Narrower piano keys widen musical horizons for many!
From the Editor of Clavier Companion magazine (Sept/Oct 2015) Pete Jutras: ‘I’m excited about the opportunities that smaller-sized keyboards present for our profession and for the musical world. I’m excited about the opportunities these keyboards create to help pianists play comfortably and avoid injury. I’m excited about the practice applications and the fact that these keyboards can help pianists direct more focus to tone and artistry’.
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WHAT IS PASK?
PASK – Pianists for Alternatively Sized Keyboards – is an international movement committed to achieving change in relation to piano keyboard size.
Specifically, PASK aims to convince piano manufacturers - both acoustic and digital - to begin producing piano keyboards in three standard sizes, so that purchasers of new pianos have a choice. In addition to the current 'large' size, two additional sizes with narrower keys are needed. We also seek to convince managers of concert venues, academics, piano teachers and piano competition organizers that these ergonomically scaled piano keyboards (ESPKs)* have significant benefits for students and performers.
The current piano keyboard has prevailed since the 1880's and was not designed for the physical capabilities of the population at large. However, it has been assumed and accepted that the current size is suitable for all, whereas in fact it is isn’t: the keys are too wide for possibly the majority of pianists, taking into account men, women and children of all nationalities and across all age groups.
The current keyboard size and key width suits people with large hands, generally adult males with average to above average spans. However, for those with smaller hands, today’s piano means significant increases in technical difficulties and learning time, it limits musical expression and prevents access to a large amount of the piano repertoire, and worst of all, can cause debilitating pain and injury.
A simple analogy illustrates the point: Does it make sense that all men – no matter how big or tall - in an athletics race should have to wear the same size shoes, and that female athletes have to run in the same size shoes as the men and that children have to run in the same size shoes as the men and women?
* See notes on terminology below.
Specifically, PASK aims to convince piano manufacturers - both acoustic and digital - to begin producing piano keyboards in three standard sizes, so that purchasers of new pianos have a choice. In addition to the current 'large' size, two additional sizes with narrower keys are needed. We also seek to convince managers of concert venues, academics, piano teachers and piano competition organizers that these ergonomically scaled piano keyboards (ESPKs)* have significant benefits for students and performers.
The current piano keyboard has prevailed since the 1880's and was not designed for the physical capabilities of the population at large. However, it has been assumed and accepted that the current size is suitable for all, whereas in fact it is isn’t: the keys are too wide for possibly the majority of pianists, taking into account men, women and children of all nationalities and across all age groups.
The current keyboard size and key width suits people with large hands, generally adult males with average to above average spans. However, for those with smaller hands, today’s piano means significant increases in technical difficulties and learning time, it limits musical expression and prevents access to a large amount of the piano repertoire, and worst of all, can cause debilitating pain and injury.
A simple analogy illustrates the point: Does it make sense that all men – no matter how big or tall - in an athletics race should have to wear the same size shoes, and that female athletes have to run in the same size shoes as the men and that children have to run in the same size shoes as the men and women?
* See notes on terminology below.
Goals and Strategies
The long term goal of PASK is to have pianos, both acoustic and digital, offered with a choice of three standard keyboard sizes in accordance with the DS standards: DS5.5® (7/8) and the DS6.0® (15/16) as well as the current 'large' DS6.5™ keyboard. They need to be mass-produced and marketed worldwide in such a way that the new alternative sizes become readily available and naturally accepted options for piano students, teachers, and amateur and professional pianists.
For this to happen, the focus needs to be on both building the demand from the piano world as well as encouraging supply from manufacturers. Clearly, these are interdependent.
Pianists with smaller hands need to create a united voice and demand access to keyboards with narrower keys; piano teachers, universities and conservatoriums need to recognise their benefits; competitions and concert venues should provide a choice of keyboard for performers.
Piano manufacturers around the world need to provide a choice of keyboard size in acoustic grand and upright pianos and in digital pianos. Alternatively sized keyboards are currently only available from a limited number of sources, are relatively expensive and often involve long wait times for customers. The major piano manufacturers need to take up this challenge. A key factor in creating change will be public support from prominent pianists, academics and teachers around the world.
There are three main strategies required to achieve this goal:
1. Raising awareness of the benefits of reduced size keyboards for those with smaller hands.
2. Creating opportunities for pianists to experience the difference in playing on narrower keys.
3. Breaking down barriers and resistance to change.
For this to happen, the focus needs to be on both building the demand from the piano world as well as encouraging supply from manufacturers. Clearly, these are interdependent.
