For me, the issue isn't one of need, but of ease in execution and maintaining as much flexibility as I can. But at any rate, I am not highly focused on it, it's just a small part (a very small part) of my general piano regimen, and it is there because I can actually feel the benefit.

Of course, for a person very small hands, like De Larrocha who did serious stretching because she felt she needed it, it's a different story.

No! No!!! No!!!!!! NOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!

Mark, I sincerely hope you are kidding here.

Yes -- if you mean in that post above yours, absolutely. (That's why I added the "ha-ha" smilie, to try to avoid any doubt.)

If someone wants to defect to the "dark side," that's his prerogative.

I realize that this is something on which people can and do have differing opinions.
Mine is just quite convinced and intense, that's all.

It's a thing of how we see the risk/reward ratio, and where we think it's sensible to draw the line on such things.

Oh, good. Just being certain.

You know the old saying about opinions...just like you-know-what, everybody has one! You are certainly entitled to yours.

There's another element critical to the analogy: everyone thinks somebody else's stinks.

Steven

True dat.

I just wonder about doing stretching exercises away from the piano. Could it be like lifting weights or squeezing rubber balls--it increases your strength, but doesn't really give you an advantage at the keyboard?

Hi all,

As one of the people here with a large hand span, I can't imagine what it's like to have to stretch to reach an octave. However this hand span increase happened over time, and is part of my anatomy. Having very long fingers in the first place with a broad palm was a genetic advantage I inherited from my mom's relatives. Even still I couldn't quite reach an octave comfortably until I was way into my teens, and only in the past couple of decades have I been able to stretch beyond that easily.

The biggest part of your handspan is between the thumb and the index finger. If you can slowly increase your spread between these two appendages, then you'll increase your handspan. What I have found most helpful for doing this are exercises that increase the flexibility in hands and fingers. There are many exercises for these techniques by famous people such as Schmitt, Czerny, Brahms, Phillip, and others.

The thing is, as Mark, Steven, and other have said here, don't over do it, and don't push too hard. You don't want to cause a permanent ligament injury, or pull a tendon in your hands.

Remember don't ever do anything that hurts or causes stiffness. Piano playing and practice should never hurt.

Do these exercises for only a few minutes at a time. Anything beyond this causes stiffness and you lose concentration anyway so you'll no longer benefit from anything you're trying to accomplish with these exercises.

John

Yes. Granting that your experience might not tell the whole story for people with smaller hands, I think that's completely on target.

Flexibility, absolutely. Stretching, please watch it.

No, it isn't the same. Stretching doesn't increase strength, at least not directly. It will increase flexibility and span. Of course, if you don't find any advantage in increased flexibility and span...

For those really really interested in what can be done to stretch your hand span:
http://gradworks.umi.com/33/22/3322867.html

I haven't downloaded this article, but the fact that there's a section discussing scaled-down keyboards kind of gives away the punchline.

If anyone confirms my suspicion, pls post.

If you want to play really big intervals with small hands take up the accordion.

i have always gently stretched my hands and enjoy excellent flexibility.. I can REACH but not play a tenth and i am rather small. I think my thumb can extend waaaaaaay in and I have always worked on fingers 1 - 2, 1- 3 and 1- 4. My pinky is very small..

so i think stretching helps.