Advice for a Lefty Who Wants to Introduce Their Kid to Drumming

I don’t understand - you said you’ve never played, right? So if you learn right-handed, your body doesn’t know the difference. Set up right-handed and both of you play that way. I know you have a choice (I’m left-handed), but when you buy a piano, you can’t get left-handed ones.
 
I don’t understand - you said you’ve never played, right? So if you learn right-handed, your body doesn’t know the difference. Set up right-handed and both of you play that way. I know you have a choice (I’m left-handed), but when you buy a piano, you can’t get left-handed ones.
No, I've played before and over the last few years on a left handed kit. Not mine, but I've developed the basics on it. It's been awhile since I've played though. I'm definitely a beginner. But I now own a drum set and am being more serious about it. I have it set up right handed but my question is regarding whether I should be leading with the right hand now when starting fills and paradiddles, etc.
 
Is there any particular reason that one must start with the right hand when performing these on a right handed set up? Or would starting with a left stroke work? I keep thinking there's probably a good reason for leading with the right hand if I'm playing on a right handed set up.
It's just easier, meaning that the lead hand goes first. If the drums descend to the right, your right hand is always in front, so it goes first. It's not mandatory, but trying to follow the trailing hand (left) puts the lead hand in the way (right).
 
So I've been practicing playing with the right handed set up and I'm getting progressively comfortable riding and kick drumming with my right side. But one thing that seems more challenging is starting fills, paradiddles and the like with my right hand. I seem to want to instinctively start them with the left hand and I seem to have an easier time coordinating strokes when I start with the left.

Is there any particular reason that one must start with the right hand when performing these on a right handed set up? Or would starting with a left stroke work? I keep thinking there's probably a good reason for leading with the right hand if I'm playing on a right handed set up.

To me, even before i started playing everything with both hands, it never made any difference which hand “starts” a fill, etc. I would start fills with the left hand all the time, just based on what was going on with the right hand, what was closer etc. You probably just have some muscle memory from doing it a particular way and if you practice it the opposite way you can equalize the hands so that either way is fine.

Incidentally, by way of update— I can now pretty much do anything riding with my left instead just as easily as with my right. What I’ve found is that sometimes my right hand playing snare patterns actually has more subtle control over ghost notes and dynamics than my left hand ever did when playing “regular”, so I just use that new feeling of control to “teach“ the left hand what to do. But probably the biggest payoff of switching back and forth is my feet are really becoming independent of any reliance on “matching up with” either hand. It feels pretty cool.

Also, as far as I’ve seen in most method books etc, you’re usually directed to practice rudiments, paradiddles, rolls and the like, alternating which hand starts. So if you’re following anything like that, this would be a good time to make sure you’re not skimping on the “non-dominant” hand lead! ?
 
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