STUDENT TESTIMONIES

Sarah Michelini

Easier to play Chopin Prelude in C after practicing on 7/8:

• "It was actually much easier to play! It was if practicing on the small keyboard allowed me to work out the kinks-to figure out where my hand should fit…then I could transfer that feeling and position to the larger keyboard and miraculously-could play it."

Barber Excursions:

• "I amazed myself by the ease with which I was able to play many of the previously 'impossible' sections."
• "When going to regular keyboard on new piece, no awkwardness at all!"
• "My LH almost feels like it is too easily executed."
• "It's amazing when your hand can reach the notes w/o struggling how you really can practice it - things like rhythm, preciseness."

• "I almost feel like I'm cheating."
• "Some of the tighter chords are causing me to feel 'bunched up.'"
• "My hands feel good after practicing - not stretched."
• "Sight reading the Debussy Preludes was an immense joy…I believe this keyboard may bring me to an enlightenment concerning impressionistic music."
• The full-size keyboard has become "other." Mysterious pain in my right forearm. I can't play legato! I keep expecting to play large intervals w/o any effort.
• Amazing how fast one can adjust back - I've only been practicing for 30 minutes and already I don't feel a disadvantage for practicing all the time on the 7/8

7/8 keyboard:

• "A whole new technique for this keyboard." I can get deep into the keys.
• There's so much I can actually do that I had to fake before

 

Priscilla Parrish

Jeux d'eau

• "I've struggled learning the notes to this piece for a long time. When I started practicing on the 7/8 keyboard I finished learning it in one week! The patterns fell naturally under my hand - no more stretching and leaping or looking up and down from the music to the keyboard."
• "The higher range felt closer to my body so that I didn't have to lean as far."
• "I experienced less fatigue and strain on my hands and arms."
• "I was able to incorporate expression into my playing, whereas I had not been able to before."
• "I'm noticing that dom7th arpeggios are much easier on this keyboard!"
• "My overall feeling is comfort. My hands feel more secure and strong."

Artina Hunter

• "It's easier to have power because I don't have to struggle while stretching my hand."

Carmela Casipit

• "My hands immediately adjusted to the keyboard in about 30 minutes."
• "Legato octaves, on 7/8 my hand feels directly over each octave."
• "It didn't sound correct rolled. On 7/8 keyboard, I finally understood the harmony."
• "Sight read La Campanella - if SR on Conventional, my RH would have been extremely tired. On 7/8 I was able to SR better in terms of accuracy."
• "If I want a strong octave with a ringing bass, I could place fingers 3-4-5 on the lower note of the octave and still felt comfortable."
• "I could do many repetitions w/o tiring."
• "I could feel closer and more connected to the keys."
• "Eliminated excess movement."

Sun Mi Goodwin

• "I feel comfortable playing on the 7/8."
• "It's easier to play legato."
• "I don't have to stretch my fingers as much."

Nicole Halton

• "The 7/8 allows me to keep my hand in a rounded supported position while playing octaves."

Op. 10, No.3 Chopin

• "Middle section is facilitated by reducing the amount of pivoting necessary to execute the chordal passages."
• "The greatest difference that I noticed while performing on the 7/8 size keyboard was the level of comfort I felt at the piano. On the conventional keyboard, I sometimes feel uncomfortable, and not in control of the performance. On the 7/8 size keyboard I was able to carefully place each chord and note so that I was able to shape my performance. I felt for the first time that I was in command of the instrument."

Lindsay Nieves

• "I could not practice Butterfly etude for long periods of time on the Conventional because my hands would become extremely stiff and would hurt."
• "7/8 much more comfortable."
• "I am able to play the right notes!!"
• "I am less tense throughout the arms and shoulders."
• "Wow -- I can actually do it!"

Quynh Nguyen

Chopin Revolutionary Etude

• "On the conventional keyboard, the [RH chords] hurt my hand and I can't play them quickly. On the 7/8 keyboard, my hand is allowed to be in a comfortable position, making it possible for an accurate and SAFE landing. I am not as afraid to go for the chords."
• "The LH is smoother and more in control."

Yvonne Michalski

Initial reactions

• "Unusual feel at first."
• "Tests the eyes and senses."
• "Visually difficult to get used to."
• "Hand position is extremely natural."
• "WOW an amazing feeling!"

Chopin G minor Ballade

• "In the mirror, my hand looks so natural - high, strong bridge."
• "More opportunity for legato."
• "Stamina - not so easily tired in coda."
• " Can focus on musicianship; musical line rather than struggling in a non-legato manner."

Chopin Etude Op. 25, No. 9

• "I can play fingerings which I could not do on conventional."
• "Conventional looks gigantic - shock to the eyes."

Touch

• "More opportunity to think about different gradations of touch and sound quality."
• "Sound is not as choppy."
• "Ability to use less pedal. On conventional, we overuse pedal to cover technical deficiencies."

Power

• "Much more power."
• "Bridge is extremely strong."

Stamina

• "Less tired in technical passages - can concentrate on music line more."

Relaxation

• "WOW it's a great feeling!"

Balance in chord

• "Goal of one overall linear motion is clear."

Sight reading

• "Took only 20 minutes to adjust."

Leaps

• "Most are avoided."

Jennifer Stark

• "I only taught first year students on the 7/8 piano. I noticed some interesting phenomena in the young students. Most did not notice the difference in size and I never addressed it, but I could see that their small hands fit the keys better and there was a lack of visible tension as they learned to keep a proper hand position."