Klarinet Archive - Posting 001005.txt from 2003/06
From: "Wendy" <bosma@-----.net>
Subj: RE: [kl] Left, Right or mixed handed?
Date: Thu, 26 Jun 2003 17:58:21 -0400
I'm sure I could flub my way through it just like I did for the right. I
wasn't very good that way either.
I still haven't heard anyone who actually knows chime in about the "correct"
way to conduct. Is it just a preference thing or is "correct" to conduct
the beat pattern with the right hand?
Have a Nice Day!!
Wendy :)
-----Original Message-----
From: Christy Erickson [mailto:perickso@-----.net]
Subject: RE: [kl] Left, Right or mixed handed?
> hmm, I took a conducting class in college. It was hard. Really hard.
You poor baby! Let's turn the tables and require you to conduct the other
way around. (and pass the test) It's too bad we couldn't go back to your
pre-conducting class days and have you pass the course by conducting the
beat pattern with your left hand. Then perhaps you'll know how hard it
REALLY might be for someone to do the opposite way.
I never considered it an advantage
> that I was right handed.
OF COURSE you didn't consider it an advantage, since you are right-handed.
That was just the way you do it. kind of like
> the
> left hand on top, right hand on bottom for clarinet.
Of course you thought that was the way you do it. It's only because someone
TOLD you it had to be that way. There is no valid reason it couldn't be
done another way. Playing the clarinet puts us all but those of us who may
be ambidextrous on a level playing field since we all have to use both
hands-same at the piano or any instrument requiring the use of two hands.
I never thought of it as a choice or a preference.
I suppose you wouldn't if it was comfortable for you to do things this way
and as a student, someone told you it must be that way.
>
> He didn't drop out due to his left-handedness. He dropped out because the
> teacher was beating him for it. I think there is a slight difference
> there.
How can his left-handedness NOT be related to the fact that he dropped out
of school if his teacher hit him with a hickory switch when he tried to use
his right hand? Would he have been hit if he had been right-handed? Would
he have dropped out of school anyway? Obviously, the task of writing with
his right-hand did not come easy to him or he would never have tried to
write with his left-hand and endure beatings because of it.
I was making a joke about your belief that being left-handed is a
> handicap.
Again, it depends on the environment and the constraints and difficulties a
person may experience as a result of being left-handed.
People can make all the jokes they want but I think it's evidence that some
of those "old school ways and thoughts" are unfortunately still with us. I
would strongly urge you to "live in a left-handers" world for a month.
Force yourself to experiment. Write everything with your left-hand, put
your reeds and ligature on with your left hand, conduct a beat pattern with
your left hand, eat with your left hand only, cut your meat, use a scissors,
everything with your left hand and no cheating!
I have adapted and have never considered the fact that I write with my
left-hand as a handicap or disadvantage, except when I've been forced to sit
and write in one of those desks with the writing surface on the wrong side
for me for hours on end. I'm lucky, since I do so many other things with my
right-hand naturally. I use a scissors with my right hand, for instance, so
I've never had to purchase a left-handed scissors. I also throw balls, bat,
kick, etc... with my right hand.
Christy
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