RayBeckerman. Broadcast Yourself. Chaîne de RayBeckerman. Chaîne de RayBeckerman. Chaîne de RayBeckerman. Is Left-Handedness a Disadvantage for Musicians? What do Jimi Hendrix, Glenn Gould, Wynton Marsalis, Crystal Gayle and Paul McCartney have in common, besides being acclaimed musicians? All are left-handed.
Does being left-handed present extra challenges for those wanting to master a musical instrument? Could left-handedness be advantageous in some respect? How do left-handed musicians feel about their minority status? These questions have been surprisingly little studied. Many musical instruments require the skilled use of both hands. Mastering an instrument takes so many hours of practice that greater dexterity in one's dominant hand might simply fade away over time as skills develop.
Researchers in Germany recently published an article exploring some of these issues (Kopiez, 2011). For their next experiment, rather than investigating musicians' subjective perceptions, researchers tested sensorimotor skills in left- and right-handed pianists. The result? References: Left Handed Mandolins - Folkmusician.