Why? - An explanation of lefthanded violin playing
- Lea Hannemann
- Apr 28
- 12 min read
Updated: Apr 29
by Lea F. S. Hannemann, Senior Student 2024-2025
Introduction
“You don’t need to play the violin lefthanded, because you use both hands!”
“Where would you even get a lefthanded instrument?”
“Why wouldn’t you just play the normal way?”
“You can’t even play in orchestra, because you would stab someone with your bow!”
“Why are you disrespecting the century-old traditions?”
I hear these kinds of assumptions and questions all the time. People are confused.
Why would I decide to do something not normal and go against expectations and traditions?
I will discuss this topic in relation to different aspects and viewpoints. It will remain the task of the reader to build his own opinion, while my task is to provide information that is unfortunately not often shared, due to traditions, lack of knowledge and even ignorance.
I will explain the technical aspects using the example of the violin, but it works the same way with other string instruments.
I am obviously talking from my own experiences and knowledge. Other persons may have made different experiences.
Table of contents
Why?
The most things to do and to consider when playing the violin, are in the bow hand and arm. Everyone who tried to make a sound on a string instrument, knows how difficult it can be. Sound production is a very important skill, and a good sound is a main factor that separates a good violinist from a great violinist.
So why is it important to hold the bow with the dominant hand?
Because there are so many different things to learn and consider for the bow hand. I will quickly address the main and most important ones.
First of all: what even is a “good” sound?
A good sound is consistent. This requires a lot of bow control. The bow is heavier at the frog (the lower end, where the bow is held) and lighter at the tip. This has to be compensated with the bow arm, hand and fingers to use the same weight in every spot of the bow. Otherwise, the sound would be louder at the frog and fade away near the tip. The weight has to be adjusted in every centimetre of the bow.
A good sound is resonant. It cannot sound good for the player only, but has to travel to the back of a concert hall, without losing its clarity and tone colours. This is only the case if the instrument can resonate as much as possible to create a sound with a lot of overtones.
A perfect bow control is needed to achieve this.
How is a good sound created?
There are three main factors to the bowing, which are used to control the sound:
bow speed, bow weight and bow location (contact point). All factors are related to each other. If one of these factors is changed, the others have to change as well to compensate and balance the tone.
Bow speed means how fast the bow is pulled across the string.
The most obvious effect on the tone is volume. Higher speed results in a higher volume, unless the other factors are changed to compensate. Higher bow speed means also that the tone becomes lighter and warmer, and will sound airier and freer.
Slower bow speed will make the sound less loud, and the tone will become darker, “stickier” and harsher.
Bow weight means how much of the natural arm weight is put on the bow.
More weight also increases the volume, while less weight decreases it.
More weight on the bow will make the tone bigger, sounding deeper and more powerful, because the strings are vibrating with a bigger oscillation.
Too much weight, however, results in a crunchy sound and partially stops the instrument from vibrating. That is because the strings are forced down and don’t have enough space to oscillate. Or they collide with the fingerboard, which can also cause a buzzing noise.
The weight has to be changed according to the volume and the tone, but also according to which string is played and in which position the other hand is on the fingerboard. For example, the lower strings need more weight than the higher ones. That is because they are thicker and need more energy to start moving and oscillating. But if the highest string would be played with the same weight than the lowest string, it would squeak and sound crunchy.
The higher the position on the fingerboard is, the shorter becomes the string length that vibrates. The volume of the sound will automatically decrease, if it isn’t compensated with bow weight (and/or speed).
Contact point means where the bow is played between the bridge and the end of the fingerboard of the instrument.
The standard contact point is in the middle between these two parts of the instrument.
A contact point towards the fingerboard results in a softer, mellower, warmer tone and a decreased volume. A contact point towards the bridge will make the tone colder, harsher and easier to cut through the air.
The contact point has to shift in order to produce different tone colours, but also in relation to the position on the fingerboard. The higher the position, the more the bow has to shift towards the bridge to make space for the string to resonate.
The possible combinations between bow speed, weight and contact point are endless,
and so are the variations of tone colours.
A perfect control of the bow and the factors above results in the following skills:
many variations in dynamics and tone colours;
the ability to adapt to the room/hall in which the music is played and its acoustics;
the ability to adapt to the situation, which is very important to consider. It is very different to play, for example, in an orchestra or as a soloist with an orchestra. Both situations require very different styles of playing. In an orchestra, a “piano” in the music (piano means playing quiet) can be played as such, because if twenty people play “piano”, it can still be heard in the audience. Whereas the soloist that plays with an orchestra cannot play a true “piano”, because he would not be heard over the orchestra.
For every situation of playing (solo, with pianist, string quartet, in orchestra, soloist with orchestra etc.), the style of the playing has to change. Which can only happen if the player is aware of the considerations he has to make.
various different bow techniques. There are many different kinds of bow strokes, but it is also important to be able to make smooth bow changes, from up- to downbow or vice versa. When playing for example legato, the bow changes should not be heard.
All these factors above and many more details are what differentiates playing notes from making music. They are the way how every player expresses himself and his interpretation of the music.
