Nice one - thanks for this! Putting the keyboard directly on the rails leaves more legroom (as opposed to using a shelf and putting the keyboard on that) - but does it still feel sturdy? ...and... which of the four lengths do you recommend for the MK2?
Thanks Loopop! It's definitely sturdy enough, which really surprises me! Maybe not Rachmaninoff sturdy... I got the 16" one and it works just great. And yeah, I just didn't have the legroom under my desk for the platform!
I live in a tiny house and have a shelf we use often under the window. I want to put a piano keyboard under it so I can flip it out and practice. I could not think of what the heck a pull out keyboard shelf would be called! Thank you so much for helping me with this problem!
I saw you slide your keyboard out from under the desk and had been looking for something on Amazon where I could declutter my workstation. Thanks so much for this!!! I'm ordering the brackets now. This will be my weekend project👍
I made an amazing desk using an old black ikea headboard, and a riser out of the footboard. I just moved, and threw away the old homemade legs, and got an electric sit/stand setup for it. Now, I’m making a slide out tray for my 88 key midi controller.
Might be out of date on this comment, but I had the same issue with standing desks and then i learned you can just change the legs on your existing desk. I've done eveything i can to get every cord on the desk routed to a location mounted to the bottom of the desk so when it rises, there are only a few dangling cords underneath. I also do the same thing with monitors. Montor 1 is a 165hz 32 incher, but monitor 2 is a 50 inch tv. I vane to see the mounted keyboard underneath. Right now i have the 88 keys beside the desk and am looking to mount on some rails this aftermoon. Wish me luck!
Quick question, do you feel that those sliding draw trays can only handle a light touch on the keyboard? In other words, do you feel like you can't put a lot of pressure on the keyboard tray?
I’m in love with your desk! Are your controller keyboard and your desktop at ideal heights? I bought a studio desk a while back with a pull-out drawer like yours, but the desk was way too high and made it a little painful to use a keyboard and mouse, plus neck strain as the computer monitor was too high.
Thanks Bright! Yeah, getting the height perfect is really tough. The desk is just a slab of live-edge acacia wood from the hardware store with legs! Biggest problem with it is that it isn't perfectly flat and has warped over the last few years. I end up having to put little furniture protectors on most of my devices to balance them out! The desk is 28.5" from the floor, and it seems like the height of everything now (keyboard included) is working perfectly.
Hi Jef, what about your mixer to get all the audio output coming from your gear, also referring to your video about Maschine plus and live looping in which I suppose you go into the stereo line in of Maschine plus itself from the mixer ? Thanks
Hey Jef, what size option did you buy with keyboard sliders from your recommendation? They do have different sizes so I'm not sure if bracket size also differs or it's all the same?
I avoided buying a "studio desk" with a keyboard shelf after watching your videos with the keyboard on the desk! If it works for you and you are my Cubase tutor, then it must be good for me! Now, you have a keyboard that slides in and out below your desk. Only joking! To be honest, I was not convinced that desks with sliding shelves would work that well for me because often they were too low, lacked rigidity and tended to sag in the middle due to keyboard weight. So I bought an office desk, placed the monitors at the edges on foam pads and am about to purchase a 49 key Arturia controller to sit between the speakers and in front of my screen. I have a Roland RD2000 keyboard next to me at a right angle for piano parts. I think this might work for me as I have minimal equipment as described although I need a new Apple computer. Will I need a screen as big as yours? It seems to work for you ~BUT hold on, I have been here before.........
Ha! Loved this Alan! I keep changing my setup... I'll make sure I stick with the under desk slider for a while at least! A 49 Key might work perfectly on your desk since it's a little smaller. Having the right angle keyboard is PERFECT if you have the right setup for it, then the little guy on your desk for trying out patches and playing little things here and there. You should be good to go!
Most people will not make my mistake but for the unfortunate few who like me, impulsively set everything up with the sliders only to realize that unlike the komplete kontrol, the 61sl mk3 has a beveled bottom that makes this otherwise elegant solution impossible.
Are you using a TV as your computer monitor? I tried that and wasn't able to get the correct resolution. My text was all pixelated. If you aren't that's a pretty hefty screen. I might have to get one that's dedicated for computers. I'm not well versed in resolution stuff, so I'd have to do some research.
@@4waves403 Glad to hear it... watched it again for the first time in 2 years... some helpful tips! And I still love the cinema screen... Wouldn't go back to my dual monitors I used to rock!
I'd be worried about having an expensive controller or keyboard simply resting on those rail tabs with the velcro. I'd get a metal shop to make an aluminum shelf for it, and they can also powder coat it black or whatever color you want
3M has some super tape that are used on the side of semi trucks for moving billboards, people also use it to put solar panels on the top of vans, it's that redicuously strong, but don't expect to EVER get it off.
Where he mounted the keyboard, this is not a load bearing part of the keyboard. Its the plastic lip. Over time I do not think this is a good idea. Maybe ok for the S49. But I would not be doing this on my S88. As the base of the keyboard is metal and this is where the feet are and is meant to take the weight. But where he has mounted them is on the plastic edge/Lip of the keyboard casing. If you are playing on the middle of the keyboard, the extra stress will not be good for the plastic casing over time.
Velcro under the keyboard to keep it from sliding.... I feel like an idiot for not thinking of that. I built a drawer but the keyboard slides all over the place and I've been dealing with that for 2 years. Going to fix that as soon I post this comment, thank you so much!!!
