How high to sit

For some unknown reason, club owners are too stupid to understand that pianos and piano benches have standard heights. The distances from the floor to the pedal tops, keyboard and bench seat are, presumably, based on some time-honored ergonomic standard.

Once again I had to spend an evening playing a grand piano that was put on one of those massive castered platforms. Only, as usual, the owner did not have the good sense to remove the piano's casters first. Consequently, the keyboard and pedals were too high. This can result in body pain and diminished facility.

I'm going to build myself a bench pad and foot rest to compensate. Some more stuff to keep in the trunk of my car. Just in case.

Al, your rant is well justified. I remember one piano I had to play in a church where I used a couple of hymnals for my feet rests.

Jon Parker Jazz Pianist Denver CO, USA

In smaller clubs over here you should be lucky to have a piano bench, they usually give a normal chair which is way too low for me, so I end up with a sore back and shoulders trying to compensate for the lack of height.

On the same subject, is there any rule on how high you should be seated? I've allways found that i'm most comfortable when my elbows are just a little below the keyboardline.

Depending on your physical size, a thick phonebook or two could work in a pinch. Either that, or take his chairs and stack another chair on top of the first (which usually gets it).

I like my elbows at keyline level, so my arms are level when I play. If something else works for you, go for it.

Gary (I never have had carpal tunnel syndrome, either) Rimar

I found that a collapsible drum stool works fine - it's padded, height-adjustable, solid, and takes very little space when folded up. They can be had at music stores like Guitar Center, etc. for $30-$40 or so. As for seating height, I prefer to have the hands slightly below the elbows.

Tony Evans

It is healthiest to sit with the forearms level or slightly above level with the keybed. If you sit lower, you are forced to play with high wrists - if you sit higher, you will be forced to play with a wrist that is lower than your hands. Neither is a good position to be in for long periods of time. You should also sit forward on the bench or chair, not leaning back. In fact, you should be leaning slightly forward, with your elbows off to the sides of your body and air circulating under them. If your bench is the wrong height, by all means use whatever you can to make it the right height.

In 'Pianist's Problems' by William Newman, the recommended difference between the height of the bench and the height of the keyboard should be about 10 1/2 inches.

Matt F.

Any formula that does not include the pianist himself cannot possibly be correct. Read the summary and follow the links from