How do I play these widely spaced keys on keyboard?

Question

I am struggling to play these keys, and I am not getting the right phrase to search on Google for this type of question. It's clearly impossible to play this with 2 hands. If this is played with 3 hands, then how do I reduce it to 2 hands, and, if this can be played with 2 hands, then let me know how?

Is there something I can do for playing the same type of tune without the octave part? In simple words, is there any short-cut to play the octave part and chords together?

This screenshot is a part of The Score - Miracle:

[NOTE: I have small hands]

I would use the sustain pedal. I guess these videos don’t show that? — Todd Wilcox, Feb 12 '21 at 04:00
@ToddWilcox that's another reason for which this kind of video is just crap. They certainly are not tutorials, they are often misleading and in these cases just wrong: it's clearly shown that lots of notes are just kept "pressed" even if would be impossible to, even with Rachmaninoff's big hands. — musicamante, Feb 12 '21 at 07:36

Aaron · Accepted Answer · 2021-02-12T04:34:24.870

4

The important moment in understanding how to play this comes at the beginning of the chord(s).

The below screenshot comes from the 0:43 second mark of the linked video in the OP. Note how the left hand first plays the B octave, then plays the [F# B D] chord. To do this, play the Bs first, and hold them with the sustain pedal, which is then kept held while playing the next chord. [Note for small hands: If playing the B octave is too big a stretch, play only the lower B and leave off the upper.]

You can see in the OP screenshot that the upcoming chord is handled the same way: D octave first [small hands: just play the lower D], held with the pedal, then the [D F# A] chord. Note the gap in the upper D. This indicates that it is played twice: once with the lower D, and then again with the next chord.

For more tips on handling large chords, see What is the best way to play a chord larger than your hand?

edited Feb 12 '21 at 04:34

answered Feb 12 '21 at 04:15

Aaron

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Since I don't have a sustain pedal, will the music sound fine if I didn't play the octave part? – Naitik Feb 12 '21 at 04:24
@NaitikSrivastava You'd have to try it, but it would probably sound "thinner". However, for the chord discussed in my post, you could leave out the low B and move the D down one octave, creating a "new" chord with the upper B, the lowered D, the F#, and, if you can reach it, the upper-upper B ([B D F# B]). For the next chord after that, you could do something similar. Leave out the low D, and play the upper D with the F# and A. – Aaron Feb 12 '21 at 04:30
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@NaitikSrivastava - if your 'piano' has a port for a sustain pedal, buy a pedal. If not, strongly consider changing for a better 'piano'. That pedal is an important part of the playing of the instrument. It's like having a car with no steering wheel. – Tim Feb 12 '21 at 08:24

How do I play these widely spaced keys on keyboard?

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