How Far Can You Reach?

[thepianofiles]

I know this post has been created a number of times, but I thought I'd make another one because all of the others are either flooded with replies or inactive now.

So the question is - how far can you reach? Include your gender, age, and how long you've been playing for. Feel free to specify which hand you're saying about because I'm aware many people can reach different intervals with different hands.

I'm female, age 13, and I've been playing for four and a half years now. I can reach a ninth with both hands comfortably. As I have fingers that are very flexible the only issue I run into when trying to reach farther is that I don't have fingers long enough - my fingers are simply too short.

I'm also interested in what the average reach (if such a thing exists) for someone who has played piano for 3 - 5 years.

Comment your thoughts down below!

[bernadette60614]

I've been playing off and on (more off than on until recently) for about 7 years. 

I can reach a 10th easily and an 11th if I concentrate.

My personal opinion: This is just an attribute of my physical built.  I'm 5 ft 8 inches, wear a size 11 shoe (I dream of the day when I can wear cute shoes...they don't come in 11s.) with long arms and legs.

I also find that I am musically attracted to composers who write "large" pieces...pieces which allow me to really stretch my hand and manipulate my fingers. 

[iansinclair]

Just to give you the other end of the spectrum... 74, male, been playing professionally (mostly organ, piano since retiring) for the last... oh... 65 years or so.  Always been able to reach a tenth, both hands, with a filled chord, until a major hand injury (right hand) two years ago; can still reach the tenth in that hand, but some chord configurations now elude me...  Perhaps more to the point, though, for many works, I can and routinely do reach the octave with 1-3, 1-4, or 1-5, and 2-4 and 2-5.  Useful for fingering alternatives!

[spenstar]

I can reach a minor 10th, but i can reach a major 10th on all white keys. But I have a friend who can reach like an 11th or 12th. I'm really jealous of him.
I can also do this except for the 2-4
 

JI can and routinely do reach the octave with 1-3, 1-4, or 1-5, and 2-4 and 2-5.  Useful for fingering alternatives!

[outin]

Female, about 50, played for about 5 years in adulthood. My reach has not changed at all despite endless of exercises on and away from the piano. It is what it is and I have to modify the music. I can play an octave rather well on the left, but not comfortably on the right. Because my joints are hypermobile I can strech with my fingertips for a 9th on the very edge of the keys, but due to my hand structure it's not much use in actual playing.

[iansinclair]

Female, about 50, played for about 5 years in adulthood. My reach has not changed at all despite endless of exercises on and away from the piano. It is what it is and I have to modify the music. I can play an octave rather well on the left, but not comfortably on the right. Because my joints are hypermobile I can strech with my fingertips for a 9th on the very edge of the keys, but due to my hand structure it's not much use in actual playing.

Which only goes to show that one can play beautifully without having huge hands!

[chopinlover01]

15 and male. I can reach a tenth comfortable in both hands, and barely stretch an 11th.

[outin]

Which only goes to show that one can play beautifully without having huge hands!

How so?  

[pjjslp]

I'm a female, mid-40s, played consistently and seriously from age 4 through 19, took a break for 20 years or so, and am now back playing consistently and semi-seriously :-). I am 5'9" but have had multiple people tell me that my hands are disproportionately small for my frame. I can barely reach a ninth (both hands) and can only play octaves comfortably with 1-4 or 1-5. I can reach an octave with 1-3 but it doesn't feel very good. I am sure my hand size is why I preferred to play a lot of Mozart sonatas when I was young -- fast and even, I could do. Big, not so much.

[stevensk]

The essential question should be: How long do you keep up with practicing

[xdjuicebox]

I'm 5'9, but I can barely stretch a 10th. I can only do a black note octave on 1-4. I never really stretched though...

[georgey]

I'm an age 57 male, 6 foot 1 inch tall.  I can barely reach an 11th on white keys.

[bernadette60614]

I wonder...is there any information on how far some of the great pianists of the past and the current ones can reach?

My seats at the piano series I've attended for the last 25 years are on the first row of the terrace behind the stage, so I have a great view of the performers' hands.  Kissin seems to have incredibly large hands, Lang Lang, oddly enough, not so.