"Yes, you can play left handed and be a great violinist or fiddler - it's not necessary to play like a righty!"

 

How did this book come about? Click here to read an essay by Ryan Thomson which was published in several music education journals including New Hampshire Quarter Notes, and Utah Music Educators Journal.

 

This book is a compendium of left handed violin and fiddling facts and contains everything you might want to know about the subject of playing violin left handed. It documents the biographies and experiences of over 100 people who play violin left handed, including professional folk fiddlers, chamber music players, and concert violinists. 

There's a chapter on where to find a left handed violin or get a right handed fiddle converted to left, including a list of violin makers who are happy to oblige lefty players and a detailed discussion of the conversion process.

 

Click here to read reviews of this book.

 

This is NOT an instruction book about HOW to play the violin, but Includes a critical analysis of why - It's better to bow with your dominant hand, whether you are a right or left handed person! The myth of the "left hander's advantage in playing right handed" is debunked with numerous logical, scientific, and common sense arguments! 

Despite the previous right handed bias towards playing bowed instruments, jazz violinists, old timey country fiddlers, Cape Breton fiddlers, symphony violinists, and leaders of several major string quartets have discovered the benefits of bowing lefty. Some fiddlers even play regular right handed violins left handed with good results!

 

This approach can be applied to viola, cello, and other string players as well, including folk instruments such as guitar, banjo, mandolin, sitar, ukulele, etc. Violists, cellists, and other stringed instrument players can take best advantage of their body's natural inclination, strength, and coordination. This book is a good read even for the righty player, string and music teacher! 8.5" x 11" size, illustrated, table of contents, index. ISBN 978-0-931877-42-1 $24.95 

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In the field of folk fiddling and non-classical violin playing I recommend these instruction materials:

 

Left Handed Fiddling for Beginners, book and video DVD. Click here for more information.

 

Irish Fiddle, First Lesson, for left handed playing, video DVD. Click here for more information.

Old Time Fiddle, First Lesson, video DVD

Click here for more information