Do-it-yourself piano stand. How to choose a keyboard stand

Almost any modern keyboard instrument needs a reliable support. allows you to place the tool so that it is at the optimum height and securely fixed. Modern racks are compact structures that are convenient to transport without losing space and, if necessary, can be installed in a couple of minutes in the desired position.

If you are using a synthesizer, MIDI keyboard, controller, or drum machine, it is recommended that you select the appropriate rack. But how to choose the right one? This article is devoted to this issue.

Types of racks

1. X-shaped. This is the most common and best option for all occasions. Such a stand is quite light, stable, easy to fold, adjustable in height, which allows you to play the instrument both sitting and standing. The disadvantage is the small weight of the tool that the rack can withstand. Such racks with the help of a screw regulator can change their height in steps or steplessly, they are made of metal (usually steel or aluminum). The cruciform stands at the top and bottom are equipped with wide and dense rubber pads to prevent the tool and the stand itself from slipping.

2. XX-shaped . These racks are a reinforced version of the X-shaped racks. They are much more stable due to the double frame, but, accordingly, are heavier and somewhat more expensive. But they can withstand more weight of the tool. Metal racks are the most budget-friendly and popular type of synthesizer rack.

3. Z-pillars - A reliable accessory for the synthesizer, can be used both at home and at a concert. Z-shaped metal construction looks very stylish and at the same time quite stable.

The ROLAND KS-18Z stand is a Z-shaped stand that can fit into any interior in a practical and elegant way, has a fairly light, transportable weight and very durable construction details, can securely hold even the heaviest types of keyboards and synthesizers, with a full-size keyboard in 88 keys (up to 90 kg). The rack is made of a special heavy-duty aluminum alloy, which gives it maximum light weight and strength. The design of the rack is a special folding mechanism with strong connection elements with position locks, in the form of a screw clamping mechanism. The stand is equipped with convenient height clamps, these are clamps with a screw clamp, there are only two clamps for the left and right sides. It is possible to adjust the height of the rack, there are six levels in total (from 607 to 932 mm). To adjust the width, a rack width adjustment mechanism is provided (from 615 to 938 mm), this is a specially adjustable crossbar, with width clamps on convenient screw clamp mechanisms.

4. Stand-table . Such a stand is considered the most reliable and versatile, as it can be used not only as a stand for keyboards, but also for other types of equipment - mixers, controllers, etc. It is also made of metal; it is adjustable in height and width and, thanks to four support points, provides a secure position for the tool.

5. Stand in the form of a column (tripod) , which is needed for especially heavy tools and can withstand a total weight of more than 100 kg, usually has two tiers. On the optional second tier, you can place a tool of not too much weight (usually no more than 25 kg), while at the column stand, the weight is summed up and usually exceeds a centner.

6. Double and multi-tier racks allow you to save space and securely place your equipment.

7. Wooden racks . Such racks are usually made of chipboard (budget option), or solid wood, which is much more expensive. Despite the fact that wooden stands look very stylish in combination with a digital piano, they are a stationary option and have a number of disadvantages: heavy weight, the impossibility of folding, and therefore compact placement, unregulated height, high cost. Such a stand does not add up, its height cannot be adjusted. But wooden racks are stable and durable, able to decorate the interior.

8. Rack for mixer and laptop are very helpful for many musicians when you need to connect the instrument to a computer or use various DJ equipment.

Fully adjustable laptop stand that can be used for various DJ equipment such as CDs, keyboards, MIDI devices, projectors, etc. Two holders are adjustable in width and depth and securely hold laptops of any size without obstructing ports, slots. The laptop holder is height and tilt adjustable and rotates 360 degrees to perfectly position your laptop. Also, the stand is equipped with a mouse holder, which can be placed on either side of the left / right side of the laptop or simply pushed in, which is convenient for storage and transportation.

How to make the right choice?

The choice of a tool stand depends on its purpose and conditions of use. What to look for when choosing?

First, you need to consider the weight of the tool itself. Each model has in its characteristics the maximum weight of the placed tool. This weight is not recommended to be exceeded, otherwise the stand may simply not withstand and damage the instrument when it falls.

Secondly, be guided by the possibility of adjusting the rack height. If a child will play the instrument, then you will definitely have to select the height of the instrument for him. In general, this is a very convenient option. In addition to wooden racks, almost all models have this characteristic.

