The right height for every kind of playing
A piano bench, or stool, is part of the playing itself. When the height is exact and the seat is stable, the shoulders are free, the hands move freely, and practice goes on with pleasure. At the Zohar Pianos store and gallery, 28 Ben Atar, you can sit on several models in front of the same piano, and choose.
A good bench accompanies the piano for years, and sometimes several people play at home - a child starting out, a parent returning to playing, a teacher arriving for a lesson. So it is worth choosing it with care, just like the piano.
Bench or stool
A bench is wide enough for two, and suits a parent and student sitting together, four-hand playing, or anyone who likes room to move sideways. A stool is more compact, sometimes with a backrest, and suits one regular player.
Some benches have space for sheet music under the seat, like the adjustable bench that comes with the Alexian Solis piano. That way the music stays by the piano, organised and ready.
A bench that grows with the player
The keyboard height from the floor is almost identical on all pianos, so an adjustable bench works perfectly in front of an upright, a grand or a digital piano. What changes is the player: a child needs to sit higher, and an adult lower. For children, choose a simple height mechanism and add a footrest when needed - that way the bench grows with the child.
In a home with several players, an adjustable bench lets each one find their height in seconds. A parent and student practising together, or a teacher arriving for a lesson at home, feel the difference immediately.
The right height
At the right height the forearms are level with the keyboard, the shoulders are free, and the feet rest on the floor or on a stable footrest. A tip from the store: sit down, play a slow scale with both hands and then a few quiet chords. When your body stays still and free after a minute or two, you have found the height.
Leave about half a metre in front of the piano for the bench and the player, so you can sit, stand and move the bench easily. When the player grows, or someone else sits down, adjust the height again and check once more with the same slow scale.
Seat and stability
Look for a supportive, well-padded seat, wide enough to let you shift slightly sideways when playing at the ends of the keyboard. Check for pleasant upholstery and legs that stand firmly on the floor. On the adjustable mechanism, check that the height locks quietly and both sides rise together. A few minutes of real playing tell you more about a seat than any description.
The look matters too: a bench in the piano's finish, high-gloss black, white or wood, completes the musical corner at home.
The bench and the piano together
When buying a piano, it is worth choosing the bench in the same visit, in front of the same piano. That way you see immediately how the height suits the keyboard and how the finish blends in. Many digital pianos come with a matching bench, as in the Alexian F series. And if you already play a piano at home and want a new bench, send us a photo of the piano and tell us who plays, and we will suggest a few options.
A small seating tip: sit at the centre of the keyboard, opposite middle C, so both hands reach the bass and the treble with the same ease.
What to check in the store
Sit on two or three models in front of the same piano, play for a few minutes on each, and ask us what suits the age, the number of players and the type of piano. Adjustable benches and stools · Accessories.
Next step
Come and sit at the piano in the store and gallery, or message us on WhatsApp with who plays at home and what piano you have. Call 050-7750691. We are here for you.
Links: Benches and stools · Accessories · Upright pianos · Grand pianos · Digital pianos
Frequently asked questions
What is the right height for a piano bench?
The height at which the forearms are level with the keyboard, the shoulders are free and the feet are stable. Check it while playing for a minute or two.
Adjustable or fixed bench?
Adjustable suits most homes, especially with children or several players. Fixed suits one player whose height is already known.
Which piano bench suits children?
An adjustable bench with a simple mechanism, and a footrest if needed. That way the seating is exact at any age.
Can I try them in the store?
Of course. At the store and gallery at 28 Ben Atar you sit on several models in front of the same piano and choose.