That's awesome! Yeah I use velcro for everything! And dude, I'm a HUGE fan of you and your channel!! Been following you from the beginning of my wild RUclips ride, can't thank you enough for what you do! We must connect some time...
This method is not a good idea for full sized keyboards. Those tiny little hinges resting the keyboard on some ice cream sticks? You would be far better off building a proper pull out tray with drawer slides which actually tell you their weight rating along with some timber to support the keyboard. This method is probably the riskiest way you could possibly do this.
The paint stir sticks worked for me, get drawer rails that are longer than the width of your controller keyboard. I got the 12" rails for an Arturia Keylab 61 Essential, I wish I had gotten the 16".
Great ideas! I did things slightly differently and have a couple recommendations. Amazon sells 19" racks that can be mounted to the bottom of a shelf, so I built a simple "hutch" for my desk and the 19" racks hang down from that. I also got a Standtastic Wall mounted keyboard stand that clears the floor under the keyboards and gets them a little further back. I have a lot of junk in a small room, so saving even a few inches is worth the effort.
I finally took the plunge and followed your instructions on the keyboard drawer... "Screw some holes into the bottom of your desk, realize you got it wrong, and then make sure adjustments"... Boy were you accurate. After 3 attempts I got it right - and how i am so happy! Thanks!
0:53 I'm going to be making a completely new setup for making music next year, and this is exactly what I needed to see! Seeing someone else actually put together a custom mount for their keyboard is a game changer and something that will help me optimize the space in my studio room, especially since it's pretty compact already.
Hey love the under desk mount for the mini controller. I’ve been thinking about doing this for mine. Is the TV you have for your monitor is a 4K TV. I have two computers and I’m looking for some type of a monitor that I can A/B between the both or even have them both running at the same time on screen. Thanks. Look forward to.
While I love the look of your thick wooden desk and the mechanism of the keyboard sliding right there, such setup is still not really optimally in terms of being ergonomical. It also may not be easy at this time to both have an ergonomical body position for both the midi keyboard and typing keyboard, since they basically need the same area for optimal ergonomical position. In your setup for example, your midi keyboard is at a comfortable postion, but your typing keyboard and mouse are way too high, increasing the chances of RSI (repatiative strain injury/carpal tunnel syndrome) when you are using your mouse and keyboard. I see 2 parts of a solution that ergonomically would improve the situation most of us music production guys are in: - We would need a MIDI keyboard that has a very thin base underneath the keys, while at the same time the keys should be normal size and depth. This allows the height of the midi keyboard to be as close to the typing keyboard as possible. - The desk ideally be as thin as possible, so also this decreases the distance between the the midi keyboard and typing keyboard are at the same height as much as possible. The MIDI keyboard should slide right under the typing keyboard, in terms of height. I still do not understand why there are not more places selling such setups, as it seems like a easy money for a relatively simple, yet common problem. It should not even have to be something that is expensive. Whenever I look at 95%'s people's setups, It's really never ideal for this reason. I see half of the people with comfortable midi keyboard locations and the other half with uncomfortable midi keyboard locations while realistically speaking both options should be possible. Another theoretical possibility would be to have the typing mouse and keyboard and mouse slide under the midi keyboard, but I'm not sure if that would be better or than the previous solution. The keyboard (typing or midi) you operate most of the time should be most optimally ergonomically. For instance, I tend to spend a lot more time programming notes than actually playing them on the midi keyboard. So for me the typing keyboard is right in front of me, while the midi keyboard is on the left of me (both at ideal height, but not ideal position because I have to rotate). However, it's always a compromise to some degree, but the amount of comprimise people have to live with at the moment should not be needed. Dom Sigalas even went from using regular mouse to such a thing that you rotate with your thumb because he also had carpal tunnel/Repetative strain injury (pain in which means arms/shoulders) which is no wonder because also his desk is way too high for his typing keyboard. I think a lot of us use the typing keyboard and mouse more than we think, since playing something is done in a few seconds and tweaking your music can really take ages. Also, this solution would also increase the legroom anyone has under their table as much as possible. *So manifacturers, please make such a a keyboard and desk. We do not need 100 competing DAWS or 1000 different orchestral kontakt libraries, but rather actually need something this*
I have short legs and a long torso. My legs are literally 7cm shorter than average. It makes buying trousers a pain and it makes sitting at a desk insane. Had to get the shorter gas strut for my chair so my feet are flat on the floor. Had to lower the desk too. I can't fit a midi controller under the desk on rails. Curse these short nubbin legs and my long torso.
Just a heads up to anyone who's buying sliders, check what height clearance you need for your MIDI keyboard! I ordered the sliders from Jef's link but it turns out it doesn't have enough height clearance for the s88, arturia's keylab88, and others. The sliders fit the s61 keyboard as seen in this video though. I'm still deciding on whether to go with a 61 key or 88 keyboard. - Regardless thanks for the great video Jef!
No nuisance reflections off the keyboard mounted in front of the speaker? Usually, the recommendations suggest keeping all gear away from the speakers, based on the resultant frequency/relections bounce.
Weird question: What kind of glasses are you wearing in this video? Excellent content, BTW. Optimizing space in the studio is crucial to workflow, and workflow is crucial to overcoming the inertia that can stand between you and making music (especially when it isn't your day job!).
