The Best Guitar Chairs and Posture Hacks for Older Players

My lower back made the decision before my brain did.

I'd been coaching for about three hours straight, sitting in this wooden chair I'd picked up at a charity shop because it "looked right" and when I stood up, everything from my hips down felt like it needed a software reboot.

That specific stiffness where you're not sure if you should stretch or just accept that this is your life now.

This was my early days where I thought I was invincible and I also thought going three hours without a break was a good idea.

I'd been working with a small group class online. Even so I couldn't hide the discomfort and one of the group watched me wince and said, "Did you just hurt your back teaching us about back mechanics ?"

He was right. It was ironic, but here's the thing: I'd been sitting in that nice looking wooden chair for over a year, blaming my body for complaining about it.

Look, I've worked with enough guitarists over fifty to know that the conversation about chairs and posture gets treated like admitting defeat.

If you need to think about where you sit and how you hold yourself, you're somehow less of a player: or worse your "getting old" and have to sit in one of those "old person ergonomics thingy chairs".

Real musicians just power through, right? And age shouldn't affect what bloody chair you sit in.

Except your spine doesn't care about your mythology. Neither do your hips, or your shoulders, or that nerve in your leg that starts talking to you twenty minutes into a practice session.

I spoke about the importance of ergonomics and setup in my post on The Guitarist Body Blueprint, read it here is you want the full picture. This post will focus on chairs and posture.

What Actually Changes as Your Body Ages

I need to be straight with you about something: Bodies age. Shocking, I know.

But specifically, the stuff that used to forgive our terrible postural choices starts getting less forgiving. The discs in your spine lose some hydration. The joints accumulate the cumulative load of every awkward position you've ever sat in.

The fascia, that connective tissue web that holds everything together, gets a bit less elastic, a bit more set in its ways. You can read more about fascia here if you're so inclined.

This isn't failure. It's just information.

When you're twenty-five, you can sit on a barstool with your guitar for four hours, neck craned forward, shoulders rolled in, and yeah, you might be a bit stiff the next day, but it's manageable.

When you're fifty-five, that same position might leave you feeling like you've been in a car accident.

Because your body has stopped pretending that position was ever actually okay.

So when we talk about chairs and posture for older players, we're not talking about compensation for weakness. We're talking about working with your body's accumulated wisdom instead of against it.

About creating conditions where you can play for hours not because you're toughing it out, but because the whole system is actually supported.

That's not defeat. That's intelligence.

The Chair Situation (Let's Get Specific)

Right, so. Chairs.

I've sat in hundreds of them. Literally. Between teaching sessions, my own practice, working with clients who are also musicians I've probably spent more time thinking about chairs suited to guitar playing than any human should.

Here's what I've learned: There's no perfect chair.

But there are chairs that support your spine's natural curves, and there are chairs that fight them.

And fighting your spine while trying to play music is like trying to have a conversation while someone's poking you in the ribs. Technically possible, but why would you?

What to Actually Look For

The seat height matters more than you think. 

Your feet should be flat on the floor, knees at about ninety degrees or slightly less. Not perched on your toes, not with your knees up by your chest.

This isn't about aesthetics, it's about creating a stable base so your pelvis can sit neutrally and your spine doesn't have to work overtime just to keep you upright.

If you're shorter or taller than average, this becomes even more critical. A chair that's the "standard" height might force you into positions that feel off because, well, they are off.

The seat itself shouldn't be too soft. 

I know, I know. Soft sounds comfortable. But here's the thing: When you sink into a chair, your pelvis tilts backward, your lower back rounds, and suddenly you're playing guitar from a position that makes everything else harder.

Your shoulders have to compensate. Your neck has to crane forward to see the fretboard. The whole system cascades into tension.

You want a seat that's got some give but holds its shape. Firm enough to support your sitting bones, soft enough that you're not perched on a plank.

Some back support, but not too much. 

This is where it gets interesting. A lot of "ergonomic" chairs have these big lumbar supports that push your lower back forward. Sounds good in theory, but in practice?

Many guitarists find they need to lean forward slightly to play, and a big lumbar support just gets in the way.

What works better for many players: A chair with a gentle curve that follows your spine without forcing it into a specific position.