Third, pay attention to how the rack folds, and if it folds at all. For transportation, this is a very important function. Also, look at the attachment points, latches and regulators, play can cause a lot of inconvenience.

Do not forget about the appearance. If a metal stand is perfect for performances and rehearsals, then for the home you can take a closer look at a wooden stand and use it comfortably.

The keyboard stand, although an accessory, plays an important role, because it allows you to make playing a musical instrument comfortable and reliable. Therefore, her choice should be approached responsibly. When choosing a stand, consider the model of the musical instrument, as there are designs designed exclusively for certain synthesizers.

On the YouTube channel POP-MUSIC you can check out a helpful overview of ten popular keyboard stand models.

For those who are learning to play the synthesizer or who can fully play this instrument, it is very difficult to do without a special stand. And this is not surprising. After all, the tool itself is quite heavy and has considerable dimensions. It is for this reason that a synthesizer stand is required. However, the choice of such products is quite wide. If you are a beginner, then it will be difficult for you to decide on the type of rack. What are they and how to choose the right one?

Metal synthesizer stand

Today in specialized stores you can buy XX, X and Z-shaped racks. They are suitable for almost all types. A synthesizer stand made of metal has a number of advantages. First of all, this design differs from other varieties in strength and lightness. When playing a musical instrument, there is no feeling of discomfort.

Another advantage of such models is the ability to adjust the height. This keyboard stand is perfect for kids. Because they are growing fast. The stand height is easily adjustable. It can be gradually increased, and if necessary - reduced. This feature will allow an adult to play the instrument while sitting. And this is important for long and frequent lessons.

Which is better?

Recently, there has been a debate about which stand for a synthesizer is better: X or XX-shaped. According to many, the latter type of design is much more stable. However, its cost is much higher than the cost of the X-shaped. It is worth noting that racks made of metal are more convenient and budget. This explains their popularity. In addition, if necessary, they can be folded and hidden in a place inaccessible to prying eyes. These stands take up little space.

Wooden structure

The keyboard stand can be made of wood. Such structures are usually made of chipboard. This is the most budget option. However, some manufacturers produce solid wood musical instrument stands. Of course, the cost of an array product is much higher and not everyone can afford it.

The main disadvantage of such a rack is that it is simply impossible to fold it and put it in a secluded corner. In addition, the height of the structure cannot be adjusted. And this suggests that such coasters are not suitable for children. Of course, wood construction has its advantages. Among them, it is worth highlighting the strength of parts and stability. In addition, for a synthesizer, it will allow you to revive almost any interior a little.

Keyboard stand Axelvox KST-11

If you often rehearse performances, often study, then you will need a reliable and high-quality stand for a musical instrument. It is precisely these qualities that the Axelvox KST-11 design has. In addition, it is possible to adjust the height of the stand. In this case, the musical instrument will always be securely fastened.

Cross folding stand Axelvox KST-11 is made of fairly durable metal. The design is reliable and can last more than one year. The design is equipped with a spring lock. This allows you to fix the musical instrument at a certain height. As a rule, the design is sold together with a cover. This allows you to transport the rack if necessary without the risk of damaging it.

Stand Axelvox KST-21

Stand for keyboard musical instruments Axelvox KST-21 is a reliable and high-quality design. Products of this model are made of powerful metal. The design is perfect for many modern electronic musical instruments. The Axelvox KST-21 stand has a cruciform shape and is equipped with a double frame. This provides additional reliability and stability of the product. If necessary, the structure can be transported. After all, it folds easily.

Stand for Yamaha L85 synthesizer

The Yamaha L85 stand is ideal for mounting the P95 and P85. The structure is well designed. The musical instrument is fastened securely, which ensures its safety during the game. The stand is attached to the bottom of the synthesizer. It is worth noting that the Yamaha L85 stand is ideal not only for the home, but also for the studio and stage.

Among the advantages of the product, it is worth highlighting its low weight and excellent stability. The stand is finished in black. It easily installs and attaches to the keyboard. Suitable stand Yamaha L85 for musicians of all levels. In addition, it is easy to operate.

Stand CASIO CS-44

The structure is made of multilayer plywood and plastic. The stand provides an additional as well as a non-slip wide surface for a musical instrument and wide legs-stands. Such a product will perfectly fit into almost any interior. With a casual design, your musical instrument will look more graceful.

