Electronic musical instruments, along with a computer, occupy permanent place in the apartments of Russians. Many people know how to play themselves and enjoy playing music in their free time. In addition, children are growing up, and the prestige of music education has not yet been canceled. Even if a child does not become a talented musician or composer, the ability to play a keyboard instrument will significantly increase his status. The choice of electric musical synthesizers is large, and you can choose an instrument of any level.
Electronic pianos allow you to position your hands and fingers correctly and at the same time do not disturb your neighbors at all, since you can play with headphones. The big disadvantage of this technique is the separate purchase of a tool stand. These designs are expensive and not very reliable, so many are interested in the question of how make a stand for a synthesizer with your own hands.
There are many options simple designs, which can be made from scrap materials or use those already available in household things. Very simple stand under a home synthesizer can be made from an ordinary ironing board. In fact, this is an almost ready-made folding stand. The material with which it is covered can be cut off and replaced with another covering.
The board itself is attached to the supports with screws, so it can be removed and a new one cut. If the electric musical instrument is not too heavy, then this design will be quite reliable. The good thing about the design is that no tools are required for its manufacture. DIY synthesizer stand can be made from available materials such as metal pipes or profile. Despite its simplicity, this design is not intended for heavy models; in addition, a lively child can knock it over, so You can make your own digital piano stand from wooden parts . The prefabricated stand will be quite stable. The entire structure is assembled from four parts. These are two sidewalls, a tabletop and an additional horizontal strip between the sidewalls, which provides additional rigidity.
DIY Casio digital piano stand
Typically, a stand for an electric musical instrument costs about 5-6 thousand rubles. This amount does not suit everyone, so DIY Casio digital piano stand can be done without much difficulty. The basis for production is furniture laminated chipboard 16 mm thick. Only four parts need to be cut out of it. Their dimensions are determined by the model of the musical instrument and the required height above the floor level. You can cut the boards yourself, but it is better to have them cut to companies that do this. It will cost less, and the quality will be much higher.
To assemble a structure for an electronic piano, you will need a furniture corner, screws, PVC edging and plastic inserts for bottom part sidewalls so that the structure does not scratch the floor. The laminated board can be chosen in the desired color.
If you have a tool and experience working with it, then the stand can be made more complex. The design can be made in the form of a table, where the tabletop is raised on brackets. You can use a piston system, or some other. The table stand is made of furniture board with a thickness of 20-22 mm. On top shelf You can place speaker systems. Metal legs and mechanics can be purchased at the construction market. How to make a stand for a synthesizer with your own hands. The main thing here is to cut the parts correctly. Used for fastening furniture fittings and self-tapping screws.
When there are two electric musical instruments, you will have to make a two-story structure. To make simple and two-tier stands for electric musical synthesizers, an excellent construction system called “Joker” is used. It is designed for quick assembly of various commercial equipment.
These are stands, showcases, racks and much more. The basis of the system is chrome-plated steel pipes with a diameter of 10, 25 and 32 mm. They can be connected to each other by various couplings, racks and tees. In order to do DIY digital piano stand just cut the pipes required length and use locks to assemble any structure from them. In addition to a hacksaw or grinder, you only need an internal hex key. Plastic plugs are put on the ends of the pipes, and shelves for synthesizers are cut out of any material. DIY music stand for synthesizer can be done in a very short time.
For those who are learning how to play a synthesizer or who can fully play this instrument, it is very difficult to do without a special stand. And this is not surprising. After all, the instrument itself is quite heavy and has considerable dimensions. This is the reason why a synthesizer stand is required. However, the choice of such products is quite wide. If you are a beginner, then it will be difficult for you to decide on the type of rack. What are they and how to choose the right one?
Metal synthesizer stand
Today you can purchase XX, X and Z-shaped racks in specialized stores. They fit almost all types. A synthesizer stand made of metal has a number of advantages. First of all, this design differs from other varieties in its strength and lightness. There is no feeling of discomfort when playing a musical instrument.
