key width

[Yat-lam Hong]

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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:

(1) American-made keyboards: 47 and 7/8",,
(2) Asian-made keyboards: 48 and 1/8", and
(3) European-made keyboards: 48 and 3/8".

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.

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.

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 never 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.

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?

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.

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.

Pianogreig@AOL.COM wrote:

> Very interesting.  I was aware of the other variances but not of different
> widths within the octave.  Would you be more specific - as to which ones are
> wider or narrower and by how much and how does it compare to contemporary
> dimensions.  It must have been intentionally to widen the space for thicker
> fingers.  Thanks.
>
> Bruce Greig, RPT
> NYC

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