! Small FAT Hands/Palms & SHORT Fingers vs. Long T-H-I-N Fingers-Power or Grace?

[pianoplayerstar]

Pianists,

Have any of you noticed it REQUIRES MORE WORK for Long Thin Fingers to play FORTE, than for those with Short FAT Fingers?

... and vice versa, for those with short FAT Fingers and Digits, is it more difficult to play PIANISSIMO notes?

I know Barenboim's playing and Lang Lang's playing is quite different.

How do short, fat fingers (large or small Palms) compensate for piano & forte?  And how do long thin fingered pianists compensate for the same?

"Practice" may be the answer, however, how have been YOUR EXPERIENCES?

Your input is always well appreciated.
pps

[georgey]

Pianists,

Have any of you noticed it REQUIRES MORE WORK for Long Thin Fingers to play FORTE, than for those with Short FAT Fingers?

... and vice versa, for those with short FAT Fingers and Digits, is it more difficult to play PIANISSIMO notes?

I know Barenboim's playing and Lang Lang's playing is quite different.

How do short, fat fingers (large or small Palms) compensate for piano & forte?  And how do long thin fingered pianists compensate for the same?

"Practice" may be the answer, however, how have been YOUR EXPERIENCES?

Your input is always well appreciated.
pps

I have fat-skinny and long-short fingers.  I find it difficult to play loud and soft at the same time for a given note.  Other pianists have reported similar problems.    Just kidding!!!!

In Internet slang, a troll (/ˈtroʊl/, /ˈtrɒl/) is a person who sows discord on the Internet by starting arguments or upsetting people, by posting inflammatory,[1] extraneous, or off-topic messages in an online community (such as a newsgroup, forum, chat room, or blog) with the deliberate intent of provoking readers into an emotional response[2] or of otherwise disrupting normal on-topic discussion,[3] often for their own amusement.

I didn't intend to be a troll.  Sorry about that. I voted for "Fat and short fingers" in you poll to show that "Less Effort Needed or More Effort to Play FORTE vs. PIANISSIMO?".  Good poll!

[stevensk]

-Its not about fingers, its all about motivation and hard work!

[georgey]

I have fat-skinny and long-short fingers.  I find it difficult to play loud and soft at the same time for a given note.  Other pianists have reported similar problems.    Just kidding!!!!

In Internet slang, a troll (/ˈtroʊl/, /ˈtrɒl/) is a person who sows discord on the Internet by starting arguments or upsetting people, by posting inflammatory,[1] extraneous, or off-topic messages in an online community (such as a newsgroup, forum, chat room, or blog) with the deliberate intent of provoking readers into an emotional response[2] or of otherwise disrupting normal on-topic discussion,[3] often for their own amusement.

I didn't intend to be a troll.  Sorry about that. I voted for "Fat and short fingers" in your poll to show that "Less Effort Needed or More Effort to Play FORTE vs. PIANISSIMO?".  Good poll!

Just to reemphasize my final edited thoughts on this.

Also, I agree with Stevensk's prior post: -Its not about fingers, its all about motivation and hard work!

[pjjslp]

MY EXPERIENCES has been that I have only ever played piano with my own actual fingers, therefore I can't compare the ease of playing with other fingers.

Yawn.

[georgey]

MY EXPERIENCES has been that I have only ever played piano with my own actual fingers, therefore I can't compare the ease of playing with other fingers.

Yawn.

Excellent!  No yawn!  Great point!!!  I thought about putting heavy rings on my fingers to test having fat fingers, but the rings would not fit between the black keys.  I also thought about putting guitar picks on my fingers (the kind that fit on your fingers) to extend my finger length to see how it would feel to have long skinny fingers, but I think the picks would not have enough friction and would slide around on the keys.   Don’t forget to take the poll!

[outin]

-Its not about fingers, its all about motivation and hard work!

In reality it's about both.

As it happens I have played with different hands once. I had a medical condition a couple of years ago when my hands and fingers swell. They were  very fat. It was a revelation for me, because it was easier to play with a good tone. My fingers of course weren't any shorter, but they were fatter and sturdier. So instead of having small thin hands I had small fat hands
My own fingers are hypermobile, flexible but unstable. It lasted for a few days and then was back to normal. So fingers and hand shape does matter, but still one has to do with whatever one has...

