This is really bugging me. I have very small hands, and I find that more and more they are hindering my playing. I am learning to play jazz at the moment, but some of the voicings require me to stretch to a 9th or even 10th. I have also heard of "rolling the tenth" with the sustain pedal, but I always end up hitting the 10th too hard and sounding awkward. There is also time when it is not appropriate to use the sustain pedal, like when you have to play a melody over the chord.

Am I screwed as for as voicings with 9th and 10th go?

There are several options, but probably no completely satisfactory solution.

First, using the search function, search the forums for "small hands"....this subject has been discussed at length before.

In a nushell, some of the answers are:

1. Stretching exercises.

2. Having an acoustic piano modified with a special narrower keyboard that is made for folks with small hands. (Its true...there is a company that does this).

3. Using a digital keyboard that has smaller and narrower keys.

Hope this helps.

I don't like the use of stretching. For everyone that is aided by stretching exercises, someone else is injured, whether they know it immediately or not.

A stretch of a ninth should suffice for all but very few applications.

I would call my hands small, because of what I would like to do. I can fairly comfortably hit a 10th IF it's white to white key OR black to black key, but if it's black <-> white I'm SOL.

There have been times I've wanted to reach 12ths, double-octave-thirds (and 5ths), and even triple octaves in both hands simultaneously. Guess I'll just have to get someone to play the songs with me.

Hey, guys, for only three monthly payments of $19.95, plus tax, these folks can solve your problem:

www.fingerextenders.com

It takes a bit of getting-used-to, but eventually you’ll be playing tenths, even twelfths, like Oscar Peterson!

Just kidding.

Disciple, I’m very interested in your comment. I like the sound of walking tenths, and I have read elsewhere that gently stretching the left hand against a flat surface can increase your reach. I had decided to try it; however, I am always concerned about incurring some kind of damage, so I am going to heed your advice.

Ed

Well said Disciple.

Othello, here is your problem:

Oscar Peterson showed my former teacher this stretching exercise decades ago.. Probably common knowledge! Stretch to the tip of an 11th. You will feel your muscles stretching. No pain no gain! Take your thumb and retract back to the "one" Than play the 10th Much easier

Until one day you wake up with slight numbness in your 4th and 5th fingers from a tingling ulnar nerve neuropathy! Then, even octaves, let alone those pesky 10ths, will become more difficult until the tissue surrounding the ulnar pathway becomes uninflamed. From what I've seen, stretching exercises are only well tolerated by about 50% of those that practice them. Unfortunately, you won't know how well you're tolerating them until the tingling and discomfort either starts or doesn't.

Because it's a 50/50 proposition, I strongly suggest pianists not push their luck to see which of the two camps they belong in.

Jazz should actually be good for you since you could simply change the voicing if you can't reach it. In any case, a 9th is fairly sufficient for just about anything, including much of the classical repertoire.

-Colin

This is true. If you look very carefully at the aggregates in my Youtube video some of my voicings have the thumbs and/or pinkies purposely across two or even three notes lending to a very rich sound by doubling and tripling key melodic nodes within my linear multi-harmonic counterpoint.

Question: How do you know this 50 - 50 thing to be true?

Based on personal experience, pshysiology/medical text, and anecdotes from students and associates.

Here's a good solution:

Small Hands

I like to think of larger reaches across the keyboard as "expanding" your hand, which means being able to play those reaches (probably by rolling) musically. I have heard references made to certain pieces as being good for "expanding the hand," which means, I think, developing the ability to make successful leaps and landings of some distance on the keyboard. If you can't get the hand No. 2 to help out and play some notes for hand No. 1, you might practice a smooth, graceful and relaxed roll; and as time goes on and with practice, as these rolls become second nature, quicker and also more musically successful.

That's great!!!

Disciple,

Interesting suggestion here:

http://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php/topic,23224.msg258864.html#msg258864

which I quote:

A warm up exercise I use helps with both stretching and flexibility.

Hands one octave apart starting on C in unison using RH 1-2-3-4-5 / LH 5-4-3-2-1 play the following pattern: C, C#,D, D#, E and back down D#, D, C#. Then repeat the pattern in whole step C, D, E, F#, G#, F#, E, D then repeat with a minor third between notes C, D#, F#, A, C, A, F#, D# then repeat with a major third between notes C, E, G#, C, E, C, G#, E and then instead of landing back on the C land on C# and start the whole group again until you have gone through all twelve notes of the chromatic scale. Everything is to be played legato with as much ease as possible. (Start slowly.)

You can make the exercise really difficult by adding one last pattern to the group this time in fourths. (C, F, B-flat, E-flat, A-flat, E-flat, B-flat, F)

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Any thoughts on that approach? Useful, dangerous?

Thanks,

Ed

This is better accomplished with subtle/economical
elbow rotation, using inward and outward motion of the elbow to swing the forearm on a medial pivot pont to where the hand/fingers need to be.

:D that is hilarious!

Seriously, stretching exercises are a bad idea. Great pianists have ruined themselves that way. Walking 10ths are nice, but best left to the stunt pianists!