Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Pianist Corner Gloves for playing the piano? My hands are cold...

I was wondering if anyone has experience buying gloves for the piano?

Just some plain ones which might help keep my hands a bit warmer but would still be easy to play with.

I'm thinking about the white ones that were used by the pianist in that film Gattaca (starring Ethan Hawke, Uma Thurman and Jude Law).

Would anyone care to discuss their preferred material or make or sizing?

Thanks

So far I'm considering:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Terramar-Therma...A_Gloves_Mittens&hash=item588ab6a746

I used currently use fingerless gloves. Unfortunately, I have tiny hands so it's still hard to find fingerless gloves that fit right. Thinking about getting Wristies since I've heard many musicians using them.

I used gloves similar to the ones on eBay when I first started playing the guitar because I had developed blisters during the first few days.
I am not sure they work with the piano though. Wouldn't the fingers sort of "slip" over the keys?

Turn up the heat?

I usually do about 30-45 minutes of technique (scales, chords, arpeggios, etc.) to warm my hands up before I practice my pieces - My hands are cold all the time, but this seems to do the trick - I could never play with gloves on... they'd either be too slippery on the keys or grip them too much...

Better to put on an extra sweater or two, warm socks, and shoes. If your core is warm, your hands will get warm, too. Gloves of any type will just get in the way of playing.

i play with gloves all winter ( i think i have a cold hands syndrome)

these are the best.. silk liners. they are a bit slippery but I quickly get used to it.

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Cabelas-Silk-Glove-Liners/752311.uts

they have them for women too. I also use cloth blend inspector gloves.. they are not as nice as the silk but do the trick.

http://www.utilitysafeguard.com/Glo...nspectors-Gloves/8610-Inspectors-Gloves/

i turn them inside out and trim the seams.

I also use a rice bag.. rice in an old sock that i microwave for a minute or two.. it stays warm for about 20 minutes or more.

I buy those hand warmers when i play out of the house.

Gloves won't have the effect you want - gloves don't generate heat, they retain heat. If you are generating very little, you should address that first. Gloves interfere with your playing in a negative way. They affect your touch and connection with the instrument.

This is all about blood flow. Have a cup of tea before practising. Before you sit down to play, do some vigorous "windmills" with both arms - (large circles with your entire arm). Then massage your entire forearm on both arms. Finally massage your hands and fingers. It can take as little as 2-3 minutes to massively increase blood flow and the effect lasts for quite some time. The blood flow is good for your playing as well.

Good luck.
Andy

Have you tried POWDERLESS surgical gloves (comes in a box)? It's just tight enough to feel like a second skin, has good grip, and gives you a little insulation from the cold air. Some friends of mine with hyperhidrosis and/or cold hands have tried them and say it's pretty good. For hyperhidrosis (sweaty palms), sweat tends to collect within gloves and you might need to change the surgical glove during practise after about an hour or so.

Gloves are great for powerful glissando's. Look to this video of Chilly Gonzales perfoming "Take Me To Broadway" for TV. Please watch the whole video, because the last minute is very cool. Es specially his facial expression!



There are rumors that Ravel performed his most difficult pieces wearing gloves. Girls who had lessons in the Victorian age also wore them.

It's that time of year again. I shine lights onto the keyboard - real snug.

Thanks for the reply. So how do you manage the sizing? How long is your middle finger, or what is the largest interval you can span? I can do a 10th ok, or just barely squeeze out an 11th at a low volume and hanging on to the corner edges of the keys with my fingertips/nails.

To others: I've got 2 sweaters on, and am warm. Just my hands are cold. My house temperature is 20C. It's more efficient to just spend 20 bucks on a pair of gloves than to spend hundreds extra keeping my house at 24C for the whole Canadian winter. I know playing with gloves will probably take a bit of getting used to, but many professional pianists seem to manage just fine, and for 10-20 bucks including shipping I'll give it a shot.

Golf shops have golf gloves for women with long nails. The gloves have fingertips cut off. Thin cabretta leather.

PS. I contibuted some scientific film footage for the Gattacca movie.

Wow 20C and still your hands are cold. My house 18C and in the evening 19C. 24C is way to hot! Maybe thermostats are different in Canada?

24 would be standard spring/summer weather in southern Canada during May and June (30+ in July and August). My hands are not cold when it's 24, and obviously neither is rest of body. But at 19-20 my hands are cold if the sun isn't shining on them. Some of us just have cold hands I guess. That's even after 3-4 hours of intensive practice. it sucks because when the muscles are chilled then scales and arpeggios get mushed together. Finger dexterity just seems to be significantly worse under these conditions than when it's warm.

Strongly agree about doing the windmills. What works for me is to run some hot water on the hands, dry them, then do the windmills.
I think it's much better to start practicing with hands already warm than to start cold.

my middle finger is JUST under 4 inches. I can span a 9th comfortably. I wear a man's small glove or a woman's large usually. I have found some excellent silk gloves and hand wash them with hand soap.

I think I am going to try these for a present for myself. We keep our house quite chilly.. 60 during the day. I think that is cold. perhaps i am a wimp. Wearing a hat also helps a LOT.

Surely there must be major issues with grip?

well, there are. however, i quickly adjust. I don't know that it has compromised my playing. Cold hands really mess ME up.

i play on different instruments... things don't always have to be the same for me.

My whole body is cold. My drafty old Southern house isn't very cozy in this kind of weather. I've been practicing wearing three sweatshirts on top of each other and a comforter and a cat in my lap. I warm my hands up with a heated bean bag, dried blackeyed peas tied up in an old sock and microwaved. It'll hold some heat for about twenty minutes.