And they are so much easier to do with the dominant, more controllable hand.¹
How? – From the perspective of a Violinmaker
As noticeable on the outside of the instrument, a violin is not entirely symmetrical.
A few parts have to be mirrored in a lefthanded violin. There are two options: Building a violin lefthanded from the beginning or reversing a righthanded violin.
I will describe the process and discuss the different aspects out of my experiences as a violinmaker in training, currently building a lefthanded violin.
What has to change in comparison to a righthanded violin?
Most importantly, the strings have to be reversed, which entails the following changes:
the bridge has to be mirrored
the string grooves on the nut have to be reversed
the pegs should be mirrored to make more space for the player’s hand
the bass bar has to be on the other side
the sound post as well
the chin rest has to be built mirrored and attached to the right side of the instrument
Building a violin lefthanded from the beginning doesn’t add any additional effort. The parts mentioned above just have to be considered in the making process.
Reversing a righthanded violin, however, takes some time and effort.
The top plate of the instrument has to be detached in order to remove the bass bar and make a new one for the other side. Detaching the top plate is not as dramatic as it sounds, and a very common step in the repair or adjustment of an instrument.
After closing the instrument again, the changes on the nut are made, and a new soundpost is adjusted – this time on the left side of the top plate (when looking from above).
A new bridge has to be made, since they are not symmetrical.
The pegs should be mirrored to make more space for the player’s hand. The peg holes get refilled with wood, then the new holes are drilled on the same spots.
Lefthanded chinrests are available to buy in a few different models. If they don’t fit for whatever reason, they can be carved out (if they are made from wood) to fit the player. Another option would be to ask a violinmaker to make a custom chinrest. They often do that for righthanded players, and it isn’t more complicated to build one mirrored.
The bow doesn’t have to change.
Unfortunately, not many local violinmakers have handmade lefthanded instruments available. But there are a few options from instrument shops or online, and if later on in the career a higher-quality instrument is needed, I would always ask a violinmaker for a handmade lefthanded violin or to reverse a good righthanded violin.
The question I hear, when I talk about reversing an instrument, is almost every time the same: “But doesn’t the violin lose its good sound and therefore its value?”
Until a few days ago, I could only have answered from my own experience.
But now I found something more convincing, while looking through a book with Stradivari instruments, searching for a fitting model for the f-holes of my violin.
The 'Aurea' Stradivari from 1715 is a violin made in Stradivari’s “golden period”.
“With its perfectly executed proportions, it reflects a high point in the work of this great master. Its ease of playability and incomparable richness of sound are particularly praised.”²
This violin was reversed in the 19th century, due to an injury on the players left hand.³
In the photos of this violin, that the Website Tarisio is providing, is visible that the pegs were refitted twice. This testifies that the instrument was reversed twice, once from a right-handed to a left-handed instrument, and vice versa after it changed owners.
The player was with high probability Richard Barth, who was a “German violin virtuoso, conductor, music teacher and composer in the circle of Johannes Brahms.”⁴
“…from 1863 to 1867 [he] studied with the renowned violinist Joseph Joachim. Barth used his left hand for bowing and his right hand for fingering and so played the violin 'in reverse'."
Nonetheless, he was successful as a violinist and served as concertmaster of orchestras in Munster, Krefeld and Marburg and headed a string quartet. He was also a successful music teacher. He was music director of the university in Marburg before he moved to Hamburg where he became conductor of the Philharmonie and the Singakademie and directed the Conservatory beginning in 1908.”⁵
Although I couldn’t find an auction price or a value estimation for the 'Aurea' Stradivari,
I am sure that this violin is in the same price category as other Stradivari violins, despite being reversed twice. The 'Aurea' is especially known for her beautiful sound, who does not seem to be affected from the process of reversing the instrument.
How? – From the perspective of a lefthanded hobby player
It doesn’t change any aspect of violin playing to hold the violin with the right and the bow with the left hand. All technical and theoretical aspects are the same, they are just executed with the other hand. Otherwise, all lefthanded playing violinists would have a superior left hand pizzicato – which unfortunately isn’t the case. :/
Yes, we can read the same sheet music. As I said, everything is executed the same way, just the “functions” and tasks of the hands are swapped.
I find being lefthanded rather helpful when getting lessons, because I can stand opposite my teacher and mirror her movements, and it is easier for her to show or explain me something.
I have the same experience when I’m teaching students.
How? – From the perspective of a lefthanded musician, playing in orchestra and ensembles
When I am playing with a pianist, I’m standing in front of the piano with my scroll pointing towards the pianist. This position enables constant eye contact with the pianist, if needed, while I’m still playing to the audience.
When I am playing with a righthanded violinist or violist, the scrolls of our violins face each other and we have eye contact, while both of us are playing to the audience.
With a lefthanded violinist in a string quartet, both violinists can sit on the outsides and play towards the audience. The cellist can sit next to the lefthanded violinist and the violist next to the righthanded violinist. With this seating arrangement, everyone’s sound can get to the audience in the best possible way.
