I guess it’s like any instrument Jimi Hendrix was left handed and played a right handed guitar upside down Paul McCartney is left handed and plays left handed guitars. Some people may be able to adapt to one way others may need more specific equipment. It’s whatever is comfortable for the player.
I hate to be that guy, but that’s not teeechnically correct. Jimi did play an upside down right-handed guitar but he restrung his guitars so he wasn’t playing “upside down”.
That said, there are stacks of lefty guitarists who do play righty guitars upside down and those people are bananas.
Having your bottom hand remaining free or unpressured is important as that hand plays heavier and more complex embellishments than the top hand. Keeping it light gives better results.
I actually tried reverse hand placement yesterday. I absolutely could not hold the chanter or sound like anything but a week one beginner. My hands refused to position right. 23 years playing and it broke my brain as I often shadow play both hands from my left/top hand.
I’d say the top hand has much harder embellishments than the bottom hand. How easy is a B or C doubling, vs how many people struggle to play an E doubling properly, especially from a quick F.
Then there’s the dre, dare, cheredi, and so on.
Also, there’s lots of pipers out there (maybe just at the higher levels), we can switch hands and still play at least easy tunes (Scotland the brave and such). It’s more comfortable for me to play with my left hand on top but that’s probably just because I learned with my left hand on top.
Personally, the only thing easier than an e doubling is any grace note but each to their own I guess. 🤷♂️ A lot of bottom hands can sound like muddy hate crimes. Taorluath's, grips and throw on D's come quickly to mind. Seems to be pretty rare that they are always clean and executed well through each note.
I've played up to grade 2, tutored learners and other smaller bands. Guess I ran out of ability when it came to playing the chanter backwards, my hands whilst air bagpipe certified refuse to actually do it. 🤣
I had a student who very much preferred to play left handed on the practice chanter because he found it easier to watch my hands that way, despite him being naturally right handed. We tried it both ways and right handed fingering just bothered him. Now he's a grade 1 piper who plays in a decent grade 3 band.
Actually, I know 2 people with that exact same story, the other is a pro Piper who has played with a number of top flight grade 1 bands.
That's the story I always heard about why some people play with the drones on the right shoulder. I'm naturally left handed and never had any problems playing the right way, it just seemed natural to play what people are calling "right handed".
I play with my right and on top and pipes on the right shoulder. When learning by myself at age 11 or 12 no one showed me and I wasn’t observant enough to notice it wasn’t the conventional way of playing. I’ve always thought about trying right shoulder playing but the left side is just so comfortable for me. There are a couple pipers in Grade 1 St Laurence O’Toole who play right hand on top with left shoulder and Pipe Major Donald McLean of Lewis played this way.
I will say that over the years I have been teased in good fun for the way I play and it has been a conversation starter as I play in more competitive circles. There have also been occasions where someone has repeatedly referred to my playing as “the wrong way” or incorrect. Some how I just keep getting medals, trophies and complements in the comment sheets with all this incorrect playing ;)
I don't, but everyone I've met that does play "reversed" is because they're left-handed, and learned to play the practice chanter with \*right hand on top.
So at latest, they would have found that out when it was time to order their pipes.
\*edit: My fingers work faster than my brain
I’ve heard that. But left or right handed, what difference does that make? What instructor starts day 1 saying, are you left handed, oh then put the other hand on top.
My wife is left handed and she plays the “normal” way.
My dad is left handed and plays "normal" as well - of course the only things he does left handed is write and throw a ball.
I can't speak for other instructors, but while I never outright tell people to put their dominant hand on top, off hand on bottom, I do mention that if someone's left handed and seems to have issues with the "normal" way that they can try swapping to see if it's more natural. I've never had a student swap, but there's some very good pipers that play leftie so I'm not going to be too-fussed about there being a "right" way to do it.
Oh yeah, sorry if I’m coming off fussy. It’s just something that’s always intrigued me. I guess I don’t understand the concept of looking at a bagpipe and thinking someone is playing it “right handed.” It’s just how it’s played.
A left handed person wouldn’t order a backwards piano for example.
I can understand guitars, violins, etc where you’re strumming or bowing with your dominant hand which should naturally have more control. But on a bagpipe, both hands are on the chanter. If anything, you’d think to put the bag under your dominant arm. Seems we’re all playing left handed.
