What is actually the right height to sit at the piano?

[chopincat]

I've heard so many different answers to this question and I'm just very confused.
Elbows should be at the level of the keys?
Or slightly above it?
Or it depends on your hand size?
Or some other answer???

[1piano4joe]

Hi chopincat,

I've experimented with this quite a bit. I found out that elbows slightly above works best for me. I can't say that I was surprised since that was what "Bernhard" says in one of his posts. Also, he said, "that a drop of water on your forearm should run down in the direction of your hands".

I hope that helps, Joe.

[hardy_practice]

There's no consensus whatsoever though I get a feeling of more leverage from the second diagram.  Probably to do with triceps being optimally stretched?

[chopinlover01]

For me, having my forearms slightly above the keys (rather than parallel) causes me much less tension, as my wrist has to do less, and can simply drop into the keys.

[bronnestam]

https://vimeo.com/99963255

[chopinlover01]

Also keep in mind that each key is a lever, and that (as physics dictates) the farther out and higher up your press down on the key, the more leverage you will have on that key, also giving you more control over how loud or soft it plays.

[iansinclair]

I seem to recall that Glenn Gould sat extremely low...

Whatever works best for you!

[starlady]

I have to sit rather low, about like the second picture hardy_practice posted, or my back and shoulders seize up.  But my experience may not be applicable to those with less thoroughly wrecked spines.  --s.

[gyzzzmo]

i used to sit higher for a long time (arms over 90 degree), but later noticed that when i sit longer than 4-5 hours, it is actually easier for my back if you sit a bit lower, so your arms get lesser than 90 degree.
But i can imagine that it all depends on the person. Most of my piano-playing friends sit lower now too, but it doesnt work for all of them.

[amytsuda]

I am finding it depends on the piano size too.... if it makes sense. The bigger the piano is I feel like I want to have more distance from the piano, lower my shoulders and stretch out my arms more.