Do you need to buy a special piano bench for a piano? Can you play the piano while sitting on a regular chair? The answer is provided below :)

To play the piano, a special bench is not required. Adjustable bench for the piano should be considered by high people (height over 190 cm or 6,2 ft.), and by children (due to low height). For people having height of 140- 190 cm (4,6 – 6,2 ft.) there is no need to buy an adjustable piano bench. 

Advantages of benches with adjustable height:

-    Possibility to adjust height (usually in the range of 10 cm or 0,3 ft.);
-    Lack of backrest, which enforces good posture (without “spreading” on a chair);
-    Soft and comfortable seat;
-    Generally more stability (although there are also massive and stable piano benches without height adjustment);
-    Usually elegant appearance – when you buy a piano and a bench from the same manufacturer, piano with a bench make an elegant set;

Why do we need to adjust height of a piano bench for children and for high people?

The player’s hand when placed on the keyboard should be bent at an angle of 90 degrees at the elbow. Recommended posture, when you play the piano:

Correct posture when you play piano

High people will have their hands bent too much, while children too little, thus an adjustable piano bench is needed.

Advantages of the bench without height adjustment (compared to adjustable bench or other options):

• Lower price compared to an adjustable bench;

• Lack of backrest, which enforces correct posture (without "spreading" on a chair);

• Soft and comfortable seat;

• Usually an elegant look, when buying a piano bench from the same manufacturer, piano and bench make an elegant set;

A summary:

When to choose an adjustable bench, and when one without height adjustment? What other options can be considered?

If you have height between 140 and 190 cm (4,6 – 6,2 ft.), there is no need to purchase an adjustable bench, as hand position on keyboard will be correct. Another issue is that advanced piano players choose unusual piano bench positions, for example Glenn Gould was choosing a bench with lower seat (recording is available here), or Evgeni Bozhanov (recording is available here).

While people with height between 140 and 190 cm (4,6 – 6,2 ft.) have a correct position of hands on a keyboard, an adjustable piano bench may be purchased due to aesthetic, comfort and greater stability of such a seat. An advantage of an adjustable or non-adjustable piano bench over a chair is that they do not have a backrest, which forces you to sit straight. The best replacement for a piano bench may be a normal stool, without backrest. 

Cons of a stool versus a special piano bench:

-    Lack of soft ad comfortable seat;
-    Less stable;
-    Lack of an elegant look;
-    Advantage of a stool is its simplicity and lack of an additional money expenditure.