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Hi,

Started off on my journey yesterday. One thing I'm unclear about: right now I'm borrowing a stand from a friend, and as a result, the piano sits too high (or my chair is too low)

But if I get a higher chair, my feet no longer hit the ground flatly (with a nice 90 degree bend in the knees) and it's uncomfortable either way.

Is it OK to lower the piano so it all makes sense again? Or will this cause issues lateron?

most pianos cannot be lowered unless it is Slab piano on an adjustable stand. Either way you height is important.
If you are a smaller person and I mean really small you can get pedal lifters. But the vital part is to adjust so your elbows in sitting position are slightly higher than the keys. And the distance you sit away is correct and that you are slightly leaning towards the piano. You can use cushions give more lift. Hope this helps you

+1.

I would phrase it differently:

. . . When you're in "playing position", with fingers on the keys,
. . . your forearms should be horizontal.

You may need an adjustable bench (or "drum throne") to do that. You may need to adjust the height of the keyboard (if it's a "slab" DP on a stand). You may need to lift (or put blocks on) the pedals, if you have short legs.

>>>> A piano keyboard height measured from the floor to the top of the white keys will approximate 28 1/2 inches. This is typically well adjusted for the average adult player. <<<<

Theres the typical height so you can measure/adjust your stand for keys to be around that mark.
Then you can adjust your chair. Last the real world answer to this and similar question is "do what works for you". Focus on what works for you and resulting sound you are producing. There are suggestions but none of them are rules one last time do what works for you.

congratulations on your new journey.

I played from an office chair for several years after I first started, and I don't think it hurt me. I used cushions because the chair was too low, so that might be something you try.

So, you boosted yourself up, with cushions, until _your_ height (not the chair's height) was such that -- more-or-less -- your forearms were horizontal ?

That's always an option.

Two sofa cushions on top of a seat pad on my folding chair, were needed to reach my Yamaha rested on the kitchen table. The trouble was, after half an hour I had sunk well below the keys

The best thing I did last year was get a high swivel office chair from Staples with height control. By not installing the wheels, and resting the pedal on a brick, I have much more freedom of movement while practicing now.

I did a similar study when I started. I wanted to find the standard keybead height, in case I had a chance to play a church or nursing home piano. My knees don't fit under. That's a natural fact. But I searched for tall or adjustable benches that went higher. (I should have spent more on this. Another story for another time)

It took me a second read-through to realize that the OP was talking about a digital keyboard sitting on a stand. I thought this thread was about upright piano heights. And then I thought "wait, pianos have adjustable heights?"

Anyway, I'm pretty sure my knees are not at a full 90-degree bend when I'm sitting at my piano, I'm thinking it's something slightly obtuse. I think I'd feel very crouched down and too low at a full 90-degrees. I'm sitting very much towards the front of my bench, and I do the same when I have to improvise and use a chair or something that is not specifically a piano bench. A normal chair is chronically too low and has to be propped or padded, if I need to use one (say, I'm playing four hands, at a piano with a single non-duet piano bench.)

Can anyone explain the primary reason for sitting on the front half of the bench? I'm assuming it's for technical reasons. I like to sit a bit further back, maybe 2/3 back, as I find it more comfortable. I don't see it hindering my use of the pedal in any way, though I am tall and have long legs.

That's why. I'm not short, but I'm average height for a woman, which is admittedly shorter than a tall man. If I were 2/3 of the way back, most of my thigh to my knee would be on the bench, and that's not really a great way to sit! I feel like perching myself on the front half gives me the mobility I need to play.

On a standard upright piano my knees wedge just under the board, which makes it hard to pedal so I have to sit back. Thus I always pose the question; if people are larger than we were in the 18th century then why are pianos still the same size?

Based on your avatar, I can see several things wrong with your piano height and seating setup.