<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\nAs a pianist, you might wonder if playing piano would make fat fingers skinny from all of the exercise, or if your fingers would get bulkier from gaining muscle. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
While the tendons in your hands will strengthen, you will not see any noticeable change in the shape or size of your fingers.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nThere are players who report that the tone of their fingers and hand improved during periods of their lives when they were playing more. In truth, if you are playing the piano properly, there should not be any structural changes to your hand caused by playing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some also wonder if their hands might widen from stretching them apart frequently. Your hand will not physically widen<\/strong>, however, you will only be able to stretch your fingers farther apart more easily.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThis is because the webbing between your fingers becomes more lax with time and consistent practice<\/strong>. It\u2019s similar to how a string player\u2019s fretboard hand may be capable of stretching wider than their bowing hand. <\/p>\n\n\n\nBe mindful that you should not force your hands to widen, and it is unhealthy for your hands to be hyperextended. The stretch of the fingers should happen naturally over time and should never be pushed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/span>Do your fingers get longer if you play the piano?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\nThe term \u201cpiano fingers\u201d is used often in reference to hands with long, tapered fingers. It would seem that these types of fingers and hands would be ideal for playing the piano, and many people believe that these types of hands were sculpted from playing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
While intensive piano practice can sculpt the muscles of your hands, wrists, and forearms, your fingers cannot get longer from playing the piano. <\/p>\n\n\n\nThe shape and length of your fingers is genetic, so those with \u201cbeautiful piano fingers\u201d are born with those fingers. <\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
If you ever hear a pianist claim that their fingers grew longer from playing piano, the truth is that their fingers were going to grow regardless of whether s\/he played the piano. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pianists often begin playing at a young age, and as we age our fingers will typically grow with the rest of our body. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/span>What is the difference between a pianist’s hand and a non-pianist one?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\nRegular piano practice develops muscles in the hand, wrist, and forearm, but not enough to visually distinguish a pianist\u2019s hands from a non-pianist\u2019s hands.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nThere are pianists that report having a noticeable muscle between the thumb and index finger. It is possible that pianists will have a more muscular palm, however, there isn\u2019t any hard evidence of that fact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For example, legendary pianist and composer Frederic Chopin\u2019s left hand was casted in bronze after his untimely death. The muscles of his palm do appear to be more developed than an average hand, so there may be some difference in the hands of very serious players.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The strength of your fingers and hands isn\u2019t particularly important to piano playing anyways. It is more about the speed and dexterity a pianist develops with practice<\/strong>, which is not visually apparent when just looking at the player\u2019s hands. <\/p>\n\n\n\nA skilled piano player has incredible hand-eye coordination and a thorough understanding of the music and the instrument. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It is the pianist’s mind and diligent training that helps them play well, rather than anything to do with the natural size of shape of their hands or fingers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/span>Do pianists have more muscular fingers?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\nThe muscles that move our fingers are in the palm and forearm of our bodies. There aren\u2019t really any muscles inside your fingers aside from the arrector pili muscles, which serve no function in regards to piano playing.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\u201cStrong fingers\u201d is a phrase that is often affiliated with pianists, but it\u2019s not really about strength. Contrary to what may appear, strength is not required to play the piano. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nTo facilitate difficult passages of music that are described as needing \u201cstrength\u201d, agility and endurance are the actual requirements. Building stamina and control of the muscles is a huge part of playing the piano rather than physical strength. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nFor example, playing loudly on the piano is misconceived as requiring more strength, when in fact, it is the velocity of which you approach the key that actually affects the volume. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The power of a loud sound is created using this velocity along with the weight of the player\u2019s arms. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
A serious pianist might develop slightly noticeable muscle in the base of thumb on the palm<\/strong>, but it’s not enough to make any dramatic change. <\/p>\n\n\n\nPianists do not have more muscular fingers regardless of how agile or dexterous their hands become. <\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/span>Are short fingers a limitation for playing piano?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\nThose with shorter fingers might come across some obstacles in certain music, but as long you can reach an octave, there aren\u2019t really limitations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are advantages to having larger or smaller hands, and this is dependent on the demands of the music.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nA piece of music with a lot of large stretches is likely more challenging for someone with shorter fingers. On the other hand, a player with larger fingers may find that music featuring rapid scale passage causes their fingers to trip over each other more easily. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
One advantage to having shorter fingers is that they lend themselves to rapid passages that involve more rotation of the hand and fingers. <\/p>\n\n\n\nSmaller handed players typically find quick scale passages easier to play because the fingers are easier to get around. <\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Players with any size hands can train to overcome any obstacles encountered, and there are some aspects of piano playing that players with certain hand and finger sizes can master more quickly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Composers tend to write piano repertoire that suits their personal hand size.<\/strong> In some music, it is apparent if the composer has\/had large hands because the music has wide intervals and stretches to play.<\/p>\n\n\n\nIf a smaller-handed pianist encounters music like this, such as a chord in which it is difficult to reach all the notes, they may learn to roll the chord to overcome the limitations of their hand size. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is very common, and few players are really limited by having smaller hands. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Overall, hand and finger size isn\u2019t a factor in how well you can learn to play the piano. There are great pianists with unusually large hands and there are great pianists with unusually small hands. <\/p>\n\n\n\n