[dcstudio]

In reality it's about both.

As it happens I have played with different hands once. I had a medical condition a couple of years ago when my hands and fingers swell. They were  very fat. It was a revelation for me, because it was easier to play with a good tone. My fingers of course weren't any shorter, but they were fatter and sturdier. So instead of having small thin hands I had small fat hands
My own fingers are hypermobile, flexible but unstable. It lasted for a few days and then was back to normal. So fingers and hand shape does matter, but still one has to do with whatever one has...

I compressed a nerve in my right arm once and I was unable to lift my hand. It was like my wrist stoppd working.  I too had a revelation. I learned how to play from my shoulder and forearm instead of tightening my wrist. I also learned how to walk a bass line with my left hand and even take a lh solo.

I have the long tapering fingers that comfortably stretch to a 10th. I had a teacher at UNT who had stubby little fat fingers but totally rocked. Hand size matters only if you let it. Where there's a will there's a way. 

I have heard so many people claim that their hand size prevented them from reaching their goal of being a concert pianist.--it's a cop out 99% of the time. 

[outin]

I compressed a nerve in my right arm once and I was unable to lift my hand. It was like my wrist stoppd working.  I too had a revelation. I learned how to play from my shoulder and forearm instead of tightening my wrist. I also learned how to walk a bass line with my left hand and even take a lh solo.

I have the long tapering fingers that comfortably stretch to a 10th. I had a teacher at UNT who had stubby little fat fingers but totally rocked. Hand size matters only if you let it. Where there's a will there's a way.  

I have heard so many people claim that their hand size prevented them from reaching their goal of being a concert pianist.--it's a cop out 99% of the time.  

Short stubby fingers are not the worst, I can assure you.

Yes, where there's a will there's a way (usually) but that does not change the fact that some ways are much easier. My theory is that those who so strongly try to deny the importance of one's genetic make up are mostly those who have a good one and feel a need to stress the effort part for some reason...makes them feel better about themselves I guess. Rarely heard any pianist with really small hands or a handicap of some sort say it made no difference. They may have overcome their problem, but some just got the same result easier. Those who have good piano hands simply have no idea what it takes... Life never was fair.

[dcstudio]

I didn't mean that it doesn't make a difference of course it does.  You have obviously tried to do your best to overcome it...You keep going don't you? Some people just give up and then spend the rest of their lives telling people that it was their small hands prevented them from world wide recognition as a pianist. 

[outin]

I didn't mean that it doesn't make a difference of course it does.  You have obviously tried to do your best to overcome it...You keep going don't you? Some people just give up and then spend the rest of their lives telling people that it was their small hands prevented them from world wide recognition as a pianist. 

I don't think my hands are the biggest obstacle for me becoming a recognized pianist 

But I see what you mean. There's just this myth you keep hearing that nothing else matters than what you do. Which no research supports. It's the same with memory, btw. I know people with remarkable memory for any random details that they just always had without any practice. Things like that don't make you a great pianist, but they can certainly help.

But anyway, I am still taking lessons and practicing with varying results

[quantum]

I've had a number of teachers with small hands, and there has not been a single instance in which they used it as an excuse.  They acknowledged their hand size but then demonstrated how to make music with what they had. 

While hand size may make certain types of music advantageous and others not so much, it should not stop a person from creating music. 

[dcstudio]

I don't think my hands are the biggest obstacle for me becoming a recognized pianist 

I don't think hand size has ever been a deciding factor for anyone who seriously pursues this. I used to believe that if I attained a certain level or if I was able to play "perfectly" that world wide recognition would just happen. Lol.  There are so many factors in determining which musicians are successful on stage or in the recording studio.  Talent is not at the top of that list either.

[pianoplayerstar]

the problem is with short hands it is impossible to play Liszt or Chopin's Fantasie Impromptu... with that limitation however, one would have to figure something out... and once she does, the pianism will probably sound better than ANY concert pianist.

why?  because, jumping through hurdles and obstacles of life often helps create a greater result.

hardship often breeds success.

[themeandvariation]

platitudinous doesn't go far enough to describe…

Have you played even one piece by Liszt or the impromptu you just mentioned?  Please respond!