These are the exact sliders I used on my production side table. I ended up mounting a thin wood project panel to on the sliders first for rigidity. My challenge was then I had to use some scrap wood to get the front of the panel (which wasn’t quite deep enough on its own) to be flush to the very front of the sliders. Took some trial and error but my 61 key KeyLab MK2 fits perfectly and like you said is at the ideal height to play when I need it. It’s great that there are cheap solutions like this to under mount bigger keyboard controllers. Great video as always Jef
First, your live edge desktop is amazing. Second, I have the MK3 stand from Art in cherry. Third, I used the 16" sliders with a 1'x4'x1" length of Oak, stained to match, for my actual keyboard tray. Fourth, as usual, your knowledge of all things related to music more than inspires a lot of different individuals. Thank you Prof 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽
I don't know about velcro holding my beloved keyboard on that tiny ledge. I would rather have it on a wood plank which is the way I have it now, but I will hunt those sliders down as they look perfect upgrade to what I am using now witch is regular drawer sliders
Jeff, I coincidentally have a big ol' TV for a monitor, an Ableton Push 2 on my desktop along with a Moog Sub 37 (yeah, not quite the same), a reclaimed wood desktop, and short salt-and-pepper hair. My daughter came into the studio while I was watching this video, and she thought for a split second that the video was of me, not you! Anyways, thanks for this video, as I just used it to add a slider to my desk - and yes, coincidentally, my keyboard is also a Komplete Kontrol S61 Mk2. I swear, I'm not stalking you or trying to become you! :)
thanks for the video. Exactly what I was looking for. I just have a quick question, I clicked on the amazon link for the sliders and saw that they come in a bunch of different specs like 12", 14", 16" etc. which one did you buy? I have a 61 key midi. Thanks
Great idea with the keyboard tray, thanks! Since I have a 49MK2, I feel like at least the height adjustments should be the same as yours so if you have some specifics it would be great and save some of us a little time on experimenting perhaps! :)
3M has some super tape that is used on the side of semi trucks for moving billboards, people also use it to put solar panels on the top of vans, it's that redicuously strong, but don't expect to EVER get it off.
Ooh, I wouldn't count on it! Maybe order two sets of rails just in case ;) It's pretty firm but wouldn't take much to pull it down! It's definitely cheap enough to try it out... but not if it wrecks your keyboard!
also sitting that close to my 40" 2 tvs i had in the time was not right so now i have a 34" alienware aw3423dwf and its much better for me sitting close. i also use it with a macbook pro 16 m3 max sometimes. im looking at new setup and especially monitor speaker pads or stands for my yamaha hs8 white. i have a 49 keyboard width see through glass stand for my monitor and keyboard but tbh i hate the look of it and prefer without the glass monitor stand. im also thinking of a new pc build with the Thermaltake tower 100 which is only itx. or tower 200 which is a tab bit big im guessing to be put on top of my yamaha hs8 where as tower 100 will easily fit nice. i like my arturia keylab 49 white keyboard and i defo want this sliders bolted to my wood top. i also have to change 2 of my cables for my keyboard and focusrite 2i2 scarlett audio interface to usb type c to usb type b. i seen the price of the thunderbolt audio interfaces and jesus christ it must of been a dodgy website because they were in the grands for what i want it to do.
I hope it feels awesome to know that thousands of people are being inspired by you following your creativity and sharing your results. I’m ordering from your affiliate links later this month and am so excited to setup my studio and get going! Keep shining friend. ✨🌟
i have a silly question. How do you deal with cockroaches that comes out of no where in a congested place like studio ?😂 I have been facing this problem for quiet sometime.
I've not heard anyone discuss the elephant in the room. Physics and math mean a keyboard under the desk doesn't work. I just spent quite a bit of money on a studio desk, the work surface of the desk is 30" (typical desk hight for ergonomics) now, my 88 key controller, Arturia keylab 88, is 6" tall so that plus the 3/4" platform it sits on means the height under the keyboard is 23"... Got that? Good now try to sit with your knees under the keyboard (after you drop your chair to it's lowest height. Yeah, exactly. Unless you are 5'2" you won't fit. I'm 6'2" so there is technically no solution. I put the desk on 4" blocks to raise it up to barely manageable but now the desktop is too high. Sigh. 😢😢
@@zoonal-gg not a good solution for anyone. The ergonomics don't work. I think that's why the best desks have the keyboard built in at the same height as the desk. Just wish I could knew before spending $1500 on a studio desk. It's really a bad design flaw
Question. 66" x 35" under desk clear. Rectangle legs on either side. Keyboard 56"W 11.10" D 5" Tall. Weight 40.8 lbs. Need piano to be back towards the back of the desk, then pull box on slides to edge of the desk, slides in box extend out 12" so the piano can be played. Unable to get advice on the best sliders to use, meaning the under the desk part, pretty straight forward, however when it comes to pulling out another set of slides, they need to be able to handle the weight, not wobble up-down left-right. With the width being 56 wide, figuring out weight stress is touch. Could you offer any suggestions? I wonder if there is a way to not use an enclosed box, or other ways to make this project better? Thanks
Standing defiantly helps on the long hours. I have a second pair of monitors on top of my mains that"ll switch to when standing so the screens don't block any sound. I have something similar for my keyboard tray. It's great not having it on top of the desk.