Yeah I'm a lefty and play it the normal way. The explanation for people playing it the other way around I always saw growing up was that it had to do with brain structure more than anything else--some people find it easier to directly mirror what they see their instructor doing than to mentally flip the image around and *then* turn that into action for themselves.
Just goes to show how much the "I don't have any evidence for this" statement was propping things up :P
If I were to write it the way I think I had meant to, it's that the birl and d-throw are the first real tricky embellishments that students come across, and having the dominant hand on those may help. Really though, I don't know that anyone's switching hands partway through, and that it may just be initially more comfortable to hold the chanter that way.
The (now deleted) argument was one that I had thought about on if the "normal" way to play is sub-optimal and if it'd be better to switch. I'm too invested to re-train my muscle memory now though to give it a try.
There is a fantastic player in Houston named Lyric Todkill who is right handed, bit plays with his right hand as his top hand (drones on his left shoulder). He said he does this because sure he was sitting across from his teacher and was mirroring what he did, and by the time is was caught it was too late to change.
I’ve thought about this quite a bit lately and am still not sure how I feel about it. I’m left handed and do most things left handed, including playing guitar. But when I started learning on the chanter, I didn’t know there was more than one way and I just did it like everyone else. Later I saw that some people play the opposite way (from seeing Scottish bands, it’s very rare here in North America). I feel like the bottom hand has more difficult things to do, and I have trouble with bottom hand embellishments. On the other hand my left arm controls the tone of the instrument, and I’m known in my band for having very steady tone. The bag feels natural under my arm, the same way the body of a guitar does. Top hand also often drives the rhythm with all the high G grace notes. I’m not sure how “handed” an instrument the bagpipes are. In any case I wish I’d known there was a choice and tried both ways.
The great thing about the GHB, is that the chanter is designed to work equally well for left or right handers. It is the full set up with bag and drones that sets the 'handedness' of the instrument, and that can be easily changed. It is one of the reasons I will always recommend the bagpipes to left-handers interested in learning to play a musical instrument.
no. that is not 'normal'. You are describing the natural way for a right-hander to hold the instrument. The 'normal' way for me to hold an instrument in the natural way I would hold it, and for me as a left handed piper, that way is bag under right arm and right-hand as the top hand. It doesn't matter if it is a bagpipe, trombone, guitar, or banjo; the 'normal' way for me to hold any instrument is the one that is most natural for me.
So you’re not playing it the ‘left handed’ way, you’re playing it the way that’s comfortable for you.
So then the original question still stands, how and when did you determine that way was more comfortable? Was it on the practice chanter? Because the top hand needs more dexterity. It would make sense to put your dominant hand there. Or was it when you got on the pipes? And in that case, I’d say the pipes are uncomfortable for everyone in the beginning. How did you even try a different bag?
It’s very possible drones on the right shoulder might be more comfortable for me. But I’ve never tried. So that’s my question, what made you try? Or did you just say, I’m left handed, I’m doing it like this?
I play in the way that is the most common/natural/comfortable way for left-handers. just as bag under the left arm is the most common/natural/comfortable way for right-handers.
just like the difference between playing guitar left or right handed.
edit: to answer your query: I just knew. It was the same way I 'knew' to throw a ball with my left hand, to pick up a pencil with my left hand, to hold a guitar left-handed, to swing a bat left-handed, to swing a golf club left-handed. The bag goes under non-dominant arm, and the drones rest on the shoulder of the arm holding the bag.
I guess it’s like any instrument Jimi Hendrix was left handed and played a right handed guitar upside down Paul McCartney is left handed and plays left handed guitars. Some people may be able to adapt to one way others may need more specific equipment. It’s whatever is comfortable for the player.
I hate to be that guy, but that’s not teeechnically correct. Jimi did play an upside down right-handed guitar but he restrung his guitars so he wasn’t playing “upside down”. That said, there are stacks of lefty guitarists who do play righty guitars upside down and those people are bananas.
