For Christmas we bought our twins a Ukelele each. They are about old enough to have a "Proper Instrument" of their own to learn and we thought that the Uke, being a small instrument which will fit their hands, would be a useful starting point.

One of our twins is right handed and the other left handed, so I am now faced with the choice of "How do I try to teach them to play?". I am right handed, but over the years I have known a few left handed musicians. One used to take instruments strung for a right-hander and turn it over so the neck was in his left hand, then play the chords and fingering "Upside Down". Another strings his mandoline in reverse order, and plays the left-handed version of the chords and fingering.

I play 5-string banjo, so it is a right-handed instrument. I would like my children to learn banjo at some point, but if Rowan has learned to fret with his left hand, and pick with the right, this might mean having to constuct a custom neck - I am capable of doing this, but would I be better teaching him to play using the left hand for the neck work?

I recall an interview with a well known jazz guitarist (I think it may have been Joe Pass?) who is left-handed, but plays the same way as a righ hander. He reckoned that his dexterity on the fingerboard was in part due to him playing with his stronger (left) hand.

I have NEVER seen or heard of a fiddle player (or violinist) who holds their bow in the left hand and fingers with the right. I am sure there must be as many left handed people who wish play a violin as any other instrument.

I have started this thread to ask for thoughts on the subject. I would also appreciate advice from left-handed players on the advantages or disadvantages of the way they tackle their instrument.

Looking forward to an interesting discussion.
Quack!
Geoff the Duck.