Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Adult Beginners Forum Piano bench for short people?

How do kids do it?

In any case, my current piano bench is 18.5". It's too tall for me - my legs are angled steeply down, as are my arms. As a result (plus my weak abs - I know, I know, exercise), I can only play for short periods before my lower back is killing me.
I need my bench to be probably ~3 inches shorter to sit comfortably and straighten out my thighs and forearms into a more ergonomic position.

I've looked at adjustable benches online, but they all seem to adjust UPWARD from that. The lower limit is still usually somewhere around 18.5".

I can't be the only one with this problem? Short of taking a saw to the legs of my current bench, what options are out there?

I don't understand? What do casters have to do with the height of a bench?

I understand your problem but if you were sitting 3 inches lower wouldn’t that put your forearms and elbows too low, as in way below the keyboard? I would think this would fix one problem but create another.

I just got a "drum throne".
https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/81u0WWM68KL._SY450_.jpg

At its lowest mine goes a half inch lower than the old piano bench, but the one I returned went a fair bit lower (I returned it because it kept sinking - wouldn't stay locked in position). The one I got has a separate "lock" for which you need a "drum key" to tighten. The salesperson was a drummer, and I asked him how he balances himself, and he did some pseudo-drumming- the stools are made to be sturdy since drummers move around a lot.

I'd have preferred a stool that twirls to go higher and lower, rather than what I have, which has a screw to hold it in place.

Originally I had an adjustable piano bench when I got my first Yamaha dp. It developed cracks, wires that erstwhile held buttons poked through, so I've been making do with a hard pillow on a non-adjustable bench. The price of adjustable benches was prohibitive, and tbh, I was afraid of ending up with the same problem. I had never considered a stool.

John305 - No, as I said in my OP, my forearms are also angled down right now. They also need to be lowered about 3 inches to reach an ergonomic position.

I don't understand why your arms are dangling downward. Are you saying you are too tall for your bench?

I'm 5'8" and I have to raise my bench slightly to get my arms perpendicular to the keyboard.
This bench ranges from 17.75 to 23" (we sell them in our online store) http://www.pianosupplies.com/pianos/BM_44HP.html

A shorter person might have some trouble reaching the pedals, that's what pedal extenders are for.
http://www.pianosupplies.com/pianos/PedExt.html

keystone - thanks, I hadn't considered something like that. Do you find the circular shape is as comfortable to sit on as the traditional rectangle?

Casters would raise the height of the piano.
The absolute height of the bench is irrelevant; it only matters in relation to your body and the height of the piano.

Piano World - no, I am too short.
Imagine someone sitting ergonomically at the piano - thighs close to straight (maybe a very slight downward angle), and forearms close to straight.
Now raise the bench up about 3 inches, but leave the feet on the floor and the hands on the keyboard. The thighs get a downward angle, and the forearms get a downward angle. That's how I'm sitting right now.

malkin, but raising the piano won't change the angle of my thighs when my feet are on the floor. That is what is causing the lower back pain.

I am confused hummingbird. The only thing I can imagine is that you have already setup the keyboard to be very low compared to what is usual. If not then just lowering your seat might help fix your lower back problem but then cause serious tension in your shoulders and arms.

I almost think pedal extenders is the right solution and that if the keyboard is currently lower than usual the it should be raised to the usual position.

Hummingbird,
Some pictures might help if you can get some.

(post pictures here..)
http://forum.pianoworld.com/ubbthreads.php/forums/42/1/piano-photo-gallery-pictures-of-pianos.html

Kevin - keyboard is standard height and doesn't change. It's a Roland console digital piano. My arms also need to be lowered, my elbows are too high right now, as well - which will also lead to injury if I continue for a long period.

I used an old dining chair and took a bit off the legs. I was intending to use it as a way of finding the right height and then buying a bench. I've stuck with the dining chair!

Piano World - I am alone right now so no one to take a picture, but here's a quick sketch of the issue


https://scontent.fapa1-2.fna.fbcdn....400aa4b41c161eb51a5e1046&oe=5DBEC39D

Your legs angling down in that manner may not be such a bad thing (as shown perhaps it's too severe). The forearms may well be a problem although I think Barenboim plays a little like that. However what is good for Barenboim isn't necessarily good for you or I.

That looks like a more extreme version of my body shape, I have a long torso compared to the length of my legs and arms. So your problem is not just just being short like a child’s but dealing with your body shape. But actually that might just be fixed by chopping the legs off of a piano stool.

KevinM, I know simply chopping about 3 inches off the bottom of my bench would work - I just was hoping not to have to do anything that drastic, especially since I'm planning on trading in this piano/bench combo pretty soon to upgrade. It would certainly hurt resale value, lol.
I was hoping there was just a shorter bench available out there somewhere.

Just get an old dining chair and have at it. At least that way you'll know for sure what height is correct for yourself. I know they have a back rest but you don't have to use it.