Thanks a lot Jeff really appreciate it. Could you please mention the size of the desk you use please cause I’m interested in building up my own desks but I don’t know the size of yours which could perfect suit me. Thank you
Found a better way to ask my question - 66" x 35" under desk clear. Rectangle legs on either side. Keyboard 56"W 11.10" D 5" Tall. Weight 40.8 lbs. Need piano to be back towards the back of the desk, then pull box on slides to edge of the desk, slides in box extend out 12" so the piano can be played. Unable to get advice on the best sliders to use, meaning the under the desk part, pretty straight forward, however when it comes to pulling out another set of slides, they need to be able to handle the weight, not wobble up-down left-right. With the width being 56 wide, figuring out weight stress is touch. Could you offer any suggestions? I wonder if there is a way to not use an enclosed box, or other ways to make this project better? Thanks
I bought the 18" sliders. My problem is my standing desk has the supporting bar running left to right in the middle of the desk so the keyboard cant fit properly underneath the desk as it's blocked by the frame. I guess I'm looking for a new desk now :(
Hi Jeff, How do you press the on/off button on the back of komplete kontrol S61 ?? Is there a another method to put the power on. thanks Jacky from The Netherlands
Great video Jeff. What should be the height of the table and how high should the midi keyboard from ground. Secondly, like the MK3 wood case. What color is it? Thanks
Thanks a lot, I'll realize my keyboard desk slider is exactly like this (maybe except for the fixing, had another idea here using a removable double sticky 3M tape :) Can't wait until the material arrives.
Is there a way to scale down the plugin windows so that you can utilize the size of the tv monitor? everytime I try to move to a larger monitor it just makes all my windows larger and fills the screen more so its pointless. I found more benefit from dragging to two small monitors vs one large monitor. Did you find a way around this?
I gave up on studio monitors and splurged for Audeze headphones. Not going back. 3 monitors better than 1 big TV. Your reco on the underdesk keyboard is gold.
Interesting. How stable is it? I would be very worried about my keyboard falling off the rails without any real drawer surface under it. After all, playing shakes the keyboard.
I use a 55" TV for a monitor myself and what I did was have the desk away from the wall and the TV slightly down past the desk, but when sat there your eye level can see the whole thing.
Man that is a gorgeous setup 😍Side question regarding your monitor placement... what is your sweet spot like with your monitors being so far apart? It looks like it would be behind your head which I know some prefer. I ask because I have it in my head that the distance from my cones need to be exactly the same distance from my ears as they are apart, and the wider you go, the farther back you have to be to make that true. Thanks!
It's always cool to see Jef outside of his natural habitat. I'd watch a Jef Gibbons tutorial on anything, be it beat making, desk construction, roof shingle replacement, bicycle repairs...
![Yailin La Mas Viral, @kreizyk.official - Dale 2 (Remix) [Video Oficial]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/JaYHBzgqz94/mqdefault.jpg)
![DDG & G Herbo - Nosey [Official Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/I9Ra0Zc2NlQ/mqdefault.jpg)
Nice one - thanks for this! Putting the keyboard directly on the rails leaves more legroom (as opposed to using a shelf and putting the keyboard on that) - but does it still feel sturdy? ...and... which of the four lengths do you recommend for the MK2?
Thanks Loopop! It's definitely sturdy enough, which really surprises me! Maybe not Rachmaninoff sturdy... I got the 16" one and it works just great. And yeah, I just didn't have the legroom under my desk for the platform!
@@jefgibbons thanks - no Rachmaninoff here so I will try them out!
@@loopop sadly it's been a long time since my Rach days, so not much here either!
@@jefgibbons Good to know. I've been wanting to do the exact same thing but was afraid it wouldn't be sturdy enough. Cheers!
Great idea Jef. Im wondering what the height is of your desk?
Great tip about putting keys directly on the sliders instead of using a supporting plate!
Nice office/studio/desk also like the seventies robots I used to have one like that. Obviously need the keyboard in the right spot.
I live in a tiny house and have a shelf we use often under the window. I want to put a piano keyboard under it so I can flip it out and practice. I could not think of what the heck a pull out keyboard shelf would be called! Thank you so much for helping me with this problem!
I saw you slide your keyboard out from under the desk and had been looking for something on Amazon where I could declutter my workstation. Thanks so much for this!!! I'm ordering the brackets now. This will be my weekend project👍
I made an amazing desk using an old black ikea headboard, and a riser out of the footboard. I just moved, and threw away the old homemade legs, and got an electric sit/stand setup for it. Now, I’m making a slide out tray for my 88 key midi controller.
Might be out of date on this comment, but I had the same issue with standing desks and then i learned you can just change the legs on your existing desk. I've done eveything i can to get every cord on the desk routed to a location mounted to the bottom of the desk so when it rises, there are only a few dangling cords underneath.
I also do the same thing with monitors. Montor 1 is a 165hz 32 incher, but monitor 2 is a 50 inch tv.
I vane to see the mounted keyboard underneath. Right now i have the 88 keys beside the desk and am looking to mount on some rails this aftermoon. Wish me luck!
Velcro to bottom of keyboard instead of a shelf is Brilliant!
Ah! Thank you. This solves a dilemma I've been having and I couldn't figure out a solution.
Great choice of keyboard. I know you know what you are talking about.
Some great tips Jef!
How do you manage the cable connections to the keyboard so they extend and retract when the keyboard is pulled out and pushed in?
thanks i was looking tfor this
A shoutout to a company called audiorax that makes a lot of this stuff, great quality, and quite affordable...
Excellent tip!! This tray is a little light weight!
Quick question, do you feel that those sliding draw trays can only handle a light touch on the keyboard? In other words, do you feel like you can't put a lot of pressure on the keyboard tray?
OMG look at that first generation Macintosh computer in the background. There's a blast from the 1980s lol. Does that thing still turn on? :D
You have a damn sweet setup there!
