(2) Bench Height, Distance from Piano, Posture

The bench height should be set so that the elbows are slightly below the level of the keys when the upper arms are hanging straight down with the hands on the keyboard in playing position. Sit on the front half of the bench, not in the center, and at a distance from the piano such that the body does not interfere with the elbows when they move towards each other in front of the chest. For beginners, benches with fixed height will not be problematic because they can adapt to a range of heights.

Low bench height has the advantage that it makes it easier to lift the fingers, especially the 4th, and it may allow a straighter wrist, thus reducing the chances of contracting carpal tunnel syndrome. The shoulders will be closer to the keys, providing a wider reach and the head will be closer to the keys, providing a more intimate feel of the keys. It also makes it easier to sit with a straight spine and to sit farther away from the piano, which provides more elbow space. Sitting lower is more compatible with many techniques such as (21) Forearm Rotation , using the Power Thumb [(31) Thumb, Most Versatile Finger, Power Thumb] or the flat finger positions [(4) Curled and Flat Finger Positions, Curl Paralysis], etc. It also allows the use of forearm rotation to rotate the wrist rapidly.

Posture is important: a high position can cause the players to hunch their backs, so that a conscious effort must be made to sit straight up. Massage therapists know that a crooked spine, head leaning forward, can cause long-term problems from stress.

The high position makes it easier to lean forward and exert downward pressure with the shoulders for loud passages. It may also make it easier to prevent "hand collapse" (HC), which is a controversial subject because the different types of HC have not been clearly defined, although HC is prominently discussed in several books.

Whatever advantages/disadvantages there are to different bench heights, they can be compensated by an adjustment in wrist position. In addition, each person has different ratios of the lengths of the spine, upper arm , etc., so that bench height alone does not determine the optimum position.

Bench height becomes important for advanced pianists; thus the best time to test for optimum height is at the advanced level. More factors favor the lower position, so that the optimum position is probably one with the elbow one to two inches below the keyboard. This will make most commercial non-adjustable benches too high by several inches. Adjustable benches are highly recommended.

A majority of teachers and books recommend sitting with the elbow at the level of the keys and a few, especially the older ones, recommend higher positions. Many concert pianists sit high, probably because they had teachers who preferred the high position, and became accustomed to it. The lower position is recommended here because it has more advantages.