Proper Positioning At The Piano Makes Playing An Enjoyable Experience

I remember my early days sitting a bench with a stack of books with a pillow on top in order to reach the keys. My feet could not reach the pedals at all, so I did not learn to use them until I grew into them. If I only had pedal extenders and an adjustable piano bench, my early playing experiences would have been much more productive and enjoyable. I also remember stacks of sheet music perched precariously on top of the old upright, and sometimes, it would come tumbling down, creating quite a mess. Sheet music storage is always a problem for the musician.

Having the right seat is a great improvement over the stack of books and pillow method. Proper positioning at the keyboard allows the hands to move naturally across the keys. Some pieces cannot be properly played without proper hand positioning. Today, you can purchase a bench which allows you to adjust the height so that the arms are in a natural position is essential for proper key strike. If the seat is raised too high it creates an overextended forearm, which creates key strike with extended fingers instead of the proper "C"curve. If the seat is adjusted too low, it creates shrug shoulders and can result in hanging wrists and key strike that is too far on the tips of the fingers.

Proper positioning of the seat should result in perfect alignment of the forearm, wrist, and hand. The elbow should be in a nice natural curve and hanging close to the body. Positioning of the body should resemble the proper sitting position. In the case of children, the seat should be positioned so that their arms are in the correct position first, then if they still cannot reach the pedals properly, pedal extenders should be used.

Once the arms are in the proper position, the back should be straight, not leaning forward nor leaning back. Pedal extenders can be used to achieve proper foot position. It can be adjusted within several inches up or down according to the needs of the student. The foot should not be cocked too far up, creating strain on the upper tendons of the foot. They should not be extended until the toes are the only things reaching the pedal either. Using the right equipment will help the musician to create a natural position that does not put strain on the body. It can save the student the agony created by balancing precariously using books and pillows

Now, let us have a word on that problem about storing sheet music. Most musicians collect a large amount of sheet music. They get many ideas wherever they go. Whenever they hear music they like, they must go right out and find it. There is never any consideration for storage, they must have it and they must learn to play it. It is an afterthought for the avid musician. Many benches have a storage compartment. This is great for keeping you favor pieces or practice music handy. However, for the serious musician this may not be enough storage and you soon realize you have to find another way to organize your music. There are cabinets with many small drawers available to purchase. Sheet music storage cabinets come in many attractive wood finishes and styles. You can do a search online to find a variety of music furniture which offers an array of wood finishes matching your other furniture in the room. Having the proper accessories will lead to many years of happy playing.


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Stewart Wrighter researched purchasing some pedal extenders for his piano. He ordered an adjustable piano bench so his young children can learn to play the piano.