The effect of handedness on spatial and motor representation of pitch patterns in pianists.

Eline Adrianne Smit,Makiko Sadakata

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0195831

Eline Adrianne Smit, Makiko Sadakata

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0195831

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Abstract

This study investigated the effect of handedness on pianists’ abilities to adjust their keyboard performance skills to new spatial and motor mappings. Left- and right-handed pianists practiced simple melodies on a regular MIDI piano keyboard (practice) and were then asked to perform these with modified melodic contours (the same or reversed melodic contour causing a change of fingering) and on a reversed MIDI piano keyboard (test). The difference of performance duration between the practice and the test phase as well as the amount of errors played were used as test measures. Overall, a stronger effect for modified melodic contours than for the reversed keyboard was observed. Furthermore, we observed a trend of left-handed pianists to be quicker and more accurate in playing melodies when reversing their fingering with reversed contours in their left-hand performances. This suggests that handedness may influence pianists’ skill to adjust to new spatial and motor mappings.

Highlights

Scissors, tin openers and knives . . ., there are a number of tools specially adjusted for lefthanded people
We systematically looked into this, namely, the effect of handedness on spatial and motor representation of pitch patterns in pianists
One right-handed participant was excluded from the analyses due to a neutral handedness score (LQ = 10)

Summary

Introduction

Tin openers and knives . . ., there are a number of tools specially adjusted for lefthanded people. The majority of tools in our everyday life are designed for the righthanded population and, in music, it is not common to see an instrument specially designed for left-handed musicians. Left-handed musicians are often using the same instruments as their fellow right handers, while they might benefit from an instrument built for them. Reversed instruments do occur more often in popular music but these are mostly limited to instruments that require different functions for the left and right hand, such as the left-handed guitar. Instruments that require similar functions and movements for both hands, such as keyboards, are rarely designed for left-handers. Jancke [1] reported such a case of a special instrument, a reversed piano—on which high pitch is on the left and low pitch on the right side of the keyboard.

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