In conclusion

The stand for the synthesizer makes it easier to play a musical instrument. However, her choice should be approached with all responsibility. First of all, it should be determined who will use it, what qualities it should have and whether it will stand in one place. If a mobile design is required, then you should pay attention not to those made of metal. If you want to create an original design of the room and make the conditions for playing the synthesizer more comfortable, then it is better to purchase a stand made of wood. When choosing a stand, the model of the musical instrument should also be taken into account. After all, there are designs designed exclusively for certain synthesizers.

Electronic musical instruments, along with a computer, occupy a permanent place in the apartments of Russians. Many people know how to play themselves and enjoy playing music in their free time. In addition, children are growing up, and so far no one has canceled the prestige of musical education. Even if the child does not become a talented musician or composer, the ability to play a keyboard instrument will significantly increase his status. The choice of electromusical synthesizers is large, and you can choose an instrument of any level.

Electronic pianos allow you to place your hands and fingers correctly and at the same time do not interfere with your neighbors at all, since you can play with headphones. A big disadvantage of this technique is the separate purchase of a tool stand. These designs are expensive and not very reliable, so many are interested in the question of how make a stand for a synthesizer with your own hands.

There are many options for simple designs that can be made from improvised materials or using things already in the household. A very simple stand for a home synthesizer can be made from an ordinary ironing board. In fact, this is an almost finished folding rack. The material with which it is covered can be cut off and replaced with another coating.

The board itself is attached to the supports with screws, so it can be removed and a new one cut out. If the electric musical instrument is not too heavy, then such a design will be quite reliable. The good thing about the design is that no tools are required to make it. Do-it-yourself synthesizer stand can be made from scrap materials such as metal pipes or profiles. For all its simplicity, this design is not intended for heavy models, in addition, a lively child can overturn it, therefore you can make a stand for a digital piano yourself from wooden parts. The prefabricated rack will be quite stable. The whole structure is assembled from four parts. These are two sidewalls, a tabletop and an additional horizontal bar between the sidewalls, which provides additional rigidity.

DIY Casio Digital Piano Stand

Usually a stand for an electric musical instrument costs about 5-6 thousand rubles. This amount does not suit everyone, therefore do-it-yourself Casio digital piano stand can be done without much difficulty. The basis for the manufacture is a furniture laminated chipboard with a thickness of 16 mm. From it you need to cut out only four parts. Their dimensions are determined by the model of the musical instrument and the required height above the floor. Boards can be sawn out on their own, but it is better to give them for sawing to companies that do this. It will be inexpensive, and the quality will be much higher.

To assemble the structure for an electronic piano, you will need a furniture corner, screws, PVC edging and plastic inserts on the lower part of the sidewalls so that the structure does not scratch the floor. The laminated board can be chosen in the desired color.

If you have a tool and experience with it, then the rack can be made more complex. The design can be made in the form of a table, where the tabletop rises on brackets. You can use a piston system, or some other. Stand-table is made of furniture board 20-22 mm thick. Speakers can be placed on the top shelf. Metal legs and mechanics can be purchased at the construction market. How to make a stand for a synthesizer with your own hands. The main thing here is to file the details correctly. Furniture fittings and self-tapping screws are used for fastening.

When there are two electric musical instruments, you will have to make a two-story structure. For the manufacture of simple and two-tier racks for electric musical synthesizers, an excellent system-constructor called the "Joker" is used. It is designed for quick assembly of various commercial equipment.

These are stands, show-windows, racks and many other things. The system is based on chrome-plated steel pipes with a diameter of 10, 25 and 32 mm. They can be interconnected by various couplings, racks and tees. To do DIY digital piano stand it is enough to cut the pipes of the required length and, using locks, assemble any design from them. In addition to a hacksaw or grinder, you only need an internal hex key. Plastic plugs are put on the ends of the pipes, and shelves for synthesizers are cut from any material. Do-it-yourself music stand for a synthesizer can be done in a very short time.

Until quite recently, only rare lucky ones could master playing the piano, whose apartment allowed them to place such a large-scale instrument. With the advent of digital technology and the advent of synthesizers, the issue of free space has ceased to be so burning. Now the problem of purchasing a stand for a synthesizer has come to the fore, without which it is extremely inconvenient to use this wonderful instrument.

