3 - Tier Keyboard stand (seated)

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This question has been asked before, but I want to be a little more specific. Has anyone found a keyboard stand that can accommodate three keyboards that are easily playable from a seated position? If so, I would like to hear your ideas. It would need to hold an 88-key keyboard on the bottom tier and two 76-key keyboards above.

Thank you!
 

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Maybe if you took a virtual tour of Jean Michel Jarre's studio you'd get some better ideas.

But every studio I've ever seen with 3 keyboards or more requires the artist to do the sabre dance between the boards and pedals. :D

Plus, a lot depends on your physical dimensions as a human being. There's a reason Randy Newman hates "Short People" :p. ;)
 
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Maybe if you took a virtual tour of Jean Michel Jarre's studio you'd get some better ideas.

But every studio I've ever seen with 3 keyboards or more requires the artist to do the sabre dance between the boards and pedals. :D

Plus, a lot depends on your physical dimensions as a human being. There's a reason Randy Newman hates "Short People" :p. ;)
Hahaha, it really seems that two keyboards are the limit if you want to be seated and comfortable. Having three tiers is one thing, but trying to have a music rest above the third tier? Almost impossible. I’m 5'11", so average height, but I find that if you have to reach over when playing a board, it quickly becomes uncomfortable. I dig Jean Michel Jarre's studio! I love that C15, among everything else.

Cheers Gary!
 

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If you don't mind selling a kidney to pay for one, you could build a Gibraltar like Ed Diaz. :D


Hopefully your arms are as long as a gibbon's :D :D :D
 
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If you don't mind selling a kidney to pay for one, you could build a Gibraltar like Ed Diaz. :D


Hopefully your arms are as long as a gibbon's :D :D :D
Right! they would need to be!! ... A solid stand but there is just no way you could play that third board unless like you say, you have a wing span of at least a private jet 😄😄😄
 
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Has anyone found a keyboard stand that can accommodate three keyboards that are easily playable from a seated position? If so, I would like to hear your ideas. It would need to hold an 88-key keyboard on the bottom tier and two 76-key keyboards above.
I think the ability to do this will depend on the particular boards, i.e. how much height and (visible) depth each requires, to be sure the top board does not get either too high or too far back from your body.
 
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There are models out there which do not require selling ones soul to purchase.

This one looks pretty robust and each tier is fully adjustable By way of height and tilt.

As already pointed out how effective it will be in your case does depend upon what keyboards you intend to use.


IMG_5313.jpeg
 
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I know I asked a very similar question before, and I looked back to see why I didn't find it helpful. The truth of the matter is that it's just really difficult to find an "out-of-the-box" solution. There are many stands that house three keyboards, but finding a solution where you can easily reach all three keyboards, see the controls, AND have a music rest over the tiers while being seated seems fairly impossible.

The three keyboards I would be housing are actually a Nord Stage 4, 88-key, a Yamaha Montage M8x, 88-key, and a Korg Nautilus, 73-key. Once I can find a way to do that, I want to replicate it on either side of me. These will be easier as they will be 61-key keyboards unless I buy a Hydrasynth Deluxe.
 
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In general, an "out of the box" 3 tier solution for sitting is probably impossible, but that doesn't mean it's un-doable. With the right keyboards, I think a K&M 18880/18881/18882 combo would do it with some pretty minor modifications to the stand (having done something similar). There is also a company that makes nice custom stands that are not prohibitively expensive (or I expect would not be for someone who has the kinds of keys you do). There's also the possibility of using a combination of stands, like a low single tier stand in front of a double-tier stand. I play standing, but I've dealt with the same challenges creating stacks of 4 boards where I can reach everything, and I have found numerous combinations that have worked. But the choice of boards matters.

So that said, I think it's almost certainly impossible for you to do what you want with the 3 keyboards you mention, at least if you need access to their control surfaces, because of how big the boards are. The closest thing I could envision that might work would be some kind of custom setup that would put each board on rails, so you can pull one out when you need to access its control surface, then slide it back in for performance, and even that assumes you don't need to access all the control surfaces while actually playing. And it would have to be pretty heavy duty, considering the weights involved.
 