Or, honestly, no back support at all if you've got decent core awareness and you're not playing for hours straight.

Seat depth. 

This is the one people forget about. If the seat's too deep, it hits the back of your knees and cuts off circulation. Too shallow, and you're perched on the edge feeling unstable. You want enough seat to support your thighs without the front edge digging in.

Specific Chairs That Actually Work

I'm going to give you actual options here, because vague advice about "good posture" doesn't help when you're standing in a shop trying to figure out what to buy.

The K&M 14056 Performance Stool. 

Not cheap, but bloody solid. Height adjustable, footrest built in, seat's firm enough to support you without being uncomfortable. The back support is minimal: just enough to remind your spine where it is without forcing anything. Loads of professional guitarists use these because they work for extended playing.

Any decent drum throne.

 Seriously. Drummers figured out the sitting-while-playing thing decades ago. Look for ones with a backrest option if you want it, but the key thing is they're designed to let you move. Your pelvis can tilt, you can adjust your position, you're not locked into one posture.

A proper office chair with adjustability. 

Before you roll your eyes: A good ergonomic office chair lets you adjust height, seat depth, lumbar support, and armrests (which you'll probably want to remove or lower). Just make sure you can turn off or remove the armrests, they'll get in your way.

A basic wooden chair with a cushion. 

Don't overlook this. Sometimes simple works. A straight-backed wooden chair, seat height that works for you, maybe a thin cushion to take the edge off. No fancy mechanisms to break, no adjustments to second-guess. My grandmother's kitchen chair has better posture support than half the "guitar chairs" I've seen marketed to musicians.

What Doesn't Work (From Experience)

Bar stools. Just no. Unless you're doing a twenty-minute set and you need to look the part, bar stools force you into positions that your spine will complain about.

Too high, no back support, often wobbly. Save them for the pub.

Those kneeling chairs that were trendy a while back. Great in theory, terrible for playing guitar.

You need hip mobility to position the instrument, and kneeling chairs lock you into one position.

Gaming chairs. I know they look cool and they're marketed as ergonomic, but most of them are designed for keyboard and mouse, not guitar.

The bolsters on the sides get in the way, the seat's usually too deep, and the aesthetic is... well, it's a choice.

The Footstool Question

The age old footstool dilema. Classical players swear by it. Some teachers swear it's unnatural and creates more problems than it fixes.

Let's break it down anatomically so you can decide and look at all the options.

Raising one foot, usually the left if you're right-handed, does a few things. It tilts your pelvis forward slightly, which can help maintain the curve in your lower back.

It creates a stable platform for the guitar to rest on, taking some of the load off your arms and shoulders.

And it can open up your hip on that side, which matters more than you'd think.

The Ergoplay or the Gitano are both excellent. Adjustable height, stable, don't look like you're trying too hard.

But here's the thing about footstools: They only work if your hips and lower back can tolerate the asymmetry.

For some players, especially those dealing with age-related joint changes or stiffness in the hips, a footstool creates more problems than it solves.

That's not failure. That's information about your body right now, today.

Alternative: A guitar support like the Sagework or the Dynarette. These attach to the guitar and raise it without requiring a footstool.

Many older players find they support more comfortable playing positions because you're not locked into that asymmetrical leg position.

Or, honestly, just play with both feet flat on the floor and the guitar resting on your right leg (if you're right-handed). Plenty of brilliant guitarists do this.

The key is that your spine stays relatively neutral and you're not torquing yourself into weird shapes to see the fretboard.

Posture Hacks That Actually Help

Right, so you've got a decent chair. Now what?

The pelvis is the foundation.

 Everything else follows from how your pelvis sits. If it's tilted way back (slumped), your lower back rounds and your shoulders roll forward.

If it's tilted way forward (over-arched), you're compressing your lower back and probably gripping with your hip flexors.

You want somewhere in the middle. Sitting bones grounded, pelvis relatively neutral. Here's how you find it: Sit down, slouch completely, then arch your back like you're trying to stick your chest out.

That's the range of motion. Now come back to the middle. Not perfect, just... middle. That's your starting point.

Your head weighs about the same as a bowling ball. 

When you crane your neck forward to see the fretboard, your neck and upper back have to work overtime to hold that bowling ball in place.