Another advantage of such models is the ability to adjust the height. This synthesizer stand will ideal option for children. After all, they grow quickly. The height of the stand is easily adjustable. It can be gradually increased and, if necessary, decreased. This feature will allow an adult to play the instrument while sitting. And this is important for long and frequent lessons.
Which is better?
Lately there has been some debate about which synthesizer stand is better: X- or XX-shaped. According to many, the latter type of construction is much more stable. However, its cost is significantly higher than the cost of the X-shaped one. It is worth noting that racks made of metal are more convenient and budget-friendly. This explains their popularity. In addition, if necessary, they can be folded and hidden in a place inaccessible to prying eyes. These stands take up little space.
Wooden structure
The keyboard stand can be made of wood. Such structures are usually made of chipboard. This is the most a budget option. However, some manufacturers produce stands for musical instruments made of solid wood. Of course, the cost of a solid wood product is much higher and not everyone can afford it.
The main disadvantage of such a stand is that it is simply impossible to fold it and put it in a secluded corner. In addition, the height of the structure cannot be adjusted. This means that such stands are not suitable for children. Of course, wood construction also has advantages. Among them, it is worth highlighting the strength of parts and stability. In addition, the synthesizer will allow you to slightly enliven almost any interior.
Keyboard stand Axelvox KST-11
If you often rehearse performances or often practice, then you will need a reliable and high-quality stand for a musical instrument. The Axelvox KST-11 design has precisely these qualities. In addition, it is possible to adjust the height of the stand. In this case, the musical instrument will always be securely fastened.
The Axelvox KST-11 cross folding stand is made from sufficiently durable metal. The design is reliable and can last for many years. The design is equipped spring lock. This allows you to secure the musical instrument at a certain height. As a rule, the design is sold together with a cover. This allows you to transport the rack if necessary without the risk of damage.
Axelvox KST-21 stand
The stand for keyboard musical instruments Axelvox KST-21 is a reliable and high-quality design. Products of this model are made of powerful metal. The design is perfect for many modern electronic musical instruments. The Axelvox KST-21 stand is cross-shaped and equipped with a double frame. This provides additional reliability and stability of the product. If necessary, the structure can be transported. After all, it folds up easily.
Stand for Yamaha L85 synthesizer
The Yamaha L85 stand is ideal for mounting the P95 and P85. The structure is beautifully designed. The musical instrument is securely fastened, which ensures its safety during playing. The stand is attached to the bottom of the synthesizer. It is worth noting that the Yamaha L85 stand is ideal not only for home, but also for studio and stage.
Among the advantages of the product, it is worth highlighting its low weight and excellent stability. The stand is made in black. It is easy to install and attach to the keyboard. The Yamaha L85 stand is suitable for musicians of any level. Moreover, it is easy to use.
Stand CASIO CS-44
The structure is made of multilayer plywood and plastic. The stand provides an additional non-slip wide surface for a musical instrument and wide foot-stands. This product will fit perfectly into almost any interior. The casual design will make your musical instrument look more elegant.
In conclusion
A synthesizer stand makes it easier to play a musical instrument. However, its choice should be approached with all responsibility. First of all, you should determine who will use it, what qualities it should have and whether it will stand in one place. If a mobile design is required, then you should pay attention not to those made of metal. If you need to create original design room and make the conditions for playing the synthesizer more comfortable, it is better to purchase a wooden stand. When choosing a stand, you should also take into account the model of the musical instrument. After all, there are designs designed exclusively for certain synthesizers.
Preface
Since both my wife and I were taught to press keys in childhood, there was clearly a lack of some kind of device at home with black and white keys to pass on the experience of pressing them to the younger generation. Alas, in the small “one-room apartment,” not only “Stanway,” but simple “Red October” had no place. The solution was found - a MIDI keyboard! Moreover, attempts to do something similar myself were made at the dawn of my “radio destruction”. Again, due to lack of space, it was decided to limit ourselves to 4 octaves to begin with. And finances did not allow me to buy some kind of “Roland”.
After a little searching on the Internet, I came across an advertisement for the sale of an evergreen device called Fatar 49 for 50. After searching everything on the same web, I found a description of this miracle.
