Videos and CDs
PASK (Pianists for Alternatively Sized Keyboards) has produced three videos that summarise the case for keyboard choice: Part 1 is an overview of the issues, Part 2 describes the experiences and shows performance extracts of pianists who play smaller keyboards, and Part 3 is a summary of the statistics on hand spans, including gender and ethnic differences, and why hand span is important for piano playing.
The three videos are on the PASK YouTube channel in the 'PASK videos' playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLHBn-VaaOCGe0Q5RFTjH05s5ASxVy-_la
The PASK videos are also available in Japanese - you will find these on the same playlist.
Please share and use these videos wherever possible! The direct links to each of the three videos are below:
The three videos are on the PASK YouTube channel in the 'PASK videos' playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLHBn-VaaOCGe0Q5RFTjH05s5ASxVy-_la
The PASK videos are also available in Japanese - you will find these on the same playlist.
Please share and use these videos wherever possible! The direct links to each of the three videos are below:
|
|
|
Dr Carol Leone's CD: Change of Keys: One Piano, Three Keyboards, featuring works by Hayden, Beethoven, Chopin, Liszt, Debussy and Bartok, was released in 2016. Her CD won silver medals for outstanding achievement in both the Classical and Solo Instrumental categories in the Global Music Awards 2016. For four excellent reviews, go to:- http://classicalmodernmusic.blogspot.com.au/2016/09/carol-leone-change-of-keys-one-piano.html?m=1, and http://transcentury.blogspot.com.au/2016/11/soloistic-thinking-and-rethinking.html, and http://theclassicalreviewer.blogspot.co.uk/2016/11/carol-leone-uses-three-donison.html?m=1, and download the review from the American Record Guide (Jan/Feb 2017) below.
You can order the CD here:- http://www.msrcd.com/catalog/cd/MS1616.
See these videos taken by Mario Ajero (marioajero.blogspot.com) showing how easy it is to interchange Steinbuhler keyboards in grand pianos, pianists trying a DS5.5® keyboard for the first time, and Dr Carol Leone giving a lecture-recital at the 2007 MTNA conference.
Reduced-size keyboards Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBfDN9DBsnk
Reduced-size keyboards Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yiF05uBej0c
The first pianist to ever play on an keyboard with narrower keys in a piano competition was Artem Arutyunyan in the Dallas International Piano Competition, held in Dallas, Texas in March 2014. Steinbuhler & Co. is a co-sponsor of this competition, allowing the option of DS6.0® and DS5.5® keyboards to be used. Artem chose the DS5.5® inch keyboard and adapted to this size after only a few days of practice! See a brief excerpt from his performance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13Z7C3eJLeo&list=UUgLVf_Bv6l5tfa0E64DjOrw and also a video showing how quickly the keyboard can be being changed during a competition.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAjXItVoPsY&list=UUgLVf_Bv6l5tfa0E64DjOrw
At the same competition in March 2015, Artem performed once again, this time on a DS6.0® keyboard. Another contestant, Anna Arazi, won third prize using a DS6.0® keyboard. She had never played this keyboard prior to the competition and adjusted completely after just one day of practice. The pain she had been experiencing previously in her arm disappeared. See this recording of Anna's first round performance of Prokofiev's Piano Concerto no 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tj1RNLn8K6g
For further information about the competition, visit: http://www.dcspianocompetition.org/
These and other videos can be viewed on the PASK (Pianists for Alternatively Sized Keyboards) YouTube channel:
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdiQ0iwCWFsGjZ1QI41KSBg
In particular, see the Playlist: 'Alternatively Sized Keyboards in Action'.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLHBn-VaaOCGcJDCJ8f-BZx5VZS-IXcxDi
You can order the CD here:- http://www.msrcd.com/catalog/cd/MS1616.
See these videos taken by Mario Ajero (marioajero.blogspot.com) showing how easy it is to interchange Steinbuhler keyboards in grand pianos, pianists trying a DS5.5® keyboard for the first time, and Dr Carol Leone giving a lecture-recital at the 2007 MTNA conference.
Reduced-size keyboards Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBfDN9DBsnk
Reduced-size keyboards Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yiF05uBej0c
The first pianist to ever play on an keyboard with narrower keys in a piano competition was Artem Arutyunyan in the Dallas International Piano Competition, held in Dallas, Texas in March 2014. Steinbuhler & Co. is a co-sponsor of this competition, allowing the option of DS6.0® and DS5.5® keyboards to be used. Artem chose the DS5.5® inch keyboard and adapted to this size after only a few days of practice! See a brief excerpt from his performance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13Z7C3eJLeo&list=UUgLVf_Bv6l5tfa0E64DjOrw and also a video showing how quickly the keyboard can be being changed during a competition.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAjXItVoPsY&list=UUgLVf_Bv6l5tfa0E64DjOrw
At the same competition in March 2015, Artem performed once again, this time on a DS6.0® keyboard. Another contestant, Anna Arazi, won third prize using a DS6.0® keyboard. She had never played this keyboard prior to the competition and adjusted completely after just one day of practice. The pain she had been experiencing previously in her arm disappeared. See this recording of Anna's first round performance of Prokofiev's Piano Concerto no 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tj1RNLn8K6g
For further information about the competition, visit: http://www.dcspianocompetition.org/
These and other videos can be viewed on the PASK (Pianists for Alternatively Sized Keyboards) YouTube channel:
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdiQ0iwCWFsGjZ1QI41KSBg
In particular, see the Playlist: 'Alternatively Sized Keyboards in Action'.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLHBn-VaaOCGcJDCJ8f-BZx5VZS-IXcxDi
| american_record_guide_review.pdf |
3D models of different sized keyboards
A physical model of the piano keyboard that can be touched and felt can be far more convincing than logical arguments and data sets on a page or screen. These can be made quite cheaply by anyone with access to a 3D printer. Please visit our companion website: TASK (Technicians for Alternatively Sized Keyboards) to read more and access the computer files: http://taskpiano.org/3d-keyboards/
Experiments for Large-handed Pianists
If you have an active hand span (thumb to 5th finger out-stretched) of 8.5 inches (22 cm) and above, you are among approximately the top 15% of adult females or the top 76% of adult males. To become more aware of what it feels like to have smaller hands, experiment with fast passages of 9ths or 10ths, or broken 9ths and 10ths, and compare your maximum possible speed and overall feeing of comfort with your playing of octave passages.
If you would like to try a two-line (right hand only) passage from Chopin's Etude Opus 10 No 5, rewritten with extended intervals for large hands, please go to: www.cicadabay.com/pianos. Feedback via email ([email protected]) would be welcome!