In an orchestra, space is always needed. If the players are too close to each other, they get in each other’s way, even if everyone is righthanded. The most recent example is my (righthanded) brother, who got his (righthanded) desk neighbour’s bow in the stomach.
The best solution is always mutual consideration. It is often enough to turn the chair a little bit, so that the desk neighbours are not 100% horizontal next to each other. Then there won’t be any accidents with the bow.
As a concertmaster, a lefthanded player has way better contact with the orchestra than a righthanded player.
Examples of lefthanded players
Playing lefthanded slowly becomes more popular. Sadly, we probably don’t know about most lefthanded players. But on the website linksgespielt.de, some of them created a network of lefthanded playing musicians of various instruments.
Here are a few cases of lefthanded string players. Some of them are playing in professional orchestras. More examples can be found on the website linksgespielt.de, together with interviews and articles.
Martial Gauthier, violin, Les Siècles Orchestra, France
Franz Slaboch, violin, Bad Reichenhaller Philharmoniker Orchestra, Germany
Prof. Terje Moe Hansen, violin professor at the Norges musikkhøgskole, Norway
Reingard Voß, violin, Substitute in the orchestra of the Staatsoperette Dresden, Germany
Prof. Jürgen Kussmaul, former viola professor and solo violist, Germany
Jairo Ortiz, cellist in the Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional, Mexico
Hans-Ludwig Becker, cellist in the Opera Ballet Vlaanderen Orchestra, Belgium
Filip Stasiak, double bassist in the Niagara symphony orchestra, Canada
Final thoughts
The classical music industry has especially many traditions, and that’s great. A lot of the flair and reputation of classical music comes from these traditions.
But they should still be useful. If the traditions have a negative impact on the players potential and skills, they should not be pursued further.
A big part of the rejection of lefthanded players, especially in orchestra, comes from the mindset of having uniformity in the appearance of the ensemble – which should not be a factor when it comes to music!
It should be the right of every person to decide, whether they want to play an instrument according to their handedness or not. But the possibility to decide should always be given. It is also very important, especially for teachers, to properly inform themselves on this topic, before they give advice and their opinion to their students or people that want to learn the violin.
Recommendations
Robert Eibl is a luthier based in Munich with many years of experience with lefthanded string instruments and -players.
Whether you want to rent a lefthanded instrument or get your own instrument reversed, Robert is the best person to contact. https://eibl-geigenbau.com
Linksgespielt.de is a website and platform for lefthanded instrument playing. A lot of articles, interviews and recommendations can be found there. It’s the right place to get educated about this important topic.
About me
When I was eight years old, I wanted to learn the violin. I was always very strong lefthanded, even since I was only three months old. My father, who is a retrained lefthander, and my mother always allowed me to eat, write and do everything with my left hand.
My parents and I thought, it would be only natural for me to do the same when it comes to playing an instrument. But the violin teacher at my school thought otherwise and refused to teach me, if I would play lefthanded.
Luckily, my father did some research and found Robert Eibl, a violin maker in Munich who has a long experience with lefthanded instruments and -playing. He confirmed to us how important it is to let the dominant hand do the more complex and demanding tasks.
He then rented me my first violin – of course a lefthanded one.
Now, I had a violin, but I still didn’t have a teacher. But soon we found someone who was willing to try and teach a lefthanded player. She taught me for five years, before I stopped taking lessons because I made almost no progress. Then I taught myself everything, from reading sheet music to advanced pieces and techniques.
Over the years, I played in different orchestras and ensembles. From accompanying in my local church to summer orchestra camps, I tried to gain as much experience, knowledge and technical skills as possible.
Since summer 2024, I’m also playing in a youth orchestra of the Bavarian philharmonic and have an amazing teacher.
Since summer 2023, I’m also learning the cello. I am completely self-taught, and it’s a lot of fun to learn and play another instrument! I’m mostly accompanying at church or playing duets with my brother, but a future project of mine is to also play in some kind of orchestra or ensemble.
Special thanks to:
My family, for your constant support and encouragement. And, of course, for your amazing research skills, dad! ;)
Robert Eibl, for supporting us and always providing the right (or rather left?) instruments. But especially for teaching me everything about violin making and letting me be a whirlwind in your workshop! :))
The Bavarian Philharmonic, especially Jean and Marcellin, for letting a leftie infiltrate your youth orchestra ;) and for teaching me important ensemble playing skills.
Jean McGowan, for being such a great, helpful and encouraging teacher! I’m really grateful for your support!
Karoline Renner, for encouragement and helpful information.
Linksgespielt, especially Christine and Sophia, for doing such an important work of informing and educating! I myself learnt a lot through your articles and interviews.
Andrea Sokol, for making these beautiful pictures!
¹ A more detailed explanation and discussion can be found in Walter Mengler’s book: “Musizieren mit links. Linkshändiges Instrumentalspiel in Theorie und Praxis”, Schott, Mainz 2010.
² Stradivarius Stiftung (external link)
³ Tarisio (external link)
⁴ Wikipedia (external link)
⁵ Ibid.