MIDI keyboard Fatar StudioLogic CMK 49
- 4-octave, full-size, dynamic (velocity sensitive), unweighted; 49 keys
- MIDI output connectors, a plug labeled “IN” is connected to it
- Power The power adapter may not be included in the package.
- The required power adapter is 9V, 0.5A. Internal contact "+", external "-".
- External dimensions 75.2 x 15 x 8 cm
- Weight 2 kg
The family council decided - TAKE IT!!! The previous owner, demonstrating that it worked, even attached a power adapter to it. I already had a MIDI cord (I had been using it for a long time). And when I brought it home and connected it to the computer, I was finally able to remember my childhood. And... understand that in 15 years everything has been forgotten almost completely.
A very interesting program "Play Piano" from Midisoft was found on the Internet. She can teach almost anyone to play. She makes sure you play correctly and points out your mistakes, like a good teacher. It’s just a pity that during this time it was not possible to find something similar, but newer (the program from 1996).
This all happened in the last century. As they say in novels, years have passed... Children were born and grew up. The keyboard on the table was not particularly convenient even then - it was very high compared to a regular piano.
The chair stand helped, but... This year it was decided to start torturing the elder. We need to make up for our training on someone. For him, he generally had to build a pyramid on a chair. And the keyboard was constantly trying to get away from him. Attempts to install the keyboard on children's table didn't help much. Now he was too low.
Yes, and the baby was now constantly trying to press the keys, but she especially liked the shutdown button, illuminated by a light bulb. And then we had to take the problem seriously.
Firstly, it became clear that there was no point in making a keyboard the height of a standard piano, since this was already done for specific people. Secondly, having only made a keyboard stand, I quickly realized that I would have to extend the MIDI cable. And then the decision was made to make a completely autonomous musical instrument. After rummaging through the computer hardware stores, completely working (albeit obsolete) components were extracted from it: motherboard, processor, video card and hard drive. An old power supply was also found. There was one small thing missing - memory. Good man from service department gave me a module before the New Year. Now there was everything we needed.
The configuration turned out to be the most primitive for modern times:
- CPU: Pentium MMX 166 MHz overclocked to 200
- RAM: SDRAM PC100 128 Mb
- HDD: Coner 340 Mb
- VIDEO: TRIDENT
- AUDIO: Onboard Yamaha OPL3
After spending half a day off I got this unit:
We drill holes for the power button and the "Power" and "HDD" indicators.
Insert the keyboard.
We saw off the chassis of the case to the size of the motherboard. We screw it on by installing the processor memory and video card.
We close all empty chassis slots with beautiful shiny plugs.
We screw the HDD cage with the disk to the case.
We connect the power supply and all other cables and wires
The operating system was installed in advance. Only Win98 could be installed for such a volume. We connect the monitor, keyboard and mouse. Let's make sure everything works.
Now let's move on to acoustics. Previously, everything went through a computer, which was connected to a good amplifier, which in turn was connected to decent speakers. You can’t fit all this into the volume of a new device. Yes and there is no point. For such a sound card, something simpler will suffice. Again we dive into the storerooms and take out this one (if I may say so) sound system:
Let's take it apart and see inside:
Yes, but if there is no fish there is only cancer. I’ll have to go to the dacha, there are some good speakers lying there somewhere and an amplifier I soldered on K174UN7 about 12 years ago - it will still have more power.
Let's connect this "Sound".
Well... that's what happened.
The speakers were not found at the dacha (obviously already used somewhere and forgotten), but the world is not without kind people and a neighbor gave me two car midrange speakers.
In the process of poking the keyboard back and forth, one of the keys began to sound only when pressed hard. I had to take everything apart and give my dear C 2 H 5 OH to drink. I wiped every key, every rubber band, dried it and put it back. At the same time, I clicked the internal device with my camera.
The amplifier on the K174UN7 was discovered, but either the condensers on it died out for a long time during this time, or it was too sensitive. In general, it sounds terribly loud. I had to leave the old amplifier for now.
At first I wanted to do back wall made of plywood, but then decided to make it wooden.
