Sitting at the correct height on the piano bench is a must for developing proper technique. Typically when I see a student with technique problems, adjusting the bench height fixes issues pretty quickly. Since the bench for my piano is too low for the piano, I needed a simple way to get students higher at the piano. To avoid buying an expensive adjustable bench, I came up with this simple solution. 
I covered phone books with duct tape
. In the past, I’ve tried using other books from my music library. They didn’t quite provide the stability that a phone book does. Using pillows or foam to raise a student doesn’t quite work either. Luckily, I had two phone books of different heights. Some students need the bigger one and some just need to be raised about an inch.
When you raise the student on the bench, be sure that the student’s elbow is in line with his wrist. If a student is sitting too low on the bench, his elbow will be much lower than his wrist. Once the student is sitting at the correct height, it should help with developing his hand shape.
Lauren teaches piano to students of all ages. She enjoys creating resources for her students and teachers. She is the author of Ready for Theory®. For personalized help, check out the consultations page for teachers.
