cushion of skin at the tip of the fingers

[bjahdc]

Hi,
On the second finger of my right hand, I don't have much of a cushion of skin at the tip of this finger, which means when I play the piano, I can't curve this finger as much or else my nail is hitting the keys and my finger slids.

Is this a common problem?  What can I do about this problem?  I feel like this is such a hinderance to me being able to play well! (especially in fast pieces where the second finger is used).

Thanks.

[debussy symbolism]

Greetings.

Do you have long nails? Maybe cutting back on the nail length will help.

[pianohenry]

yep, theres only one thing you can do about it i think..

youre gonna have to have plastic surgery for your finger. i knew someone who had to have that once. it went wrong and they had to amputate his finger.

[bjahdc]

Greetings.

Do you have long nails? Maybe cutting back on the nail length will help.

No, i don't have long nails.  I cut the nails as close to the skin as possible.  Which means the other 9 fingers are ok when I do this, but with the second finger on the right hand, even though I'm cutting as close to the skin as possible, there isn't a much of a buffer of skin between the nail of my second finger and the piano!

[debussy symbolism]

yep, theres only one thing you can do about it i think..

youre gonna have to have plastic surgery for your finger. i knew someone who had to have that once. it went wrong and they had to amputate his finger.

Plastic surgery? What for. Anyways, you could always eat alot of sweets and foods full of carbohydrates and fat. That way you get weight, and the fingers also get weight. Cushion problem solved. Although your fingers will not have the same freedom in between the black notes, but as long as you don't get too much fat that shouldn't be a problem. I don't see how finger nail length can really be an issue. Just cut the nails so that they don't cover the whole cushion. That should solve the problem.

[debussy symbolism]

No, i don't have long nails.  I cut the nails as close to the skin as possible.  Which means the other 9 fingers are ok when I do this, but with the second finger on the right hand, even though I'm cutting as close to the skin as possible, there isn't a much of a buffer of skin between the nail of my second finger and the piano!

Oh, it might be that your fingers are too curved when you play. Sometimes such things come up, and whilst your other fingers play as intended, your other second finger curves to the point that you are hitting notes with the nails. Watch out for that. Make sure that your fingers are curved, but at the same time the skin is playing. The skin should be touching the keyes not the nails.

[bjahdc]

I was reading a biography of Prokofiev and I learned that Prokofiev thought his mother wasn't a good pianist at all....one of the reasons he cited was because his mother did not have a cushion of skin between her nails and the piano keys. So I basically have the same problem as his mother, except only on the second finger.

[debussy symbolism]

I was reading a biography of Prokofiev and I learned that Prokofiev thought his mother wasn't a good pianist at all....one of the reasons he cited was because his mother did not have a cushion of skin between her nails and the piano keys. So I basically have the same problem as his mother, except only on the second finger.

Nonesense. Finger differences do not play a role in playing as it is not the hand that learns, but the brain. The hand differences I think do not add in to playing the piano.

[bjahdc]

Nonesense. Finger differences do not play a role in playing as it is not the hand that learns, but the brain. The hand differences I think do not add in to playing the piano.

i find hand differences make a difference. on my left hand, i don't have this problem, but on the right hand, the stupid second finger always trips me up b/c I cannot curve it properly or else my nail is hitting they key and my finger slips!

[debussy symbolism]

i find hand differences make a difference. on my left hand, i don't have this problem, but on the right hand, the stupid second finger always trips me up b/c I cannot curve it properly or else my nail is hitting they key and my finger slips!

Do you study with a teacher? Perhaps she can assess your problem. Sometimes, the problems aren't real problems, but are made real in the mind. I really haven't encountered your situation before, but I am certain that your problem can be fixed. If it wouldn't be too much of a trouble, perhaps you can provide us with a picture of your hands and a picture of your hand in a position that causes you to slip.

[infectedmushroom]

I think you just have to take things like they are... Just live with it!


And when I look at a Pianist like Horowitz; could he curve his fingers properly!? Not really if you ask me!

[debussy symbolism]

I think you just have to take things like they are... Just live with it!


And when I look at a Pianist like Horowitz; could he curve his fingers properly!? Not really if you ask me!

