Doublereed Archive - Posting 000071.txt from 2003/06

From: ContraReed@-----.com
Subj: Re: [DR-L] slightly off-topic
Date: Thu, 12 Jun 2003 13:04:46 -0400

In a message dated 6/12/2003 7:02:29 AM Eastern Standard Time, rmay@-----.com writes:

> I am curious as to why the division of labor on string instruments is
> the way it is. That is, it seems to me a bit reversed that so much
> skill is required of the left hand, given that the majority of people
> are right-handed, and presumably have been over the last
> few thousand
> years.

As a hack violist, gambist, once upon a time bass player, and former middle school orchestra director, I have some thoughts on this. First, while it may seem that the left hand has lots of hard work to do, the right hand controls the sound via the the bow. Just as there are many variations to breath pressure and control when playing a wind instrument, there are many subtle differences in the bow hold which affect the sound of the instrument. There is not just one way to approach the strings with a bow, there are many, and the player has to be well versed in them all. Then there is the problem of dealing with flexibility in the hand while keeping it in a mostly fixed position. You can't let your bow hand get too tense or tired, or your sound and control go out the window.

For most people, it's probably a better idea to finger string instruments with their recessive hand. The hand you use for most tasks (i.e. - the right hand in right handed people) has a bit more muscle control and tone, hence it is a little less flexible than the other hand. One way to check this is to wiggle the fingers of both hands at the same time. You might feel a little less resistance in doing this with the non-dominant hand. There was a study done years ago by some high school student who discovered that the "Live Long and Prosper" salute (separating the index and middle finger from the ring and pinky) could be done farther on the non-dominant hand than on the dominant hand. This flexibility gives that hand an edge when having to deal with fingering a string instrument, especially considering violin and viola, where the left hand is in such and awkward position anyway. (The hand position for the lower strings is much more natural).

I don't know whether it's genetics, cultural conditioning or what, but most people also feel more natural holding string instruments in the conventional manner, and feel strange trying to hold them backwards. I've found this to be true even in beginners who have never held a string instrument before.