Hi Hal! Kim here. Thanks for this video! I first learned the autoharp when I was 8 years old in Texas, and we played it flat, strumming below the chord bars. Now of course I've made the transition to upright. Evolution in progress! I LOVE my D'Aigle Desert Rose!
Yes! I’m left handed so I automatically thought I was gonna need a left handed autoharp. But nope. The “right handed” is actually better for me. 😊 edit: I had a spinal injury a few years back that made my left hand very weak. I learned to use my right hand even more out of necessity. Now I do things better with my right hand. It’s especially weird because I started eating right handed and I didn’t even realize it. I sometimes will write right handed now, it’s not as nice as my left hand (writing) but you wouldn’t be able to tell I wasn’t using my dominant hand by looking at it.
Thank you for this video. I'm am extremely left-side dominant and have always thought I would NOT be able to play autoharp left-handed. I'm going to try learning and playing it outside the box (pun intended). My friends are amazed when I explain to them some of the challenges faced while trying to use everyday items left-handed. Ever tried safely using a skill saw left-handed?
Don't get me started. The radial arm saw and the chainsaw. I have so many things I could list. We live under the iron fist of "right supremacy " when it comes to devices. 😢
Sounds like you are ambidextrous. I have been ambidextrous somewhat all my life. That is until I hit my head giving me a concussion. After that, I started doing more with my left. Forward a few years, I'm back to being ambidextrous. I have short arms plus arthritis so I will definitely try playing upside down with the chords by my ear.
I’m left handed with a RIGHT HANDED AUTOHARP . I AM HAPPY TO PLAY DOEN FLAT AS YOUR GUIDANCE SAYSTO , RHOUGH DO I HAVE TO CHANGE THE buttons as you called them ? And you said two changes as the buttons and then change top and bottom sides. Or leave it as a right hand autoharp , and play in some position as a LEFTY . I want to play the strings with my left hand .
we sure are! We can make any of our models the other way round for lefty playing, or for right handed lap playing....in fact, I just sold one from "in stock" today. They are super nice. www.autoharp.com Daigle Autoharps
Soooo.....I am a musician who is entirely self-taught I'm left handed and I play my autoharp with the curved treble side resting on my lap...the back of the harp resting on my gut strumming from bass to treb and chording with my right hand like a left guitar almost Please advise
Almost perfect! But....when I try it like that, my button hand (right) has a sharp bend in the wrist. That's carpal tunnel waiting to happen. It can take years to develop. Playing flat, with the harp angled to take all angles out of the wrists can be better for your health in the long run, which is what always happens as people get older...their habits catch up with them and the end up having to move to an easier instrument. For most people, who were playing guitar, banjo, piano, and such, they end up on autoharp when their hands go bad (or Uke or something). But if you get bad joints from the AUTOHARP, "who you gonna call?"
I am a "rightie", and I found this very useful. I normally play upright, but occasionally tabletop for the extra amplification. But I have turned the autoharp over and use my fingers on the bass and thumb for the treble, which is awkward. By tilting, crossing over is much more comfortable playing right hand = string, left hand = chords. Thanks, Hal!
Hi Hal! Kim here. Thanks for this video! I first learned the autoharp when I was 8 years old in Texas, and we played it flat, strumming below the chord bars. Now of course I've made the transition to upright. Evolution in progress! I LOVE my D'Aigle Desert Rose!
Very interesting. Definitely something to think about. :)
Yes! I’m left handed so I automatically thought I was gonna need a left handed autoharp. But nope. The “right handed” is actually better for me. 😊 edit: I had a spinal injury a few years back that made my left hand very weak. I learned to use my right hand even more out of necessity. Now I do things better with my right hand. It’s especially weird because I started eating right handed and I didn’t even realize it. I sometimes will write right handed now, it’s not as nice as my left hand (writing) but you wouldn’t be able to tell I wasn’t using my dominant hand by looking at it.
Thank you for this video. I'm am extremely left-side dominant and have always thought I would NOT be able to play autoharp left-handed. I'm going to try learning and playing it outside the box (pun intended). My friends are amazed when I explain to them some of the challenges faced while trying to use everyday items left-handed. Ever tried safely using a skill saw left-handed?
Don't get me started. The radial arm saw and the chainsaw. I have so many things I could list. We live under the iron fist of "right supremacy " when it comes to devices. 😢
Sounds like you are ambidextrous. I have been ambidextrous somewhat all my life. That is until I hit my head giving me a concussion. After that, I started doing more with my left. Forward a few years, I'm back to being
ambidextrous. I have short arms plus arthritis so I will definitely try playing upside down with the chords by my ear.
I’m left handed with a RIGHT HANDED AUTOHARP .
I AM HAPPY TO PLAY DOEN FLAT AS YOUR GUIDANCE SAYSTO , RHOUGH DO I HAVE TO CHANGE THE buttons as you called them ? And you said two changes as the buttons and then change top and bottom sides.
Or leave it as a right hand autoharp , and play in some position as a LEFTY .
I want to play the strings with my left hand .
The brain is a marvellously complicated, complex organ--it's a biological computer!
Thanks for this lesson as I’m left handed all so I write left handed but I play sports all right handed.
This is a great video are you still making left/Right hand Auto Harps
we sure are! We can make any of our models the other way round for lefty playing, or for right handed lap playing....in fact, I just sold one from "in stock" today. They are super nice. www.autoharp.com Daigle Autoharps
Soooo.....I am a musician who is entirely self-taught I'm left handed and I play my autoharp with the curved treble side resting on my lap...the back of the harp resting on my gut strumming from bass to treb and chording with my right hand like a left guitar almost
Please advise
Almost perfect! But....when I try it like that, my button hand (right) has a sharp bend in the wrist. That's carpal tunnel waiting to happen. It can take years to develop. Playing flat, with the harp angled to take all angles out of the wrists can be better for your health in the long run, which is what always happens as people get older...their habits catch up with them and the end up having to move to an easier instrument. For most people, who were playing guitar, banjo, piano, and such, they end up on autoharp when their hands go bad (or Uke or something). But if you get bad joints from the AUTOHARP, "who you gonna call?"
@@wildautoharp thanks for the tip!
I am a "rightie", and I found this very useful. I normally play upright, but occasionally tabletop for the extra amplification. But I have turned the autoharp over and use my fingers on the bass and thumb for the treble, which is awkward. By tilting, crossing over is much more comfortable playing right hand = string, left hand = chords.
Thanks, Hal!