Play Autoharp lap-style left-handed?

Subject: Play Autoharp lap-style left-handed?
From: icon
Date: 09 Feb 09 - 09:42 AM

I'm taking up the autoharp (OS 21-chord) late in life; no intention to perform in public, just with the guitarist son for the grandchildren, probably. Is there any reason why I (right-handed) shouldn't learn to play lap-style, playing the strings with the left hand and the buttons with the right? At least I'd be able to see which buttons I was mis-hitting! Also, my right hand being stronger is more likely to keep the strings properly damped....

Subject: RE: Play Autoharp lap-style left-handed?
From: Bill D
Date: 09 Feb 09 - 10:13 AM

Nope...no reason at all not to do that. As long as it feels comfortable, that will work fine. It 'may' take awhile for the left hand to do fancier stuff, but the basic strums will be easy.

Subject: RE: Play Autoharp lap-style left-handed?
From: icon
Date: 09 Feb 09 - 10:27 AM

Thanks, Bill D - that's a reassuring (and rapid!) response.

Subject: RE: Play Autoharp lap-style left-handed?
From: wysiwyg
Date: 09 Feb 09 - 10:30 AM

I play tabletop. Being a righty, I turn mine upside down. No reason you can't play it as described.

~S~

Subject: RE: Play Autoharp lap-style left-handed?
From: GUEST
Date: 09 Feb 09 - 10:32 AM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ewfhy9R90u4

Subject: RE: Play Autoharp lap-style left-handed?
From: icon
Date: 09 Feb 09 - 11:12 AM

Thanks GUEST, that clip is brilliant, of course, though he's got it "upside down" and playing the strings "below the buttons", whereas I'm proposing to keep the bass strings near me, for the stronger bass end thumb strum.
Perhaps a bit more experimenting is called for before I get set in my ways. Though I don't want to keep moving the chords around too much (those springs sure do move fast when you're not looking....)

Subject: RE: Play Autoharp lap-style left-handed?
From: Dan Schatz
Date: 09 Feb 09 - 12:51 PM

That's the genius of Kilby Snow. It allows him a lot of control on those slides that you hear - playing completely open on a chromatic 'harp. GUEST beat me to it - I was going to point you to him.

Dan