Not quite sure where to post this question. I did some searches and didn't come up with much.

In my home office I have a regular swivel office chair. Not on the of big luxurious ones, but a relatively straight (but well-designed) one. The arms are fairly low. It's comfortable.

I have my P70 opposite my desk, and I spin around and play when I can.

The chair just seems so much more comfortable than a bench. It spins easily for little movements. I can lean back if I want. And I can even rest my arms for a minute now and then. It's also easy to adjust the height.

So why in the world do people insist on a bench? Compared to a good adjustable bench, the chair is even much less expensive.

Perplexed in NY,

Mark

i did saw similar chairs for piano advertised on some website. it might be a good idea though. i did use a chair like that for a while playing on my piano, but my teacher said, when he saw me using it, that i should get a more stable chair instead and therefore i got another chair without wheels.

A pianist should not be sitting leaning back while playing - you need to be ON TOP of things and have free movement of your body.

A pianist should be sitting near the front half of a bench to give leverage for leaning left and right and for good use of the pedals.

Hard wood benches are hard on the butt and hard on the back of the legs. Cushy tufted leather or vinyl is much more comfortable.

I am sure that others here might disagree but I am a strong believer in a no swivel, stationary comfortable bench.

LL

it makes no difference, because with a whatever chair, you'd never lean back on the chair back as you only sit on the front part of the chair anyway.

Right. I wouldn't lean back while playing...mostly (although truth be told there might be some thing that I might just lean back and plunk out). But being able to lean back now and then and rest for a moment makes it easier to sit there longer, and therefore practice longer. Same deal with the arms. Not used while playing, of course, but comfortable for short breaks, reading the sheet music, thinking about a passage, etc.

I just find benches very unappealing.

i love playing on a piano stool (while at rehearsal and church and am considering storing my Jansen for awhile.. which is unmoving and a bit not tall enough for me. I really like the freedom that swivelling allows.


Granted, the position i generally sit in is not very ladylike.

Mark,
Here's a fully adjustable, back-support chair actually designed for piano ...
http://www.concertdesign.com/piano_bench.html
Expensive.

Apple

How do you use the swivel?

I lean.

Swivel, if needing to turn towards something else in the room, such as a student, choir, etc.

Has an office chair ever been used in a concert performance?

Well, there is (was) Glenn Gould.

At Carnegie Hall recently, at a performance of The Messiah, the harpsichordist had a Staples office chair. Looked pretty funny up there will all the period instruments.

I've seen many photos of famous concert pianists of the past...sitting on chairs. And, if anyone has back trouble as I do, being able to sit back every so often and give your back a little relief is quite nice.

Kathleen

Why swivel..?

i swivel to play both hands high and or low. i'm a bit of a compulsive mover.. never still or quiet.. i exercise my legs and point my toes and just sit in various ways..i've practiced the full turn twirl many times for fun... at church i have to turn around alot to face the service .. and just do.

Just had a look at those. That's a lot of $$$ for what looks like a slightly modified drafting chair. Doesn't look as comfortable as mine, either.

This is pretty close to what I use:

http://www.officechairstation.com/AirGrid-Task-Chair-Adjustable.htm

Mine was a little less expensive, though.

I think the piano manufacturers keep piano teachers in mind.

And what if we want to play in a duet?

The bench will serve its purpose in some cases.

But, yes, I'm all for chairs, if they're comfy and doesn't clash too much with the piano's style.

The most comfortable chair/stool/bench you will ever use for a piano is actually an adjustable drummers throne.

The seat used by drummers is a fully adjustable throne (stool) that easily swivels from side to side and even has an adjustable back rest.

They are small enough to have you "sit up", but still offer lower back support to help with fatigue.

Ludwig makes a real nice one.

Actually my Yamaha G7 came with a very nice padded adjustable upright chair. the seat adjusts in height and is lightly padded with maroon leather and has the same finish as the piano. It's very upright and I usually sat on the front part, very rarely leaning back.

I find a couple of problems with a chair that swivels, although not everyone may find these to be problems.

The first is that, when you swivel, you're pulling one shoulder further away from the keyboard and pushing the other shoulder closer. That makes the pull-away end of the keyboard more of a reach, puts the other elbow too close to your side, and tends to make you c ock both wrists as you compensate for the change in arm position.

