Discovering the Joy of Narrow Key Pianos: A Game Changer for Pianists
Updated: 5 days ago
The Magic of Piano Boot Camp
We just finished an energetic summer Piano Boot Camp! This camp is a week-long immersion in lead sheets and chords. It has been running for 12 years. This year was special because it was our first time meeting live and in person since the pandemic. Everyone agreed it was wonderful to be back together, playing ensembles and sharing experiences. I brought lots of little surprises to keep the momentum going, just as I have done in previous years. However, this year, I had a big surprise.
A Student's Journey with Narrow Keys
One of my students, who has small hands, bought a D.S. 5.5 narrow key action for her Yamaha U1. These keys have a 5.5” octave compared to the 6.5” octave that regular pianos have. She purchased them a few years ago and says the only reason she is playing piano in her retirement is because of her narrow keys. She can play pain-free, and she loves them!
Our Piano Boot Camp was held at Taber Music School in Victoria, B.C. They have a marvelous group piano studio with seven 88-key Yamaha DGX pianos. These keyboards are wonderful, but they all have regular-sized keys. After two days of camp, I noticed that Ruth, the owner of the narrow-key piano, was getting fatigued. She loved what we were doing, but playing on large keys was tiring.
A Surprise for Ruth
When Ruth showed up on Thursday morning (camp day 3), instead of a Yamaha DGX, my NK 5.5 (the world’s first digital keyboard) was in its place. I placed it there for her to play for the rest of the camp week. You couldn’t wipe the smile off her face! She had several personal bests after the narrow keyboard arrived. Improvisation in front of others had been a challenge for her, but this year, she nailed it! Beautiful notes in a groovy rhythm. I think her success was partly because she felt comfortable on the keys.
A Surprising Reaction
What I didn’t expect was what happened in the afternoon camp. Doreen was playing on the keyboard that Ruth occupied in the morning. I hadn’t told this class that there would be a narrow-key keyboard in its place. When I arrived for the afternoon class, everyone was gathered around the new narrow keys, trying them out. They ALL felt the narrow keys were a better fit for their hands. Doreen said she would be happy to play on them for the rest of the day, and the next day, and the next! She had the choice to move back to regular keys, but she preferred experiencing narrow keys instead. She adjusted quickly to the new size and went home to practice on her regular-sized keys without any issues.
In the picture above, both pianos have 88 keys. The lower one (my NK5.5 inserted into a grand piano shell) fits my small hand, while the other fits my Dragonfly Sisters with larger hands.
The Future of Piano Playing
How will the future enjoyment of piano playing evolve when affordable narrow piano keyboards become abundantly available? Experiences like this one tell me to hold onto my hat and be prepared for some fun surprises! No surprise, Ruth and a few of her classmates are eagerly awaiting the chance to own their own narrow-key digital piano.
2026 Update: A Legacy of Learning
Piano Boot Camp is still running 20 years later and has merged with the great U-Jam Jazz Camp in Victoria, B.C.
Ruth (second from the left) now owns an Athena in addition to her 5.5 retrofit. She is still happily playing narrow keys at this year's Piano Boot Camp.
We had three Athena pianos in the piano classroom (along with seven traditional-sized keyboards), and I was so busy teaching the class that I forgot to take a picture! Instead, I have a video of one of the other piano instructors. John Lee is an amazing jazz pianist with a large hand. He tried narrow keys for the first time at our U-Jam wind-up party. Here he is playing my D.S. 5.5 narrow keys. He commented on how satisfying it was to easily reach the really stretchy 10th chords. I asked how far he could reach on narrow keys, and he spanned a 13th. Wow!
In conclusion, the journey with narrow key pianos is just beginning. The joy they bring to players like Ruth and Doreen is inspiring. I can’t wait to see how many more pianists discover the comfort and freedom that narrow keys provide. If you’re curious about how narrow keys can enhance your playing experience, I encourage you to explore this option. You might just find your new favorite way to play!
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