General Music Chat

When I have the time, I'm going tobe building a new desk for my music/everything room.
1) Current desk is low (30") so that the computer keyboard is at a good height for typing. I've seen many people use a slightly higher desk (33-34") with a keyboard drawer - is there any real advantage? I rarely DON'T need the keyboard right in front of me, and having it pull out would mean my monitor needs to be closer to the front of the desk (or the desk is more shallow). A higher desk is good when accessing while standing up which I'm doing when vocal recording.
2) Legs/feet. I've seen any number of mixng desks that use a 'Z' style leg, so that the front support slopes towards the rear (giving more knee room), then the 'foot' sticks out towards the desk front. This is how my portable keyboard stand is made and I'm constantly hitting my (bare) toes on the foot - I don't like this design! Other than a straight up leg, or a front shelf, any ideas? I don't think wall-mounted brackets will be stable enough for a 30" (maybe 36"?) deep desk.

When I purpose build I arrange all the hardware I want to utilize on the floor in front of me.

Pull up a chair and imagine myself utilizing it all with the most economic of motions.

Then you will be able to picture in your mind what your desk will entail.

Mike, they make adjustable under mount keyboard drawers/tray if you want to build your desk higher you could just install one of those for sitting. Standard desk height to top of desk surface is anywhere from 30" to 32". They also make adjustable feet I use both at work. Some of those professors are pretty tall.

George - guess I will have to measure everything and draw it out on paper. So much stuff, so little space, as its not only my music stuff, but regular 'home office' stuff too, so I've got a 2-drawer file cabinet, 2 'lock boxes', bunch of small amps - all of which I'd like to get under the desk, plus I'd like to be able to store other things there so I don't have to haul up things from the basement every time they're needed - mixer (in a box), wedge monitor (in a box), milkcrate of cables .... mic stands, music stand, extra guitar stands...

Jeff - I think I'll stick with 30" height so I don't have to bother with the keyboard drawer. Possibly a 24" x 12" shelf off-center as the main center support and 1"x1'' legs on the 4 corners, but I'm afraid that it will tend to lean one way or the other that way unless I also bracket it to the wall.

Don't forget to map out a place for the kitchen sink . . .

I don't mind a keyboard drawer, as long as I also have two things. Enough room to keep the monitor back a little, and a keyboard drawer wide enough to handle the mouse and pad too.

My favorite was a corner desk with a wide keyboard drawer. Plenty room to put a 17 inch monitor a couple of feet back, 6 feet wide on both sides of the corner for loads of space to put printer, scanner, speakers and such, even my smallish Tascam mixer would fit, and it kept my cat off the keyboard when I wasn't sitting there...when I was using it all bets were off, she's toasted quite a few forum posts...lol

Kinda looked like this


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