"Middle" B on Anglo Wheatstone

[Ubizmo]

I'm not sure if this should go in the "Teaching and Learning Forum," but I'm putting here until I'm told to do otherwise.

 

I'm noticing that the sequence (middle) B to C# and/or back is clunky enough that it warrants using the alternate B, on the left hand. And since this sequence is quite common in Irish dance tunes, the "alternate" B is quickly becoming my default B. That is, I find myself using it even when there's no special need to. I've learned here that a lot of Irish trad players prefer the Jeffries layout for this very reason, but I wonder if many other people find that they also start defaulting to the left-hand B. This seems like a good example of the "typewriter keyboard" effect, where even though the QWERTY layout makes no particular sense, you get so used to it that you start to think that the letters "belong" on those particular keys.

 

Something similar is happening with low D, which I often prefer to play on L7 (using Coover's numbering), instead of L3. To be sure, L3 is better when going from C to D in a C scale, but since this seldom happens in Irish dance music, I find myself using the L7 one more and more. I wonder if at some point I'll just instinctively switch, depending on the key of the music, without giving it any thought at all.

[Kathryn Wheeler]

Yes, it all depends on the context of the music (and also the key) and whether you're wanting to do something else as well in the left hand (e.g. if you want play accompaniments/harmonies).  As long as it doesn't feel awkward/disrupts the flow of what you're doing, there's no harm in having a preference.  It can be nice to use alternatives to add variety too (e.g. first time through nice and flowing, second time alternating push and pull etc)

[Clive Thorne]

As far as I am concerned all the note/buttons are there to be used ! so if the "Alternate" B works for you then use it!