This question comes from a viewer named Diane. This is a very interesting question and yes, there is an answer to it; although it’s not quite what you might expect.
Throughout my development on the piano, I had the opportunity to study with some phenomenal pianists. My father Morton Estrin was my teacher in my formative years of study. Unlike me, my father has enormous hands! Later I studied with John Ogden who also was a very large man with tremendous hands. I also had the opportunity to study with some sensational women pianists: Constance Keene and Ruth Slenczynska – each of them had smaller hands and probably weighed less than a hundred pounds. These are definitely extremely different body types and as you’d imagine, their approaches to playing and teaching are very different.
When it comes down to it, the difference between men and women playing piano relies less on their gender and more on their physical stature and makeup. Now there are always exceptions to this; I am a great example. Not only do I have small hands but my thumb does not go totally straight – this means I have a pretty small reach. This is something I have had to overcome throughout my entire career. Just as someone having larger fingers and hands might have a tougher time playing between the black keys – there are pros and cons to hand size.
So how do men and women approach the piano? For argument’s sake, let’s say that men will tend to have larger hands and arms, while women will tend to have smaller hands and arms. Men will typically be able to play larger chords almost effortlessly just utilizing their forearms. I remember how Ruth Slenczynska would use her entire arms to produce an incredibly large sound!
When I studied with my father I was at a natural disadvantage. His hands are massive and are able to play chords without any problems – he has incredible reach. I have smaller hands and I would try and twist and contort them to produce the same effect as my father. As I began studying with women who have smaller hands I was able to learn a lot of valuable techniques for playing with smaller hands. I have actually produced a video on this topic: Are my hands too small to play the piano?
But this isn’t just a case of men and women. You really should watch some great pianists perform on youtube and watch the different techniques they employ. Each pianist will face his or her own challenges when it comes to their physical makeup and it’s very interesting to explore different approaches to the keyboard.
What’s most important is that you must learn what works for you. Don’t be afraid to employ different techniques when it comes to playing the piano and developing as a musician. We are all built differently and there are techniques for every hand and arm type imaginable.
Thanks again for joining me, Robert Estrin: Robert@LivingPianos.com (949) 244-3729