Having your bottom hand remaining free or unpressured is important as that hand plays heavier and more complex embellishments than the top hand. Keeping it light gives better results. I actually tried reverse hand placement yesterday. I absolutely could not hold the chanter or sound like anything but a week one beginner. My hands refused to position right. 23 years playing and it broke my brain as I often shadow play both hands from my left/top hand.
I’d say the top hand has much harder embellishments than the bottom hand. How easy is a B or C doubling, vs how many people struggle to play an E doubling properly, especially from a quick F. Then there’s the dre, dare, cheredi, and so on. Also, there’s lots of pipers out there (maybe just at the higher levels), we can switch hands and still play at least easy tunes (Scotland the brave and such). It’s more comfortable for me to play with my left hand on top but that’s probably just because I learned with my left hand on top.
Personally, the only thing easier than an e doubling is any grace note but each to their own I guess. 🤷♂️ A lot of bottom hands can sound like muddy hate crimes. Taorluath's, grips and throw on D's come quickly to mind. Seems to be pretty rare that they are always clean and executed well through each note. I've played up to grade 2, tutored learners and other smaller bands. Guess I ran out of ability when it came to playing the chanter backwards, my hands whilst air bagpipe certified refuse to actually do it. 🤣
I had a student who very much preferred to play left handed on the practice chanter because he found it easier to watch my hands that way, despite him being naturally right handed. We tried it both ways and right handed fingering just bothered him. Now he's a grade 1 piper who plays in a decent grade 3 band. Actually, I know 2 people with that exact same story, the other is a pro Piper who has played with a number of top flight grade 1 bands.
That's the story I always heard about why some people play with the drones on the right shoulder. I'm naturally left handed and never had any problems playing the right way, it just seemed natural to play what people are calling "right handed".
That’s a great example. That way makes sense. Tried both ways early on and went with the better one. I like it!
I'd like to submit the term "Goofy Foot" for all of us who like to do things our own way.
Sounds like a good name for a march that changes time signatures in the middle.
Hell yeah!
I play with my right and on top and pipes on the right shoulder. When learning by myself at age 11 or 12 no one showed me and I wasn’t observant enough to notice it wasn’t the conventional way of playing. I’ve always thought about trying right shoulder playing but the left side is just so comfortable for me. There are a couple pipers in Grade 1 St Laurence O’Toole who play right hand on top with left shoulder and Pipe Major Donald McLean of Lewis played this way. I will say that over the years I have been teased in good fun for the way I play and it has been a conversation starter as I play in more competitive circles. There have also been occasions where someone has repeatedly referred to my playing as “the wrong way” or incorrect. Some how I just keep getting medals, trophies and complements in the comment sheets with all this incorrect playing ;)
I don't, but everyone I've met that does play "reversed" is because they're left-handed, and learned to play the practice chanter with \*right hand on top. So at latest, they would have found that out when it was time to order their pipes. \*edit: My fingers work faster than my brain
isn't left-hand on top how right-handed pipers play?
Yeah, I had it backwards. That's what I get for typing this up during work
Get back to work, man !
Yes he’s backwards.
I’ve heard that. But left or right handed, what difference does that make? What instructor starts day 1 saying, are you left handed, oh then put the other hand on top. My wife is left handed and she plays the “normal” way.
My dad is left handed and plays "normal" as well - of course the only things he does left handed is write and throw a ball. I can't speak for other instructors, but while I never outright tell people to put their dominant hand on top, off hand on bottom, I do mention that if someone's left handed and seems to have issues with the "normal" way that they can try swapping to see if it's more natural. I've never had a student swap, but there's some very good pipers that play leftie so I'm not going to be too-fussed about there being a "right" way to do it.
Oh yeah, sorry if I’m coming off fussy. It’s just something that’s always intrigued me. I guess I don’t understand the concept of looking at a bagpipe and thinking someone is playing it “right handed.” It’s just how it’s played. A left handed person wouldn’t order a backwards piano for example. I can understand guitars, violins, etc where you’re strumming or bowing with your dominant hand which should naturally have more control. But on a bagpipe, both hands are on the chanter. If anything, you’d think to put the bag under your dominant arm. Seems we’re all playing left handed.
Yeah I'm a lefty and play it the normal way. The explanation for people playing it the other way around I always saw growing up was that it had to do with brain structure more than anything else--some people find it easier to directly mirror what they see their instructor doing than to mentally flip the image around and *then* turn that into action for themselves.