Types of stands for synthesizers

To date, the range of stands for synthesizers can be divided into two types: wooden and metal.

Wooden stands for the synthesizer

Wooden stands for the synthesizer are a stable stationary structure and outwardly resemble a regular table, but without a table top. It makes sense to purchase wooden stands when it becomes necessary to place a large and heavy synthesizer set, and it has a clearly defined place in the room. In addition to the ability to withstand significant loads, wooden synthesizer stands are distinguished by a high level of stability. The cheapest options for such coasters are made of chipboard, which cannot but affect their appearance and service life. Stands made of various types of wood will cost much more. But this product will last much longer. The downside of both of them is the lack of the possibility of adjusting the height and width.

Metal stands for the synthesizer

A more versatile option for placing a synthesizer setup are stands made of metal. According to the shape of the structure, metal racks are Z-, X- and XX-shaped. All of them can be adjusted in width and height, and are also able to withstand the load from 20 to 130 kg. Due to this, such stands are suitable for installing synthesizers of any company (Casio, Yamaha, etc.) and any size, including children. Height adjustment allows you to use them for playing both sitting and standing, and if necessary - quickly disassemble and hide. The main disadvantages of such racks include their relative instability and insufficient fixation of the synthesizer.

Homemade stands for the synthesizer

Craftsmen have adapted to make stands for the synthesizer with their own hands, fitting them to the size of their personal instrument. For example, synthesizer racks, the basis for which are ordinary ironing boards, show themselves to be quite convenient. In addition, an unnecessary written or can be redone for the installation of a synthesizer.

As a child, I had a piano, so real, Soviet, 300 kilograms. I liked to strum on it, and after graduating from a music school, even play something. The piano is cool, authentic, but not at all practical. And in order to be absolutely right for the soul, you also need a drum set, heels of lotions for an electric guitar, a clarinet, a sitar and sample loops ...

Of course, now it is no longer necessary to make a garage studio out of an apartment for a stash of six salaries, it is enough to install a free music editor on a PC. But, it's all inconvenient.

The PC keyboard is not at all like a keyboard instrument, everything is different here. Moreover, it is not suitable for teaching a child at all. It seems that there is no choice but to purchase a synthesizer. But my doubts still haunt me.

What is a synthesizer? A large device, with a musical keyboard, which should take up decent space somewhere. Which has built-in acoustics, but I already have a receiver with speakers. Which has a bad PC built in, and I have a good PC.

It turns out that for 40 thousand I buy what I already have in the best quality, with the exception of only the keyboard. This is just some kind of maximum irrational spending.

In search of a separate keyboard, I came across such a class of devices as the USB MIDI Keyboard.
It always seemed to me that MIDI is from the field of professional musical activity.
But now everyone makes music on a PC, in any convenient place, which means that musicians need mobile musical keyboards that can easily fit in a backpack.

A plan immediately formed in my head. We connect a MIDI keyboard to a home media center based on Raspberry Pi 3, where a software synthesizer is spinning, allowing anyone to perform their next masterpiece at any time. On such MIDI keyboards, as a rule, there is a set of knobs and additional buttons that are programmed for various effects or additional musical instruments. It looks and sounds very cool!

There are larger and smaller devices, there are more expensive and a little cheaper. I chose the option for about 5 sput. It has two octaves, normal-sized keys, drum buttons, tuning knobs, everything that a beginner electronic musician can dream of.

I am not an expert in creating music on PC, so it was difficult to find ways to implement my idea. Information had to be collected bit by bit. The puzzle gradually began to take shape and it turned out to assemble a working solution, which I am sharing with you. Oddly enough, but in the standard distribution of Raspbian/Debian, everything you need was found, you didn’t even have to connect external repositories.

