<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <html> <head> <META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=us-ascii"> <meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 10 (filtered)"> <style>  </style> </head> <body bgcolor=white lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple> <div class=Section1> If the front of the keys have been filed off, that leaves sharp, rather than round corners at the front of each key. If you have small hands and try to play a large interval, you tend to play at the front of the key, in order to avoid striking the adjacent key. You often glance the corner of the adjacent key, and if it is sharp, you can easily cut the skin.   Pianists with large hands have the same problem, but only when playing even larger intervals. IOW, the percentage is reduced with larger hands.   For this reason, I think grinding down the fronts makes the piano unplayable, and should never be done.   Jerry Cohen, RPT NJ Chapter     -----Original Message----- From: pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] On Behalf Of William R. Monroe Sent: Friday, March 16, 2007 4:40 PM To: Pianotech List Subject: Re: Chipped keys   <div> Hi Alan, </div> <div>   </div> <div> I'll have to think about it a bit, to be specific, but I was paying attention to it a bit as I tuned (and later played) today.  It really does make a difference when the keys are shorter.  I'm not sure if moving the hands 1/16" closer to the fallboard, sharps, whatever is the reason, or not.  I do know that I have to play off the front of the keys for octaves, and without the lip, I have much more trouble hitting the octave cleanly.  I would assume that the principle would apply whether you have small hands or not.  Just my musings.  I do know that the change is very perceptible to me, not just a little correction. </div> <div>   </div> <div> Best, </div> <div> William R. Monroe </div> <div>   </div> <blockquote style='border:none;border-left:solid black 1.5pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 4.0pt; margin-left:3.75pt;margin-top:5.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt'><pre style='margin-left:.5in'>Hi William,</pre><pre style='margin-left:.5in'> </pre><pre style='margin-left:.5in'>Please be patient with me on this one, but I have not been able to visualize </pre><pre style='margin-left:.5in'>why making the naturals effectively shorter would put players with smaller </pre><pre style='margin-left:.5in'>hands at a disadvantage.  Kindly elucidate.</pre><pre style='margin-left:.5in'> </pre><pre style='margin-left:.5in'>Thanks,</pre><pre style='margin-left:.5in'> </pre><pre style='margin-left:.5in'>Alan Eder</pre></blockquote> </div> </body> </html>