Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Piano Forum My New Steinbuhler small keyboard

I have always wondered why conventional pianos have been designed with such wide keys. In the olden days of piano development, I would surmise that hand spans were even smaller than what they are today.

P.S. I don't have a big problem in this regard, but I wouldn't mind trying out a small keyboard.

I was talking to David Steinbuhler on the telephone. He is working to make it easier for people elsewhere in the world to order a keyboard. He has been working on a way for a piano tech to do the measurements for him. He is developing a jig which is an instrument to help a tech do the measurements. Then a person who wants a new keyboard can a local tech to measure and order and install the keyboard. David then would not have to require a person to ship their old keyboard to him. So shipping would be only one way.

David is also planning to go to Australia at the end of summer to visit with some techs there and teach them how to make measurements for him. In October he is planning to again be at the World Piano Pedagogy Conference in Dallas, TX. People could play a new keyboard then.

Can David not get the measurements he needs from the manufacturer? With final regulation by the local piano tech? I would think that at least some manufacturers would be happy to expand their user base and cooperate. Charles Walter does.

He is installing them in older grands, mostly Steinways, but also other brands. He finds that each piano is a little different even among Steinways of the same model. So that is why the measurements.

He developed a version for Steinway D which can be adjusted by a tech to fit any D. This is how Dr. Leone takes her keyboard to where she is going to play a concert. She has a local tech adjust her keyboard to fit the local piano. So far no other brand of piano but Walters is willing to work with him. Kraig Gilliam, a M&H dealer here in North Texas, has asked M&H to sell their pianos with a Steinbuhler keyboard. They said they were selling all the pianos they could build and were not interested at this time.

doremi, You asked why 19th century pianos adopted the current size keyboard. People then had smaller hands. I have wondered the same thing. Early 19th century keyboards were smaller like harpsicords. So My GUESS: Chopin was only 5'2" tall and had small hands. But piano makers were interested in getting the approval of the men virtuosos like Liszt. Men did the public performing, had the money and did the buying. So makers made one size keyboard to suit the large hands which big men had.

Looks like such an adjustable version would facilitate marketing of the small keyboards. For example, send such a version around dealerships with a week for each dealer. Or sell such an adjustable version as a 'quick install by local tech' version.

Jordang, this is the most fascinating thread i have EVER read at Piano World. I am in awe of your household situation with two marvelous pianists so immersed in the world of music with two pianos.. one retrofitted. I am so happy that this venture worked for you. I bet you both are ecstatic.

Frank, i suggest a commemmorative forum of the best most informative threads ever... suggested by nomination.... simply for the pleasure of reading.

Many people should have the oppurtunity to read threads like these

-apple, also a church musician

Thank you apple. I emailed your suggestion to Frank. He asked that we start a thread talking about your idea. Could you please start one. I really like your idea. Maybe you could start a similar thread on several forums where different people hang out.

Jordang, did you ever consider a Janko keyboard? Not that anyone makes them anymore, but I'm curious as it was supposed to solve these kinds of problems. I'm not at all suggesting that it would have been better - I'm just curious.

For those who haven't heard of the Janko - it was an "abandoned" attempt (at the turn of the 20th century) at a totally different type of piano keyboard that supposedly made playing quite a bit easier. Google is your friend!

I have seen pictures and read about them in some of my piano books. They look very odd to me, and they require a complete piano made just for them, I'm assuming from those pictures.

Just curious, is there R&D for the future? For example, going into making smaller sized keys or is there a particular reason in stopping at 7/8? I ask because I am on the low end, 6.7~7.0, depending on the hand; this is at absolute max stretch. 7/8 would still be very limiting.

Until it becomes more popular, do those who play on the smaller keyboard give up their repertoire when going to a venue without the smaller keyboards? Would one have to learn two versions of the same piece? Switching with ease I assume is only possible if what you are playing actually fits under your hands on both pianos.