A music stand was attached. As decorative grilles Two round ventilation grilles were purchased for the speakers. The entire structure was disassembled, puttied, sanded and covered with a non-aqueous stain.
Almost any modern keyboard instrument needs a reliable support. allows you to place the tool so that it is on optimal height and was securely fixed. Modern racks are compact structures that are convenient to transport without wasting space and, if necessary, can be installed in a couple of minutes in the desired position.
If you are using a synthesizer, MIDI keyboard, controller or drum machine, it is recommended that you select the appropriate stand. But how to choose it correctly? This article is devoted to this issue.
Types of racks
1. X-shaped. This is the most common and best option for all occasions. This stand is quite light, stable, easy to fold, and adjustable in height, which allows you to play the instrument both sitting and standing. The disadvantage is the small weight of the tool, which the stand can support. Such racks, using a screw regulator, can stepwise or continuously change their height, and are made of metal (usually steel or aluminum). The cross-shaped stands at the top and bottom are equipped with wide and dense rubber pads to prevent the tool and the stand itself from slipping.
2. XX-shaped . These racks are a reinforced version of X-shaped racks. They are much more stable due to the double frame, but, accordingly, they are heavier and somewhat more expensive. But they can withstand more weight of the tool. Metal stands are the most budget-friendly and popular type of synthesizer stands.
3. Z-shaped posts - a reliable accessory for a synthesizer, can be used both at home and at a concert. Z-shaped metal structure It looks very stylish and at the same time is quite stable.
The ROLAND KS-18Z stand is a Z-shaped design that can fit practically and elegantly into any interior, has a fairly light, transportable weight and very durable design parts, can reliably hold even the heaviest types of keyboard instruments and synthesizers, with a full-size keyboard in 88 keys (up to 90 kg). The stand is made of a special heavy-duty aluminum alloy, which gives it maximum light weight and strength. The design of the stand is a special folding mechanism with strong connection elements with position locks in the form of a screw clamping mechanism. The stand is equipped with convenient height clamps, these are clamps with a screw clamp, only two clamps for the left and right sides. It is possible to adjust the height of the stand, there are six levels in total (from 607 to 932 mm). To adjust the width, there is a mechanism for adjusting the width of the rack (from 615 to 938 mm), this is a specially adjustable crossbar, with width locks on convenient mechanisms with a screw clamp.
4. Stand-table . This stand is considered the most reliable and versatile, as it can be used not only as a stand for keyboard instruments, but also for other types of equipment - mixers, controllers, etc. It is also made of metal, adjustable in height and width and, thanks to four support points, ensures a secure position for the tool.
5. Column-shaped stand (tripod) , which is needed for especially heavy tools and can withstand a total weight of more than 100 kg, usually has two tiers. On the optional second tier, you can place a tool that is not too heavy (usually no more than 25 kg), whereas with a column stand the weight adds up and usually exceeds a hundredweight.
6. Double and multi-tiered racks allow you to save space and securely place your equipment.
7. Wooden stands . Such racks are usually made of chipboard (a budget option) or solid wood, which is significantly more expensive. Despite the fact that wooden stands look very stylish in combination with a digital piano, they are a stationary option and have a number of disadvantages: heavy weight, impossibility of folding and therefore compact placement, non-adjustable height, high price. This stand does not fold and its height cannot be adjusted. But wooden racks are stable and durable, capable of decorating the interior.
8. Stand for mixer and laptop They are very helpful for many musicians when they need to connect the instrument to a computer or use various DJ equipment.
Fully adjustable laptop stand that can be used for a variety of DJ equipment such as CDs, keyboards, MIDI devices, projectors, etc. Two holders are adjustable in width and depth and securely hold laptops of any size without interfering with ports or slots. The laptop holder is height and tilt adjustable and rotates 360 degrees, allowing you to position your laptop perfectly. The stand is also equipped with a mouse holder, which can be placed on either side of the left/right side of the laptop or simply pushed in, which is convenient for storage and transportation.
How to make the right choice?
The choice of tool rack depends on its purpose and conditions of use. What to look for when choosing?
