Sitting, Posture & Wrist
Before a single note, your setup decides how far and how comfortably you'll be able to play. Three things matter: bench height, hand shape, and wrist angle.
Bench height first
Sit so your forearms are roughly level with the keys — a slight downward slope from elbow to fingertip is normal and healthy. Too low and you'll press up into the keys with your shoulders; too high and your fingers dig down awkwardly. Sit toward the front edge of the bench, close enough that your elbows hang just in front of your torso, not pinned to your sides.
Relaxed, curved fingers
Let your hand fall naturally at your side, then bring it up to the keys — that gentle curl is the shape you want. Curved fingers strike each key squarely with the fingertip, giving you more control, more speed, and less tension than flat, stiff fingers ever can.
A neutral wrist
Your wrist should form a fairly straight line with your forearm — neutral, neither cocked up toward the ceiling nor collapsed down below the level of your hand. Either extreme adds tension that saps speed and, over years of practice, raises the risk of strain injuries.
Common questions
How high should a piano bench be?
High enough that your forearms sit roughly level with the keys, with feet flat on the floor or a footstool if needed.
Should piano fingers be flat or curved?
Curved — it lets each fingertip strike the key squarely, giving more control and speed than flat, stiff fingers.
What does a neutral wrist mean at the piano?
A wrist roughly in line with the forearm, not bent sharply up or collapsed down. Either extreme adds tension.
Why does piano posture matter for beginners?
Bad habits are far easier to prevent than fix later — good posture reduces fatigue and injury risk while freeing up real technique.
Build good habits from day one
Melody Monkey's guided lessons keep technique front and center as you learn to play for real.
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