I’m in love with your desk! Are your controller keyboard and your desktop at ideal heights? I bought a studio desk a while back with a pull-out drawer like yours, but the desk was way too high and made it a little painful to use a keyboard and mouse, plus neck strain as the computer monitor was too high.
Thanks Bright! Yeah, getting the height perfect is really tough. The desk is just a slab of live-edge acacia wood from the hardware store with legs! Biggest problem with it is that it isn't perfectly flat and has warped over the last few years. I end up having to put little furniture protectors on most of my devices to balance them out! The desk is 28.5" from the floor, and it seems like the height of everything now (keyboard included) is working perfectly.
@@jefgibbons the look of that beautiful wood more than makes up for the wonkyness, in my opinion 😃 thanks for your reply!
Hi Jef, what about your mixer to get all the audio output coming from your gear, also referring to your video about Maschine plus and live looping in which I suppose you go into the stereo line in of Maschine plus itself from the mixer ? Thanks
Yeah I’ve got a cheap little mixer for that stuff!
Hey Jef, what size option did you buy with keyboard sliders from your recommendation? They do have different sizes so I'm not sure if bracket size also differs or it's all the same?
Unc jef!!! Dope product's!! Definitely can make a producer's life lil easier..lol. Enjoy your week💯
For sure! Thanks V!
@@jefgibbons 🎯💯
I avoided buying a "studio desk" with a keyboard shelf after watching your videos with the keyboard on the desk! If it works for you and you are my Cubase tutor, then it must be good for me! Now, you have a keyboard that slides in and out below your desk. Only joking! To be honest, I was not convinced that desks with sliding shelves would work that well for me because often they were too low, lacked rigidity and tended to sag in the middle due to keyboard weight. So I bought an office desk, placed the monitors at the edges on foam pads and am about to purchase a 49 key Arturia controller to sit between the speakers and in front of my screen. I have a Roland RD2000 keyboard next to me at a right angle for piano parts. I think this might work for me as I have minimal equipment as described although I need a new Apple computer. Will I need a screen as big as yours? It seems to work for you ~BUT hold on, I have been here before.........
Ha! Loved this Alan! I keep changing my setup... I'll make sure I stick with the under desk slider for a while at least! A 49 Key might work perfectly on your desk since it's a little smaller. Having the right angle keyboard is PERFECT if you have the right setup for it, then the little guy on your desk for trying out patches and playing little things here and there. You should be good to go!
Very useful, thanks!
Most people will not make my mistake but for the unfortunate few who like me, impulsively set everything up with the sliders only to realize that unlike the komplete kontrol, the 61sl mk3 has a beveled bottom that makes this otherwise elegant solution impossible.
Are you using a TV as your computer monitor? I tried that and wasn't able to get the correct resolution. My text was all pixelated. If you aren't that's a pretty hefty screen. I might have to get one that's dedicated for computers. I'm not well versed in resolution stuff, so I'd have to do some research.
nice setup
How do you feel about the sturdiness of the sliders as of now? I have the same on the way
Had it since then and it's still working great! Just moved them to a new desk and they're still good... just don't play too hard!
@@jefgibbons noted. Haha. Thanks! I have one of those OnStage workstation desks that I'm modifying. The included tray it a tad too low.
For the sliders, is the 12 inch one sufficient?
I think mine are 16 and they are barely long enough...
@@jefgibbons thank you!
Hi Jeff do you not find it does not pull out enough to use the knobs etc?
"Haha Your monitor is not big anough" bro its a fucking tv wdym😭😭😭
You need a cinema screen?????
It was sarcasm brosef!
@@jefgibbons ooo alright nvm then
Btw thanks you your vid was a great help
@@4waves403 Glad to hear it... watched it again for the first time in 2 years... some helpful tips! And I still love the cinema screen... Wouldn't go back to my dual monitors I used to rock!
Dude. I haven't thought of putting the keyboard directly on the rails!! You saved me a lot of trouble!!
Hi thank you for your tips, question: with the new keyboards Mk3 his still working from the bigger size?
I'd be worried about having an expensive controller or keyboard simply resting on those rail tabs with the velcro. I'd get a metal shop to make an aluminum shelf for it, and they can also powder coat it black or whatever color you want
The only other issue is that if you get a new keyboard you might have to drill new holes to get it to fit.
3M has some super tape that are used on the side of semi trucks for moving billboards, people also use it to put solar panels on the top of vans, it's that redicuously strong, but don't expect to EVER get it off.
I would try a masonite board the width of the keyboard. it's going to be no thicker than the paint sticks and velcro
Where he mounted the keyboard, this is not a load bearing part of the keyboard. Its the plastic lip. Over time I do not think this is a good idea. Maybe ok for the S49. But I would not be doing this on my S88. As the base of the keyboard is metal and this is where the feet are and is meant to take the weight. But where he has mounted them is on the plastic edge/Lip of the keyboard casing. If you are playing on the middle of the keyboard, the extra stress will not be good for the plastic casing over time.
Velcro under the keyboard to keep it from sliding.... I feel like an idiot for not thinking of that. I built a drawer but the keyboard slides all over the place and I've been dealing with that for 2 years. Going to fix that as soon I post this comment, thank you so much!!!
That's awesome! Yeah I use velcro for everything! And dude, I'm a HUGE fan of you and your channel!! Been following you from the beginning of my wild RUclips ride, can't thank you enough for what you do! We must connect some time...
