The KraftGeek Capsule Music Stand: A Flutist’s Honest Review

I know we’ve all seen it - the music stand that is taking social media over. Well, I got one! Now, here’s the disclaimer: KraftGeek reached out to me, sending me their product in exchange for an honest review. I’ve had it for about 2 weeks now, used it while teaching and during an orchestra gig. I’ve done my best to put it through its paces since it arrived on my doorstep, so what you will read below is my honest and unbiased review of the Capsule Music Stand by KraftGeek.

So, what is it? The KraftGeek Capsule Music Stand boasts itself as a state-of-the-art music stand that collapses down to the size of a water bottle: easy to carry, setup and breakdown, and essential to the gigging musician.

Who is it for? Really, it could be for any musician, but it’s really geared towards traveling and gigging musicians, musicians with small spaces, and possibly your rogue minimalist teacher such as myself. At the end of the day, I think anyone who values a good music stand could appreciate this one.

Why did I agree to try it? Realistically, I fit in all of the above categories. I travel for gigs and teaching, I live in a small space in SoCal, and it’s nice to have more than one stand in my house for playing duets with students and such without having to store two Manhasset stands in my studio space - let’s be honest, space is huge for those of you that live and teach in a metro area. So, when KraftGeek reached out and asked me to give it a try, I was actually quite excited. The stand had been on my radar for a while, and I even have a student that brings one to their lessons every week. It seemed like a no-brainer to see what I think of it and toss out an honest review for my fellow musical friends who might be eyeing it.

The quick takeaway: Is it worth it? YES.

First Impressions

Unboxing, of course, is one of the most fun parts of getting new gear, which is why I filmed the whole experience here. I won’t lie - I’m very picky about the way something is shipped. To me, it tells a lot about the way that a company packages their product and how they ensure safe arrival to the customer. I worked for one of America’s largest music instrument retailers for the better part of a decade, so I know what it means to be certain something will arrive in good condition. I also appreciate little touches, such as discreet packaging (dropshippers often ship manufacturers boxes right to your door, so you could have a big, red “STEAL ME” sign on the outside of the box - which was not the case here). KraftGeek was sure to send the box well packed and plain so that it was not likely to be taken off of my front porch. Living in San Diego, I’ve learned to value that type of discretion.

Taking it out of the box, I was impressed by how sturdy it felt for such a small stand. The packaging instructions were clear, so I began putting it together. The first thing that I noticed is that everything worked really smoothly. Sometimes tension rod stands will be sticky on the first try, but this was smooth and easy. The locking mechanism for the feet was pretty easy to work with but secure once you screwed the lock tight again. It’s sleek and doesn’t take a rocket scientist to put together, which I can certainly appreciate (working with many-a middle schooler that’s struggling to put away their foldable stands).

Compared to most traditional stands, it folds down so small, I can fit it right into my backpack without stretching or pushing it. This is a new experience for me, as I tend to really push my backpack to the limit. I was surprised that I was able to fit it, all of my music, my flute, and my piccolo in my backpack and it didn’t add a ton of extra weight or bulk.

Features & Functionality

Of course, the number one feature/benefit combo for this stand is its weight and collapsibility. All things considered, it weighs roughly 2.5 lbs which is basically nothing for a musician toting around tons of gear. I barely noticed it once it was collapsed into my backpack.

The stand itself is pretty stable, although I do feel like it struggles a bit on uneven ground (as most stands do) and there isn’t really a way to adjust the feet length to level it out. I do feel like adding the iPad Pro to the TOP of the stand makes it slightly less stable, however after adjusting the height and angle of the stand, it felt much more sturdy and I was very confident, even during an outside gig, that my iPad would be safe.

The stand is incredibly adjustable in terms of height and angle. I’m a very short person (5’0” on a good day), and it was able to adjust low enough without falling down and high enough for my spouse (6’0”) to comfortably stand with it. There is an adjustment knob where the music holder meets the height adjustment rod that adjusts the angle. Using that to tighten made really any angle very stable and sturdy.

So far, I’ve tested it with my iPad, both directly on the stand and using the phone/tablet holder. Both seem incredibly useful. For both, I love the grips on the bottom of the sheet music holder. This keeps music and an iPad from sliding off. One of the reasons I’ve been so happy with this setup is because other iPad stands really give you no ability to use sheet music if given to you (or god forbid your iPad dies and you need to use paper but have no stand). That said, using the KraftGeek Capsule stand gives the best of both worlds. At orchestra rehearsal, I was able to use both my iPad AND sheet music when it called for it.

I appreciate some of the other well-thought out features, including the paper grips, and the middle bar that extends out to accommodate double sheets. The clips are clear (something that many stand manufacturers have not implemented 😒), so you don’t have to spend so much time strategically placing clips or worse, carrying an extra set of clips around. Goodbye, clothes pins! I also love the top stabilizer that can lower to sit on top of your binder or iPad so it doesn’t go anywhere.

Setup and takedown is a breeze - it takes probably 30 seconds to set it up and break it down (I haven’t personally timed it, but I will), and if you’re clumsy like me, I haven’t found any way to hurt myself in the process yet, which is new… and nice. I have cataloged many music stand setup and tear down injuries in my life and so far none from the Capsule Music Stand. I’ve only found one small glitch, which I believe is user error, and that’s when folding it up, sometimes it’s difficult to get the legs to catch in the right place before locking it. Simply put, it still takes a lot less time and is a whole lot less confusing than some of the standard fold-up stands I’ve used.

