How to sit at the piano

Before a single note, how you sit decides how easily your hands move. Nothing here is strict — it is about comfort you can hold for twenty minutes.

Four things to check

• Sit on the front half of the bench, not pushed back against it.
• Height: your forearms should run roughly level with the keys, elbows a touch above them.
• Distance: about a hand span between your body and the keyboard, so your arms are not folded up.
• Feet flat on the floor. If they dangle, a book or a box under them helps.

A quick test

Let your arms hang loose at your sides, then lift them straight onto the keys without leaning. If you had to stretch or hunch, adjust the bench rather than your back.