First, you need to consider the weight of the tool itself. Each model has in its characteristics Weight Limit placed tool. Given weight It is not recommended to exceed it, otherwise the stand may simply not support it and damage the instrument if it falls.
Secondly, focus on the ability to adjust the height of the stand. If a child plays the instrument, then you will definitely have to select the height of the instrument for him. In general, this is a very convenient option. In addition to wooden stands, almost all models have this characteristic.
Third, pay attention to how the stand folds and whether it folds at all. For transportation this is a very important function. Also, look at the mounting points, latches and adjusters; play can cause a lot of inconvenience.
Don't forget about appearance. If it suits you perfectly for performances and rehearsals metal stand, then for your home you can take a closer look at wooden stand and use it comfortably.
The keyboard stand, although an accessory, still plays important role, because it allows you to make playing a musical instrument comfortable and reliable. Therefore, its choice should be approached responsibly. When choosing a stand, take into account the model of the musical instrument, as there are designs designed exclusively for certain synthesizers.
On YouTube channel POP-MUSIC You can see a useful overview of ten popular keyboard stand models.
As a child, I had a piano, a real one, Soviet, about 300 kilograms. I liked to strum on it, and after graduating from music school, I even played something. The piano is cool, authentic, but not at all practical. And in order to be absolutely right for the soul, you also need drum set, heels of gadgets for electric guitar, clarinet, sitar and sample loops...
Of course, now you no longer need to turn your apartment into a garage studio with a nest egg of six salaries; all you need to do is install a free music editor on your PC. But this is all inconvenient.
A PC keyboard is not at all like a keyboard instrument, everything is different here. Moreover, this is not at all suitable for teaching a child. It seems there is no choice but to purchase a synthesizer. But I still have doubts.
What is a synthesizer? A large device, with a musical keyboard, which should take up a lot of space somewhere. Which has built-in acoustics, but I already have a receiver with speakers. Which has a bad PC built into it, but I have a good PC.
It turns out that for 40 thousand I buy what I already have in best quality, with the exception of only the keyboard. This is just some maximum of irrational expenses.
While looking for a separate keyboard, I came across such a class of devices as USB MIDI Keyboard.
It always seemed to me that MIDI belongs to the field of professional musical activity.
But now all music is made on a PC, in any convenient location, which means musicians need mobile music keyboards that can easily fit into a backpack.
A plan immediately formed in my head. We connect a MIDI keyboard to a home media center based on Raspberry Pi 3, where a software synthesizer is running, allowing anyone to perform their next masterpiece at any time. These MIDI keyboards usually have a set of controls and additional buttons that are programmed for various effects or additional musical instruments. It looks and sounds very cool!
There are larger and smaller devices, some more expensive and some cheaper. I chose the option for about 5 grand. It has two octaves normal size keys, buttons for drummers, tuning knobs, that is, everything that a beginning electronic musician could dream of.
I'm not an expert in creating music on a PC, so it was difficult to look for ways to realize my idea. Information had to be collected bit by bit. The puzzle gradually began to take shape and I managed to put together a working solution, which I am sharing with you. Oddly enough, the standard Raspbian/Debian distribution contained everything you needed, you didn’t even have to connect external repositories.
Fluidsynth is used as a sequencer (an application that plays MIDI files).
The MIDI keyboard is immediately detected via ALSA and is available for connection to the sequencer.
To reproduce the sounds of various instruments, open sample databases in the SoundFont2 format are used. First, let's install all this.
Sudo -s apt-get update apt-get -y install alsa-utils fluid-soundfont-gm fluidsynth
We connect a MIDI keyboard to the Raspberry and launch the sequencer in server mode:
Fluidsynth -i -s -a alsa -g 3 /usr/share/sounds/sf2/FluidR3_GM.sf2
We execute the command:
Aconnect -o
As a result, we will see a list of available MIDI clients:
Client 14: "Midi Through" 0 "Midi Through Port-0" client 20: "VMini" 0 "VMini MIDI 1" 1 "VMini MIDI 2" client 128: "FLUID Synth (1628)" 0 "Synth input port (1628) :0)"
Here it is important for us to remember the client numbers of the keyboard and sequencer, so that we can then connect them with the command:
Aconnect 20:0 128:0
Now we are all ready to play on the Yamaha Piano (this is the default instrument). Read the fluidsynth manual, there are many interesting commands there, for example, to change the instrument to drums or winds, set the amount of reverb or chorus.
