I would love to have a reduced size piano when I have my own place and can afford it. I find playing on conventional keyboards very difficult when playing fast paced pieces or big chords, my hands are very small so my accuracy suffers quite a lot. I don't think my true potential has been realised because of the size of my hands.
@llwayneio There is a tipping point of hand size vis-a-vis keyboard size, at which pianists with large hands would begin to find it to be a disadvantage to play on a smaller keyboard. Since the keys would be narrower, large hands would begin to have trouble accurately striking keys without striking adjacent keys accidentally. I'm sure that Rachmaninoff would have found it to be more, not less, difficult to play on a reduced size keyboard.
There is absolutely no reason why the smaller keyboards should not be readily available everywhere. When they get the publicity and acceptance they deserve and smaller-handed pianists demand them, we'll see them everywhere and about time, too.
Another thing--pianos don't even NEED to be that bulky and big. Granted, the Bosendorfer is known for it's big sound, but on the other hand there are toy-piano and mini-piano virtuosos out there. EVERY piano has different sonic qualities, regardless of size. So if these big companies would just make smaller pianos just imagine a piano that u could move on your own with a friend instead of hiring expensive movers. Also, no one mentioned the ease it is for CHILDREN to learn and play.--CONSPIRACY.
blasphemy!!! totally against any change to piano grands.... keyboards - fine by me, but it's a sacrilege to change anything to the standard grand! keep the instruments what they used to be! I don't see customizing a trumpet for small lips, do you?
Hands size has really not much to do with piano playing and they're not a limiting factor. One of the greatest pianists ever Alicia De Larocha is just 4'10" tall and doesn't normally without stretching even reach an eight but plays the whole repertoire magnificently including rachmaninof. Robert Henry is another acclaimed pianist who can barely stretch a ninth and who plays the whole repertoire. Barbara Lister-Sink has 90 pound 12 year old students playing Hungarian Rapsodies.
First, you're wrong about her handspan -- it was a tenth (from an interview), which is how she could play Rachmaninoff and Liszt. It is impossible to play some things if you cannot reach an octave. You can always roll chords but the real benefit to a smaller size is in fast passages as in, for example, the 3rd movement of the Rachmaninoff 3rd concerto. You just can't hit the keys hard if your hands are contorted. It hinders musicality. Piano playing should not be seen as a technical exercise.
well... playing something difficult like a big chord has a musical meaning. If your goal is to make your playing easier, you don't speak about music anymore.... i would love to see a comment from marta argherich!
exactly, guitar, violin have different sizes. The hand size of man and woman is different, so intuitive need to have reduced-size piano for females....it is the future.
I want one of these so badly! But it's still out of reach (pun intended). :)
dupre55 1 month ago
I would love to have a reduced size piano when I have my own place and can afford it. I find playing on conventional keyboards very difficult when playing fast paced pieces or big chords, my hands are very small so my accuracy suffers quite a lot. I don't think my true potential has been realised because of the size of my hands.
itskirstybetchx 3 months ago
Only thing that worries me is that people with big hands will start using it and then we will be back to square one :P
llwayneio 1 year ago
@llwayneio There is a tipping point of hand size vis-a-vis keyboard size, at which pianists with large hands would begin to find it to be a disadvantage to play on a smaller keyboard. Since the keys would be narrower, large hands would begin to have trouble accurately striking keys without striking adjacent keys accidentally. I'm sure that Rachmaninoff would have found it to be more, not less, difficult to play on a reduced size keyboard.
jerryknuck 1 year ago
Where can I buy the song that's playing from 8:17 - 8:57?
Tictac2220 1 year ago
There is absolutely no reason why the smaller keyboards should not be readily available everywhere. When they get the publicity and acceptance they deserve and smaller-handed pianists demand them, we'll see them everywhere and about time, too.
pianofan 2 years ago
It's ridiculous that smaller pianos have not been available for so many years. It's not a one size fits all.
pookiecatblue 2 years ago 8
Another thing--pianos don't even NEED to be that bulky and big. Granted, the Bosendorfer is known for it's big sound, but on the other hand there are toy-piano and mini-piano virtuosos out there. EVERY piano has different sonic qualities, regardless of size. So if these big companies would just make smaller pianos just imagine a piano that u could move on your own with a friend instead of hiring expensive movers. Also, no one mentioned the ease it is for CHILDREN to learn and play.--CONSPIRACY.
innerpig 2 years ago
blasphemy!!! totally against any change to piano grands.... keyboards - fine by me, but it's a sacrilege to change anything to the standard grand! keep the instruments what they used to be! I don't see customizing a trumpet for small lips, do you?
X2T2X 3 years ago
This is simples physics lol
seijurouhiko 3 years ago
Hands size has really not much to do with piano playing and they're not a limiting factor. One of the greatest pianists ever Alicia De Larocha is just 4'10" tall and doesn't normally without stretching even reach an eight but plays the whole repertoire magnificently including rachmaninof. Robert Henry is another acclaimed pianist who can barely stretch a ninth and who plays the whole repertoire. Barbara Lister-Sink has 90 pound 12 year old students playing Hungarian Rapsodies.
OvoPiano 3 years ago
First, you're wrong about her handspan -- it was a tenth (from an interview), which is how she could play Rachmaninoff and Liszt. It is impossible to play some things if you cannot reach an octave. You can always roll chords but the real benefit to a smaller size is in fast passages as in, for example, the 3rd movement of the Rachmaninoff 3rd concerto. You just can't hit the keys hard if your hands are contorted. It hinders musicality. Piano playing should not be seen as a technical exercise.
aaa1232123 2 years ago 2
well... playing something difficult like a big chord has a musical meaning. If your goal is to make your playing easier, you don't speak about music anymore.... i would love to see a comment from marta argherich!
gnagnignagna 3 years ago
"But only hands small!" lol Thats great
trexxis812 4 years ago
i actually thought i read somewhere that Mr. Hoffman had a special piano made for him because his hands were not that big.
is this correct?
clem4705315 4 years ago
Yes, it is true. Steinway shaved 3% of the key size for Josef Hofmann.
glojet111 4 years ago 4
if this becomes the norm, this will definetely level the playing field against bigger hands
martbrahms 4 years ago
Not this is any of my buisness but do you make a lot of money teaching piano? curious maybe i might get good enough be one~~
PiAnOdUdE976 4 years ago
This reduced size keyboard is very interesting......
Do you imagine to Horowitz with his big hands trying to play in this piano? hahahaha (I'm joking)
Alvarordonez 4 years ago
I'm sure electronic keyboards will follow suit. My hands are fairly big but I know others who would love this. This is an idea whose time has come.
scotsmanlerxt 4 years ago 5
I can't understand why this wasn't invented before...
jesouris 4 years ago 3
exactly, guitar, violin have different sizes. The hand size of man and woman is different, so intuitive need to have reduced-size piano for females....it is the future.
daradaralove 3 years ago
i wish i could try one. :)
countrtenor 4 years ago 2
man, give me a reduced size keyboard and I will put that piano to work, it's not ready for me
PianoPlaya123 4 years ago
if i only had the money =[
zotteke1991 4 years ago
Great work, I must say.
FireIcyas 4 years ago 3
looks interesting but i only play on a keyboard (havent got room for a real piano) so ill stick to my regular size :D
mepwnu 4 years ago