Chaplins Violin

Could anyone answer this question for me. I know Chaplin played violin with his left hand but, how were the strings position. Were the strings changed around? Was the high string closest to him and the bass furthest away. Maybe Connie you might know!!!

Thanks for your help

Donna Knowles

Best I can offer is secondhand information, Donna. Every book I've read that mentioned CC's violin playing declared that he played left-handed with the strings reversed. I believe that's standard practice for leftie violinists.

Connie K.

: : > : >Could anyone answer this question for me. I know Chaplin played violin : >with his left hand but, how were the strings position. Were the strings : >changed around? Was the high string closest to him and the bass : >furthest away. Maybe Connie you might know!!! : > : >Thanks for your help : > : >Donna Knowles : : Best I can offer is secondhand information, Donna. Every book I've read : that mentioned CC's violin playing declared that he played left-handed with : the strings reversed. I believe that's standard practice for leftie : violinists. : : Connie K.

What Connie said. And he played cello the same way. It's borne out in the pictures of him playing as well. See Bessy - pg.228, for example.

Actually, He had his entire instrument save for the peg holes modified for playing lefty. I am a violinist who has studied Chaplin's music and seen all of his pictures. I have also read his autobiography wherein this is mentioned. He had his bass bar, sounding post, bridge, and strings put on "backwards" (or on the opposite side of the body) from a standard violin. Also, his two films in which he "plays" violin, he uses no chinrest perhaps owing to the fact that he had a very short neck as he was only about five and a half feet tall. His cello was also modified in this way.

Dear God No! Violin is ALWAYS played on the left shoulder, bowed with the right hand. Just like a guitar is always played on the left side, strummed with the right. Aside from anomalies like Chaplin and Bob Marley, no - it doesn't matter if you are a lefty or righty... On top of this, a classical instrument is kept consistent because otherwise it would be a severe traffic jam playing in an orchestra. Scrolls every which way!

*eep it's so painful to watch him play backwards...*