This is the translation and adaptation of the original Italian article ‘Una piccola considerazione mancina’
Every now and then I hear that there is no need for left-handed people (or people naturally inclined to play “left-handed”) to use instruments suitable for them, as a left-handed person will be “benefited” from playing an instrument like the right-handed guitar (read “normal”). The advantage, common – according to many – to the other instruments, would lie in the fact that “the hand that deals with the chords does the most difficult part of the job”, therefore the dominant hand will be facilitated in dealing with them.
Facing with this explanation, two questions arise – deliberately leaving out those concerning the concept of “difficult” (a question divided into two parts, actually):
If what the musician (teacher or not) states is true, why are left-handed instruments not more widespread than right-handed ones?
If the advantage of using the dominant hand for chords (for example) is obvious, should we believe that right-handed people insist on playing less performing instruments to favor left-handed people?
I would like to specify that in most cases whoever provides this explanation (from professionals to neophytes) does not seem to me absolutely in bad faith and is sometimes more than prepared with regard to many aspects concerning music in general and their instrument in particular; simply no one (including he / she himself) has asked him such questions, following the explanation of the “advantage”.
If we want to think maliciously, the matter of the “Advantage” could be translated into: “Things go in a certain way not because changing the point of view of the majority is more tiring than denying or debasing the needs of the minority, but because the majority wants to favor the minority. “
Come what may, I don’t have the truth in my pocket, no absolute answer on my lips … but so many questions in my head.
Lefty Greetings!
Musica Mancina 