left-handed" (i.e. with my right hand on the top).
No big deal really until it comes to getting flutes made. Most good flute makers are pretty well accomodated to doing this (or have been to me anyhow), so I wouldn't really worry about it to be honest.
Loads of other players I know play "left-handed"; Mike Goldrick etc etc, and they told me not to bother my hole changing when I was younger, but it's up to yourself.
Hope this helps,
Ádh mór ort,
Murrough
# Posted on February 6th 2007 by Murrough
Re: Left-handed whistles?
We had a piper in the pipe band who could play the GHP and reverse hands & play just as well. I can`t remember his history
# Posted on February 7th 2007 by black
Re: Left-handed whistles?
I know a guitar player who plays left handed, an very well too. But he will borrow a right handed guitar and play it 'upside down' just as well.
# Posted on February 7th 2007 by mehere
Re: Left-handed whistles?
Bríd O'Donohue and her kids play right hand top on whistle and flute (as you can see in the photo on her website - http://www.bridodonohue.com/).
Deidre Havlin too (and with right handed keys?) http://www.irisharts.org.uk/img/gallery/l/109.jpg
I've found myself a couple of times at a session the only person out of three or four in the room playing left hand top on flute.
Long discussion about it with examples here: http://www.thesession.org/discussions/display/14533
# Posted on October 26th 2008 by WhistlinLeeds