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Small Hands, SOS! : Circumventing Injury and Succeeding at the Piano
Abstract
Recommendations: Detach notes as needed—join with pedal. Release bass and inner voices early as needed. Insert dynamic fluctuations within a long fortissimo passage. Maximize the bass through long pedals. Use stronger fingers. Supplement action of the fingers with a forward and upward motion of the forearm. Use the thumb and fifth finger exclusively for octave passages. Omit notes from successive large chords. Use staccato touch for selected notes in arpeggio. Keep hand compact. Use “rebounding” motion. Insert moment of rest between every chord. Use the damper pedal to create a legato sound. Keep the hand pliable. Control shape and size of forearm rotation. Redistribute long fortissimo octave passages between the hands. Redistribute notes between the hands. Use the thumb to express a tenor melody. Break fingerings into small units that require more hand shifts. Refinger to eliminate stretches. Redistribute notes to eliminate stretches between interlocked hands. Redistribute notes to allow for ease in trills. Conclusions: Do not recommend exercises or devices that purportedly strengthen fingers or increase hand span. Give specific feedback. Be cautious of repertoire that contains stretches just barely within reach of the hand. Be flexible and experiment to find effective solutions to technical problems. Strive to return to “anatomic neutral” at the hand and wrist as often as possible. Take any complaint of pain or fatigue seriously. Encourage healthy practice habits. Educate students about inherent problems of small hand size. Encourage experimentation. Cultivate an appreciation for different styles of performance. Support the seven-eighth-sized keyboard as a viable option to standard-sized keyboards. Invited Paper presented at the Music Teachers National Association Conference, Cincinnati, Ohio, March 20, 2002
Previous research by the author has documented the perceived benefits of reduced-size piano keyboards for smaller-handed pianists. This paper reviews the biomechanical and physiological factors that might explain these perceptions.
Referring in particular to the work of Otto Ortmann early last century, the factors described include direct mechanical disadvantages from a mismatch between hand span and keyboard size, the resulting muscular tension and fatigue, and the compounding impacts on the central nervous system.
The availability of smaller piano keyboards combined with new technology provides many exciting research opportunities. This could help to create the momentum for a break from the ‘one size fits all’ paradigm that has prevailed for over a century.
The width of piano keys became standardised approximately 120 years ago, based on the needs of European male pianists. Only recently has piano keyboard size come into question, as more pianists experience the benefits of reduced-size keyboards.
There is strong evidence that small-handed pianists are more likely to suffer pain and injury than those with larger hands. Many pianists, particularly women and children, are unable to reach their full potential with the standard keyboard.
The lecture/demonstration will include statistics, literature review, live and recorded performances, and a rationale for encouraging the use of smaller piano keyboards.
For around 100 years, there has been a ‘one size fits all’ approach to the piano keyboard, despite the wide variation in hand sizes within the human population. Much of the literature relating hand size to piano playing is in the performing arts medicine field, identifying small hand size as one of the possible causes of pain and injury among pianists. Adopters of reduced-size keyboards, available since the mid-1990s, report relief from pain and tension, and other benefits, such as improvements in specific technical and musical skills, faster learning times, and greater comfort and security.
This paper includes a review of data on hand size in relation to piano keyboards, epidemiological and other literature relating to injury risk for small-handed pianists, and individuals’ accounts of how reduced-size keyboards have benefited their own playing. The authors conducted a questionnaire survey of North American adult pianists who play reduced-size keyboards. The aim was to explore the nature of the technical, musical and health benefits, focusing on their experiences with reduced-size compared with the standard keyboard. Finally, the paper summarises one of the author’s (Rhonda) initial reactions to playing on a 7/8 keyboard, and suggests further areas for research.
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