Requirements for playing the piano??? is it true?

Question:Look, i want to start taking piano lessons, but yesterday my cousins told me that i have to have long fingers in order to play the piano, were they right? or was it only jealousy? maybe they were trying to make me quit the lessons. Look, i really want to play the piano, i even feel this excitement of just knowing that my lessons are beginning next week, i won't give up, i just need to see what experts on playing the piano might think are the true requirements. For those who play the piano, what did you need or what motivated you start playing the piano? I even asked my mom to buy me a book of Music (violin and piano) just to completely know the instruments i'll be playing.

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: Look, i want to start taking piano lessons, but yesterday my cousins told me that i have to have long fingers in order to play the piano, were they right? or was it only jealousy? maybe they were trying to make me quit the lessons. Look, i really want to play the piano, i even feel this excitement of just knowing that my lessons are beginning next week, i won't give up, i just need to see what experts on playing the piano might think are the true requirements. For those who play the piano, what did you need or what motivated you start playing the piano? I even asked my mom to buy me a book of Music (violin and piano) just to completely know the instruments i'll be playing.

I am a pianist...I started to play when I was 5 and I was onstage for the first time at 8 yrs old...
Desire is everything...I am short, 4'10" and my hands are very small..But, I can play Litz..Bach, Chopin etc...
If you listen to the wrong voice of defeat you will do nothing in this life...Sometimes you must listen to your own heart...
As for me...I play with a Song in my Heart...
As for you...Find a teacher! And be dedicated and set aside quality time for practice...I use to practice 6 hours a day, now it's down to 3 hours...a day...
If you want to be good you have to think music, be music, sleep and eat music...
I love it!

Not true.
My chinese ex-girlfriend stands about 4'10", has tiny fingers, and is one of the best pianists I've ever heard.

Er no, I have the stubbiest fingers in the world and I've been playing piano for eight years. I love music and I loved the way people's fingers looked like they were dancing when they played the piano, so I signed up for classes. The piano is an awesome instrument and don't let your cousins get you down. :) I obviously wouldn't be playing for eight years if I didn't love the instrument so good luck!

I don't think that you do need long finger nails to play the piano.
I played the piano and my finger nails were so short.

No requirements for music! Just lots of motivation and patience! Which you seem to have! Id say jealous cousins So Ignore them!

piano just needs fingers, short/long doesnt matter. how good you will be just depends on how much you practice and how fast you learn and stuff.
i know people who play with long fingers, but i am surprising better than them.. XD

You do not need long fingers to be a good pianist.Go for your dream and don't let anyone stop you!!

I have rather short fingers. I've been playing piano for 30 years now, have a degree in piano pedagogy, gave a fantastic recital of Mozart, Bach, Chopin, and Rachmaninoff my senior year in college, and am doing well now as a piano teacher and professional accompanist.

I have run into a few limitations, because my fingers can't reach past an octave. With big chords, I sometimes have had to figure out which note I could leave out without altering the sound too much. Sometimes, I would have to use alternate fingerings (such as using the side of my thumb to play two neighboring notes at the same time.) Certain composers are difficult for me. Original versions of much of Scott Joplin's music, for example, will wear my hands out very quickly. But I am able to play them.

I don't know that your cousins are necessarily jealous. Many people have this misconception that long fingers are necessary for the piano. They may have just heard someone say that at some point in time.

No, finger length is not an issue

If you eventually want to play classical pieces that require you
to stretch over an octave (e.g., broken chords that are over an octave, chords over an octave), then you are the right candidate to start piano lessons. To do that means you will need long fingers to do this pianistic feat.

Perhaps you want to play Liszt or Chopin later on when you are successful. These composers are known for piano pieces that require you to stretch fingers over an octave on occasion.

Length of fingers may help but has nothing to do with the ability to play. I play guitar professionally and have long fingers. It helps but i have seen fat people play just as good or better than me.
So, the length of fingers may be good for chording, but for solo, it is irrelevant.

you dont need long fingers to play the piano.
i started when i was around 6 or so.
depending on how old you are.
when i first started i wasn't really motivated at all i didn't want to play my parents just kinda made me:]
anyways no you dont need long fingers ist may be hard to reach octaves like C to C,B to B and so on.but its fine.
and since your very motivated i say forget what your cousins say[no offense] and just learn the piano.

No, don't be put off! Sometimes if you have a very small stretch you have to work round things a bit but there's no reason why you won't be able to play brilliantly one day. My 8 year old plays beautifully and she is 118cm tall so your fingers won't be as small as hers, I can guarantee!
Go for it and have fun!