Let's make our software synthesizer convenient. In order not to manually connect the keyboard to the sequencer every time, we will write a simple demon that will do this automatically at startup.
Cat > /etc/init.d/fluidsynth<< EOF
#!/bin/bash
### BEGIN INIT INFO
# Provides: fluidsynth
# Required-Start: $all
# Required-Stop:
# Default-Start: 2 3 4 5
# Default-Stop: 0 1 6
# Short-Description: Fluidsynth deamon to play via MIDI-keyboard
### END INIT INFO
startDaemon() {
sleep 30s && fluidsynth -i -s -a alsa -g 3 --load-config=/home/osmc/midi-router >/var/log/fluidsynth & sleep 60s && aconnect 20:0 128:0 & ) stopDaemon() ( pkill -9 fluidsynth &> /dev/null ) restartDaemon() ( stopDaemon startDaemon ) case "$1" in start) startDaemon ; ; stop) stopDaemon ;; restart) restartDaemon ;; status) ;; *) startDaemon esac exit 0 EOF
Register the daemon for autorun:
Chmod 755 /etc/init.d/fluidsynth update-rc.d fluidsynth defaults
Please note that now at startup the sequencer is sent a configuration file (/home/osmc/midi-router) containing commands that turn our keyboard into a real synthesizer.
Here's the thing. Each key and knob on the keyboard sends certain events with its own number. As I understand it, there are no special standards here, so each manufacturer does what he wants. For example, I want the square keys to sound like drums, the rest of the keys to sound like piano, and the knobs to control volume, reverb and chorus.
So, I need to map the event codes from the keyboard to different instruments, and codes from knobs to codes that the sequencer understands. In fluidsynth this is done using router. It is these commands that are contained in the configuration file.
Here's an example of my config file, with comments about what it does.
Cat > /home/osmc/midi-router<< EOF
# загружаем стандартные инструменты и ударники, найденные где-то на просторах Сети
load /usr/share/sounds/sf2/FluidR3_GM.sf2
load /home/osmc/241-Drums.SF2
# связываем инструмент каждый со своим каналом
select 1 2 128 0
select 2 1 0 0
# по умолчанию звук идет на канал 0
# перенаправляем события с квадратных клавиш на канал с ударными
router_begin note
router_chan 0 0 0 1
router_par1 36 48 1 0
router_end
# события с остальных клавиш перенаправляем на канал с пианино
router_begin note
router_chan 0 0 0 2
router_par1 0 35 1 0
router_end
router_begin note
router_chan 0 0 0 2
router_par1 49 255 1 0
router_end
# события с ручек мэпим на события, которые понимает секвенсер,
# полный их список есть в документации на сайте fluidsynth
router_begin cc
router_chan 0 0 0 2
router_par1 14 14 0 98
router_end
router_begin cc
router_chan 0 0 0 2
router_par1 15 15 0 11
router_end
router_begin cc
router_chan 0 0 0 2
router_par1 16 16 0 91
router_end
router_begin cc
router_chan 0 0 0 2
router_par1 17 17 0 93
router_end
# выключаем громкость на канале 0,
# иначе при нажатии на клавишу
# разные инструменты будут звучать одновременнно
cc 0 7 0
EOF
To find out what codes your device generates, you need to use this utility:
Aseqdump -p 20:0
It listens and outputs events from the MIDI keyboard to the console. Press the button or turn the knob and you will see the event type, channel and code. You can program your keyboard the way you want, not the way the engineers who designed a particular synthesizer came up with it. For which many thanks to the developers fluidsynth, alsa, SoundFont2, Raspberry and V-Mini.
By the way, this topic with DIY synthesizers is reflected in several inventions, I recommend you study it.