This method is not a good idea for full sized keyboards. Those tiny little hinges resting the keyboard on some ice cream sticks? You would be far better off building a proper pull out tray with drawer slides which actually tell you their weight rating along with some timber to support the keyboard. This method is probably the riskiest way you could possibly do this.
agreed
The paint stir sticks worked for me, get drawer rails that are longer than the width of your controller keyboard. I got the 12" rails for an Arturia Keylab 61 Essential, I wish I had gotten the 16".
Great ideas! I did things slightly differently and have a couple recommendations. Amazon sells 19" racks that can be mounted to the bottom of a shelf, so I built a simple "hutch" for my desk and the 19" racks hang down from that. I also got a Standtastic Wall mounted keyboard stand that clears the floor under the keyboards and gets them a little further back. I have a lot of junk in a small room, so saving even a few inches is worth the effort.
I would love to see your setup Andy using the Standtastic stand. I have a tiny space but was considering the Standtastic.
Literally have been looking at how to make a keyboard tray under a desk for the last few weeks, perfect timing!
Nice! Post back to let us know how it went!
Me as well.
I finally took the plunge and followed your instructions on the keyboard drawer... "Screw some holes into the bottom of your desk, realize you got it wrong, and then make sure adjustments"... Boy were you accurate. After 3 attempts I got it right - and how i am so happy! Thanks!
Ha! That’s great!
0:53 I'm going to be making a completely new setup for making music next year, and this is exactly what I needed to see! Seeing someone else actually put together a custom mount for their keyboard is a game changer and something that will help me optimize the space in my studio room, especially since it's pretty compact already.
Hey love the under desk mount for the mini controller. I’ve been thinking about doing this for mine. Is the TV you have for your monitor is a 4K TV. I have two computers and I’m looking for some type of a monitor that I can A/B between the both or even have them both running at the same time on screen. Thanks. Look forward to.
While I love the look of your thick wooden desk and the mechanism of the keyboard sliding right there, such setup is still not really optimally in terms of being ergonomical. It also may not be easy at this time to both have an ergonomical body position for both the midi keyboard and typing keyboard, since they basically need the same area for optimal ergonomical position. In your setup for example, your midi keyboard is at a comfortable postion, but your typing keyboard and mouse are way too high, increasing the chances of RSI (repatiative strain injury/carpal tunnel syndrome) when you are using your mouse and keyboard.
I see 2 parts of a solution that ergonomically would improve the situation most of us music production guys are in:
- We would need a MIDI keyboard that has a very thin base underneath the keys, while at the same time the keys should be normal size and depth. This allows the height of the midi keyboard to be as close to the typing keyboard as possible.
- The desk ideally be as thin as possible, so also this decreases the distance between the the midi keyboard and typing keyboard are at the same height as much as possible. The MIDI keyboard should slide right under the typing keyboard, in terms of height.
I still do not understand why there are not more places selling such setups, as it seems like a easy money for a relatively simple, yet common problem. It should not even have to be something that is expensive. Whenever I look at 95%'s people's setups, It's really never ideal for this reason. I see half of the people with comfortable midi keyboard locations and the other half with uncomfortable midi keyboard locations while realistically speaking both options should be possible.
Another theoretical possibility would be to have the typing mouse and keyboard and mouse slide under the midi keyboard, but I'm not sure if that would be better or than the previous solution. The keyboard (typing or midi) you operate most of the time should be most optimally ergonomically. For instance, I tend to spend a lot more time programming notes than actually playing them on the midi keyboard. So for me the typing keyboard is right in front of me, while the midi keyboard is on the left of me (both at ideal height, but not ideal position because I have to rotate). However, it's always a compromise to some degree, but the amount of comprimise people have to live with at the moment should not be needed.
Dom Sigalas even went from using regular mouse to such a thing that you rotate with your thumb because he also had carpal tunnel/Repetative strain injury (pain in which means arms/shoulders) which is no wonder because also his desk is way too high for his typing keyboard. I think a lot of us use the typing keyboard and mouse more than we think, since playing something is done in a few seconds and tweaking your music can really take ages.
Also, this solution would also increase the legroom anyone has under their table as much as possible.
*So manifacturers, please make such a a keyboard and desk. We do not need 100 competing DAWS or 1000 different orchestral kontakt libraries, but rather actually need something this*
Nice video! which slider could I use for my nektar gx88 midi keyboard?
I have short legs and a long torso. My legs are literally 7cm shorter than average. It makes buying trousers a pain and it makes sitting at a desk insane. Had to get the shorter gas strut for my chair so my feet are flat on the floor. Had to lower the desk too. I can't fit a midi controller under the desk on rails. Curse these short nubbin legs and my long torso.
Just a heads up to anyone who's buying sliders, check what height clearance you need for your MIDI keyboard! I ordered the sliders from Jef's link but it turns out it doesn't have enough height clearance for the s88, arturia's keylab88, and others. The sliders fit the s61 keyboard as seen in this video though. I'm still deciding on whether to go with a 61 key or 88 keyboard. - Regardless thanks for the great video Jef!
Great tip! You can always send the sliders back… mine was definitely specific for the Komplete series.
Also, to consider is the weight of the keyboard?
So you are using a 65" TV with a Mac? Pro tools?
That is a big monitor, but cool.
How much does the keyboard weigh and does it bounce?
Dude back health is vital respect
No nuisance reflections off the keyboard mounted in front of the speaker? Usually, the recommendations suggest keeping all gear away from the speakers, based on the resultant frequency/relections bounce.
I love it do you think set up will work with an s88 komplete kontrol or is that to heavy?
