Can Violin Be Played Left-Handed? Myth Debunk with Guide

If you plan on learning how to play the violin, you must have heard about the different styles most accomplished players use. But among these styles, is there anyone that plays with their left hand? That again begs the question, can violin be played left-handed?

You can indeed play the violin left-handed. Many notable violinists play with their left hands ever since they learned how to play. It is possible to play the violin either with the usual violins or with violin options for left-handed people.

Let’s have a more in-depth look at how you can play as a left-handed violinist and why you need to consider it.

What is Left-Handed Violin Playing?

We wouldn’t have done justice to this topic if we didn’t start with the definition of left-handed playing. Well, left-handed violin playing is precisely what the name suggests. It is playing the violin with your left hand.

The world has more right-handed people than left-handed people. But that doesn’t mean the left-handed people shouldn’t enjoy something as basic as playing the violin. Left-handed violin playing enables them also to enjoy the joy that comes with playing the violin.

A left-handed person can learn to play the violin. That, however, depends on the type of violin they choose. There are many types of violins, but for this reason, we will be more interested in the right-handed and left-handed violins

Right-handed violins are for right-handed people, while left-handed violins are for left-handed people.

Can Left-Handed People Play the Violin?

According to surveys, about 13% of the men in the world are lefthanded—the women stand at 11% of the population. The figures have only been increasing thanks to more people, not shunning left-handed people now.

Previously, left-handedness was frowned upon, and thus many people didn’t want to disclose that they were lefthanded. Therefore, it also meant that there were few left-handed violinists. Most violin schools focused on right-handed players since they were the absolute majority.

Of course, there are a few notable examples of left-handed players, such as professor Terje Moe Hansen. Despite that, left-handed violin players are usually the exception rather than the norm.

The explanation for this might be that lefthanded violinists were forced to adapt to the right-handed world. They had to learn to be ambidextrous (use both hands), which made them shun their dominant left for their less dominant right hand.

But again, there are arguments that left-handed people are inherently more creative, which might have seen an explosion in the number of left-handed players in orchestras.

Left-handed violinists have more obstacles in their path to learning how to play the violin. For starters, it isn’t easy to get a teacher than can capably teach them how to play lefthanded.

Also, the structure and design of the violin need to be a mirror image of the right-handed one for a left-handed person to play it. All these obstacles might be a pointer to why there are fewer lefthanded violin players.

The Difference Between Left-Handed Violinist and Right Violinists

Besides the noticeable difference in the hand they use, are there other differences between left-handed and right-handed violin players? Yes. There is one significant difference between the two violinists, which is the type of violin they use.

A left-handed violinist uses a violin whose features are the total reverse of the right-handed violinist’s instrument. We mean that everything is akin to a mirror image of the right-handed violin so that everything can be on the left.

While it is easy to shift between the right hand and the left hand when playing the violin, left-handed people will have trouble doing that on a right-handed violin. That’s the difference.

The Advantages and Disadvantages of Being a Left-Handed Violinist

While it might appear that playing the violin left-handed might be disadvantageous, it also has noticeable advantages.

For starters, when you are a lefthanded player, training to play the violin will be easier and faster for you. That’s because it will primarily involve you training the right hand to move on the fingerboard. That should be considerably easier if you have a lefthanded violin.

The advantage stops not only on the lefthanded violin. You will also get this advantage if you learn how to play with a right-handed violin since that means you can now move your fingers faster on the fingerboard with your dominant arm. Moreover, Lefthanded violinists can often be comfortable learning other string instruments like the viola.

However, the major drawback with playing lefthanded is that orchestras have to give you special consideration when playing. That’s because you won’t be positionally in sync with other players in a line and will even interfere with their playing.

Why Is It Easy to Play Modern Music than Classic Music with the Lefthand?

The reason is quite simple. Classical music is more complex to play than modern music. That applies even to right-handed players who struggle to catch the most detailed notes and harmonics of the earlier days when music wasn’t as big as it is today.

You can also argue that modern music is way easier for most people than classical music. Thanks to the advancement in the way modern contemporary music is produced and the tunes people create.

