Microsoft Band and Piano Playing - Extra Steps Registered

[Jaylen Smith]

I've notice my band registers an extra couple thousand steps whenever I practice the acoustic piano. I practice around 45 minutes a day give or take. I'm an intermediate piano player so I'm not exactly moving my fingers like Rachmaninoff. This really skews the measurements. Has anyone else noticed this?

 

[kenjancef]

I hope this doesn't sound like a silly question... but if your step count gets thrown off that much, why not take it off during your practice time? Do you need it on while you play?

If I know I'll be relatively still while moving my arms a lot, I take the band off. I am a computer tech for a school department, and last week we had to unbox 200 computers. I noticed that my step count was going up due to my arms moving, but not my body, so I took my band off. Solved that problem...

 

[lizziej]

I imagine it's be more comfortable taken off too?

Maybe put it on sleep mode? (Does it register sleeps in sleep mode? Idk )

 

[eyecrispy]

Interesting. I always found that the Band was too good at not counting "fake" steps. I always seemed low to me. I don' t play piano so don't have first hand experience but that's a lot of extra steps. Are you playing some very active songs?

 

[Nate Silver]

A bit too heavy on the pedal, perhaps?? :winktongue: But yeah, my experience is that the Band seems quite conservative regarding step count. Just driving to work would get me hundreds of steps on my Surge, plus a floor or two.

 

[DroidUser42]

Does it register sleeps in sleep mode?

Yes, it does. I "wake up" in the morning with a few dozen steps - probably my bathroom trip.

I've seen the step count increase washing my hands. But since I'm not a clean freak, I don't worry about it. :wink:

I wonder if I can get step credit for playing Rocksmith? :winktongue:

 

[ven07]

All the fitness trackers have this issue... As a funny reference, you could watch the latest Two & a Half Men episode to see what I mean

 

[Jeremy Griffith]

I have to switch hands when I wipe off the whiteboard at school to avoid the extra registered steps, too.

 

[hysonmb]

I've got the opposite situation, my Band seems to go to sleep while I'm sitting still. I'm a desk worker and constantly at a keyboard. Once I get up and start moving around, it takes a while before it actually starts registering steps. On my less active days, I've seen up to 1,000 steps difference between the Fitbit One and MS Band. When I'm actually active though, the Band is more accurate.

 

[ven07]

my Band seems to go to sleep while I'm sitting still

Did you try factory resetting the band to get rid of that?

 

[DroidUser42]

I've got the opposite situation, my Band seems to go to sleep while I'm sitting still. I'm a desk worker and constantly at a keyboard. Once I get up and start moving around, it takes a while before it actually starts registering steps.

But once it starts registering them, does it "catch up"?

On my less active days, I've seen up to 1,000 steps difference between the Fitbit One and MS Band. When I'm actually active though, the Band is more accurate.

Which begs the question - if the problem Fitbit or Band?

 

[realwarder]

Arguably on all these devices, steps is more a measurement of activity. Either are good for the body!

 

[ven07]

Which begs the question - if the problem Fitbit or Band?

Neither, it just comes with the territory.. The only way to solve that would be to insert a chip into your body or get sensors for every part of your body

 

[Benjamin Mendez]

Really? This is a topic? The band registers your steps when you move your arm... Come on, use some common sense people.

 

[DroidUser42]

Arguably on all these devices, steps is more a measurement of activity. Either are good for the body!

Don't tell me this doesn't qualify as some activity level. :smile:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9b3ZZywQvg

 

[Jazmac]

What happens with you drink Red Bull, 5 Hour Energy, Monster or any of these "energy" drinks? What happens with you drink coffee? I think the thing that caused the Band to register only works when you do things that cause it to register. I suspect if you attend a major concert and there is a standing ovation, the heart monitor will do the same thing. I play bass guitar. I suspect if I owned a Band, I will probably have steps added as well.

 

[Jaylen Smith]

Just a quick follow up.
1) I now charge the band while practicing the piano.
2) I didn't experience this problem with my old Basis B1 Band.

Thanks for the responses.

 

[BBMINI]

Just confirming what Benjamin Mendez mentioned above -- it's based purely on arm/hand movement, unfortunately. With that in mind, I noticed that washing my hands gives me 20-30+ steps, or I can stand still and swing my arm back and forth to create free "bonus" steps, but that no steps are registered/counted if I hold my Band hand/arm still while walking (e.g. holding a cup of coffee still while walking down the hall, as it was in my case). Obviously not a perfect system, but still gives some general reference from day to day.

 

[Warren Dean]

I've notice my band registers an extra couple thousand steps whenever I practice the acoustic piano. I practice around 45 minutes a day give or take. I'm an intermediate piano player so I'm not exactly moving my fingers like Rachmaninoff. This really skews the measurements. Has anyone else noticed this?

Take it off when you practice. Easy peasy