If not, it is an indication of a theme with your posts.

STOP         STOP         REALLY STOP!

We cannot provide the special attention needed for you to overcome this obsession.
Please, Stop!

[georgey]

Pianoplayerstar:  We are all trying to figure out who you are.  My concern is that you are intentionally playing games for your own amusement at the expense of others.  Here is just one example that leads me to my suspicion:

Here is your poll question here.  IT DOES NOT MAKE ANY SENSE.  (I voted for fat fingers by the way.)

* Large Palms, Short Fingers VS. Long Thin Fingers: Less Effort Needed or More Effort to Play FORTE vs. PIANISSIMO? *

FAT and Short Fingers - 2 (100%)
Long Thin Digits Fingers - 0 (0%)

If I vote for “Fat and Short fingers”, am I saying I have Fat and Short fingers?  Am I saying I want fat and short fingers?  Am I saying that MORE effort is needed to play with fat and short fingers?   Am I saying that LESS effort is needed to play with fat and short fingers?  Many of your polls are like this.  They don’t make any sense.  So does much of your writing not make ANY sense.   Is this all just a big joke??

[pianoplayerstar]

Liszt and Chopin require sometimes more than an octave's reach... this is not easy for many.

[dcstudio]

Trollbuster where are you?

[vaniii]

Trollbuster where are you?

Indeed

[adodd81802]

the problem is with short hands it is impossible to play Liszt or Chopin's Fantasie Impromptu... with that limitation however, one would have to figure something out... and once she does, the pianism will probably sound better than ANY concert pianist.

why?  because, jumping through hurdles and obstacles of life often helps create a greater result.

hardship often breeds success.

What planet are you on? Anybody with short hands... what does that even mean... That fact is, if you can reach an octave, you can play anything, you can break up anything above an octave, or compensate with other notes, nobody are going to hang you for it.

Your questions while logically can sit in a forum, are really a waste of anybody's productive time, these questions do not help the progress of anybody.


If you're really desperate you can build your own piano that works perfectly for your hands, so you do not need to bombard forums with these trivial questions.

[pianoplayerstar]

.. i'm wondering how some of you overcame certain hurdles with long thin fingers.... or short fingers?

[pjjslp]

.. i'm wondering how some of you overcame certain hurdles with long thin fingers.... or short fingers?

I have short fingers and have not yet overcome the hurdle of being unable to reach more than a ninth.

Seriously, why are you doing this?! Better question, why am I responding and therefore implicitly encouraging you? Back to the piano I go....

[pianoplayerstar]

I'm just interested in some of you who overcame these obstacles and how and what you did


I don't know Barenboim personally nor de larocha.... So I can't ask them

[flashyfingers]

In reality it's about both.

As it happens I have played with different hands once. I had a medical condition a couple of years ago when my hands and fingers swell. They were  very fat. It was a revelation for me, because it was easier to play with a good tone.

So when someone tells me I have a good tone, they are calling me fat?

[flashyfingers]

btw, what about normal fingers and a wide palm. Double-jointed/flexible or no?

post pictures of our hands?

[outin]

So when someone tells me I have a good tone, they are calling me fat?

It's only the fingers of course!
For some reason no matter how much pizza I eat, it never goes to my hands, but to other parts of my body...

[outin]

btw, what about normal fingers and a wide palm. Double-jointed/flexible or no?

post pictures of our hands?

We had that thread already...must be a few years back...

[visitor]

It's only the fingers of course!
For some reason no matter how much pizza I eat, it never goes to my hands, but to other parts of my body...

pizza is too big. more finger foods outin. that should work in theory no? 

[outin]

pizza is too big. more finger foods outin. that should work in theory no? 

But I always eat the pizza with my fingers

[flashyfingers]

pizza

I LOVE PIZZA

[classicalinquisition]

star, where do you come up with these topics? it doesn't make any difference!!!

okay, let me speak more respectfully: long fingers, short fingers, or pizza fingers have nothing to do with whether or not you can perform a specific piece, it doesn't even mean it is easier or more difficult to play the impromptus.  Most importantly is to practice, as everything eventually comes through after practice. good luck