Keys That Fit

For nearly 150 years, pianists of all ages and backgrounds have struggled with keyboards designed for a single hand size, leaving many feeling excluded or even at risk of injury. Remarkably, most people-even experienced pianists-are unaware that the traditional piano keyboard is based on a convention ill-suited to all but the largest hands, and that customized keyboards made to fit any hand size are available.

Keys That Fit explores the growing movement to make piano playing more accessible, comfortable, and enjoyable for everyone. Through the author's personal quest to acquire a narrower keyboard and overcome more than two decades of pain, frustration, and disappointment, this book reveals how a simple innovation can deliver life-changing results for countless musicians.

Whether you're a student, teacher, professional, or simply passionate about common-sense innovation, Keys That Fit offers a compelling look at how adapting the piano keyboard can empower players and open up new possibilities for musical expression. Discover why more and more pianists are choosing keyboards that fit their hands-and how this simple change is positively transforming their lives in music.

Michael Tessler is a devoted jazz musician who began playing saxophone in elementary school and continued through graduate school, performing semi-professionally in a 20-piece big band. He then shifted his musical focus to jazz piano, inspired by his long-time admiration for Oscar Peterson, who was graced with unusually large hands. His passion for playing Oscar's music, which incorporates expansive chords spanning 10 or more piano keys, led Michael to discover the possibility of unconventional piano keyboards with narrower keys. Michael's interest in the arts extends beyond music to his career as an award-winning professional architectural photographer. In his free time he continues his dedication to jazz piano, with the help of his custom keyboard that fits his hands to perfection.