Baby with extra digits

[quantum]

https://ca.yahoo.com/s/848164

[Petter]

  Wonder if they will develop normally. Maybe hard to keep your balance with 6 toes?

[quantum]

But then again the doctors were saying the extra fingers and toes were fully developed.  Not half of an extra finger or toe.  Special shoes and gloves maybe. 

[scottmcc]

I've been saying for quite some time that a number of concert pianists must have extra fingers...turns out it's true!

[mukubella]

Inigo Montoya: "I do not mean to pry, but you don't by any chance happen to have six fingers on your right hand?"

[loonbohol]

Birth of a new lizst

[communist]

Birth of a new lizst

but i thought that was you comrade? and remember hes does not play as many Chopin etudes as you

[aslanov]

he'll be like that 12 fingered pianist in that movie Gattaca

[term]

Among the unusual mutations, that's not extraordinary. There's quite a number of cases of polydactyly. But i really do wonder why i haven't seen any pianist with 6 fingers, if you're born with 12 fingers that's your destiny...

If i recall correctly, there is or was a village in france where many people had polydactyly, they were kind of isolated and proud of that gift.


It's mind boggling 
Btw, i heard there's people with 7 fingers too.

[Bob]

Is his brain wired up to handle controlling the extra finger though?

[aslanov]

Among the unusual mutations, that's not extraordinary. There's quite a number of cases of polydactyly. But i really do wonder why i haven't seen any pianist with 6 fingers, if you're born with 12 fingers that's your destiny...

If i recall correctly, there is or was a village in france where many people had polydactyly, they were kind of isolated and proud of that gift.


It's mind boggling 
Btw, i heard there's people with 7 fingers too.

whoaaa...........wheres the damn thumb?!

[term]

Is his brain wired up to handle controlling the extra finger though?

Usually that depends on the development of the extra finger(s). Since in this case the extra finger is fully developed, as far as i know that automatically means that there is full control over it.

[minor9th]

Sorabji ought to be a breeze when he grows up!

[db05]

Wouldn't the lack of a thumb be a disadvantage here?

[term]

Wouldn't the lack of a thumb be a disadvantage here?

Didn't some famous pianist say something like "if god wanted us to play the piano, he would have made us without thumbs"? The lateral movements are in no way hindered by the lack of a thumb, on the contrary.

[pianolife]

I have been all over the internet looking for a discussion on this topic, finally found it here. My wife and I are piano teachers, more my wife than me, but I do help out. We have a friend who has a child with 6 fingers on each hand, I guess it is called polydactyly. The parents want the child to be able to play the piano and the child is interested too. We are all for it, but were curious whether there are other folks out there who play the piano with polydactyly? Also do you see any reason why the child would have trouble playing the piano? We think it might be an advantage possibly... Appreciate any tips, thanks!

[Bob]

I have never seen anyone with it.  (Except for Inigo Montoya's enemy of course.  "Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.")

When I saw this thread I was thinking the same things -- Can the brain really control the sixth finger like the others?  I'm guessing the brain is set up for five fingers.  I vaguely remember something about people moving the sixth finger along with one of the others.  Then again, the brain is plastic, so it could adapt.  

I think not having a thumb to cross with would be a disadvantage.

And someone with six fingers would have to learn how to make their own fingerings up.

[peterjmathis]

Also do you see any reason why the child would have trouble playing the piano? We think it might be an advantage possibly... Appreciate any tips, thanks!

I've never known anyone with six fingers, but I can't see any reason why they couldn't learn (as long as all fingers are controllable). The only problem I can see is that all the existing exercises are meant for five-fingered people and would have to be adapted.