# Can this small studio desk handle an 88 keyed controller?



## Rodney Money (Jul 8, 2017)

After 3 years in the house we have finally found the time to turn the actual room meant to be an office into an actual office, go figure, but apparently the wife enjoys my company also so she wants me to turn the other half into my music studio so we can be close together. I have uploaded a couple of pictures first showing the unfinished progress of my wife's side which includes the cutest little secretary (can't type worth a lick but a perfect charmer with clients) and possibly a cheap studio desk for less than $200. Do y'all think this little desk can hold an 88 keyed midi controller, or is it too small, or it can handle the controller but playing it like a piano would be difficult? Thanks guys and gals!


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## Rodney Money (Jul 8, 2017)

Anyone?


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## dathyr1 (Jul 8, 2017)

Do you know who is it made by-where did you get the picture? Don't they give the dimensions? I am looking for extra desk space myself for some new items I just bought

Looking at the picture, it looks kinda small for 88 key keyboard unless you want it to hang over the edges on both ends of the desk. But pictures are deceiving, may be bigger than it looks.


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## Rodney Money (Jul 8, 2017)

dathyr1 said:


> Do you know who is it made by-where did you get the picture? Don't they give the dimensions? I am looking for extra desk space myself for some new items I just bought
> 
> Looking at the picture, it looks kinda small for 88 key keyboard unless you want it to hang over the edges on both ends of the desk. But pictures are deceiving, may be bigger than it looks.


Here ya go: https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/WS7500Black


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## leon chevalier (Jul 8, 2017)

Hello Rodney,

For less than 200$, I would go in a do-it-yourself store and buy the largest wooden boards to make a trestle table like this. You'll get plenty of space to build your studio desk piece by piece.






But to be fair with her, your wife should know that a studio desk often end up looking like this


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## Rodney Money (Jul 8, 2017)

leon chevalier said:


> Hello Rodney,
> 
> For less than 200$, I would go in a do-it-yourself store and buy the largest wooden boards to make a trestle table like this. You'll get plenty of space to build your studio desk piece by piece.
> 
> ...


Beautiful, my friend, and thank you for the pictures and suggestions!


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## synthpunk (Jul 8, 2017)

Yep, visit ikea if you have one close by as well or www.ikeahackers.net for some ideas. A old reclaimed door from your local public works or on garbage night can also work well.


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## dathyr1 (Jul 8, 2017)

Hi Rodney,

Thanks for the info on the desk from Sweetwater. Looks like the desk is 43 inches wide where looking at dimensions of typical 88 key keyboards for you are around 50 inches wide. Then with the Sweetwater desk, do you have other music gear you need to go along with it, computer, etc. Music gear eats up allot a desktop space very quickly. That's not a bad idea with the do it yourself store items. The little "Monitor Stand" that Leon has on top of the desk with the monitor in the center you can get those at Office supply stores or Best Buy. I bought two of them a while back.


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## Nick Batzdorf (Jul 8, 2017)

The keybed on an 88-key is a little over 48", so 50" would be a controller that with no pitch and mod wheels on the left end and a very thin frame. My Kurzweil K2500 is a little under 55", for example.

Of the ideas above, the one I like best is Leon Chevalier's door-on-sawhorses variation. In my opinion computer keyboard trays put too much strain on your shoulders and forearms when you're typing and mousing (unless you have chair arms for support, but the keyboard tray is still very uncomfortable for me).

Ideally you'd build something like the desks we sell (see commercial announcements section), with the MIDI keyboard at piano height and a sliding desktop above it and a bridge shelf for your speakers and screen. But you can use Leon's approach without the sliding desktop if you put your MIDI keyboard on any old adjustable-height stand, halfway underneath the desktop. You still want chair arms for typing, and without the sliding desktop you probably want a rolling chair - although you only have to roll a few inches at most.

The tops of the white keys would be about 29-1/2" (like a piano), and the tabletop another 5" or 6" above that.


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## leon chevalier (Jul 9, 2017)

Rodney your topic gave me an idea http://vi-control.net/community/threads/diy-studio-desk-figth.63415/


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