Why a 5.5" Octave?
Most women’s hands — and all children — reach 8″ or less. For them, a 5.5″ octave simply feels right.
Can You Play an Octave - Comfortably?
With a 7.75" span, an octave can be played, but the hand is under unnecessary strain.
If you can't, Athena Will Change Everything.
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Playing octaves isn’t optional—it’s a fundamental skill at every level of piano.
But here’s the truth no one tells you:
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If your octaves are uncomfortable, your technique, speed, and expression will always suffer.
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Most pianists think they just need to “stretch more.”
You don’t.
You need keys that match your hands.
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To play octaves with real ease, you typically need to reach a tenth on a standard keyboard. If your handspan isn’t big enough for that, you’re forced to tense your hand every time you play an octave—and tension kills musicality.
Athena solves this instantly.
On Athena narrow keys, an octave feels like a 7th on a standard piano: effortless, relaxed, natural.
Go try it on your piano right now—play a seventh, then an octave.
If the seventh feels dramatically easier, imagine having that feeling all the time.
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Comfortable Octaves = Better Playing
When your hands relax, your playing transforms:
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More fluid technique
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More control
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Better tone
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Easier four-note chords
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Less fatigue, less pain
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Faster progress, more joy
This isn’t magic.
It’s simply the right fit for your hands.
Do You Actually Need Narrow Keys?
This hand's span is 7.75 inches or 19.5 cm. To measure your hand, stretch as far as possible. Measure from outside of thumb to outside of fifth finger.
Statistically… probably.
To reach a tenth on the standard keyboard, you need a handspan of over 8.5 inches.
But only:
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13% of women have hands that large
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25% of men fall below that span too
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100% of children are physically unable to reach it
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That means millions of pianists - adults and children alike - are playing on keyboards that are simply too big for their hands, often assuming the struggle is normal.
It isn’t.
Narrow keys change what’s possible.
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Athena™ Narrow Keys:
Because Comfort Isn’t a Luxury - It’s a Requirement.
If octaves hurt, if chords feel cramped,
or if you’ve ever thought “maybe I’m just not built for this”…
Athena was built for you.
Unlock Your Full Reach at the Piano
Hand Span and Performance on the Traditional Piano Keyboard
Find more information about hand size and piano performance at www.paskpiano.org.
If your hand span is less than 8.5 inches, you need narrower keys to excel at the piano. We want to provide you with the keyboard that lets you play at your best.