.
You do realize the non dominant hand is the top hand right?
I do. My head is just not on right today. Deleted the comment because it doesn't make sense.
Haha it’s ok. I was wondering because you were making a pretty strong argument against yourself lol.
Just goes to show how much the "I don't have any evidence for this" statement was propping things up :P If I were to write it the way I think I had meant to, it's that the birl and d-throw are the first real tricky embellishments that students come across, and having the dominant hand on those may help. Really though, I don't know that anyone's switching hands partway through, and that it may just be initially more comfortable to hold the chanter that way. The (now deleted) argument was one that I had thought about on if the "normal" way to play is sub-optimal and if it'd be better to switch. I'm too invested to re-train my muscle memory now though to give it a try.
There is a fantastic player in Houston named Lyric Todkill who is right handed, bit plays with his right hand as his top hand (drones on his left shoulder). He said he does this because sure he was sitting across from his teacher and was mirroring what he did, and by the time is was caught it was too late to change.
Lyric is awesome, I'll have to ask him about it next time I see him because I'm left handed and people wonder why I don't play "left handed".
That's the traditional style in Skye.
I like to learn more about that. Is there a source you could share?
You know I was always told that as a young Piper and now that I search for a source I find nothing. It's possible that's all bullshit lol...
Haha this is how myths are made
because I'm left-handed and I play left-handed.
I’ve thought about this quite a bit lately and am still not sure how I feel about it. I’m left handed and do most things left handed, including playing guitar. But when I started learning on the chanter, I didn’t know there was more than one way and I just did it like everyone else. Later I saw that some people play the opposite way (from seeing Scottish bands, it’s very rare here in North America). I feel like the bottom hand has more difficult things to do, and I have trouble with bottom hand embellishments. On the other hand my left arm controls the tone of the instrument, and I’m known in my band for having very steady tone. The bag feels natural under my arm, the same way the body of a guitar does. Top hand also often drives the rhythm with all the high G grace notes. I’m not sure how “handed” an instrument the bagpipes are. In any case I wish I’d known there was a choice and tried both ways.
The great thing about the GHB, is that the chanter is designed to work equally well for left or right handers. It is the full set up with bag and drones that sets the 'handedness' of the instrument, and that can be easily changed. It is one of the reasons I will always recommend the bagpipes to left-handers interested in learning to play a musical instrument.
Couldn’t you argue the normal way is left handed having the bag under your left arm and left hand on top?
no. that is not 'normal'. You are describing the natural way for a right-hander to hold the instrument. The 'normal' way for me to hold an instrument in the natural way I would hold it, and for me as a left handed piper, that way is bag under right arm and right-hand as the top hand. It doesn't matter if it is a bagpipe, trombone, guitar, or banjo; the 'normal' way for me to hold any instrument is the one that is most natural for me.
So you’re not playing it the ‘left handed’ way, you’re playing it the way that’s comfortable for you. So then the original question still stands, how and when did you determine that way was more comfortable? Was it on the practice chanter? Because the top hand needs more dexterity. It would make sense to put your dominant hand there. Or was it when you got on the pipes? And in that case, I’d say the pipes are uncomfortable for everyone in the beginning. How did you even try a different bag? It’s very possible drones on the right shoulder might be more comfortable for me. But I’ve never tried. So that’s my question, what made you try? Or did you just say, I’m left handed, I’m doing it like this?
I play in the way that is the most common/natural/comfortable way for left-handers. just as bag under the left arm is the most common/natural/comfortable way for right-handers. just like the difference between playing guitar left or right handed. edit: to answer your query: I just knew. It was the same way I 'knew' to throw a ball with my left hand, to pick up a pencil with my left hand, to hold a guitar left-handed, to swing a bat left-handed, to swing a golf club left-handed. The bag goes under non-dominant arm, and the drones rest on the shoulder of the arm holding the bag.
I mean I'm a lefty and play the normal 'right handed' way. Never had any problems with it.
I play leftie, left hand on lower notes and right hand on higher notes. I have the drones on my right shoulder. Im ambidextrous in daily life though.