Fluidsynth is used as a sequencer (an application that plays MIDI files).
The MIDI keyboard is immediately detected via ALSA and is available for connection to the sequencer.
To play the sounds of various instruments, open sample bases in the SoundFont2 format are used. Let's install it all first.

sudo -s apt-get update apt-get -y install alsa-utils fluid-soundfont-gm fluidsynth
Connect a MIDI keyboard to Raspberry and start the sequencer in server mode:

Fluidsynth -i -s -a alsa -g 3 /usr/share/sounds/sf2/FluidR3_GM.sf2
We execute the command:

Aconnect -o
As a result, we will see a list of available MIDI clients:

Client 14: "Midi Through" 0 "Midi Through Port-0" client 20: "VMini" 0 "VMini MIDI 1" 1 "VMini MIDI 2" client 128: "FLUID Synth (1628)" 0 "Synth input port (1628) :0)"
Here it is important for us to remember the numbers of the keyboard and sequencer clients in order to then connect them with the command:

Connect 20:0 128:0
Now we are all set to play the Yamaha Piano (this is the default instrument). Read the fluidsynth manual, there are many interesting commands there, for example, to change the instrument to drums or brass, set the amount of reverb or chorus.

Let's make our software synthesizer convenient. In order not to manually connect the keyboard to the sequencer every time, we will write a simple demon that will do this automatically at startup.

cat > /etc/init.d/fluidsynth<< EOF #!/bin/bash ### BEGIN INIT INFO # Provides: fluidsynth # Required-Start: $all # Required-Stop: # Default-Start: 2 3 4 5 # Default-Stop: 0 1 6 # Short-Description: Fluidsynth deamon to play via MIDI-keyboard ### END INIT INFO startDaemon() { sleep 30s && fluidsynth -i -s -a alsa -g 3 --load-config=/home/osmc/midi-router >/var/log/fluidsynth & sleep 60s && aconnect 20:0 128:0 & ) stopDaemon() ( pkill -9 fluidsynth &> /dev/null ) restartDaemon() ( stopDaemon startDaemon ) case "$1" in start) startDaemon ; ; stop) stopDaemon ;; restart) restartDaemon ;; status) ;; *) startDaemon esac exit 0 EOF
Register a daemon for autorun:

Chmod 755 /etc/init.d/fluidsynth update-rc.d fluidsynth defaults
Please note that now, at startup, the sequencer is given a configuration file (/home/osmc/midi-router) containing commands that turn our keyboard into a real synthesizer.

Here's the thing. Each key and knob on the keyboard sends certain events, with its own number. As I understand it, there are no special standards here, so each manufacturer does what he wants. For example, I want the square keys to sound like drums, the rest of the keys to sound like piano, and the knobs to control volume, reverb, and chorus.

So, I need to map the event codes from the keyboard to different instruments, and the codes from the knobs to the codes that the sequencer understands. In fluidsynth, this is done using router. These commands are contained in the configuration file.

Here is an example of my config file, with comments on what it does.

Cat > /home/osmc/midi-router<< EOF # загружаем стандартные инструменты и ударники, найденные где-то на просторах Сети load /usr/share/sounds/sf2/FluidR3_GM.sf2 load /home/osmc/241-Drums.SF2 # связываем инструмент каждый со своим каналом select 1 2 128 0 select 2 1 0 0 # по умолчанию звук идет на канал 0 # перенаправляем события с квадратных клавиш на канал с ударными router_begin note router_chan 0 0 0 1 router_par1 36 48 1 0 router_end # события с остальных клавиш перенаправляем на канал с пианино router_begin note router_chan 0 0 0 2 router_par1 0 35 1 0 router_end router_begin note router_chan 0 0 0 2 router_par1 49 255 1 0 router_end # события с ручек мэпим на события, которые понимает секвенсер, # полный их список есть в документации на сайте fluidsynth router_begin cc router_chan 0 0 0 2 router_par1 14 14 0 98 router_end router_begin cc router_chan 0 0 0 2 router_par1 15 15 0 11 router_end router_begin cc router_chan 0 0 0 2 router_par1 16 16 0 91 router_end router_begin cc router_chan 0 0 0 2 router_par1 17 17 0 93 router_end # выключаем громкость на канале 0, # иначе при нажатии на клавишу # разные инструменты будут звучать одновременнно cc 0 7 0 EOF
To find out what codes your device generates, you need to use this utility:

aseqdump -p 20:0
It listens and prints events from the MIDI keyboard to the console. Press the button or turn the knob and you will see the event type, channel and code. You can program your keyboard the way you want, not the way the engineers who designed the specific synthesizer came up with. For which many thanks to the developers of fluidsynth, alsa, SoundFont2, Raspberry and V-Mini.

By the way, this topic with DIY synthesizers is reflected in several inventions, I recommend it for study.