Over time, this creates patterns of tension that become your new normal that stiffness between your shoulder blades, that ache at the base of your skull.

Instead: Bring the guitar to you, not you to the guitar. Adjust your chair height, adjust the guitar's position, use a support if you need one.

The goal is to see the fretboard without your head migrating forward off your shoulders.

Shoulders down and back isn't always the answer.

 I know, every posture guru tells you to pull your shoulders back. But here's what I see in guitarists: They pull their shoulders back so hard they're creating as much tension as when they were slouched forward.

Now they're just tense in a different direction.

What works better: Let your shoulders settle. Not forward, not yanked back, just... where they want to be when you're not forcing them.

Then notice what your arms are doing.

If you're reaching for the guitar, if your elbows are way out to the sides, if there's a lot of effort happening in your upper traps, that's information.

Adjust the guitar position, not your shoulders.

Breathe into your ribs. 

This sounds like hippie nonsense but stay with me. When you're focused on playing, especially when you're working on something tricky, there's a tendency to hold your breath or breathe very shallowly up in your chest.

This creates tension in your neck and shoulders, reduces oxygen to your muscles, and generally makes everything harder.

Every few minutes, take a breath that expands your ribs sides, back, front. Not a huge gasp, just a fuller breath than whatever you've been doing.

This gives your thoracic spine some movement, releases tension in the muscles between your ribs, and reminds your nervous system that you're not actually being chased by a predator.

The twenty-minute rule.

 No matter how good your chair is, no matter how perfect your posture, staying in one position for too long creates stiffness.

Every twenty minutes or so, shift. Stand up, walk around, reach your arms overhead, twist gently from side to side. I have a whole post on the 20 minute practice routine.

This isn't a break from playing. This is part of sustainable playing. Your body isn't designed to be static.

Give it permission to move and it'll serve you better when you sit back down.

What About Playing While Standing?

Some players find that standing works better as they age. You're not locked into a seated position, you can shift your weight, move around a bit. The guitar strap takes some of the load.

But, and this is important, standing isn't automatically better.

If your strap's too long and the guitar's hanging down by your knees, you're craning your neck and rounding your shoulders just as much as if you were sitting badly.

If you're standing in one spot for an hour, your lower back and hips are still going to have opinions about it.

The strap height matters. Generally, you want the guitar at about the same height it would be if you were sitting.

Higher than most rock stars wear it, but lower than you'd expect is uncomfortable. Experiment. Find what lets you play without fighting your body.

And honestly? Alternating between sitting and standing during longer practice sessions is often the sweet spot for many players.

You're changing the load, changing the position, giving different muscles and joints a break.

The Real Conversation

Here's what I really want to say about all this: The goal isn't perfect posture.

It's not about sitting ramrod straight or looking like a classical guitarist in a recital photo.

The goal is finding positions and supports that let you play without your body becoming the obstacle.

Because here's the thing you've got stories to tell with your playing. Music that only you can make, in the way only you can make it.

And if your attention is constantly being pulled to your aching back or your stiff neck or the numbness creeping into your fretting hand, you can't fully be present with the music.

That's what this is actually about. Not vanity, not "doing it right," but removing the barriers between you and the thing you love doing.

Your body's not the enemy here. It's not betraying you by needing support or having limits or being different than it was twenty years ago.

It's just being honest about what it needs to do this work sustainably.

The question is: Are you willing to listen?

Something to Try Tonight

If you've been playing in the same chair, in the same position, for years, and something doesn't feel quite right anymore try this.

Tonight, before you start playing, spend five minutes just sitting. Not with the guitar, just sitting in your chair. Notice where your weight lands.

Notice if you're leaning more to one side, if your pelvis is tilted, if you're already holding tension in your shoulders before you've even picked up the instrument.

Don't fix anything. Just notice.

Then pick up your guitar. Notice what changes. Does your weight shift? Do your shoulders lift? Does your head come forward?

Again, don't fix. Just notice.

This isn't a fancy assessment. It's just information. And information is what lets you make different choices.

Maybe you realize your chair's too low. Maybe you notice you're twisting to see the fretboard because the music stand's in the wrong place.

Maybe you feel that your left hip is way tighter than your right, and that's affecting how you're sitting.

