Design Concept and Rationale

Table

The top of the piano table is made out of four two-by-four lumber panels that have been attached together with screws to create a flat base for the piano to rest on (Figure 6). There are four two-by-four wooden beams that act as the legs of the table to support the piano, and on the sides of the piano table are two triangular panels that act as barriers to prevent the piano from shifting or falling off to the side (Figure 7). There is also a back panel on the table that prevents the piano from falling backward and provides a wall for the music stand to attach to (Appendix H).

Rationale for Table Design

One of our primary project requirements was the safety of our user. In order to meet this criterion, our team designed a piano table that could support a large amount of weight and remain durable. The solution needed to support a piano that weighs 25 pounds [5]. We wanted to make sure it could withstand a weight that was at least ten pounds greater than the piano to prevent any possible collapse. We found that, according to Sweetwater, a popular piano accessory manufacturer, a typical X stand was able to withstand 200 lbs, but this was made with high-quality metal and other commercial materials that our team did not have access to [6]. A standard wooden table could also support the same amount of weight and could be made with materials that were accessible to our team. A wooden table is also more suited to our user's aesthetic preferences, as she prefers deep wooden colors for her piano accessories (Appendix C).

Rationale for Height

After conducting several rounds of mockup performance testing and user observation, our team found that the ideal height for the piano table was 23.5 inches (Appendix E). We tested various heights on individuals who were similar in height to our client, Dr. Zugnoni, and learned that when the piano was 23.5 inches off the ground, the user could sit on a typical piano stool and play the piano in a comfortable manner with relaxed wrists and elbows (Figure 10).

Music Stand

The music stand is attached to the back wall of the piano table and is made of two panels of wood. The back of the music stand is attached to the back of the piano table wall, and the base of the music stand extends out at 90 degrees from the front of the piano table wall. The base of the music stand also includes wooden ridges so that the user can tilt her music at varying angles (Figure 15).

Rationale for Material

Dr. Zugnoni requested a new music stand that would be able to hold the weight of her iPad, iPhone, and sheet music without tipping over or remaining unstable (Appendix C). Therefore, it was important that we selected a material that would be able to support a moderate amount of weight on its own. Based on our user interview, she stated that her current music stand was too flimsy so we decided to seek an alternative material that was affordable yet durable. We decided to proceed with wood because it met both those requirements and would provide a cohesive look to the piano set up, leading to an aesthetically pleasing design (Figure 16).

Rationale for Design

In order to create a music stand that would allow the user to be able to play and read music comfortably, we decided to add wooden ridges to the base of the music stand. These allow the user to be able to tilt the music sheet or device at various angles. This added adjustability feature makes it easier to see and read music in the most effective manner (Figure 11, Figure 12, Figure 13, Figure 14).

We also wanted the music stand to be close enough to the user so that the user would be able to read the music comfortably without having to lean in. Therefore, the music stand is attached to the piano table close enough to the user so she can read it, but not too close to where the music stand is right above her fingers.