There are many pianists with hand differences. Everyone potentially has a different hand and fingers. Does that in any way contribute to playing? No. That is where the brain comes in.

[bjahdc]

Do you study with a teacher? Perhaps she can assess your problem. Sometimes, the problems aren't real problems, but are made real in the mind. I really haven't encountered your situation before, but I am certain that your problem can be fixed. If it wouldn't be too much of a trouble, perhaps you can provide us with a picture of your hands and a picture of your hand in a position that causes you to slip.

I'll try to post a pic of my fingers as soon as I get hold of a digital camera. No, unfortunately I'm not studying with a teacher right now. My previous teachers before never noticed this problem. Maybe they noticed but didn't say anything to me so that I don't get discouraged...I don't know.
Thanks for your input.  I'll try to post the picture soon!

[debussy symbolism]

I'll try to post a pic of my fingers as soon as I get hold of a digital camera. No, unfortunately I'm not studying with a teacher right now. My previous teachers before never noticed this problem. Maybe they noticed but didn't say anything to me so that I don't get discouraged...I don't know.
Thanks for your input.  I'll try to post the picture soon!

There is your answer. If your teachers didn't say anything then most likely, it wasn't a problem. You could always ask your previous teacher if she noticed anything.

[bjahdc]

I'm never going to be able to play like Martha Argerich.....(sigh).

[debussy symbolism]

I'm never going to be able to play like Martha Argerich.....(sigh).

Because of finger differences? It isn't the finger. It is how you approach music. Things such as finger and hand differences do not attribute to playing. Does anyone else agree or disagree on this?

[pita bread]

Hi,
On the second finger of my right hand, I don't have much of a cushion of skin at the tip of this finger, which means when I play the piano, I can't curve this finger as much or else my nail is hitting the keys and my finger slids.

Is this a common problem?  What can I do about this problem?  I feel like this is such a hinderance to me being able to play well! (especially in fast pieces where the second finger is used).

Thanks.

Lucky you, only having it on your second finger. I have that on all of my fingers.

[bjahdc]

Lucky you, only having it on your second finger. I have that on all of my fingers.

You're finding that this is a problem too?? 

Do you have any techniques to help you overcome this problem?

I was playing a Mozart sonata and I couldn't play a few bars cleanly because of the second finger and its lack of cushion!

[pita bread]

Actually I don't find it to be a problem at all in passagework. I practice my finger technique with the curved fingers regardless of my nails striking the keys, but I play with my fingers almost flattened with a slight arc, keeping the knuckles as the highest point. That way, I touch the keys with the fleshy part of my fingertips.

However, I have an unavoidable habit of smashing the edges of my thumbnails in octave playing, particularly when I'm voicing to the thumb.

[pianohenry]

stop blaming your pianistic problems on your fingers!!

you can overcome them!

my fingers are slightly crooked because i used to click my knuckles too much, i regret it now but i havent given up playing the piano because of it. in fact, i dont think i can stop playing now, because its good for my hands, flexibility and stuff. maybe if i stop playing the piano, i will eventually get arthritis because they are weak, not flexible and stuff.

just keep working on ways you can get around your problem. the eating fatty foods was a good idea i think but you might end up becoming obese before you notice a huge difference in your fingers.

[rc]

stop blaming your pianistic problems on your fingers!!

I agree.  What choice do you have but to learn to work around it.  Work WITH it actually, you have to work with your body, adapt and make it work for you.

When I hear about this I think of people like Django Reinhardt, the guitarist whose had was mangled as a kid but he learned to play incredibly anyways - he only has two fingers he can use for his fretting hand!  Mind you, he wasn't playing other peoples music.

Tony Iommi as well, the guitarist for Black Sabbath, lost two fingertips.  He made some fake fingertips and kept on playing.  Not being able to feel his instrument must be weird, but he doesn't care, he wants to make music.

There's also Robert Casadesus, I've heard his fingers are too fat to fit between the black keys.  He didn't let that slow him down.

So basically what you have to do is strengthen your resolve, and firmly determine that you won't let it slow you down at all in making music.  Once you decide that, it will not be a problem.