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I don't know why it is so, but I've long noticed three distinct sizes of
piano keyboards in terms of width. The three sizes seem to group
themselves according to their origins of manufacture. From the bass
side of A1 to the treble side of C88, including all the spaces between
keys, they are, in ascending order of width:
<p>(1) American-made keyboards: 47 and 7/8",,
<br>(2) Asian-made keyboards: 48 and 1/8", and
<br>(3) European-made keyboards: 48 and 3/8".
<p>As you can see, each category is wider by 1/4", and from the narrowest
to the widest, the difference is a half inch, which is considerable.
Pianists, who can just barely reach an octave ( or a tenth, or whatever
interval) on, say, an American-made keyboard that he's used to, will have
a hard time doing the same on an European-made keyboard. The reach
becomes uncomfortable, and the difference is often noticed immediately.
<p>I became fascinated with this subject when Maurizio Pollini, the great
Italian pianist ,told me about variations in keyboard sizes at a dinner
party following his recital in Ann Arbor, Michigan, almost twenty years
ago. Those of you who have heard him in person could surely testify
that this phenomenal pianist almost never plays wrong notes, and his "live"
performances are as accurate as his studio recordings, where mistakes could
be patched up.
<p>Anyway, Pollini, who usually plays only Hamburg Steinways (Euorpean-made
keyboard), once played a Kawai piano (Asian-made keyboard) at a friend's
house. Following a big jump in the piece, the fifth finger of his
left hand landed in the crack between two keys, instead of squarely on
the one intended key. He said that had <i>never </i>happened to him
on all the pianos he's played (meaning, mostly Hamburg Steinways).
Out of curiosity, he measured the Kawai keyboard and found it to be just
slightly shorter than what he was used to. The shorter keyboard meant
that every key is also just slightly narrower. The cumulative difference
showed up in that big jump.
<p>Ever since that meeting with Pollini, I've measured thousands of piano
keyboards, and found the three basic sizes listed above. Keyboard
manufacturing not being a perfect science, there are slight variations
in size from one keyboard to the next, but these variations all seem to
group themselves around the standards according to their national origins.
Does anyone know why?
<p>Incidentally, I've also noticed that, within each size, keyboards that
use genuine ivories tend to be slightly wider than those that use plastic.
So, the difference in size is the widest when one goes from an American-made
keyboard with plastic keytops to a European-made keyboard with ivory keytops.
Again, this is strictly the result of my observations, but I don't know
why.
<p>Please don't take my word for it. Instead, get out your tape measure
and see if your conclusions agree with mine. I'd love to hear what
you find. Keep in mind that I'm referring to keyboard manufacturers,
not necessarily piano brand names. For example, New York Steinways
used to have American-made Pratt-Read keyboards. When the company
switched to European-made Kluge keyboards, their keyboards instantly became
half an inch wider.
<p>Pianogreig@AOL.COM wrote:
<blockquote TYPE=CITE>Very interesting. I was aware of the other
variances but not of different
<br>widths within the octave. Would you be more specific - as to
which ones are
<br>wider or narrower and by how much and how does it compare to contemporary
<br>dimensions. It must have been intentionally to widen the space
for thicker
<br>fingers. Thanks.
<p>Bruce Greig, RPT
<br>NYC</blockquote>
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