Weird question: What kind of glasses are you wearing in this video? Excellent content, BTW. Optimizing space in the studio is crucial to workflow, and workflow is crucial to overcoming the inertia that can stand between you and making music (especially when it isn't your day job!).
Not comfortable putting my Kronos 73 on this
Hi Jef, what mm are the shelves used in your video? In the UK there are multiple sizes and I dont know the correct item. Please advise. Many thanks
jeff are u available to answer a home studio question?
These are the exact sliders I used on my production side table. I ended up mounting a thin wood project panel to on the sliders first for rigidity. My challenge was then I had to use some scrap wood to get the front of the panel (which wasn’t quite deep enough on its own) to be flush to the very front of the sliders. Took some trial and error but my 61 key KeyLab MK2 fits perfectly and like you said is at the ideal height to play when I need it. It’s great that there are cheap solutions like this to under mount bigger keyboard controllers. Great video as always Jef
Which length slides did you go for? 16"?
@@yeppy013 I’m pretty sure the 16 or 18. My Amazon order history detail doesn’t specify the exact size I ordered.
Are they strong enough to support an 88 key weighted?
What length of sliders did you use for your studio?
First, your live edge desktop is amazing. Second, I have the MK3 stand from Art in cherry. Third, I used the 16" sliders with a 1'x4'x1" length of Oak, stained to match, for my actual keyboard tray. Fourth, as usual, your knowledge of all things related to music more than inspires a lot of different individuals. Thank you Prof 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽
what size sliders did you use for the S61?
i just have a Z-Stand that slides under my desk.
I don't know about velcro holding my beloved keyboard on that tiny ledge. I would rather have it on a wood plank which is the way I have it now, but I will hunt those sliders down as they look perfect upgrade to what I am using now witch is regular drawer sliders
That sounds much better!
such a nice studio.....my favourite that ive seen so far on RUclips
Hey thanks BareBones!
can it screw into a carbon fibre desk ?
Jeff, I coincidentally have a big ol' TV for a monitor, an Ableton Push 2 on my desktop along with a Moog Sub 37 (yeah, not quite the same), a reclaimed wood desktop, and short salt-and-pepper hair. My daughter came into the studio while I was watching this video, and she thought for a split second that the video was of me, not you! Anyways, thanks for this video, as I just used it to add a slider to my desk - and yes, coincidentally, my keyboard is also a Komplete Kontrol S61 Mk2. I swear, I'm not stalking you or trying to become you! :)
Ha!! That is awesome Mario! We’ll have to hang out one of these days!
velcro hack is awesome. how d u think can i do it also with m-audio keystation 88 pro version? it weight is about 22 kg.
That might be too much! I have to play lightly on my setup, but it’s still going strong!!
thanks for the video. Exactly what I was looking for. I just have a quick question, I clicked on the amazon link for the sliders and saw that they come in a bunch of different specs like 12", 14", 16" etc. which one did you buy? I have a 61 key midi. Thanks
Great idea with the keyboard tray, thanks! Since I have a 49MK2, I feel like at least the height adjustments should be the same as yours so if you have some specifics it would be great and save some of us a little time on experimenting perhaps! :)
Hey, are you referring to the m audio 49 midi keyboard? I have the same thing, I am about to order from Amazon the railing thing, what worked for you?
3M has some super tape that is used on the side of semi trucks for moving billboards, people also use it to put solar panels on the top of vans, it's that redicuously strong, but don't expect to EVER get it off.
Good tip!
Do you think this would be strong enough if my five year old leaned on it some? It is for his school desk for music class
Ooh, I wouldn't count on it! Maybe order two sets of rails just in case ;) It's pretty firm but wouldn't take much to pull it down! It's definitely cheap enough to try it out... but not if it wrecks your keyboard!
also sitting that close to my 40" 2 tvs i had in the time was not right so now i have a 34" alienware aw3423dwf and its much better for me sitting close. i also use it with a macbook pro 16 m3 max sometimes. im looking at new setup and especially monitor speaker pads or stands for my yamaha hs8 white. i have a 49 keyboard width see through glass stand for my monitor and keyboard but tbh i hate the look of it and prefer without the glass monitor stand. im also thinking of a new pc build with the Thermaltake tower 100 which is only itx. or tower 200 which is a tab bit big im guessing to be put on top of my yamaha hs8 where as tower 100 will easily fit nice. i like my arturia keylab 49 white keyboard and i defo want this sliders bolted to my wood top. i also have to change 2 of my cables for my keyboard and focusrite 2i2 scarlett audio interface to usb type c to usb type b. i seen the price of the thunderbolt audio interfaces and jesus christ it must of been a dodgy website because they were in the grands for what i want it to do.
I hope it feels awesome to know that thousands of people are being inspired by you following your creativity and sharing your results. I’m ordering from your affiliate links later this month and am so excited to setup my studio and get going! Keep shining friend. ✨🌟
One of the nicest things I’ve heard in a while, thanks Ashe!! Definitely the reason I keep doing this!!
i have a silly question. How do you deal with cockroaches that comes out of no where in a congested place like studio ?😂 I have been facing this problem for quiet sometime.
How I made my keyboard sliding tray: my dad´s a carpenter.
Hey if it works for you that's all that matters who cares what people say.
