Studio ergonomics: setting up a home studio desk that your neck and wrists can live with

A home studio is an office desk with extra problems. The occupational health rules written for office screens still apply, but a producer also has a MIDI keyboard, a control surface and a pair of monitors all wanting the same spot in front of the chair. This guide takes the official guidance and shows where it bends in a studio. It is general information, not medical advice: if something hurts, see a doctor or physiotherapist.

Screen height and distance

The US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) gives clear numbers. Put the screen directly in front of you, at least 20 inches (about 50 cm) away, and preferably 20 to 40 inches. Place it so the top line is at or below eye level, with the centre about 15 to 20 degrees below horizontal eye level. Don't place it more than 35 degrees to the left or right (OSHA).

On glare, OSHA suggests setting the screen perpendicular to windows, and warns that tilting it back can catch overhead lights (OSHA).

In a studio, the usual mistake is a screen pushed high and far back, above a keyboard or controller, so you look up at the arrange window for hours. Our suggestion: keep the screen low and close, and raise or move the gear around it, not the other way round.

Chair and posture

OSHA's description of a neutral seated posture (OSHA):

• Elbows close to the body, bent between 90 and 120 degrees.
• Hands, wrists and forearms straight, in line and roughly parallel to the floor.
• Thighs and hips supported and roughly parallel to the floor.
• Feet flat on the floor, or on a footrest if the desk can't be lowered.
• Back fully supported, with lumbar support, upright or leaning back slightly.

Any chair that lets you hit those points works. Armless chairs suit keyboard players, because arms catch on the desk edge and push you away from the keys.

Keyboard, mouse and MIDI keyboard placement

OSHA's posture guidance implies your typing keyboard and mouse sit at elbow height, close enough that your elbows stay by your sides (OSHA). The studio conflict is that a full MIDI keyboard also wants that position.

Common fixes, in our view, in order of how well they work:

1. A sliding keyboard tray for the computer keyboard, with the MIDI keyboard on the desk behind it, or the reverse.
2. A small controller (25 or 49 keys) beside the mouse, so neither forces you to reach.
3. A second station: a keyboard stand to the side that you swivel to when playing, keeping the desk for editing.

What to avoid: a computer keyboard perched on top of a MIDI keyboard. It puts your wrists high and your shoulders up for every shortcut.

Breaks

The UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE) says short, frequent breaks are better than long, rare ones: "5 to 10 minutes every hour is better than 20 minutes every 2 hours". Breaks should let you get up and move around. HSE also notes there is no legal guidance on exactly how long or how often breaks for screen work should be (HSE).

RSI: what to watch for

The NHS says repetitive strain injury is caused by repeated use of a body part. Typing is one of its listed risk factors, along with poor posture. Symptoms include burning, aching or throbbing pain, stiffness, weakness, tingling, cramp and swelling (NHS).

The NHS advises staying active rather than resting the area for more than a few days. It says most people recover without further treatment, and that physiotherapy can help if symptoms persist. See a GP if they don't go away or get worse (NHS).

What we think

Producers tend to underrate two things. The first is the mouse. Mixing and editing are mostly small, repeated mouse moves: drawing automation, nudging clips, dragging faders on screen. That is exactly the kind of repeated use the NHS describes, and it is why a cheap control surface or a few keyboard shortcuts can be worth more than a new chair.

The second is the session itself. A good take or a mix that's coming together is precisely when nobody stops. HSE's hourly break is also an ear break, and fresh ears hear more. So treat the break as part of the work: bounce, stand up, walk away for five minutes, then listen again.

A practical order to fix things, cheapest first:

1. Move the screen down and closer.
2. Get the typing keyboard and mouse to elbow height.
3. Add a footrest if your feet don't sit flat.
4. Set a timer for hourly breaks.
5. Then, and only then, spend money on a chair or desk.

FAQ

How high should my monitor be? Top line at or below eye level, centre about 15 to 20 degrees below it, at least 20 inches (about 50 cm) away (OSHA).

How often should I take a break? HSE suggests short breaks often, for example 5 to 10 minutes every hour (HSE).

Can you get RSI from making music? Typing and other repetitive work are NHS-listed risk factors, and screen-based production involves both (NHS).