Capsule Music Stand (Review)

Disclaimer: The Capsule Music Stand was given to me free of charge for testing purposes.

When the Capsule Music Stand made its way to my house, I didn’t really expect too much. I still have the folding metal music stand I’ve used since the late 80ies – it was never a source of joy, but it got the job done and I could take it along whenever I needed to.

As far as I was concerned, you could either have a cheap flimsy metal stand that’s a bit of a pain to fold and take with you, or you could have a somewhat more sturdy stand with a larger area for your sheet music but at the cost of portability.

The Capsule Music Stand by KraftGeek surprised me by being both portable and sturdy – and very quick to stand up and fold.

Packaging

It arrived neatly packaged in a cardboard box with a helpful quick start guide, along with three accessories: a KraftGeek branded carrying bag*, the LumiLight 1/4” Screw Light* and the FlexyMount Phone/Tablet Holder*.

Ease of use and versatility

Unfolding the tripod is very quick and easy, and although it wobbles slightly when touched, it seemed surprisingly sturdy even with bigger music books. Movable parts let you decide where to put the supports and the page holders were very effective and convenient to use. Unlike more traditional music stands, they grip the paper perpendicular to the page, not with a metal bar coming in angled at the corner. This makes it very versatile, so you can use heavy music books as well as individual sheet music pages of different sizes.

Accessories

The accessories are also very well thought-out. The bag has convenient spaces to carry both the LumiLight and the FlexyMount in, although realistically, any bag should be fine for holding your stand and accessories.

LumiLight

The LumiLight works simply with a 1/4″ screw and is screwed in at the top of the music stand. The light itself is lightweight, so doesn’t create an imbalance as perhaps heavier lights would do. It uses 3 AA batteries but also has a USB-C connector if you want to power it with a power cable. It offers two brightness settings and works very well to illuminate the sheet music. It’s also very lightweight and quite small when folded up, which is an extra bonus.

FlexyMount

Lastly, the FlexyMount is a convenient accessory for holding up your phone or tablet on your music stand. It also uses a 1/4″ screw and can be either mounted at the top or the bottom of the music stand. It’s also quite lightweight, and due to the 1/4″ connection, you can possibly also use this on a normal tripod. I personally don’t have much use for the FlexyMount, but I can see its use for anyone who uses digital sheet music or who wants to play along to online trumpet lessons.

Price

The Capsule Music Stand is currently selling for around $90, the LumiLight for around $30, the FlexyMount for $25 and the carry bag for $30.

While the Capsule Music Stand is around two to three times more expensive than other foldable music stands, I’d say a music stand is such an essential piece of gear that it’s worth investing a little bit more in. You’ll need it every time you practice, so you don’t want gear that annoys you by not quite fitting your needs.

The LumiLight and FlexyMount are also well thought-out pieces of gear if they fit your particular use case, while the bag is certainly more of a nice-to-have.

Conclusion: It’s Worth It

In closing, I’m convinced by the quality and design of the Capsule Music stand. Its compact and lightweight design make it ideal for taking it to and from practice, and its sturdiness makes it a joy to use. The LumiLight is a nice and well-thought out accessory ideal for concert settings.