LQQKS good and fully functional 👍🏻
I've not heard anyone discuss the elephant in the room. Physics and math mean a keyboard under the desk doesn't work. I just spent quite a bit of money on a studio desk, the work surface of the desk is 30" (typical desk hight for ergonomics) now, my 88 key controller, Arturia keylab 88, is 6" tall so that plus the 3/4" platform it sits on means the height under the keyboard is 23"... Got that? Good now try to sit with your knees under the keyboard (after you drop your chair to it's lowest height. Yeah, exactly. Unless you are 5'2" you won't fit. I'm 6'2" so there is technically no solution. I put the desk on 4" blocks to raise it up to barely manageable but now the desktop is too high. Sigh. 😢😢
Probably not a solution for you then.
@@zoonal-gg not a good solution for anyone. The ergonomics don't work. I think that's why the best desks have the keyboard built in at the same height as the desk. Just wish I could knew before spending $1500 on a studio desk. It's really a bad design flaw
how did it work ergonomically for you retrospectively? armheight vs bumping into the keyboard with your legs
Question. 66" x 35" under desk clear. Rectangle legs on either side.
Keyboard 56"W 11.10" D 5" Tall. Weight 40.8 lbs. Need piano to be back
towards the back of the desk, then pull box on slides to edge of the
desk, slides in box extend out 12" so the piano can be played. Unable to
get advice on the best sliders to use, meaning the under the desk part,
pretty straight forward, however when it comes to pulling out another
set of slides, they need to be able to handle the weight, not wobble
up-down left-right. With the width being 56 wide, figuring out weight
stress is touch. Could you offer any suggestions? I wonder if there is a
way to not use an enclosed box, or other ways to make this project
better? Thanks
That was my first idea from the very beginning: I always hated the image of a keyboard on the desktop, particularly having a 61 keys one.
Standing defiantly helps on the long hours. I have a second pair of monitors on top of my mains that"ll switch to when standing so the screens don't block any sound. I have something similar for my keyboard tray. It's great not having it on top of the desk.
Thanks a lot Jeff really appreciate it. Could you please mention the size of the desk you use please cause I’m interested in building up my own desks but I don’t know the size of yours which could perfect suit me. Thank you
Used your approach with the stir sticks to mount my mpc61, thanks for that one. Waiting on the glue to dry before I sit the keyboard ontop
Found a better way to ask my question - 66" x 35" under desk clear. Rectangle legs on either side.
Keyboard 56"W 11.10" D 5" Tall. Weight 40.8 lbs. Need piano to be back
towards the back of the desk, then pull box on slides to edge of the
desk, slides in box extend out 12" so the piano can be played. Unable to
get advice on the best sliders to use, meaning the under the desk part,
pretty straight forward, however when it comes to pulling out another
set of slides, they need to be able to handle the weight, not wobble
up-down left-right. With the width being 56 wide, figuring out weight
stress is touch. Could you offer any suggestions? I wonder if there is a
way to not use an enclosed box, or other ways to make this project
better? Thanks
I bought the 18" sliders. My problem is my standing desk has the supporting bar running left to right in the middle of the desk so the keyboard cant fit properly underneath the desk as it's blocked by the frame.
I guess I'm looking for a new desk now :(
You should have used a piece of plywood between the sliders and then the keyboard on top of that. It would be much sturdier.
Hi Jeff, How do you press the on/off button on the back of komplete kontrol S61 ??
Is there a another method to put the power on. thanks Jacky from The Netherlands
Great video Jeff. What should be the height of the table and how high should the midi keyboard from ground. Secondly, like the MK3 wood case. What color is it? Thanks
2:05
Thanks a lot, I'll realize my keyboard desk slider is exactly like this (maybe except for the fixing, had another idea here using a removable double sticky 3M tape :) Can't wait until the material arrives.
Is there a way to scale down the plugin windows so that you can utilize the size of the tv monitor? everytime I try to move to a larger monitor it just makes all my windows larger and fills the screen more so its pointless. I found more benefit from dragging to two small monitors vs one large monitor. Did you find a way around this?
I gave up on studio monitors and splurged for Audeze headphones. Not going back. 3 monitors better than 1 big TV. Your reco on the underdesk keyboard is gold.
Interesting. How stable is it? I would be very worried about my keyboard falling off the rails without any real drawer surface under it. After all, playing shakes the keyboard.
Don't feel bad about your monitor, mine is a 120 inch projector screen and my chair is only like 5 feet back from it
I use a 55" TV for a monitor myself and what I did was have the desk away from the wall and the TV slightly down past the desk, but when sat there your eye level can see the whole thing.
Man that is a gorgeous setup 😍Side question regarding your monitor placement... what is your sweet spot like with your monitors being so far apart? It looks like it would be behind your head which I know some prefer. I ask because I have it in my head that the distance from my cones need to be exactly the same distance from my ears as they are apart, and the wider you go, the farther back you have to be to make that true. Thanks!
Awesome, Jef! Anyone know if this can be mounted on the underside of an Argosy Halo (the regular version)? Thanks!!
Also, Jef-- if I haven't said it numerous times over the years..... you're a genius. Thanks, man.
Loving the keyboard sliders, defo need something like that myself, my keyboard is really quite beefy and I need to save every millimetre I can!
Very helpful, thanks so much! Love the velcro idea! Will now look into what you have to share about the TV...
Great Video - what width keyboard tray did you use? 12, 14, 16 or 18 inches? Thanks!
It's always cool to see Jef outside of his natural habitat. I'd watch a Jef Gibbons tutorial on anything, be it beat making, desk construction, roof shingle replacement, bicycle repairs...
I have this same setup I used a husky work bench from Home Depot and put the slider right below the main desk,worked out great.