Lot’s of good opinions here. Here is a different view – I use my left hand as an Organ player adding flavor to the song. My chords tell a story in themselves. Without the melody my left hand and my voice are fairly complete, that leaves my right hand to add more flavor. Using my left hand in this manner gives me the freedom to have a free hand to make changes. Learning four not chords is not much harder than learning three note chords if you start from the beginning. Because of my guitar background I love adding to a chord – I can’t imagine playing a “C” chord for eight beats without adding a Maj7 or a 6th or whatever.
When I use my right hand for melody I play against my left hand, it is very much like having a guitar player behind your melody. There times my left hand place with a pulse and times where I add some single notes. I come from the school that enjoys a challenge and understand we are not all the same.
John C.