BTW, thanks for the detailed report!

miaeih, let me say more about keyboard size.

One of our initial challenges was to see how small we could build keyboards that maintain the feel and response of the conventional. The conventional keyboard measures about 48 inches overall and 7/8ths of 48 is 42 inches. Our very first customer wanted to be able to walk 10ths like Oscar Peterson and had calculated to do it she would need a 38 inch keyboard. At the time this size seemed way beyond what was possible, but after the development of our brace and a couple of other tricks, we were able to do it!

For the first time in the history of the piano, this gave us the opportunity to observe how hands of every size respond to a complete range of piano keyboard sizes. You can read about our “study” at Our Research on our website. We have concluded that there is an overwhelming need for a 7/8 keyboard. In addition, there is a desire for a 15/16 keyboard, which would also provide comfortable jumps between sizes. We have built a keyboard that is the next size smaller down from the 7/8 keyboard and think that young children might have an interest in it.

miaeih, you are welcome to come to Titusville and try this smallest keyboard. One of the biggest surprises we have found is the ease with which a pianist can go between keyboard sizes, however, you will only be able to play the repertoire that actually fits under your hands as you suggest.

thanks for all of this information - i'm already looking into these keyboards, and this is helpful.


steven r.

I don't buy this one. There is a purpose that spruce or pine are used for the keys. The slight flexibility is actually something desirable. The larger the piano, the better this flexibility. Also, I think it only comes into play when playing forte. There is not enough pressure or force to trigger the flexibility of pine when playing piano. I've been told this by a German piano technician. Maybe he is wrong, who knows. However, Steinbuehler's argument that this results in reduced control of the keyboard is speculative at best.

Also, with respect to your post on touch weight, there is no unanimous agreement that lighter is better. Some pianists prefer it this way, others like a heavy touch. Rubinstein, so I have read, loved to dig into the keys. The argument that someone made (and that you mentioned) that when training on a heavier keyboard it is easier to play on a lighter one, has been holding true for me. I have a heavy touch on my grand (55g throughout except for keys 1 to 13 which have 57g), and I love it, and it has given me some strength. I feel very, very comfortable when playing on a lighter, say 51g keyboard. Of course, if I had to play on an extremely light keyboard (usually only found in some uprights or some specially prepared grands), I might have problems.

Thanks for your enjoyable story. David Steinbuhler's work is great, no doubt.

I would say your German tech is incorrect.

A flexible key is not a good feature in any size of piano.

Rod, can you elaborate? By flexible I don't mean true flex but a slight dynamic behavior when extreme force is applied. We all know that properly cut spruce keys are incredibly strong and light when they're cut properly with the grain running in the same direction as the key. If hardwood such as maple would be an improvement over spruce, why don't all premium manufacturers use it? Maybe David Steinbuhler's choice of wood is an improvement over the standard choice. I haven't played hardwood keys yet. Just wondering if there is actual evidence that hardwood is better. Methinks, the increased sturdiness comes at the price of increased weight, or am I wrong?

His keys need the added rigidity because they are smaller. The angles at the extremes are also greater. Increased weight, if that would even be a problem on normal sized keys, is offset by the fact that the keys are smaller. Anyway, I got to play both versions at a piano pedagogy conference last month... GREAT work! I was able to play a 10th!!

I think the keys of all pianos should be easier to reach.
I'm curious if piano makers even take into account the existence of 10ths and 11ths, i.e. the music of Chopin and Liszt, for example. I'd like to play a piano on which I could play an 11th.
One piece I know of that has an unbroken chord spanning 11 keys is Liszt's Sonata in B minor.
I hope that the keys' reduced size doesn't give the pianist the issue of fingers getting caught in between any keys. And I hope the custom built piano would sound and feel as great as any piano.
I wonder how I could get one of these pianos in Britain.

I'm not sure if Chopin was 5'2. I think I've heard otherwise.

@JonBrom, I agree 100 percent. The product should be accustomed to the user.