And I have the backing of the world's Piano Manufacturers Association attesting to my sentiment too by the way.

Best,
Mike

Mike yes you are correct ....
I took my toy ruler and did as you suggested above on my Pa800....

excactly 6 1/2"

Thanx for the Math lesson

Now if we could only get Yamaha to do the same with their arrangers and synth action workstations.

Everybody knows... size doesn't matter.

"It's in the way that you use it..." EC

Correctomundo!

Mozart played a variety of keyboards. Harpsichord, clavichord, pipe organs and early forte-pianos. None of which had ANY standardized key width... Didn't seem to faze him

The only thing that really got to me was playing a piano accordion with 'lady's keys' which are considerably thinner than even a regular accordion, which is itself a lot less wide than a piano's keys. I could easily span an octave and a fifth (C1-G2:wow: ) on that thing, and it seriously threw off my chops! Regular piano accordion, no sweat, but this thing was just SO small...

Many keyboardists have learned to adjust to a variety of key feels and key sizes.

Guitarists do the same with different types of guitars.

Learn about the variety of feels from guitar players if another keyboard player can't persuade you.

Ian

Now that's opening a can of worms if I ever heard one.

Actually size "can" matter and depending on the situation "does" matter. For instance, take the Tyros as an example. Or any of the other Yammie synth action keyboards for that matter. They all have 160mm octave span keybeds (except their cheapies) and the problem that can arise in my opinion is when you play within the area of the black keys. Pressing the white keys in the black key area can get tricky and prove to be frustrating, because, as you've guessed by now,.. , the width to be able to play comfortably is restricting because of the narrower keys compared to a conventional 165.1mm octave span keybed. Since the white keys space between the black keys area is narrower because of the smaller keybed size more attention has to be concentrated on striking the keys without interfering with the possible triggering and depressing of the black keys in the process, at least for me anyway, when striking the white keys within that area. And I don't have fat fingers so I can imagine someone with larger hands trying to do it effectively i.e. without unintentionally depressing one or both of the surrounding black keys along with the white key when playing within that area.

I've played the larger 165.1mm octave span keyboards and it is so much nicer (and easier) to navigate and play in the area between the black keys. I can do it on an 160mm octave span keybed like my Tyros but it can be tricky and I have to constantly be on a diet and watch my weight also. lol Just kidding but you get my drift right? Now if everyone just played near the edge of the keyboard and didn't play within the black key area everything would be peachy keen and Yammie could make their keyboards with 130mm keybeds and nobody would complain. But unfortunately that has not, nor ever will be, the case for the majority of keyboardists worldwide. Including me...

Best,
Mike

Good points, Mike. But you seem to do OK with the thinner Yammy keys. Do you think you could/would play even better if those keys were wider - that's the issue. I think it would be nice if all keyboards (above the strictly for fun) were of a standard size, but they aren't. Being able to adjust is just part of the game.

Hey, what about the accordion guys who go from keys to buttons.

I don't know about the rest of the forum members, but I have trouble seeing .06375-mm (approximately 1/50th-inch difference in key size) let alone being hampered by this. And, my first keybed experiences were on an old upright piano. I sincerely believe that for MOST PERFORMERS, this is a NON-ISSUE. I figure that if those skinny keys are good enough for the vast majority of players, they're damned sure good enough for me. Or, maybe I'm just not talented enough to worry about it. Let those puggy fingers fall where they may!

Cheers,

Gary

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Travlin' Easy