Could I play a normal practice-set Lefthanded?

Henke · Post by **Henke** » Fri Jan 28, 2005 9:18 am

This is basically my question. I don't know anything about the Uilleann Pipes, I'm a whistler and fluter, but I'd love to try it out soon, maybe buying a cheap practice set to see if it's for me. My question is, as I play the flute and whistles left handed, i.e. right hand on top, and when fluting, the flute out to the left, could I play a normal set of unkeyed pipes like this? I would probably still use the right arm for the pump-thing, but just putting right hand on top on the chanter... Can I play this way, or do I need a custom made set?

Cheers

Brian Lee · Post by **Brian Lee** » Fri Jan 28, 2005 9:30 am

Usually the biggest problem would be the blocks and keys. If you don't have any keys it shouldn't be a problem. If you have blocks though, sometimes (depending on how the maker places them) you may run into difficulties. Check with the seller/maker first and see if they think you'll have any difficulties. Chances are you'd do alright though I would think.

PJ · Post by PJ » Fri Jan 28, 2005 9:33 am

It's something I've never considered, but would turning the bag up-side-down and putting it under one's right arm be possible? (Jimi Hendrix on the pipes) If so, then the only problem would be, as Brian Lee suggests, blocks and keys.

brianc · Post by **brianc** » Fri Jan 28, 2005 9:39 am

Perhaps you might want to define what you mean by "cheap".

(while remembering you get what you pay for).

It's irrelevant to the left/right question, but it's still an important question.

The net answer is that you can play a keyless chanter with the right hand on top - the blocks and their location don't matter as you've specified that it would be keyless.

Think of a baseball player who can bat left or right - he uses the same bat irrespective of the side of the plate he chooses.

PJ · Post by PJ » Fri Jan 28, 2005 10:32 am

You should check the classified on pipers.ie. I've seen some lefty sets there in the past.

Uilliam · Post by **Uilliam** » Fri Jan 28, 2005 10:48 am

Henke,ye should play the pipes as per a right handed person.I think as ye will be starting from scratch it will present no problem to ye..I could never understand why folk who start the pipes think there should be a left handed way and a right handed way??After all ye don't get that choice(and why should ye!) when ye start to learn the piano.
Quite apart frae thats how the majority of pipers play ye will find it easier to get right handed sets as opposed to left...makes sense doesn't it.Play with your left hand on top and don't worry about it.....
if ye do what you are suggesting then ye will find it impossible to play the regulators should ye choose to if ye have got used to playing the bellows with the right elbow and your right hand on top???

Slán Go Foill
uilliam

Chris Bayley · Post by **Chris Bayley** » Fri Jan 28, 2005 11:15 am

Hi Henke

Go with common sense approach given by Uilliam and play a conventional set with the left hand on top. Pipes are easier to find and you will have a greater choice.

It may seem a little strange at first after the whistles and flutes but it will feel different anyway as there is the thumbhole for the top hand, a bag under your left arm and a bellows under the right.

Chris

Unseen122 · Post by **Unseen122** » Fri Jan 28, 2005 11:22 am

It would be very uncomfortable to play that way. A custom left hand set would not cost much more the difference would be the placement of the Bellows in the Bag they would be on the other side same with the Drones and Regs but that is something to worry about later. I agree with Uilliam the only instruments that have specaly made for left haded people are picked strings, Irish Flute, and Uilleann Pipes so why only these few? You should learn the way it is usually played. If you want to do it left handed go head.

Antaine · Post by **Antaine** » Fri Jan 28, 2005 11:28 am

I also agree whole-heartedly with Uilliam. The pipes don't have the same fingering as teh whistle, nor do you cover the holes in the same fashion as whith a whistle. You will indeed be starting from scratch.

If you were picking up the trumpet or violin you wouldn't be "playing left handed" and so should it be with the pipes.

If you do a search you will see that this was discussed at length not that long back, and the general consensus was that when beginning a new instrument you are starting with a tabula rosa and should at that point learn according to conventions. Plus, it will keep you from having to have a custom reverse set made (or at least reverse keyed) for the rest of your life...

Cayden · Post by **Cayden** » Fri Jan 28, 2005 11:46 am

Hmm, I am not so sure. i have a student who is actually righthanded but plays the whistle left hand on top. I considered the options when she started the pipes and it's NOT like starting from scratch. You will have to do things differently on the pipes but once you get that in your head you 'translate' tunes very easy from whistle to pipes and vice versa. She is playing a left handed practice set now and doing well.

dirk · Post by **dirk** » Fri Jan 28, 2005 12:15 pm

If you ever want to play regulators, then learning to do that using the right-handed method may be a serious road block to you - unless you are more ambidexterous than you thought. There is likely a very good reason that all the pipe-makers will make you a left-handed set. Davy Spillane plays a left-handed set, and there are many others as well. Don't be bashful. Find a way to call or email a well-known left-handed piper and ask them for advice. You are not alone.

In the mean time, I have seen some practice chanters with symetric blocks, and just a C key that would work for you. To make the bellows work, you usually just need to twist the intake valve around so that the valve flap hinge is on top before you switch arms.

Good luck.

-Dirk

dirk · Post by **dirk** » Fri Jan 28, 2005 12:21 pm

Oh, I forgot to mention, because I thought it might be obvious. If you play the set left handed, you have to put the bellows under the left arm and the bag under the right. A bag from a right-handed set needs to be re-fitted so that the air tube from the bellows comes in from the left side of the bag. You might want to consider a new bag if you buy a used right-handed set. That way you don't have to deal with old holes that have to be stopped-up, and could cause discomfort on your bag-side elbow.

-Dirk

Antaine · Post by **Antaine** » Fri Jan 28, 2005 12:27 pm

i wasn't sure if he was talking about a hole left handed set, or just reversing the hands on a regular set...

PJ · Post by PJ » Fri Jan 28, 2005 12:31 pm

It sounds a little daft having to learn two entirely different sets of fingering in order to play the same tune on pipes and whistle or flute. I agree there are differences in fingering but personally, I find it much easier to learn a tune on the tinwhistle first and then on the pipes. Now if I had to learn an entirely different fingering, that would just be a pain in the finger-hole. I say Henke should go search out a lefty set. He'll be better off in the long run.

Ciotog · Post by **Ciotog** » Fri Jan 28, 2005 1:20 pm

Hello Henke,
I'm a left-handed player. When I first borrowed a set (right-handed) 10 years ago, I twisted the valve on the bellows around 180 degrees and held the bag upside down. It worked perfectly well for as long as it took me to realise I was hooked on the instrument for life and got myself a left-hand bag. A keyless chanter is, of course, playable by any left-hander.
Don't listen to right-handed people who try to tell you to change to their way. With music, what comes naturally is very important.
We ciotogs are far too tolerant of prejudice and discrimination. Would homosexuals or disabled people put up the patronising crap that regularly passes for advice to left-handers? I don't think so.
Good luck.
Venceremos!