# Why are so many blind musicians pianists?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-blind-musicians-pianists/405494>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [May 25, 2007, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-blind-musicians-pianists/405494 "2007-05-25T15:41:04Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\
**Post date:** [May 28, 2007, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-blind-musicians-pianists/405494/21 "2007-05-28T17:54:10Z")

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Pianos are big, and easy to run into.

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**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\
**Post date:** [May 28, 2007, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-blind-musicians-pianists/405494/22 "2007-05-28T17:57:11Z")

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[QUOTE=NoClueBoy]  
Pianos are big, and easy to run into.  
[/QUOTE]

Whereas guitars are delicate and easy to step on.

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**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\
**Post date:** [May 29, 2007, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-blind-musicians-pianists/405494/23 "2007-05-29T16:08:56Z")

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[QUOTE=Jeff Lichtman]  
The instruments most commonly played by blind musicians - piano, guitar and harmonica - can all play chords, so are more interesting as solo instruments than, say trumpet or sax. … Also, a blind musician who can’t read normal sheet music might have a hard time getting a job as a studio musician or a sideman - another reason to prefer a career as a soloist.  
[/QUOTE]

All good points! I’d just add “or as a member of an improv-oriented group” to your last sentence – jazz, blues, etc. tend not to be as tied to sheet music.

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**Author:** ![Miscue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8491ac/32.png) [@Miscue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miscue)\
**Post date:** [May 29, 2007, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-so-many-blind-musicians-pianists/405494/24 "2007-05-29T16:34:22Z")

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I’ve got 20/20 and I can only find half my harmonicas.

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