Accessories Overview

• FlexyMount

  • Fits anywhere from an iPhone (I use a 14 Pro Max) all the way up to an iPad Pro 12.9”

  • Stable once attached to the top section and easily adjusted

  • Cons: A little more light weight than I prefer - I’m unsure of the longevity since it is mostly plastic. Apple Pencil does not fit in the FlexyMount (a negligible complaint on my end, but worth mentioning).

• LumiLight

  • Quick and easy to setup

  • 2 brightness settings

  • Definitely practical for the evening gig or late practice

  • Securely attaches via the screw mount and folds up small

  • Cons: AA battery use - I wish it were internal battery and rechargeable, but it can be powered using a USB-C Connection which is nice for at-home use.

• Bag or case

  • High quality and well padded

  • 3 accessory sections and an adjustable strap

  • Cons: none that I’ve found so far.

Real-World Use

As a gigging and traveling teacher, I’ve gotten quite a few chances to use this stand over the last couple of weeks while rehearsing, gigging, teaching in-home, and teaching out of home. It’s quick to setup (I learned this the hard way when I was running late for a rehearsal - thanks, San Diego traffic!), and easy to maneuver. It actually feels much smoother and less bulky than my other iPad stand. I was concerned about the wind at one outdoor gig, but even as windy as it got, I didn’t have any real issues with it getting blown over. During lessons, it’s a nice auxiliary stand for when I’d like to play duets with students or when I need to conduct with a full score in front of me.

For pro flutists, I think it’s a must. It will hold up to 5.5 lbs, which is a pretty significant amount of music. If you’re gigging a lot, this would be a great addition to your stand collection (because, let’s be honest, we all have a collection at this point). The accessories are quick to setup and easy to use, and I’m really looking forward to creating content using the phone and tablet holder on the bottom end of the stand, or even my GoPro up top (yes, I tested - it will attach a GoPro!). If you’re a content creator, this is a really great way to film during rehearsals and gigs as well.

As far as drawbacks are concerned, I’ve only found a few and they’re mostly with the accessories. First, sometimes it’s hard to find the “sweet spot” when folding it back up where the legs are flush and can be locked into place. I suspect this is user error or simply moving too quickly on my part, but it did catch me a little off guard the second or third time I used it. I also haven’t quite figured out the “push it down to lock it into place” mechanism. It doesn’t really seem to do anything, but again, I suspect user error. I’ll be happy to update this post if I do learn that I’m doing something incorrectly. While I’m in love with the width and versatility of the FlexyMount, I do worry about the longevity of it, because the actual flex mount part is plastic, therefore I do wonder if it’s likely to break. As another small aside, it won’t fit the 12.9” iPad Pro with the Apple Pencil attached, so I do have to take mine off in order to place it in the mount. Finally, I wish the LumiLight had an internal battery and was rechargeable. The current version takes AA batteries, so I actually had to scour my house to find some (don’t worry - the smoke alarms were spared). I would be 100% in love with this light (especially given the two intensities and how easily it folds down), if it weren’t for that small detail.

Finally, to compare, I own several stands including: a Manhasset Symphony, AirTurn Manos, and a Hercules foldable stand to name a few. Here are my thoughts in comparison:

Manhasset Symphony: a classic in a cute color - definitely more stability and aesthetic than anything else. It’s my trusty “in-studio” stand that students typically use during lessons. There’s no way to hate on this stand, but it’s simply not portable, so it stays in the corner until it’s needed. The cost is only slightly less, but it serves an entirely different purpose.

AirTurn Manos: a great iPad stand, but if you have to use paper, you’re stuck. It also doesn’t fold down as small or as easily as the KraftGeek Capsule Music Stand so it’s not as easy to throw into a backpack. That said, the legs are adjustable and a bit more sturdy on uneven ground, but it does cost more than the Capsule Music Stand.

Hercules Ultra Light Compact Music Stand: Hercules is one of my favorite accessory manufacturers. They make great stands, but they’re simply not as sturdy (I wouldn’t trust an iPad on them), and they don’t fold up as small. The upside is that the cost is a fraction.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Ultra-portable and easy to setup and tear down

• Sleek and modern - definitely designed by gigging musicians

• Great accessories (with more to come, I hope!)

Cons:

• Price point ($89 is steep for a stand!)

• Limited for large/heavy binders

• Not ideal for windy outdoor gigs or really uneven ground

Section 6: Who Should Buy It?

• Ideal for:

  • Private teachers (particularly those who travel)

  • Students

  • Gigging musicians

  • Tech-forward players and iPad musicians

• Who might not need it:

  • Orchestral musicians with a fixed setup

  • Anyone needing to hold oversized scores like conductors

Final Thoughts & Rating

Final Verdict: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5

I highly recommend this stand, and I promise it isn’t just because they asked for a review, because you know me - if I didn’t like it, I’d be the first to tell you why, not just because I want to make sure my readers are protected, but because I want other businesses to be successful. I’m really looking forward to continuing to use this stand in my regular setup for teaching, gigging, and content creating because so far it’s been a modernizing addition to my setup, and I’m extremely happy with it overall.

If you’d like to learn more about the KraftGeek Capsule Music Stand or to purchase it with a 15% off coupon (Coupon Code: TattooedFlute), click here.

Please note: I am an affiliate of KraftGeek so I receive a commission for purchases using the code above, but that does not affect the review you’ve just read. If you use my code, I appreciate it so much! Doing so helps support my creating more content and reviews like this.