I am not a teacher but I am left handed. I started my dulcimer journey last March. I do almost everything left handed. For many years I tried learning to play different instruments left handed without any success so I thought I would try and learn the dulcimer right handed. It worked. The dulcimer is the first instrument I have learned to play with any success and I play it right handed. Now i cannot even see myself trying to play it left handed. Maybe it's best to low key the righty vs lefty thing in the beginning and just see how each student does with the dulcimera you have. For once it feels good to be part of the majority and not have to search out special left handed equipment.

Hi Kendra,

I'm a lefty but I play right handed. I also play other instruments; guitar, whistle, smallpipes; in every case I learned right handed. My son is also a lefty and plays violin and mandolin right handed.

The one problem I can see if your students learn a special lefty method like reversing strings, they will always have to reverse everything from what the majority is doing; such as when they learn new songs or follow tabs/videos from other players.

I like playing the regular right handed way so I can share...."here, sit down, try my dulcimer..." My vote would be to have your students play right handed and not worry about it. Lefties will automatically reverse if they need to, and for most tasks we don't need to! I will admit I needlepoint upside down and I used to depend on lefty scissors.

I will also be teaching some kids this spring, can't wait!

Hope this helps

Sue

I always felt that what we refer to as "Right Handed" playing is backwards. We need the dexterity more on the fret board than for strumming. But the reality is, both hands have a job to do, and both have to learn that job first. I don't think either hand is incapable of learning both jobs, but few people would bother learning to play both ways. If the students are playing guitar or another stringed instrument, let them continue to fret with the hand they have been using. If they are new to stringed instruments, it really shouldn't matter. It's all a matter of training each hand to do it's job. Some years back, when I had Carpal Tunnel Syndrome in my left hand, I tried a lefty guitar to see if I might need to switch. The 35 or so years I had been playing was all right handed, and neither hand had paid any attention to it's counterpart. It was just like Deja Vous, all over again.I gave up the lefty guitar idea & had surgery instead.

Paul

I think most Corry-handed folks play right handed. That way their dominant hand is doing the delicate work of fingering/notering while their less skilled hand is doing the 'grunt work' of strumming out a rhythm. I suppose if they want to learn finger- or flat-pick style, then reversing the strings would be the better choice.

I've only taught one class of seniors, and 2 of the 10 were lefties. One was brand new to playing any instrument, he just learned right handed and said it didn't bother him. The other is a long time guitar player, he plays leftie but kept the strings as is for a right handed player. It doesn't help much but may lead to letting them try what works for them.

Hi everyone!I would like suggestions, thoughts, ideas, discussion, etc. about playing the mountain dulcimer if you are left handed.I am right handed, but I have a couple of 4th graders that I am teaching to play who are left handed.My first thought.....and what I am doing......is that I reversed the strings and have the kids play with the tuning peg side facing to the right. That way they strum with their left hand and play the melody with their right hand. It seems to work fine.I decided to do it this way after turning my instrument around and testing to see how hard it would be for me to strum left handed. If you have never tried this, you should! It's crazy and harder than you would ever think! Just like writing with your left hand! Lol!Anyway, I determined it would probably be hard for theses kids to strum with their right hand, therefore my reasoning for switching the strings.Have any of you had a left handed student?What did you do to help them?Are any of you left handed?Do you play left handed or right handed if you are left handed?Should I just make the kids learn to play right handed and not worry about it?These kids love playing and I want to do what is best for them. I just wondered if anyone had any experience with this......Thanks-Kendra
updated by @kendra-ward: 01/14/16 04:09:45AM