Subject: [Harp-L] holding harp in right hand vs left

[EGS1217@xxxxxxx]

Well, I'm primarily a chromatic player, who has 'dabbled' in diatonic play  
here and there and even taken some rudimentary lessons from some really good  
player/instructors.  
 
I'm right handed but am terribly uncomfortable holding a diatonic in my  left 
hand, so I'm like you.  It's much more natural to hold it in my right  hand, 
and not 'wrong way up' either, as some people have suggested.   Whenever the 
few instructors at conventions insisted I switch to my left  hand, it was just 
too awkward and didn't help me play at all. So I decided on my  own that when 
I do finally devote the time to learn diatonic harp (once  I've gotten further 
down the road with chromatics) ...it'll be how it feels  right to ME, and not 
what I'm told I should do. 
 
 You have to continue down your own path and not play how other people  
do...though I'm no pro and can only advise you based on my observances of some  
very good players of my acquaintance who made their own way and hold and cup  
their harps in their own individual styles. Everyone plays just a wee bit  
differently than each other...watch some of the teaching videos  on YouTube...Jason 
Ricci's, Adam Gussow's, Ronnie Shellist's (who all know,  respect and like 
each other)...you'll see  how differently each holds their harps. 
 
There are loads of other good players whose styles are also vastly  
different.  You can do a search...watch how they play.  No one's style  is the same as 
another, regardless of which hand they use for holding the  harp.  What if you 
had a left-hand injury (or a missing hand?) One would  have to adapt, so 
what's so unusual about using the other hand?  I  personally think the whole idea 
of insistence upon using the left hand for  righties is simply tradition.  
Perhaps it'll take a tad longer to  adapt some specific techniques to your style 
of playing, but it certainly has to  be better than redoing your past 5 
years...to my way of thinking.
 
 I completely agree with the idea of playing what fits and feels good  to you 
and not to follow the crowd because other players do things a particular  
way.  Doesn't mean theirs is the 'correct' way for you, and seems  to me that it 
would be more of a 'hindrance' unlearning what you've been  doing for 5 
years...and would most likely set you back and throw you  off, rather than helping.  
 
 
However one arrives at producing one's own music is, after all the  'right' 
way for you.
 
Elizabeth
 
 
Message: 10
Date: Fri, 16 May 2008 10:48:59 -0400
From: michael  daurizio <ourbellavista@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [Harp-L] holding harp in  right hand vs left
To: <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Message-ID:  <BAY107-W22DA514CCC56CF78E7A2A4B8C80@xxxxxxx>
Content-Type: text/plain;  charset="Windows-1252"


I've been playing harp about five years now  and have come along pretty well. 
I've got decent tone and some pretty good  chops,and look foreword to 
learning more and getting better. I am sooo right  handed it's ridicules and have 
been holding the harp in my right hand since the  beginning. This feels the most 
comfortable to me. my question is will this be a  hindrance to me later in the 
journey of learning new  techniques,chops,styles,etc.Any advice would be 
greatly appreciated. Thanks.  Mike
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