Playing Piano With Small Hands – How Difficult is It?

Playing piano with small hands. Is it possible? A lot of people instantly feel like they’re at a big disadvantage if they have small hands when it comes to all kinds of different instruments. A lot of pianists are known for having big hands, but is playing piano with small hands possible? Should you even bother trying? We explore more about small-handed pianists in this post. It’s not all bad news.

Why Are Small Hands a Disadvantage?

Most instruments are easier to play if you have bigger hands. Have you ever seen photographs of Chuck Berry’s hands before? Long, spindly fingers let him reach all the areas of the fretboard quickly. Guitarists are similar to pianists in this regard.

Bigger hands mean you can reach further on the piano. You can be playing multiple notes that are further apart, and you can play solos more simply and easily than you would be able to if you had small hands. Some of the most impressive soloists will have quite big hands.

If you have small hands, don’t worry. Playing piano with small hands will be harder for complicated melodies and for classical pieces, when you need to move up and down the keyboard with speed. Luckily, a lot of rock and pop songs can be played pretty simply, and you don’t need massive hands to do this. Even if the melodies are complicated, you might find simplified versions of them online.

A lot of songs by popular musicians don’t require you to play the full range of the piano or to move quickly around. Instead, you can play simple chords. Our academy starts people playing with simple songs and melodies. It doesn’t matter if you have small hands, you can get started and learn some of your favorite songs.

Measure Your Piano Reach

Piano reach is how much of the piano covers, from your pinky to your thumb, when playing in the correct hand position. Can you reach an octave or more? If so, you can probably play the majority of songs. It’s a good idea to measure, to work out if you really do have small hands or if you just think you do.

The Correct Hand Position

The correct hand position can make all the difference. The natural hand position is straight on the piano, but actually, it is better to have a slightly tilted hand, this guide can show you exactly what the right and wrong hand positions are. Playing piano with small hands is much easier if you get your hand position right, and can extend your reach.

A lot of pianists play with a high wrist because it can feel more natural, but it is important to set this right to avoid pain.

Unfortunately, smaller-handed players can be prone to a little more pain when playing. It’s not likely, unless you are going to play a lot, or your technique is a little off.

Playing Piano With Small Hands – Need Some Inspiration?

There are plenty of examples of piano players who have small hands. Famously, Russian composer Scriabin only had a span of 8-notes on the piano that he could play. This is not huge, compare it to Liszt, whose hands could span a 13th.

Basically, small hands could be a small disadvantage but think of all the small, delicate women who can play the piano beautifully. They probably don’t have hands that look like pots and pans! Don’t let it put you off. There are many ways in which people might be at a disadvantage, but the important thing is to keep going and enjoy playing the piano, even with smaller hands.

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