One of the most important accessories for cello playing is a music stand. Trying to read your music off a table or chair is just not fun. Having your music on a stand allows you to easily adjust what height and angle it’s at, which helps your posture and positioning. Here are our favorite music stands that fit all sorts of players, from those who only play at home, to those that need a portable folding music stand.
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Best Overall Stand
Manhasset Stand – This is a classic and for a reason! These stands are used everywhere from professional orchestras to schools to music studios and churches. This stand is sturdy enough to write on and hold multiple books or a binder of music. It is not collapsible, but is light enough that it is easy to move about. It adjusts to many heights, and is suitable for cellists of all ages, except the very young who it might be a bit too tall for (the lowest height has the lip about 27 inches off the floor). Click Here for Pricing and More Information.
Manhasset also makes the same stand with an extra lip to hold your bow and pencils, like you see below. We always find this helpful, but it’s just personal preference.Click Here for Pricing and More Information.
Best Portable Stand
Peak Music Stand – If you need a folding stand that is easily transportable but still a sturdy choice, this is the stand for you. The legs fold in, the lip slides off, and the desk part is made of small panels that fold into each other. It comes with a bag for easy transport and storage. Even though it’s a portable music stand, it’s very sturdy and could easily be used for everyday use, even if you don’t need a foldable stand! It can hold a heavy binder of music with no trouble and the legs are wide enough that it is not going to tip over. After probably a good decade of heavy use, we’ve only had two issues: the desk part has gotten a bit harder to fold with time, but still folds; and the bag’s zipper handle has fallen off, but the zipper still works. Even considering those two issues, this is still one of our favorite stands that we highly recommend. You’ll see that it comes in different model numbers for varying height and materials. The SMS-20 has been fine for us. Click Here for Pricing and More Information.
Best Value Stand
OnStage Folding Music Stand – Wire stands are often the least expensive option for a music stand. They are very light and easily fold up into a tight profile. The OnStage Stand also comes with a carrying bag. Most wire stands, especially as they age, will not be able to hold the weight of several music books or a binder of music. But for one book or some sheet music, it works just fine. We wouldn’t use this stand outdoors on a windy day, but for everyday indoor use, it’s stable enough. Also, because there is no flat desk panel, you can’t write on your music while it’s on the stand. But if you’re looking for a good value or an introductory stand for a young student, wire stands are a good place to start. Click Here for Pricing and More Information.
Music stand accessories are a whole other topic, but one quick one to mention here is the Pencil Holder. If you opt for any of these stands other than the Manhasset one that comes with the extra lip, a pencil holder can be very helpful. And as you probably know, you always need a pencil!