Buying a sheet music stand for the first time is not easy; there are so many different types in the market that many people get so confused that they end up buying the wrong one. There are some considerations that you should take into account if you don’t want to make this mistake. The first is the stability of the stand – you don’t want a stand that upsets easily otherwise every time you move your music will end up on the floor. It should have a firm base and be made of a strong material – they can be made of steel, aluminium, wood and even composite materials.
You should also check the weight of a music stand before you buy it – there are some that are made out of materials that are heavy and this can be a problem because ideally a music stand is supposed to be portable. If you are buying online check to see whether the weight is indicated, but if you are buying in a shop lift it and see whether it is light enough for you to carry around. The size that it folds into also matters – it should fold into a convenient small package that you can put away in your bag.
It is very important that your sheet music stand ne adjustable; you will not always play while sitting down, and if you cannot adjust your stand upwards you will have a hard time playing while standing. There should be a shelf where you can keep small items such as your mobile phone and keys when you are playing. There are some that even have enough room for a music book or two.
It is always best to buy a music stand and a music stand light at the same time. This way, you can check whether the light fits properly on the stand – it should secure properly onto the lip of the stand. Lastly, cost matters; while you don’t want to spend a lot of money on a stand, you also don’t want to buy the cheapest one that you come across because they are often easily breakable. Look for a good quality stand that you can afford.
One reliable sheet music stand in the UK is RATStands. They have been making them for many years and they supply to countries all around the world.