However, all this doesn’t matter so long as you enjoy what you do.

What Are Some Famous Lefthanded Violinists?

Just because there aren’t many people who can’t play the violin left-handed doesn’t mean they exist. There are notable left-handed violin players in the world. That should be enough motivation for you not to pursue lefthanded playing if you can.

Ashley MacIsaac

Ashley MacIsaac is a Canadian violin player that has won multiple awards while playing the right-handed violin with his left hand. Among the many awards are three Juno awards. He didn’t let the left-handedness come between him and his craft.

Charlie Chaplin

Most people know Charlie as this famous actor. But did you know that he was also an expert violin player? And with his left hand nonetheless? That’s right. He was first a viol player before he decided to concentrate on acting.

Nicola Benedetti

If you are lefthanded and want to be a violin player today, Nicola is the one. After initially struggling to accept her left-handedness, she has proceeded to wow audiences worldwide with expert lefthanded violin playing.

Richard Barth

Going down memory lane will bring us the virtuoso left-handed performer that was Richard Barth. He was one of the few known left-handed players in the 1900s for which he received widespread acclaim.

Paavo Berglund

Berglund was a Finnish conductor and violin player who played the violin predominantly with his left hand. Besides his successful conducting career, he was also a capable left-handed villain player.

Guide on How to Play the Violin Left-Handed

Playing the violin with their left hands might seem like a bit of a stretch for right-handed people. But lefthanded people would rather face the difficulties rather than use their non-dominant hand.

So, what do you need to do to play with your left hand?

Choose the Right Violin

The right violin for a left-handed person will be left-handed – the direct opposite of the regular, more dominant violins. This will make it easier for you to learn to play with your left hand and spare you the trouble that comes with forcing it with a right-handed violin. You can check the positioning of pegs to make sure the violin is for left-handed people or not.

Get the Best Position

Like the usual violin players, get into the best position to play with your left hands. The position will affect the quality of the music and matter even more if you’re playing with an orchestra.

The best position will be integral in you selecting the best technique to use. The method involves how you choose to hold the violin.

Understand the Music you want to Play

This doesn’t only apply to lefthanded players since right-handed people also need to know the music they want to play. That means you need to study the various types of music that you can play with your violin.

If a Beginner Get the Right Teacher

Few violin teachers can play with their left hand. Some will want you to convert to playing with the right hand. However, if you don’t feel comfortable learning to use the less dominant hand, insist on a teacher instructing you on how to play lefthanded.

Choosing a Violin for a Lefthanded Player

A lefthanded violin player needs a pretty specific violin to enjoy their playing. This means they will have to consider comfort above all else. So, let’s look at some things that will help you choose a violin for a lefthanded player.

Talk to the teacher

If you’re a beginner, the teacher will offer invaluable insight into the best violin to use if you are lefthanded. After all, they will be the ones teaching you to use the violin.

Consider Your Style of Play

How will you want to play your violin? How will you hold it, and what hand do you want to control the fingerboard with? all these questions will be helpful in you selecting the best violin.

Consider the Sound of the Violin

Every violin wants to produce the best sounds on their violin. That’s why you need to consider the sound when selecting a violin. This applies to all players, whether left-hand or right-hand violin players.

Lefthanded Violins that you can buy:

These are some of our recommendations which you can consider buying.

Paititi 4/4 Full-Size Artist

If you are lefthanded, then the Paititi 4/4 Full-Size Artist would be a worthy violin to consider. Besides being made with the finest wood, this violin will make it easier for you to learn how to play even with your left hand. It is lightweight and has a rainproof canvas cover that boosts its durability. The straight and well-balanced Mongolian hair strings are the other features to behold.

D Z Strad Left-Handed Violin

This is another violin a lefthanded player should consider. It boasts hardiness that will see it serve you for a long time and its rosin lasts long enough as well so you don’t have to bother to change It often. That’s thanks to the spruce wood material and the hardy strings.

Last Words

Although most people think left-handed violin players will have rough training to play, you can see from all we have outlined that it’s not true. You can learn to play the violin as skillfully as you want, provided you put in the work. And that’s suing either hand.