Is it harder......

[randmc]

Is it harder to play the piano if your double jointed? My teacher told me that sometimes you can't play on the balls of your fingers if you are.

[sonatainfsharp]

There is technically no such thing as double jointed--however I have forgotten what the REAL name for it is.

That being said, I had a student who was "double jointed" at 6 out of 10 fingers and she did just fine.

[donjuan]

I was treated years ago for having "hyper-extensive joints," as the physiotherapist put it.  I came in because my wrists and ankles were really hurting chronically whenever I played piano or did table tennis.  Basically, she told me that some of my joints dont stop where they are supposed to, as as a result I am more prone to injuries.  However, now it doesnt bother me so much. 

I dont understand what you mean by "balls of the fingers."  If you are refering to the tips of the fingers (trying to get them not to collapse), well, thats just technique and it takes years to develop anyone's ability to play with the tips.  Of couse, no one ALWAYS plays with the tips.  Sometimes flat fingers are necessary for tenuto.

However, I dont think having weird joints should affect anyones playing.

[bronwyn87]

I think it depends where you are double jointed - I am double jointed on most of my fingers and extremely double jointed in my thumbs.

But its not that you can't play on the balls of your fingers, it just requires extra work to get it there, i suppose.  I mean, there are many great pianists that are double jointed.

My teacher has said that being double-jointed is both a good thing and a bad thing - i have problems with my hand caving in so i do certain excercises to fix it - on the other hand, the extra flexibility is good.

[zheer]

Suppleness before everything is what Chopin told his students, so i gess it is an advantage. I can do strange things with my fingers, for example i can get my finger tips to touch the upper part of my arm, hence bending them the other way.