There is so much focus on reading music, understanding theory, hand position and so much more. We don’t often see information on how to get our piano stool setup correctly.
As a teacher I have mutliple height adjustable stools. I often have students who say their stool isn’t the right height after I’ve set it up for them. This just tells me that they need some more time learning about how to sit at the piano for the best effect.
If you don’t have the best sitting position then you’re off to a bad start. Bad angles can affect your playing significantly.
Here are the things to look out for when you setup you piano stool.
Sitting position
Height of the piano stool
Distance from the piano
#1: Sitting position
I know this isn’t directly effecting your piano stool setup but if you don’t know how to sit correctly at the piano, you’ll never (unless by flook) get the correct bench setup.
When you’re sitting at the piano think about the following.
Relaxed but straight back. Don’t slouch but also don’t sit like you’re getting an inspection in the army with your chest sticking out.
Relax your hands. To find the perrfect starting hand shape hang your hands by your side and note the shape of your hands. Move them to the keys and keep the same shape.
Have a nice straight line through through the wrist. Don’t bend them high or let them collapse.
When you’re playing your elbows should be slightly in front of your upper torso.
Feet should be flat on the floor. If you’re not tall enough, get a stool to put your feet on.
Sit on the front half of the stool. The majority of your hamstrings should be off the stool.
#2: Piano Stool Height
People often think that the player’s height is what makes the difference to the stool height. It’s not the first thing to think about.
Stool height relates to the size of your upper arm.
Now that you know how to sit at the piano lets add something else. Your forearms should be parallel to the floor. This allows gravity to work well for you. Weight carries down your arm and through your hands and fingers into the keys.
The longer the player’s upper arm, the higher the stool should be. Keep adjusting until your forearms are parallel with the floor. If your wrists are straight your elbows will be at roughly the same height as the white keys.
#3: Distance from the piano
Earlier I mentioned elbows being slightly in front of you.
When I’m setting up distance I ask stundents to hang their arms by their sides. Then keeping the same shape stick their arms in front of them.
If your distance is correct, you should just be able to touch the fallboard without leaning forward or backward. Once that’s setup, bring your arms down to the keys and you should be at the correct distance.
In Summary
Spend some time fixing your piano stool height and distance from the keyboard. It takes less than a minute at the start of your practice session to get it right and it gives you a great boost to technical ability.
Whatever you do, don’t get it all setup correctly then pull your stool in closer to the piano. Get used to the distance and freedom it gives your arms.
If you’re learning piano and would like some help I can provide the following.
The Lighter Touch is for people learning piano in their own time. I am available for support with video responses to your questions. Along with that, you would get access to a growing library of live support sessions and loads of free sheet music.
