On left-handed keyless flutes

[Tillerman]

Hello,

I'm looking to buy my first keyless Irish flute and I am having a hard time deciding whether I should go for a left-handed model or not. I used to play tin whistle the regular way a few years ago, L1 for B etc. then I moved to left-handed banjo - I'm naturally left handed and found I could frail with more precision that way.

Sooo.. what makes a left-handed keyless different from a regular one? I asked one builder and he simply replied 'the voicing' which made me feel rather dumb.

Many thanks,

Dan

[dunnp]

I dont think it matters which hand is on top so much for flutes.
My pal plays banjo and guitar rightie and flute, whistle, lefty merely because he just put that hand on top in the beginning.
You may just want to keep your normal righty grip, regardless of your banjo handedness.
It will help make more keyed flutes, sets of pipes etc. available in the future.
I think Seamus Egan plays whistle lefty but flute righty, so there you go.

[Tillerman]

The only difference I can think of is in the case of ergonomic holes, because if they're all straight then it wouldn't matter if you played it left or right handed surely?

This is coming from someone who's never played flute before.. Please forgive my ignorance

[Peter Duggan]

Sooo.. what makes a left-handed keyless different from a regular one? I asked one builder and he simply replied 'the voicing' which made me feel rather dumb.

He's referring to the embouchure cut, which you can't automatically assume to be symmetrical (in terms of right- or left-handed blowing) on a flute.

[dunnp]

I think the difference is also in how the embouchre is cut. That said I know plenty of lefty flute players that simply play righty flutes keyed or keyless.
I have a bflat band flute that is lefty and lefty antique flutes did exist but are far far rarer, I would think.
If it felt comfortable on the whistle I would stick with it. If it feels unatural (like it does when I try to play lefty than switch.
My pal cant really play my Casey Burns low flutes due to the ergonomic holes like you said.

Posted at the same time as Peter

[jim stone]

If there is no problem with playing flute in the standard 'righty' position, there is much to be said for doing so.
As mentioned, you will be able to play and, if you wish, buy, more flutes, since the embouchure is typically
cut to be played from the right position, and keyed flutes will be easier to find.

[Peter Duggan]

I dont think it matters which hand is on top so much for flutes.
My pal plays banjo and guitar rightie and flute, whistle, lefty merely because he just put that hand on top in the beginning.

Strange, that... left-handed guitar and bass now feel natural to me (despite being naturally right-handed) whereas left-handed winds feel instantly and horribly wrong (admittedly with years of experience in both cases to establish 'normality')!

You may just want to keep your normal righty grip, regardless of your banjo handedness.
It will help make more keyed flutes, sets of pipes etc. available in the future.

From my frustrations with the restricted choice enforced by both left-handed guitars and customised right-handed flutes, I'd agree (and especially if you've previously played right-handed whistle without issues).

I think Seamus Egan plays whistle lefty but flute righty, so there you go.

Yep, that's truly impressive (and there's some good reason I can't quite remember), but not necessarily a target for emulation!

[AbrasiveScotsman]

Handedness is a continuum, not a category.

You can be very right or left handed, or only a little bit right or left handed.

Those who are very lateralised to a preferred hand will show less ability to switch.

I for example am extremely right handed. I think my natural right handedness was made worse by my left arm being in a sling for several months when I was a child.

Generally left handers will be more adaptable. Being strongly left handed is quite rare, whereas being strongly right handed is common.

[eilam]

if you are at a point where you need to make a decision, i'd learn to play it right handed. later on, you may decide you'd like a keyed flute or play Boehm flute ?.......it's easier to find a used righty flute (as well as sell one).

i'm left handed.......started playing Boehm flute at a young age and those are naturaly keyed for right handed folks......

[emmdee]

I agree with Jim. Playing right handed gives you a broader scope for finding instruments without having to go down the "custom made" option. Why make life harder fo yourself?

m.d.

[Dreamer]

I'm a lefty, but play guitar and whistle righty. I tried a keyed flute a while ago but just couldn't get the hang of it. Normally even if playing righty feels awkward at first after a while it becomes second nature, but then again I could just be a conformist.
My advice is see if you can try out the hand positions before you buy, you don't actually have to blow into it so no worries about the "Questionable Saliva Effect", whatever feels the most comfortable is what you should buy after all why pay for a flute if you might regret getting the righty/lefty one.
Good Luck!

[jim stone]

I wouldn't let first impressions have so much influence, personally. Not even blow into it and we're to decide?
Maybe there's something I don't know. and I believe that a lefty can play a righty flute without trouble,
even if it feels odd AT FIRST. There's no reason why he or she couldn't get used to it.

There was a time
when I, a righty, on account of a nerve problem in my left arm, couldn't play whistle righty. This was after
years of playing. So I switched to a lefty position and was well on my way to playing well that way when
the problem went away.

If now my left wrist was incapacitated I would play flute lefty. It would take
some getting used to, but I would do it. Even if it took months. And it certainly wouldn't take months
if I was just starting out. I don't see any particular reason why a lefty can't play a flute righty from the first.
What's the problem?

[Doug_Tipple]

I make a lot of left handed flutes with left hand offset by request. If you're looking for a left handed keyless flute that sounds good for not too much money, please give my pvc cylindrical flutes (white , black, or gray) a try. I agree that it may be a problem it you later decide that you want to try a keyed flute,which are largely right handed, but most folks that play simple folk melodies are content with much less expensive keyless flutes.

[Waterfall]

I'm 100% leftie, playing flute the left-handed way:

If you are starting out, learn to play right handed. There's no advantage to playing left-handed - your fingers work exactly the same and you'll learn your embochure this way or the other - there are only drawbacks when you move on to keyed flutes.

(should've known better before learning the flute without proper supervision)

[piperJules]

I play left handed, whistles and bellows pipes too. Dominic Allan made me an "ambidextrous" keyless flute. It is a beautiful instrument that plays just as well to the right or left. He will fit 'leftie' keys as and when I feel the need of them. I learnt to play the whistle right hand on top as a child. I tried to change later on but, well, life's too short.

My pipes are made completely left handed, bellows under left arm, bag under right etc.

Jules