A push for better ergonomics has vastly improved office chairs, so interior design professor David Brothers took those same ideologies and created a better chair for musicians. Not only does it improve posture, but it also helps improve performance.
Musicians in an orchestra are accustomed to all sitting in the same chair, regardless of what instrument they play. But 18 months of research, including extensive interviews with professional musicians, led Brothers to design an ergonomic alternative that can be further customised for different instruments and playing styles.
The chair’s seat can be tilted forwards and backwards to “reduce the strain of the backward pelvic rotation”. Together with the backrest, it can also be raised and lowered for better lumbar support. So in other words, the chair minimises back pain. Brothers also chose carbon fibre for the chair’s frame so that it’s lightweight and easy to reposition, but also because it’s strong and flexible enough for the chair to absorb the strong motions of a performing musician. Apparently, very few of the performers Brothers spoke to cared about aesthetics, but as an interior designer, his creation still has a definite minimal charm to it. Now someone just needs to fund his vision so the design becomes a reality. We suspect both Eames and Beethoven would have chipped in.
[New Jersey Institute of Technology via Gizmag]