Music stands have been around in some form or another for as long as music has been recorded on sheets of paper.  Many of the first  stands used by musicians were the small stands that were incorporated into the design of most pianos which allowed the pianist to have the sheets of music conveniently at eye level while playing.  Music stands today come in many styles and are crafted out of materials such as plastic, metal and wood.

Some of the earliest stands included stands designed to rest on a table as well as those that where tall enough to stand alone.  These early music stands where made of wood and many of the stands where quite ornate which matched furniture that was in the music rooms of these houses during that period of time.

Today stands are available in many different types of material with the most popular being metal.  Metal stands are very durable with a majority of these designed to be folded up when transported.  Folding stands are the most popular type of music stand on the market.  The design saves space and makes it easy to transport one or more stands around to the multiple venues that a band may perform at.

Music stands are also available for specialized uses such as for marching bands.  These types are generally made of metal and are quite small when compared with a regular music stand.  The marching band type of music stand also have clips and attachments to allow these stands to be attached to the various instruments that make up a marching band.

Some people who have a sense of history still have some of the early styles of music stands that are handcrafted with wood.  This sort of thing goes in and out of fashion, but a beautiful ornate music stand can be quite striking in a music room with other furniture items and instruments such as a piano.