10 Affordable Music Studio Desks for Home Producers – Output

10 Affordable Music Studio Desks for Home Producers

Output

Looking for the best music studio desks? Here’s the 10 best desks available, from DIY IKEA hacks to the sleek Output Platform desk.

Hey bedroom producers — looking for cheap music studio desks that won’t break the bank? We’ve done the research for you. From IKEA-affordable to bespoke surfaces, here’s a handpicked list of our 10 studio favorites. No matter if you need a keyboard tray, or cable management, or want something that just adds a vibe to your space, we have you covered.

Everyone has an ideal setup, but most of us compromise our home studio desks by using “whatever we can find” or compromising with buying furniture we don’t love. Your desk should be the centerpiece of your studio space. Not only is it essential for optimizing your workflow, but it also secures your precious gear and sets the stage for your best work.

1. Platform Studio Desk by Output

Pros: Literally made for music studios, super deep surface, 9U rack space, modern aesthetic, affordable all-wood option
Cons: Cons?
Special features: Cable tray in back, optional pull out keyboard tray

Output’s goal is to help you make the best music in every way possible. It seemed like there was a lack of stylish, functional, and affordable designs crafted with your studio needs in mind. That’s why we designed Platform by Output, a desk made by musicians, for musicians.

Taking our users’ clever DIY tricks into account, we obsessed over every detail and function. Constructed from 100 percent real wood and manufactured in the USA, each desk boasts 9U of rack space for music gear, a bridge for your monitors/display, sleek cable management, and height-adjustable options. And, who doesn’t need a desk with a keyboard tray?

Just like the same ground-up approach for all Output software, our Platform prototypes were test-driven by our entire team. Platform is a labor of love, and now you don’t have to choose between style or function — you can have it all.

2. IKEA studio desk hack

Pros: Low-cost hack, good option for people with tiny spaces
Cons: You’re doing all the work, sourcing pieces from multiple places is a pain
Special features: Whatever you want since you’re making it?

Swedish furniture giant IKEA makes great furniture at an affordable price. The company doesn’t make an off-the-shelf option that’s perfect for music folks, but, you can put together multiple pieces to create an IKEA studio desk hack that includes shelving for your studio speakers and a computer monitor.

To start, pick a base desk like the LINNMON. The two things you need to consider are the color, and depth of the desk. Most of IKEA’s desks are 23 5/8” deep, which may be too shallow once you add a shelf. We recommend choosing one with a depth of 25 5/8” or 29 1/2” if you have space.

Next, pick your shelf. IKEA has several options, but the EKBY ALEX is a favorite since it comes with two drawers to hide cords. Last, use IKEA CAPITA legs to attach the shelf to the desk. Voilà! You now have a two-tier home studio desk.

Since this is DIY, the desk can be customized. If you like, cut the IKEA shelf to create squares and then screw CAPITA legs to each pedestal. These can be affixed to the sides of the desk, creating two small shelves for your studio monitors with space in the middle for your computer monitor.

3. Nucleus 2 by Ultimate Support

Pros: Loads of surface area, second tier for a monitor or more gear
Cons: Expensive for a bare-bones option
Special features: Modular design lets you tack on accessories

Ultimate Support’s Nucleus Series are modular workstations that can expand as your gear collection grows. The Nucleus 2 takes the company’s base producer desk and adds a keyboard tray and second tier. There are tons of other accessories to tack on, like a keyboard shelf, space racks, monitor mounts, and even a lighting kit to add some rainbow glow. If you’re starting out, this is a desk that can grow with your studio.

4. Studio Trends by Guitar Center

Pros: Second shelf for monitor or speakers, 8U rack space, straightforward and functional
Cons: Design isn’t for everyone
Special features: Cable port to hide wires, caster feet

There aren’t a lot of specialty studio desks for making music that cost under $1,000, which is precisely why Guitar Center created this recording desk. It’s sturdy, functional, and — most importantly — affordable. It comes in two width options — 30” and 46” — but we recommend the 46” version so it can accommodate a full-sized keyboard controller. This is a solid desk all around.

