# What hand do I decide to play with? (Violin)



## Manok

When I used to play guitar I strummed with the right and did the finger work on the left. Would this be my guide for how to decide which hand to do what with? I was a right shot in street hockey.


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## Pugg

Manok said:


> When I used to play guitar I strummed with the right and did the finger work on the left. Would this be my guide for how to decide which hand to do what with? I was a right shot in street hockey.


I am not sure what your asking here, sport is something different from playing a instrument.


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## Manok

I was using that as an example. Which hand do I bow with? Right or left? Is it less important on violin which I use?


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## Pugg

Manok said:


> I was using that as an example. Which hand do I bow with? Right or left? Is it less important on violin which I use?


Your bow in the right hand, see You Tube serenade for sting or any string section for that matter.


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## Capeditiea

There are some left hand bows as well... though they are rare. Though as Pugg states, study. Also know your own body.


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## Taplow

There are a very large number of left-handed violinists ... who all bow with the right hand, the same as everyone else.

A violin has a very specific construction that is designed to have the E string on the right and the G on the left. Violins are not symmetrical. Inside the instrument they have a bass bar, positioned roughly under the G string to transmit the lower frequency vibrations along the body of the violin. On the right, roughly under the E string and slightly behind the bridge, is the sound post. This acts as a support, and transmits sound from the front plate to the back plate. In addition, the body and back of the instrument has been shaped by hand to have very particular properties of vibration and tone with this typical setup. Even if you were to swap the bass bar and sound post around, then restring the instrument in the opposite way, it would not sound or work quite the same.

There is also beauty in the form and style of playing, especially when playing with others. Can you imagine what an orchestra might look like if half the string section bowed one way, and half the other? It would be chaos.

There is one other thing to consider. Holding a violin is not a natural act. The position of the hands, the fingers, none of this is natural or comfortable, quite the opposite. But it can be learned. Through years of training and practice, it can _become_ natural, it can become second nature. This holds true both for right-handed players and left-handed players. Both would require an equal amount of dedication, perseverance, and training to become a competent player with good form. So if that is true, why not learn to play it right handed from the start?


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## Capeditiea

Taplow said:


> There is also beauty in the form and style of playing, especially when playing with others. Can you imagine what an orchestra might look like if half the string section bowed one way, and half the other? It would be chaos.


Great idea.  this shall be a requirement.  Second Violins shall be Left handed Bowist. 

---edited to include,

...for Symphony No. 1 in F# Major "Chaos"


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## senza sordino

Manok said:


> When I used to play guitar I strummed with the right and did the finger work on the left. Would this be my guide for how to decide which hand to do what with? I was a right shot in street hockey.


Bow the violin with your right hand, finger work with your left. You're right handed.


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## Pugg

> There are a very large number of left-handed violinists ... who all bow with the right hand, the same as everyone else.


There, as I said, would be a chaos in the orchestra if otherwise, not to mention the violin makers.


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