Lately, I've been trying to practice keys at night in the family room, and I've just been balancing the keyboard on my lap. I'm looking for a stand that will pull right up to the couch, that I can walk through (meaning I can move the keyboard and walk forward—I don't have to move around the stand).
I have seen Z-shaped keyboards with the brace way down by the base, which would work perfectly, but they all seem like they would come up to the couch, but not over it. Really, I would need something in more of a 'C' shape, where the feet slide under the couch and the top hangs over if, putting the keyboard right in your lap.
Anyway, Id' be surprised such a thing didn't exist. Do any of you play on the couch, and if so, do you have a stand to recommend?
Keyboard stand for couch potatoes
-
- KVRist
- Topic Starter
- 359 posts since 23 Mar, 2008
-
- addled muppet weed
- 105872 posts since 26 Jan, 2003 from through the looking glass
-
- KVRist
- Topic Starter
- 359 posts since 23 Mar, 2008
Hey, that's pretty good. Maybe the trick would be to get an overboard stand like this:
And when constructing it, don't add the board on top.
And when constructing it, don't add the board on top.
-
- addled muppet weed
- 105872 posts since 26 Jan, 2003 from through the looking glass
just make sure it can handle the weight, depends on the keyboard obviously, wouldn't try it with a stage piano type thing. but i wouldn't want that on my knees either 
-
- KVRAF
- 10260 posts since 7 Sep, 2006 from Roseville, CA
I guess this depends on your definition of "practice keys", but I'd be careful about using a stand like this if your goal is become a better pianist since this will likely result in bad posture and bad keyboard mechanics. That could easily affect your technique in a way that could be very difficult to unlearn down the road. But, if you're just planning to noodle around or whatever while watching TV, it's fine (I do the same thing with my Reface CP and Elektron boxes). Anyway, not trying to be "that guy" who poopoos an idea, just thought it might be worth mentioning. 
Logic Pro | PolyBrute | MatrixBrute | MiniFreak | Prophet 6 | Trigon 6 | OB-6 | Rev2 | Pro 3 | SE-1X | Polar TI2 | Blofeld | RYTMmk2 | Digitone | Syntakt | Digitakt | Integra-7
-
- KVRist
- Topic Starter
- 359 posts since 23 Mar, 2008
No, it's worth pointing out. I have heard other pianists point this out on videos: that your posture should be correct, that you need to learn the correct hand positioning when you start or else you will have to unlearn a lot of bad habits, and so on.
I even have a piano in my house, that I got for my wife, but I don't use it. There's no way I'm going to sit on a stool for hours on end. It'll mess up my back too much. So it just seems like if I learn to play with the keyboard in my lap, and that becomes second nature, and that's the only way I'll ever play, then it shouldn't matter.
Maybe I'm wrong about this. I work at a computer all day, and I can type as fast as I can think. My fingers just know where the keys are. I want to get to that point with the piano keyboard and the only way I'm going to get there, I think, is to just have the keyboard in front of me and to be plunking away on it all the time, even when I'm watching something else. Is my form correct when I type on my computer keyboard? Well, I don't feel for the little bumps over F and J, and I don't keep my fingers on that row, but I can type extremely fast without thinking about it. With the piano keyboard, I want to learn the right way, but I also want to play in the way that feels right, so I don't know what the right answer is.
I even have a piano in my house, that I got for my wife, but I don't use it. There's no way I'm going to sit on a stool for hours on end. It'll mess up my back too much. So it just seems like if I learn to play with the keyboard in my lap, and that becomes second nature, and that's the only way I'll ever play, then it shouldn't matter.
Maybe I'm wrong about this. I work at a computer all day, and I can type as fast as I can think. My fingers just know where the keys are. I want to get to that point with the piano keyboard and the only way I'm going to get there, I think, is to just have the keyboard in front of me and to be plunking away on it all the time, even when I'm watching something else. Is my form correct when I type on my computer keyboard? Well, I don't feel for the little bumps over F and J, and I don't keep my fingers on that row, but I can type extremely fast without thinking about it. With the piano keyboard, I want to learn the right way, but I also want to play in the way that feels right, so I don't know what the right answer is.