The other problem is that as you push the pedal on one side (usually the right), that tends to make you swivel in that direction, which you'll compensate for with tensed muscles in your lower back and other-side leg. A solid chair or bench lets you compensate for pedal pressure with less muscle effort, because you're not trying to also compensate for chair movement.

Or so it seems when I've tried it.

Mike:

you are very perceptive on the "swivel" part of it. At first, it can seem a little funky, but you can get used to it over a short time period.

The absolute nicest bench I have ever tried was actually my wifes bench for her loom (weaving).

This loom bench is exactly like a traditional piano bench other than it *glides* from left to right on a ball bearing roller channel.

Yes, I know what your thinking!, slip and slide...away!!.....but you can adjust the resistance of the *glide* to suit your personal taste.

Again, not for everybody, but it's an option.

I also like nice soft cooshy benches as my butt bones get sore after a while on the wooden plank-o-bench! :p

That sounds great, because it would keep your shoulders aligned with the keyboard. Never heard of such a bench!

Tradition... ever seen a blue piano at the concert hall, or a male concert pianist wearing a red suit? (I've seen women wear various colors, but men -- when wearing a suit or tux -- always wear black. It's a tradition.)

I agree. but you might want to put a padding on the wooden seat!.

If you google "loom benches", you can probably find a pic of one or contact any specialty fiber store.

Any device for seating oneself at the piano, a chair, a bench, even a box, is fine as long as the pianist is elevated to the proper height that facilitates playing mechanism stability, comfort, and functionality.

Two points:

(1) While I'd agree that it doesn't really matter what you sit on, I can't really conceive of using a chair that swivels (and certainly not one with wheels like an office chair) - I have a hard enough time making accurate jumps with a fixed seat without worrying about the seat moving. I need a stable base to operate from. Just my personal preference, of course - YMMV.

(2) If you play at multiple venues (home, lessons, recital hall) the only common type of seating you will find at all three is a piano bench, so you better be used to it. Unless you plan to bring your own chair (ala Glenn Gould)...

The loom bench sounds SWEET for the way I play (all over the place. I can't "sit still" and play)

The office chair would be ok I guess if not for the casters on it. The combination of casting about and pedaling + the way I play could turn into something much like the "Twister" scene in Wizard of Oz.

But a horizontal left-right slide would be great - to get the "bunny hop" out of my backside when I run across octaves.

I use a dining chair instead of a bench for my digital piano simply because when I use a bench I can't fit my knees underneath the keyboard!

When I need to practice a lot, I bring out my office chair. If I'm going to be sitting at the piano for a couple of hours, it really helps to be able to lean back a bit and have my back supported. I often use a little lumbar pillow, too. If I don't, my back gets too sore.

This is when I'm going to be spending oodles of time pounding out sections of a piece, memorizing stuff, etc... not for "performing."

As for using chairs in performances, I've seen it occur, though it's a rarity. I've also seen "standing" performers use chairs on occasion--like symphony double bass players. I figure if it works for them, who am I to knock it?

And of course there are all sorts of musicians who have physical issues and require all sorts of chairs.

As an aside, there is a woman in the Phoenix Symphony (I think a violist, not sure) who has a companion/assistance dog who comes on stage with her during performances. This dog is incredibly well trained. He (she?) sleeps during all the actual performances, and stands up for the applause!

you actually can find such chairs on some sites, see here:

http://www.musicomfort.com/concert.html
or
http://www.concertdesign.com/piano_bench.html#piano_bench

Those things don't look very comfortable... although they do look more comfortable than a typical bench.

I was thinking of getting another office chair just for the piano, and possibly taking the casters off so it won't roll around. It would still swivel, go up and down as needed, and have a back and arms. So it would be much improved over a bench.

The thing about shoulders moving out of line has me thinking, though. I need to sit and play and see how that feels. I have my lesson today so I will ask my teacher (very traditional) what he thinks.

Why not a Vogon Poetry Appreciation Chair?





Mel

My old piano didn't come with a bench and I tried out quite a few items, (including an antique Chinese garden bench!) before I decided on an armless refugee from some Victorian dining room. It's the right height, has a padded seat and a back. The back is important because I'm a severe asthmatic and leaning forward is hard on my chest. Being able to lean back for a few minutes and literally catch my breath is a great relief.