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Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 80
Full Member
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Full Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 80 |
My theory is that small hands are generally more powerful than big hands. Try this: -Find a table -place your thumb and 4th finger about 10cm apart on it -Using wrist motion, play a tremelo with these 2 fingers -Now bring these 2 fingers much closer together, say, 2cm apart, and try the tremelo again. The second time is much less powerful, which shows that the hand is more powerful when expanded. Small-handed people must expand their hands more to play what big-handed people play, meaning they can do it with more power! Bottom line: Stop ya bitchin' and play! 
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Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 1,278
1000 Post Club Member
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1000 Post Club Member
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 1,278 |
Hi. I can reach from C to Fis, and almost never I found that so needed that small hands people can't play it. Of course, it is a lot easier when you have big hands. But it is not impossible when you have small. Please, take a look at Mikhail Pletnev. He has a very very small hands. And yet, his playing is amazing! Don't be discouraged.  Listen to him more, and find out how he decides to play stretches that he can't.
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Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 4,352
4000 Post Club Member
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4000 Post Club Member
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 4,352 |
Blues and Boogie-Woogie piano teacher.
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Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 4,352
4000 Post Club Member
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4000 Post Club Member
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 4,352 |
Originally posted by John v.d.Brook: [qb] Or you could replace your keyboard with one which fits your hand better. See: http://www.steinbuhler.com/index.html It's a weird feeling at first, but historically, harpsichords and pianofortes had smaller octave spans than today's modern grands.
Their keys are narrower than full size "Grand" keys, and will give you an inkling of what a Steinbuhler-modified piano would be like.
The problem with the Steinbuhler approach is that just about every piano you might come in contact with will not be Steinbuhler equipped. They will have regular-sized keys, so you would not be able to play the same on them.
A much more practical suggestion is to work on stretching your hands. There are two approaches to this, and both can be used simultaneously.
First, gentle stretching expercises (emphasis on gentle) can work wonders. Several of my students have increased their span using them. The Alfred Adult comprehensive piano course has a few pages on this in the first section.
Second, there are piano exercises specifically designed to "stretch" the hand, by working on increasing the span between specific fingers.
Joseffy has some, as does Pischna. (Both are advanced technique exercise books).
One caution...If you do not have a qualified piano teacher that is well-versed in technique training, (it is amazing how many are not), I advise finding one who is to help you with proper usage of those books.
Best wishes
Blues and Boogie-Woogie piano teacher.
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Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,166
1000 Post Club Member
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1000 Post Club Member
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,166 |
I really would'nt reccomend the 1st option. What if you choose to be a pianist, you would struggle playing octaves on a normal piano and that would make matters worse.
As rocket said, it's very important to have a teacher who is well versed in technical training so no matter what problem a student has, they will know what to do about it.
Mastering:Chopin Etudes op.10 nos.8&12 and op.25 no.1, Chopin Scherzo no.4 in E major op.54, Mozart Sonata in B flat major K.333& Khachaturian Toccata
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 855
500 Post Club Member
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500 Post Club Member
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 855 |
Just to get maximum stretch, I have some posts that illustrate how to do the stretches for the 4th-5th fingers (put thumb on wood below the keys, and play 4th finger on middle 'F', then 5th finger on 'C' above that. Go chromatically up the keyboard using this perfect fourth stretching exercise). The diminished seventh chord stretch can be found somewhere amongst my posts if you do a search. It will help to give you power within your own reach and slightly stretch the span over time.
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