5. Commander V2 by Studio Desk

Pros: Adjustable monitor shelf, can be outfitted with accessories, dimensions fit 30+ mixing consoles
Cons: Wow that’s expensive
Special features: Padded armrest, RGB LED lights with remote control

Once you get above $1,000, the music producer desk options come pouring in. Variations in pricey desks tend to center around materials, rack space number/placement, and room for a full-sized keyboard. Slovenian company Studio Desk offers radical desks with creative functionality — perfect for a small space, no matter the size of your mixing console. Check out the Commander V2 desk’s multiple space-saving functionalities, and consider expanding to the keyboard stand and rack unit as your studio grows.

6. Standing Desk by Evodesk

Pros: Height adjustable, available in different configurations, optional storage pod
Cons: Not the best option if you have lots of gear to organize
Special features: Scratch resistant top

Height adjustable desks offer considerable health benefits. An electric adjustable standing desk with a scratch-resistant top, cable management, and a slew of available customizations is the icing on the cake.

If you choose a product like the Evodesk Standing Desk, the obvious challenge will lie in your studio’s acoustic treatment. Make sure any acoustic panels to the left and right of your workspace cover the entire height span of your desk. And, remember that things may sound slightly different closer to the ceiling.

The best desks for music production have great cable management. You’ll need a single power cable (with lots of slack) to feed the desk, and all of the power cables linking your gear and computer should connect to a power strip attached to the underside of the desk. This way, you’ll avoid slack issues when the desk moves up and down. You’ll need to have your studio monitors on the desk (not on a stand behind), so make sure they’re stable.

7. WS7500 System by On-Stage Stands

Pros: Budget-minded desk, keyboard tray
Cons: Not the sleekest option
Special features: Modular design

The On-Stage Stands WS7500 System lets you cobble together different modular pieces together depending on your needs. There’s a main workstation, a corner piece, and a rack cabinet that can be placed together for an L-shaped desk. The affordability is a key selling point if you’re on a budget but be mindful that adding pieces adds dollars (the price below is just for the central workstation). But, while it’s stripped-down, it does come with a keyboard tray and an under-table rack.

8. SD61 Studio Desk by Monkwood

Pros: Keyboard tray, cubby/storage shelf, reclaimed wood
Cons: Hefty pricetag, expensive shipping
Special features: Custom-made

Monkwood Studio design is based in Fullerton, California, and specializes in desks for audio and video professionals. The company makes desks out of reclaimed wood, and each one is custom-made in collaboration with the buyer. They might be pricey, but we just can’t resist the charm.

9. Custom Beijer Workstation

Pros: Serious top-end desk, signature space for embedded keyboard
Cons: RIP wallet
Special features: Designed in collaboration with you

For those who crave the VIP treatment, every Beijer Workstation is custom, built-to-order, and jaw-droppingly beautiful. Predictably, these desks can be found in the studios of many of the world’s leading composers. Though many of their pieces are built with an embedded keyboard for composers, they build music producer desks, too.

10. Build your own standing desk

There are multiple standing desk options out on the market so if you’re interested in the concept, definitely do your research. Autonomous makes the SmartDesk for $300, which looks very sleek. Ron Eigen built his own using an Uplift Desk base and a custom top from It’s Not Trash Designs (pictured). Since it’s not a typical studio solution, you may have to get creative.

Honorable mentions

For the minimalist

Finding a simple yet sturdy workstation can be tricky, but the Eldon Gaming Desk with Hutch by Symple Stuff has a lot in a small package. It might be called a gaming desk, but its features are also appealing for musicians. It comes with a raised monitor shelf, a USB hub, and a cable management system. And of course, RGB LED lights!

For the secret maximalist

The Latitude Run Chrisi Desk appears to be for gamers, but it’s for anyone who wants extra compartments to stash your stuff. As a bonus, two of the shelves are adjustable! There’s even a built-in cup holder, a headphone holder, and a USB/power outlet — storage space for just about anything you can think of.

For people with a small space

We’re a fan of simplicity, and the Loring Writing Desk is a perfect choice for just about any aesthetic and room size. Even better, the two outlets and two USB ports are hidden along the back, which means this is one of the best studio desk options for a music producer’s home.

Take your home desk to the next level

With Output’s studio collection, you’ll discover gear that’s designed by musicians for musicians. Discover how to streamline your home studio with our expert products.