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In general, an "out of the box" 3 tier solution for sitting is probably impossible, but that doesn't mean it's un-doable. With the right keyboards, I think a K&M 18880/18881/18882 combo would do it with some pretty minor modifications to the stand (having done something similar). There is also a company that makes nice custom stands that are not prohibitively expensive (or I expect would not be for someone who has the kinds of keys you do). There's also the possibility of using a combination of stands, like a low single tier stand in front of a double-tier stand. I play standing, but I've dealt with the same challenges creating stacks of 4 boards where I can reach everything, and I have found numerous combinations that have worked. But the choice of boards matters.

So that said, I think it's almost certainly impossible for you to do what you want with the 3 keyboards you mention, at least if you need access to their control surfaces, because of how big the boards are. The closest thing I could envision that might work would be some kind of setup that would put each board on rails, so you can pull one out when you need to access its control surface, then slide it back in for performance, and even that assumes you don't need to access all the control surfaces while actually playing.
Very helpful, thank you! Yes, I have experimented with using two stands: a single stand in front and a two-tier stand behind. I believe that is the best option.
 
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Yup... that's how you get 3 manuals comfortably playable while seated... again, the key being that none of the manuals by themselves add too much height or (especially) depth.
 
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My local Music Store had something similar with two keyboards and yes it seems OK but start to play and its like being on the Titanic as it slips under the waves.

Jordan Rudess may be able to play he keyboards whilst they move all over the place but I cannot.

The only pedestal stand worth considering is a K&N
 

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Draw up a sketch, check your dimensions and take it to a garage or a metal shop, and pay someone to knock one together for you.

Or, if you're looking for a more rustic look, knock one together out of plywood.

But aluminum angles and machine bolts and washers can do wonders. If you want it collapsible, then use some winguts.

You'd probably use about 100 linear feet of 1" aluminum angle.

Visit your local, industrial scrapyard.

The only tools you'd need are a drill, a hacksaw and a couple of nut/screw drivers.
 
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I have three keyboard stands in various configurations. I think I might be able to use at least two of them to make something work. I was thinking of having a single Z frame with one 88 key on then raise up the two tier and have it behind... that might just work. That means the bottom keyboard would sit forward from the rest... I will play around with it and let you know!
 
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I actually had a 2-tier stand very similar to the one in Biggles' post. I believe it was an On-Stage KS7902. By tilting the front of the keyboards down a bit, I was able to achieve a comfortable reach to both boards. However: the display of the bottom board (a Roland E-50 arranger) was partially obscured.

Since my top keyboard was a Yamaha PSR-S910 arranger, my plan was to use the built-in animated score display ("follow the bouncing ball") instead of paper sheet music. IMO Yamaha's built-in score display system is highly functional, at least on the large screen models. However, it was just too much work to create accurate MIDI versions of all my music. The "tilt" prevented use of the top board's sheet music rack. And as Mr. Nabil speculated, a freestanding music stand above the top tier would have been too high and awkward to look at, turn pages, etc.

Ultimately I got most of my desired functionality by yoking the Yamaha to a Roland BK-7m module, which I put off to the left side. As an added bonus, now my living area looks like a living area, and not a keyboard retail store! If you want to spend the money then by all means give it a try. If you don't need access to controls or displays on the lower board that makes it easier, and if you perform extemporaneously or write your own music it might work. But if you play from dots and need some access to the bottom board, it'll be difficult to fit everything in ergonomically. My $.02.
 
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I invested in a two tier to accommodate a Yamaha Genos on top and Korg PA5X on bottom. But I found it back breaking after a while, sitting or standing, and gave up.

I’ve now got the keyboards separated and shoved the stand away! It’s actually in my way now hoping to give it away to someone who can collect it.
Stay T1300/02 (Black).

You need to make certain of your dimensions if you’re going for a three tier. As Happyrat1 has said, especially your own dimensions!

Good luck

James.
 

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