{"id":65964,"date":"2019-01-30T19:33:08","date_gmt":"2019-01-31T03:33:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ponoko.com\/blog\/?p=65964"},"modified":"2019-02-18T09:50:16","modified_gmt":"2019-02-18T17:50:16","slug":"chameleon-design-stikato-music-stand-kickstarter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ponoko.com\/blog\/maker-success-stories\/chameleon-design-stikato-music-stand-kickstarter\/","title":{"rendered":"Reinventing The Music Stand"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"Stikato<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

By Combining Engineering And Artistry, A Product Designer And Musician Solves A Critical Problem\u2014And Revolutionizes An Industry<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019ve ever played music, you know that the current design of music stands is #lame. They\u2019ve looked the same for hundreds\nof years: Clunky, bulky and never at the right height. And that\u2019s the problem. Having a stand that\u2019s too low causes pain and poor posture, which can have devastating and debilitating physical ramifications over time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Akshay\nDinakar, a violinist and product designer that loves combining his engineering and artistic experience for social good, knew there had to be a better way. As an active performing artist and arts administrator, he\u2019s had lots of experience with poorly designed music stands\u2014from being a multi-year member of the National Youth Orchestra of the USA to participating in several international performance tours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now as an entrepreneur at Stanford University, he leads his own team of designers under the Chameleon Design Firm<\/a> brand, and they\u2019re setting out to revolutionize the world of music stands and how musicians use them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sticking It To Traditional Music Stands<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Akshay has been playing violin since the age of three, and there’s nothing his violin teacher said more than \u201cDON’T SLOUCH.\u201d\nBut the slouch seemed inevitable. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

His traditional music stand was always too\nshort for his height, and he often forgot the flimsy portable stand when traveling. He\u2019d end up putting sheet music on a table or chair and practice hunched over, afterward wondering why his back hurt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With more and more of his fellow professional musicians spending thousands of dollars on chiropractors and medical treatment to manage their back pain, Akshay realized that practicing with proper posture wasn’t just important to his personal well-being, it’s critical for any serious musician who wants to play throughout life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So if traditional music stands are causing so much pain, then why has no one thought to innovate on the design?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a recognized violinist who has spent several years as a member of the National Youth Orchestra of the USA<\/a>, a not-for-profit entrepreneur who founded Carnegie Hall’s NYO-U<\/a> music education platform and a designer at Stanford University who has invented prosthetic arms for string-instrument players<\/a>, Akshay realized that this was the perfect opportunity to create a solution that could really help other musicians. And after nearly two years of prototyping and testing, the Stikato<\/a> music stand is launching on Kickstarter<\/a>, with the campaign running from January 24 to February 21, 2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Playing off the musical term \u201cstaccato,\u201d Stikato is the world\u2019s first music stand that can stick to any surface and support the weight of an entire binder of music. Weighing just a few ounces, it’s compact enough to store in any music folder or instrument case\n(so it\u2019s never left behind), yet it\u2019s wide enough to hold extra-large orchestra scores. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Stikato<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

And the best part is that it can be used at the height that is right for each individual musician. See how it compares to the traditional music stand\u2014quite the difference!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Stikato<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

To get the design perfect, Akshay extensively tested prototypes with acclaimed performers at top music centers across the nation\u2014including the Met Opera, SF Symphony, Curtis Institute of Music, The Juilliard School and The Philadelphia Orchestra\u2014as well as with YouTube influencers Nathan Chan, Ken Kubota and Drew Forde (ThatViolaKid). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The result is a durable yet ultra-light music stand laser cut<\/a> from MDF wood and acrylic, which minimize environmental impact compared to other metals and plastics used in traditional music stands. Its patent-pending sticky pads (interestingly inspired by gecko feet) adhere to almost any surface, are reusable and are rated for >600 rinse cycles (its recommended to rinse the pads once for every 10 practice times). Even for hardcore musicians practicing twice a day, Stikato is designed to last for 10+ years of use. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Stikato<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, it supports approximately two pounds (more than enough for an entire binder of music), and is wide enough to\nhold an open spread of sheet music. There\u2019s even extra room for pencils, reeds and other accessories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s the Stikato in action:<\/p>\n\n\n

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