All of that is useful. All of that tells you something about what might need adjusting in your setup, in your position, in your approach.

And maybe, just maybe, you find that when you work with your body instead of overriding it, playing starts to feel a bit more like what it's supposed to be: A conversation, not a battle.

Right. Now stand up for a second. Reach your arms overhead, take a breath that fills your whole ribcage, then let it all go. There. That's your body saying thanks for paying attention. Keep doing that, and both you and your guitar will be grateful.

F.P. O’Connor

F.P. O'Connor is a Musician and Movement Specialist whose work is informed by extensive training in Manual Osteopathy, Psychology, and Strength Coaching.

He is the founder of Gentle Octaves, helping adult players develop practical, science-based systems for ease, control, and long-term playing confidence.

➜ Visit www.gentleoctaves.com

FAQ

Q: Do I really need to think about chairs and posture as I get older?

Yes because your body stops forgiving bad positions over time.

As we age, spinal discs lose hydration, joints tolerate less compression, and connective tissue becomes less elastic. Positions that were once “fine” start creating stiffness or pain. Paying attention to chairs and posture isn’t weakness —it’s responding to real physical changes.

If discomfort shows up faster than it used to, your setup needs attention.

Q: Why does my back or hips stiffen even when I’m just sitting and not playing?

Because unsupported sitting loads your spine continuously.

Soft seats, poor height, or awkward angles tilt the pelvis and flatten the lower back. Your muscles then work nonstop just to keep you upright. Over time, stiffness shows up even before you touch the guitar.

If stiffness appears before playing, the chair is already doing damage.

Q: Is needing a “better chair” a sign I’m getting old or losing ability?

No it’s a sign you’re paying attention.

You’re not compensating for weakness. You’re reducing unnecessary load so your body can do what it’s designed to do. Supporting your spine allows your hands, shoulders, and neck to work with less effort. If playing feels easier with support, that’s intelligence, not decline.

Q: Why do soft or comfortable chairs often make things worse?

Because sinking into a chair collapses spinal support.

Soft chairs let the pelvis tilt backward, rounding the lower back and forcing the upper body to compensate. That compensation travels upward into the shoulders, neck, and hands, increasing overall tension.

Q: Is back support necessary when playing guitar?

Sometimes but too much support can be just as problematic.

Large lumbar supports can force the spine into positions that don’t match how guitarists naturally lean and move. Many players do better with minimal or gentle support that follows the spine rather than locking it in place.

Q: Why does my neck and upper back tense when I look at the fretboard?

Because your head is drifting forward to compensate.

Your head is heavy. When it moves forward to see the fretboard, the neck and upper back work overtime. Over time, this creates chronic tension and stiffness between the shoulders and at the base of the skull.

Bring the guitar up instead of bringing your head down.

Q: Should I force my shoulders “down and back” to fix posture?

No forcing posture usually creates different tension.

Over-correcting posture often replaces one problem with another. What works better is allowing the shoulders to settle naturally, then adjusting the guitar and chair so the arms don’t have to reach or strain.

If your shoulders feel held or braced, you’re forcing it.

Q: Does breathing really matter when it comes to posture and tension?

Yes shallow breathing increases neck and shoulder tension.

Holding your breath or breathing only into the chest stiffens the ribcage and upper spine. Periodic fuller breaths help release tension, restore movement, and signal safety to the nervous system. If your shoulders drop after a fuller breath, breathing was part of the issue.

Q: Why is staying in one position too long a problem, even with good posture?

Because the body isn’t designed to be static.

Even ideal posture becomes stressful when held too long. Muscles fatigue, joints stiffen, and circulation drops. Regular movement resets prevent stiffness from accumulating. If stiffness shows up around 20 minutes, it’s time to move not push.

Q: Is standing better than sitting for older players?

Sometimes but only if the strap height is right.

Standing allows movement and weight shifts, but a low strap recreates the same neck and shoulder strain as poor sitting. Alternating positions often works best.

If standing still feels as stiff as sitting, switch positions more often.

Q: What’s the real goal of adjusting chairs and posture?

To remove barriers between you and the music.

This isn’t about perfect posture or looking correct. It’s about creating conditions where your body isn’t the thing pulling your attention away from playing. When the body is supported, presence and expression come back.