Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Piano Benches - Size Matters!

Whether your piano's bench is badly broken or is missing, it is very important that you choose a bench that is the correct height to fit your piano.

The right piano bench can make a huge difference in how comfortable the piano performer is while playing.

Generally speaking, there are a few different types of benches including artist benches, grand benches, upright benches, duet benches and piano stools. The artist piano bench is the most comfortable and the most expensive bench on the market. This bench cover is usually made of leather and has a height and tilt adjustment that starts at 18" and raises up to 21" tall. The grand bench is typically 19'' tall and about 33" wide. The upright bench is range from 18 1/2" tall to 20" tall. The duet bench is similar to the upright bench and is built to seat two people around 30" wide. The first piano bench was a piano stool which has four legs and a round seat. Modern piano stools can be adjusted by spinning the seat. These stools are typically used with antique pianos, but come in handy for very young children who can not reach the keyboard well. Because the piano stool can be raised as high as 25", it serves as a great backup "bench" for families with small children who want to learn, but cannot reach the keyboard properly.

Used benches and stools can be found online or at your local used piano store. Used piano bench prices typically start at about $100. New piano benches start at (fasten your seat belt) around $150 and can go over $1,000.

If you need a regular, new piano bench, you should budget about $200 to $300 and shop online, visit your local used piano store or ask your piano tuner to show you a catalog. Plan on receiving your bench in about 10 days to 2 weeks because they are fairly heavy and express shipping is expensive. Ship it "ground" if you can wait.

One last note: Teach your children to "respect the piano." Kids who fight over who gets to play next can end up flipping the piano bench and hitting their head on the floor or hurting their fingers. This happens all the time. It's a good idea to teach young children to "wait their turn to practice" and "one at a time at the piano." If you are placing two children on a duet bench, they should be closely supervised. (Two kids on one piano can be hazardous!)

So relax, get your wallet out, plan ahead, stay safe and "have a seat!"

Happy practicing!

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