So how many notes can you span from above the keyboard without touching any others? I can do 10 just!

Do we vote for what we can physically reach or what we could feasibly play in a piece? Also I'm assuming that you're only including white notes. Just wanted to point this out so that the results of your poll will be more meaningful and helpful to you.

I can only just get to nine.

Ditto, 11 in each, though I only like stretching Maj 9ths at the most.

The number of white notes that you can physically reach. Cheers for pointing that out.

I can reach a 9th played at the same time, and certain 10ths, but only when it's spread. I once had a pupil with MASSIVE hands! (Well so it seemed to me!!)

9 only...

i can just reach 10

Turns out I'm the smallest so far....
though I suppose I did judge it on how far I could reach comfortably without causing myself injury!

My music teacher at school was telling me a story about Schumann (At least I think it was Schumann... If anyone knows otherwise feel free to correct me!). Apparently he was using a device to increase the span of his hand but because it wasn't really that good or reliable he ended up busting up his left hand! The story was quite sketchy ... I WAS meant to be doing an exam! He said he wasn't sure whether he was trying to improve his span or strengthen his fourth finger but the outcome was the same!! It was after I joked that perhaps I needed a rack like they used to torture people with to stretsch my hands!!

I can, at the max, play a major 9th.

i can do only 9...but touching some notes if not carefully stretched, 8 is my perfect range...so sad...u guys all can stretch til at least 10

I can't!! And I'm not on my own anymore as the only one who can stretch 8! Join the club! ....Now theres an idea.... "I can't reach over an Octave" Club!

Lol... one of my student can only play a 7th (minor) but she's even older than me!!

Can I join?

i think im definitely accepted in the club rite?

I'm playing a piec at the moment that has a minor 10th (A to C) which I play with one hand.

My teacher has very small hands and can't come anywhere close, and was suggesting all sorts of ways around this bit (there are chords in LH to) but it was easier for me just play both notes with one hand.

Having small hands doesn't seem to hold her back, she still plays fantastically so it can't be too important.

My dad's actually seen a cast of Chopin's hand, and it was really small which is amazing 'cos you need fingers like octopus tentacles to play some of his music!!

Why of course... currently recruiting members!!

I can just about do 9 at a push. I have weak little fingers too which make octave- heavy pieces an utter nightmare. Trying to do The Entertainer with all those block octave chords just is impossible!

i know what you mean about the entertainer, i used to have really small hands, can make a 10th now though. funny to think that chopin must have had a hard time playing his own "octave- heavy" music, anyone who's ever seen/heard etude 22 will know what i mean..

I'm Asian so my hands are freakin tiny!

I can reach an octave. If I stretch, only my right hand can reach 9.

i win only 7 come with bein under 5 ft

What sort of person would stretch 12 octaves?!

I can stretch a 9th but not in a piece...I'm ok with 8ves though

By the way, sorry Mountain, I didn't know you had also started a thread about this, I have only joined recently.

At least you did a poll to make it a bit different!

I can play a ninth which is pretty good, I think, considering I'm only 5'2" and on the small side. My hands are pretty flexible though, so that might have something to do with it.

A gaint probably??

I think you're too stereotyping here...not all Asian's hands are small...it's just individual person's case, I know an Asian friend and he can strench a a major 10!!

Hmm. I can stretch a major 10th and I'm a (partially) Asian girl. Don't be so sure that all Asians have small hands.

I can do ten, but only just... If I do it quickly I catch other notes. The strange thing is, my fingers are slightly webbed.

Whoops i've just mucked up the poll! I thought you meant hand span in cms so i put 12 or more! Lol and i can only reach 9 notes!

I can just do 10, which is alright really, but I find lots of chords I can't reach in pieces.

I can do ten comfortably on both hands.My max is 11.

Missfabflute,which part of Asia are you from?

my daughter's just 10 & can only do 8 under stress - not good for little ones! so she's had to postpone finishing the moonlight sonata which is v. bad news for someone obsessed with learning big stuff!
I'm 5'8" & can do 10 but I have skinny UK size 7 feet (good clue to bone length) & v. long skinny fingers too.

I am asian too and my left-hand seems easier to stretch than right-hand...maybe cause i am left-handed. I can do a 10th in left-hand but I need to stretch abit for my right hand. but I can't consistently do 10th all the time(like in the finger practice stuff)...very tiring and sometimes i will hit 9ths.
Haven't tried 11th yet......I don wanna hurt my fingers too much.

I can only do an octave!

i put 9 ican just about reach 10 but with great difficulty.

Feasibly i can reach 11
BUT with excruciating pain and an immense amount of tenseness, I get just get 12.

Looks like the average is 9-10 white keys then!

only 8.
I can touch 9 but would double-note trying to play at 9. My hand span measures 8 inch.

I can get 8, 7 is comfortable for me, and I'll play an octave if I have to.

I can play 9 comfortably, 10 at a stretch - my fingers are annoyingly stubby

I can reach 9 but my hands aren't that big. I teach 14 year olds who can reach 11 comfortably.

I can do a 9th with notes inbetween.I have always wished to stretched a 10th and sometimes can...but with my left hand.. I've just learnt to roll them quick or cheat and used my right.

Noodle...talk soon?

Arr....mine's less than 7 about 6.5

I know crazy cows '12' didnt count but even so, I can't believe that some people can span 12 white notes!!!

It was actually crazy_purple_piano_freak!

Oh yeah, sorry all you crazy people out there!

I can do 10 comfortably, 11 with the thumb and little finger right at the edge of the keyboard

ditto that, sometimes thumb pressing the next key up