# Standing up vs. sitting



## joebaggan (Dec 12, 2021)

For my day job, I spend a lot of time in front a computer. The best investment I made was to get an adjustable standing desk and now I stand all day and feel much better ( no pain, and moving around more helps mentally/physically ). I can't imagine going back to sitting for long periods of time. For writing music, I'd like to start doing the same thing but not sure what to do with my Midi controller - maybe put it on my standing desk or on a raised keyboard stand under the desk. Anybody have a good standing workflow for music making?

If only my Yamaha Grand acoustic piano was adjustable height!


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## NukillerMedia (Dec 12, 2021)

i have a standing desk station with video stuff in another room. I just route the audio and video to that room if im tired of sitting.

but i tend to just take walks every 2 hours.


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## visiblenoise (Dec 12, 2021)

I got one of those desk riser things with a tray for the keyboard and mouse, and I also mount a computer monitor arm and raised speaker platforms to the desk (they clamp to the edge), so I basically have the entire desk to put my midi keyboard on. When I'm not doing music and need some desk space, I have enough room to just push the midi keyboard to the back.

If/when I upgrade to a proper standing desk, I will probably stick with a similar setup.


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## jbuhler (Dec 12, 2021)

joebaggan said:


> For writing music, I'd like to start doing the same thing but not sure what to do with my Midi controller - maybe put it on my standing desk or on a raised keyboard stand under the desk. Anybody have a good standing workflow for music making?


I'm thinking of installing a sliding undershelf to the adjustable desk to house the keyboard. Because the difficulty of getting the keyboard to a good height is the main thing that keeps me from using the standing capability more often. (I got the adjustable desk so I could deliver lectures via Zoom when the pandemic started.)


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## Land of Missing Parts (Dec 12, 2021)

jbuhler said:


> I'm thinking of installing a sliding undershelf to the adjustable desk to house the keyboard. Because the difficulty of getting the keyboard to a good height is the main thing that keeps me from using the standing capability more often. (I got the adjustable desk so I could deliver lectures via Zoom when the pandemic started.)


I used these directions to add a drawer slide to my sit/stand desk and it's been going strong for at least four years:


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## jbuhler (Dec 12, 2021)

Land of Missing Parts said:


> I used these directions to add a drawer slide to my sit/stand desk and it's been going strong for at least four years:



Looks like just what I need!


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## NekujaK (Dec 13, 2021)

A slight tangetial anectode... many years ago, long before adjustable height desks were a thing, I worked with a programmer who not only worked. standing up, but while bouncing on one of those little mini-trampolines. He worked from home and placed his computer on top of a dresser.

I don't think I could ever get anything done with all that up-and-down motion, but it didn't seem to hurkt his productivity.


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## Fab (Dec 29, 2021)

NekujaK said:


> A slight tangetial anectode... many years ago, long before adjustable height desks were a thing, I worked with a programmer who not only worked. standing up, but while bouncing on one of those little mini-trampolines. He worked from home and placed his computer on top of a dresser.
> 
> I don't think I could ever get anything done with all that up-and-down motion, but it didn't seem to hurkt his productivity.


that is the weirdest thing I've heard all week


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## sean8877 (Dec 29, 2021)

My wife has her studio setup on a treadmill desk, she hates to sit. So there's a treadmill with a desk attached that has a laptop and her audio interface on it. She actually plays bass and keys into her studio while she's walking on the treadmill. I didn't think she'd be able to do all that while on the treadmill but it actually works really well for her.


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## el-bo (Dec 29, 2021)

The problem is that standing all day isn’t great either. Ideally, there'd be a combination of standing, sitting (on floor, preferably) and squatting.


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## JimDiGritz (Feb 19, 2022)

When I was in my 20s (mid 40s now) I blew out both L4 and L5 discs in my back powerlifting.

Since then can't sit in a chair of any description (including kneeling chairs) for any period of time. ask me about driving from Cleveland to Chicago with a party bag of ice behind my back.... However I work a desk job from home and also spend a lot of spare time at my desk, but for the past 10 years pain free... 

The solution. A swiss ball. I'm no physio however my conjecture is that it helps because a) I'm never in a single position for more than a few seconds. b) it's constantly working my core supporting muscles.

As an anecdotal, I started to get back into bodyweight exercises last year after a long layoff due to a ankle injury and tried the Plank position. I was surprised to learn than holding it for 2 minutes is actually quite good for a first attempt... the only exercise I had done prior to this in over 6 months was sitting at my desk....


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