Clammy keyboard syndrome. UK.

[richardhaynes]

I got assaulted last night by a clammy keyboard. The weather in England is very warm and humid at the moment. I was  playing in an 11th century stone built church. Bach partita ok. Romantic repertoire difficult. Poulenc improvisational novelettes near disastrous. I have dry hands and I wasn't nervous.  Keyboard mobility was a nightmare everything that wasn't simple vertical movement had to be double-checked. I am always very accurate and have literally never played so many wrong notes in my life. I kept smiling and the show went on.

Can anyone suggest an easy fix for this
Sprays, surgical dressings on fingertips, whatever ?

[thalbergmad]

I think the answer is not to play in 11th century churches.

I have had this problem before, but have never found a solution.

Thal

[lostinidlewonder]

10th century churches are worse by far!

[franzliszt2]

England is awfully humid at the moment, I'm finding it really hard to practice.


I don't think there is a solution to the situation you described. Just put it down to experience

[thalbergmad]

England is awfully humid at the moment

It is indeed, and this did not bode well for my weekly game of snooker. However, thanks to a tin of "Cueglide" i was able to play with some comfort. One of my snooker buddies actually covers his cue with cigarette ash to get a smooth action.

I wonder if this would work on piano keys??

Thal

[Bob]

Was it the mechanism or the surface of the keys?  Or both?

[richardhaynes]

It was the surface of the keys. The effect is one of extra drag on any sliding or even rotating movement. Movements between black keys that depend on smooth, easy, dry sliding are very difficult. Even hymn tunes become difficult. Currently humidity is 62% at 20 C but I think it was worse a few days ago.

My favourite theory is instantaneous molecular condensation at the point of finger contact. I favour this idea because I can't see any other explanation for the persistence of the problem on an instrument which is stable at room temperature. If the keys were actually wet then they would be MORE slippery I would have thought. Clammy, sticky, slow: feels like a mixture of dry and wet. Or, that theory could be rubbish.

[Bob]

Some people use powder.  I still have to get some.  From what I hear, there is somethign called "Monkey Ass" powder that is like oderless baby powder.  That's the name.  Something like that.  I want to get some just to experiment with it and see how it dries out the fingers. 

If that's the environment, you're stuck with it.  You can ask to have the weather in the performance space controlled, if they will attempt and actually do that. 

The dust on the hands sounds interesting to me though.  Whenever I can get up the nerve to ask "Where do you keep your Monkey Ass powder?" and tell them I want it for piano and not for riding a bike or something like that.  Haha.

[general disarray]

Some people use powder. 

Lots of people use powder.  What else would work with high humidity?  Lightly dust it over the keys.  You guys who b*tch about 60 per cent RH in the UK know nothing about humidity.  Try the tropics.