-
- KVRAF
- 10260 posts since 7 Sep, 2006 from Roseville, CA
I spend much of my day in front of a computer, too, so yeah, I totally get that!
Logic Pro | PolyBrute | MatrixBrute | MiniFreak | Prophet 6 | Trigon 6 | OB-6 | Rev2 | Pro 3 | SE-1X | Polar TI2 | Blofeld | RYTMmk2 | Digitone | Syntakt | Digitakt | Integra-7
-
- KVRAF
- 6426 posts since 22 Jan, 2005 from Sweden
The amazon stand 68 cm min, means keys would be at 80 cm or so.
A couch might be as low as 40 cm and never would work out a good sitting position.
I have an X-stand for children that goes lower, that would work, I think.
So sitting so low, children stands.
A couch might be as low as 40 cm and never would work out a good sitting position.
I have an X-stand for children that goes lower, that would work, I think.
So sitting so low, children stands.
-
- KVRAF
- 2472 posts since 15 Apr, 2004 from Capital City, UK
Part of the reason for having good consistent posture when playing the piano is so you _can_ train yourself to automatically know how an octave jump feels, for example.. or the distance you need to jump when doing arpeggios in different keys.
The more your training ground varies, the longer it will take to acquire the automatic-ness you will eventually desire.
As a simple example, I was always trained to put the piano stool in the position such that I could lift my right hand up and with as little adjustment as possible, hit the middle C. If I look directly down at my body, it looks like the A below that middle C is in the middle of my body. With consistency like that, when all the notes are in exactly the same position, you can concentrate on the mechanics of movement and familiarity of note positions much faster.
Being able to type fast proves you do have the ability to pick up the mechanics of a musical keyboard, and you're probably in almost the same position in front of your keyboard whenever you're typing, right? But all you're doing is pressing down on a button. Piano keys are not buttons; they are velocity sensitive, which, if you don't train in a consistent position, will be another level of hardness to navigate and perfect.
Basically, practise with good posture and in a consistent position for the fastest results. I've probably repeated myself but what the hey.
The more your training ground varies, the longer it will take to acquire the automatic-ness you will eventually desire.
As a simple example, I was always trained to put the piano stool in the position such that I could lift my right hand up and with as little adjustment as possible, hit the middle C. If I look directly down at my body, it looks like the A below that middle C is in the middle of my body. With consistency like that, when all the notes are in exactly the same position, you can concentrate on the mechanics of movement and familiarity of note positions much faster.
Being able to type fast proves you do have the ability to pick up the mechanics of a musical keyboard, and you're probably in almost the same position in front of your keyboard whenever you're typing, right? But all you're doing is pressing down on a button. Piano keys are not buttons; they are velocity sensitive, which, if you don't train in a consistent position, will be another level of hardness to navigate and perfect.
Basically, practise with good posture and in a consistent position for the fastest results. I've probably repeated myself but what the hey.
-
- KVRer
- 1 posts since 14 Mar, 2023
Thank you for your review
-
- KVRist
- 178 posts since 11 Mar, 2021 from Romania
The K&M Omega stand would do what you want, except for the "walk thru" part.
I get your point about sitting at the computer all day, but "practising" on the couch will ruin your back.
One nice thing about the Omega stand is that has huge height adjustability. So when I'm bored of sitting, I just practice standing up.
There's also an accessory board that converts it into a DJ style table, great to use with a laptop.
I get your point about sitting at the computer all day, but "practising" on the couch will ruin your back.
One nice thing about the Omega stand is that has huge height adjustability. So when I'm bored of sitting, I just practice standing up.
There's also an accessory board that converts it into a DJ style table, great to use with a laptop.
-
- KVRist
- Topic Starter
- 359 posts since 23 Mar, 2008
Thanks so much for the replies. I bought the over-bed table depicted higher up in this thread. I didn't install the board or the wheels, so it's just the frame. I had to shorten the adjustable stems with a pipe cutter for it to get low enough, but now it's at a perfect height.
the only thing I would change about this design is to have the connecting brace all the way at the floor. This would make it easier to use a pedal with the keyboard. Otherwise, this is working pretty well.
the only thing I would change about this design is to have the connecting brace all the way at the floor. This would make it easier to use a pedal with the keyboard. Otherwise, this is working pretty well.