Pianists with smaller hands need to create a united voice and demand access to keyboards with narrower keys; piano teachers, universities and conservatoriums need to recognise their benefits; competitions and concert venues should provide a choice of keyboard for performers.
Piano manufacturers around the world need to provide a choice of keyboard size in acoustic grand and upright pianos and in digital pianos. Alternatively sized keyboards are currently only available from a limited number of sources, are relatively expensive and often involve long wait times for customers. The major piano manufacturers need to take up this challenge. A key factor in creating change will be public support from prominent pianists, academics and teachers around the world.
There are three main strategies required to achieve this goal:
1. Raising awareness of the benefits of reduced size keyboards for those with smaller hands.
2. Creating opportunities for pianists to experience the difference in playing on narrower keys.
3. Breaking down barriers and resistance to change.
PASK structure and founders
PASK is not a formally constituted organisation, but a network of people working towards a common goal.
There are three founders of PASK who provide a central focus for activities:
Ms Erica Booker from Sydney, Australia – Graduate of the New South Wales Conservatorium of Music, pianist and piano teacher, Suzuki teacher trainer, and leading advocate for alternatively sized piano keyboards : www.suzukimusicqld.com.au/html/erica_booker.html
Dr Carol Leone from Dallas, Texas – Chair of Keyboard Studies at SMU Meadows School of the Arts in Dallas, internationally recognized performing artist, teacher, lecturer, and author, and one of the world's leading researchers and proponents of ergonomic piano keyboards to promote a pianist's wellness: www.carolleone.com
Ms Rhonda Boyle from Melbourne, Australia – Former government policy analyst/strategic planner with qualifications in physics, environmental science and urban planning; pianist and independent researcher and author of peer-reviewed articles relating to hand size and piano playing:
www.linkedin.com/pub/rhonda-boyle/30/931/352
Twitter: Rhonda Boyle@smallpianokeys
These three founders have no financial connections with any piano or keyboard manufacturers.
The PASK network is gradually growing and now includes many others around the world who support the PASK goals and who are actively engaged in encouraging change.
If you would like to be an active member of PASK or be kept up to date on developments, see Resources, Links and Getting involved.
A summary document called PASK - Summary for teachers & pianists, can be downloaded here:
There are three founders of PASK who provide a central focus for activities:
Ms Erica Booker from Sydney, Australia – Graduate of the New South Wales Conservatorium of Music, pianist and piano teacher, Suzuki teacher trainer, and leading advocate for alternatively sized piano keyboards : www.suzukimusicqld.com.au/html/erica_booker.html
Dr Carol Leone from Dallas, Texas – Chair of Keyboard Studies at SMU Meadows School of the Arts in Dallas, internationally recognized performing artist, teacher, lecturer, and author, and one of the world's leading researchers and proponents of ergonomic piano keyboards to promote a pianist's wellness: www.carolleone.com
Ms Rhonda Boyle from Melbourne, Australia – Former government policy analyst/strategic planner with qualifications in physics, environmental science and urban planning; pianist and independent researcher and author of peer-reviewed articles relating to hand size and piano playing:
www.linkedin.com/pub/rhonda-boyle/30/931/352
Twitter: Rhonda Boyle@smallpianokeys
These three founders have no financial connections with any piano or keyboard manufacturers.
The PASK network is gradually growing and now includes many others around the world who support the PASK goals and who are actively engaged in encouraging change.
If you would like to be an active member of PASK or be kept up to date on developments, see Resources, Links and Getting involved.
A summary document called PASK - Summary for teachers & pianists, can be downloaded here:
| pask_pianist-teacher_hand-out__august_2017.pdf |
Notes on terminology
The term ESPK (ergonomically scaled piano keyboard) is now mostly used in the academic community when referring to keyboards smaller than the current 'standard' size i.e., with 6.5 inch octave. Some literature has used the term 'reduced-size keyboard'. Also note that the DS5.5® is often referred to as the '7/8 keyboard' as the key widths are close to (but not exactly) 7/8 of the 'standard' keyboard. Likewise, the DS6.0® is often referred to as the 15/16 keyboard. ESPK is a generic term that also includes keyboards of other sizes, i.e. that do not conform to the DS standards. The 'DS' abbreviation stands for Donison-Steinbuhler. (Chris Donison and David Steinbuhler pioneered the introduction of piano keyboards with narrower keys for acoustic pianos, mainly in North America.) The PASK movement (Pianists for Alternatively Sized Keyboards) generally uses the term 'alternative sizes' to avoid confusion as 'reduced size' could imply fewer than 88 keys.
- Hand image - Getty Images