Art Project: Cheap Portable 'Music Stand'

July 16, 2013 at 1:49 AM

In a Prius.

We're going from Los Angeles to Maine, to check out a school for my daughter. As you can imagine, space is at a premium in our tiny trunk, and the inclusion of the violin was a major concession to Mom (that's me). I dared not express what I was thinking, "What good is my fiddle, without a music stand?" There's no room, even for a folding stand. We barely have room for an extra shoe (much less a shoebox!).

Sure, I can prop up the music against my case, but that doesn't work very well in my fitted case. I'm bringing copies, not bulky books. Copies tend to slouch and fall and even float away. The case does have a small pocket for music, and in one of those "necessity is the mother of invention" moments, I thought up a cheap and workable contraption that will fit in that little pocket with the copies. (If a more elegant solution can be bought, I'll certainly consider it, but for now, I will share with you my invention!).

Materials required:
One sturdy plastic (not paper) folder with pockets ($1.99 from Staples, but you can probably find it cheaper)
One thin, foot-long ruler (plastic one from Staples, $.99.)
Packing tape
scissors

How to make a (really cheap) portable "music stand":

1. Open the folder and cut the outer sides of the pockets so that they can fold down.

2. The ruler is what will hold the folder open and reinforce the bottom of the "stand." Prop up the folder and open as wide as you'd like it for the "stand." Place the ruler along the bottom and trace the edges of the ruler.

3. Using the ruler lines as a guide, cut two slits across the ruler lines: one slit an inch from the left end and then another an inch from the right end of the ruler lines. To keep the ruler in place a bit better, make some pockets with the packing tape to go across the ruler line. Place a piece of packing tape right over the sticky side just where the ruler will go, so the tape isn't sticky there.

4. If you want, you can make another one of these "pockets" to hold the ruler when you aren't using the stand. (I put one against the inside of the folder, so the ruler can fit diagonally, when not in use)

5. To set up the "stand," slide the ruler through the slits and pockets.

6. Prop the "stand" in your case.

7. Put your music up and play!

8. To move on, take the ruler out, stick it in the folder, fold the folder, and you have a very portable "stand"! To make my "stand" seem legit, I printed out a picture of a real stand and put it in the pocket on the front of the folder.