Thank you, I really appreciate that extra comment and I do agree with you. As I mentioned, I have a couple of theses in mind which is why I wanted to carry this out in the first place--to see which ones would actually work/make sense. I think there may be a strong correlation between hand-size and instrument, and as it stands right now, with the information I've gathered so far, I think that's probably the avenue I'll go down, but I'm keeping my options open. But your point is totally valid, and pretty much what I've been thinking, but I just wanted to get some proof of that thought first.
1. How many instruments do you play? Well? Two--flute and piccolo. However, I can play the very basics of trumpet, trombone, baritone, clarinet, alto sax, and piano, and in school I also had to try violin and cello, though I admit to not remembering much. (I was a music major for 2.5 years, and had to take classes for these.) I can also sing, though not well.
2. Which instrument do you consider your principal instrument? Flute, definitely. Piccolo is basically the same, but still I list flute.
3. How many years have you played the instrument(s) listed in question 2? 13 years, I think. Since the 6th grade.
4. Name a piece you are currently working on. Right now? Nothing because I haven't been to band in a couple of weeks (work conflict) and we just finished a concert, so I don't have our new music yet.
5. Please splay your hand such that your thumb and pinky finger are as far apart as possible. Measure the length from the tip of the thumb to the pinky using a ruler and write down this measurement. You may answer in
( ... )
Thank you so much! Out of curiosity (and because it's related to the subject), since your hand-span is a little shorter than most, do you think that the flute/piccolo and the other main instruments you play suit people with shorter hand-spans?
I think the flute, sax, trumpet, and baritone are all perfectly fine for my handsize. Clarinet is not conducive to my hands, though that is, perhaps, because of my small fingers (which kinda relate to hand size). I was always used as the example of what a beginning student/sixth grader would be like with that instrument. Trombone was a similar problem with arm length, which kinda relates as well--small one, small other. I could only play it because it had a trigger.
Piano was also hard--I could barely span the octave with my right, and with my left I could only do it sometimes.
However, it is easier to play pic because of my smaller hands. I know some musicians whose fingers are too big to play it well.
That's really interesting, and packed with a lot of stuff I wanted to know, especially the bit about piccolos and the clarinet. Thank you so so much!
In my situation, I have thick fingers so playing high notes on the violin can be difficult for me because the spacing between each note becomes reduced to barely a millimetre. Having said that, because my hands are strong, I have a much better vibrato and an overall solid sound, which apparently people with thin fingers find difficult.
1. How many instruments do you play? piano, organ and guitar
2. Which instrument do you consider your principal instrument? (e.g. I play 4 instruments & I sing, but I consider the violin my principal instrument, having played since I was 7 and focusing on it the most.) You may name two, if necessary, but not more. Piano is my principal instrument.
3. How many years have you played the instrument(s) listed in question 2? 36 years
4. Name a piece you are currently working on. Currently my sheet music is packed, and my piano is in storage. *sobs*
5. Please splay your hand such that your thumb and pinky finger are as far apart as possible. Measure the length from the tip of the thumb to the pinky using a ruler and write down this measurement. You may answer in inches, but centimetres is preferred. RH - 21 cm; LH 21.7 cm
6. FOR PIANISTS ONLY: what is the largest interval you can reach? RH - a 9th +; LH - a 10th7. Would you mind your results being used in the more comprehensive survey following this one? No personal details are
( ... )
Thank you so much. I know how you feel, we had this beautiful piano which my mother used to play and she loved it, but when my parents moved from house to flat, the workers arranged things in the wrong order and the piano couldn't g up the stairs because the huge wall unit was blocking the way, so we ended up having to sell it. She was absolutely devastated, and even though a few years later we bought a smaller, electric piano, it has taken her years to finally get herself back to playing.
1. One 2. Alto Sax 3. 9 1/2 years 4. Carmina Burana 5. 8 1/4 inches 7. Sure, if you need me to. Just PM me. 8. My hand width may lessen in time due to having carpal tunnel. 10. Nah.
1) I play guitar, recorders (soprano and alto) and tin whistle (soprano to alto)
2) Guitar
3) 18 years
4) Trying to figure out a Ben Taylor piece, but it's going to be impossible, because I swear the guy has waterskies instead of hands (Talk about hand span. Ha!)
Comments 37
Reply
Reply
2. Which instrument do you consider your principal instrument? Flute, definitely. Piccolo is basically the same, but still I list flute.
3. How many years have you played the instrument(s) listed in question 2? 13 years, I think. Since the 6th grade.
4. Name a piece you are currently working on. Right now? Nothing because I haven't been to band in a couple of weeks (work conflict) and we just finished a concert, so I don't have our new music yet.
5. Please splay your hand such that your thumb and pinky finger are as far apart as possible. Measure the length from the tip of the thumb to the pinky using a ruler and write down this measurement. You may answer in ( ... )
Reply
Reply
Piano was also hard--I could barely span the octave with my right, and with my left I could only do it sometimes.
However, it is easier to play pic because of my smaller hands. I know some musicians whose fingers are too big to play it well.
Reply
In my situation, I have thick fingers so playing high notes on the violin can be difficult for me because the spacing between each note becomes reduced to barely a millimetre. Having said that, because my hands are strong, I have a much better vibrato and an overall solid sound, which apparently people with thin fingers find difficult.
Reply
2. Which instrument do you consider your principal instrument? (e.g. I play 4 instruments & I sing, but I consider the violin my principal instrument, having played since I was 7 and focusing on it the most.) You may name two, if necessary, but not more. Piano is my principal instrument.
3. How many years have you played the instrument(s) listed in question 2? 36 years
4. Name a piece you are currently working on. Currently my sheet music is packed, and my piano is in storage. *sobs*
5. Please splay your hand such that your thumb and pinky finger are as far apart as possible. Measure the length from the tip of the thumb to the pinky using a ruler and write down this measurement. You may answer in inches, but centimetres is preferred. RH - 21 cm; LH 21.7 cm
6. FOR PIANISTS ONLY: what is the largest interval you can reach? RH - a 9th +; LH - a 10th7. Would you mind your results being used in the more comprehensive survey following this one? No personal details are ( ... )
Reply
Reply
2. Alto Sax
3. 9 1/2 years
4. Carmina Burana
5. 8 1/4 inches
7. Sure, if you need me to. Just PM me.
8. My hand width may lessen in time due to having carpal tunnel.
10. Nah.
Reply
Reply
2) Guitar
3) 18 years
4) Trying to figure out a Ben Taylor piece, but it's going to be impossible, because I swear the guy has waterskies instead of hands (Talk about hand span. Ha!)
5) 20.8 cm left hand, 20.4 cm right hand
6) N/A
7)No
8) I do have hypermobile hands
9) Nah :-)
Reply
Reply
Leave a comment