How to sit at the piano

The main thing to remember when you first sit down at the piano is that you want to be relaxed. Any tension, like stiff wrists, raised shoulders or elbows sticking out like a chicken, will mean it’s much more difficult to make a good sound at the instrument, limit your technical progress and just be uncomfortable!

You might want to start with a brief warm-up to help loosen up, things like shoulder rolls, wrist circles and stretches are good. Sit towards the front of the stool with feet on the floor either side of the pedals. If your feet don’t reach the floor you could use a stool or some books to rest your feet on. Your hands can rest lightly on the keys with the fingers slightly curled. I like to imagine a little mouse could fit underneath them.

There should be almost a straight line from the elbow through to the wrists and hands, and a right angle at the elbows up to the shoulders. You might need to sit on a cushion or use an adjustable stool for the arms to be at the right height. Keep your back in a comfortable position and use your tummy muscles to support it. Now you’re ready to play!