FAQ's
Young Concert Pianists
Deserve Well Maintained Pianos!
Why do pianos go out of tune?
Pianos go out of tune primarily due to fluctuations in temperature and humidity. These changes cause expansion or contraction of the various component parts of the piano and will alter the overall pitch. Rates of change vary in different parts of the scale such that the overall pitch level and the consonance between sections will be altered, i.e. the piano goes "out of tune". As a consequence, pianos go out of tune whether or not they are played and should be serviced regularly in spite of the level of usage. All items below are moving targets, that is, things change and keeping the piano performing at a high level requires attention to all of these. Tuning changes the fastest as it's subject to temperature and humidity swings. Voicing changes are second in line for stability as each time you play a note the impact of the hammer on the string changes the consistency of the felt and with it the tone. Regulation changes the least quickly but still changes over time.
How often should I tune my piano?
Typically, pianos are tuned twice a year. How often a piano needs tuning will depend mostly on the stability of the environment in which the piano is kept and the critical demands of the player. In an unstable environment consider having a Dampp-Chaser (humidity control) system installed. The expense is not too great, the tuning will be more stable and it will reduce the stress on the soundboard and bridges associated with humidity swings.
What is regulation?
Piano actions need periodic adjustment of the moving parts to compensate for wear, the compacting of felt and cloth, and changes due to fluctuations in humidity. This process is called regulation. Each note in the piano requires several specific adjustments to insure proper and uniform response. Regulation often involves the distances parts travel or the starting position of those parts. For example: key leveling, key dip or key travel (how far down the key goes), adjusting hammer starting position relative to string (blow distance), hammer let off (when the hammer stops traveling due to the movement of the key and continuous of its own momentum) and several other adjustments are part of maintaining a properly function piano. In addition, action lubrication, adjusting spring tensions, damper lift timing, pedal adjustments are also part or the regulation process. Regulation doesn't change that fast but over time it does require attention.
Note that "touchweight", whether static, the number of gram weight required to actuate the key, or dynamic, resistance to acceleration (inertia), i,e, the action is too heavy or too light, is not a regulation process. Changes in touchweight can be made but those changes are generally more involved and often require the action to be removed to the shop (sorry no turn of the screw for that one). However, improvements and refinement of touchweight can be critical in how the player interacts with the piano. Even new pianos are often not set up as precisely as they could be or at the desired weight for a particular player. Different players like different levels of touchweight. Contact us for more information if you are not happy with how your action feels or plays. See below "My Action is Too Heavy".
What is voicing?
Voicing, also referred to as tone regulating, primarily involves making changes to the tone of the piano by addressing both the static and dynamic hardness of the hammer felt. Goals of voicing are dynamic range and level, timbre (partial development), evenness, and balance. Customer's personal preferences ultimately dictate tonal levels.
Other factors may also contribute to the tonal character or lack of tonal clarity or evenness such as the general shape of the hammer (from wear), hammer to string mating, string seating, regulation, soundboard and bridge health and response. Assessing where the problem lies and addressing those specific issues when possible is part the process.
Manipulation of hammer hardness is done with the use of needles, shaping, through the use of chemical hardeners and a number of other techniques depending on the type and responsiveness of the hammer.
Voicing is a highly technical procedure requiring experience and expertise and is as important as tuning in bringing out the potential of the instrument and in giving tonal control to the player.
So is having my piano just tuned at each service be enough?
Generally not. Just like changing the oil in you car it is only one aspect of having your car serviced and kept performing at the highest level, pianos need more than just tuning. That includes inevitable repairs, voicing and regulation which are an important part of piano maintenance. All are moving targets, meaning they change over time. Tuning is the most variable as it reacts to changes in temperature and humidity as well as playing to some degree. Voicing changes as you play the piano and hammer felt wears and packs down because of constant impact on the strings--they get brighter and louder and over time the tone can become harsh and uneven. That needs to be addressed and regularly. Regulation changes the most slowly as a result of wear and felt compaction in the action parts. Regulation includes things like adjust hammer travel, let-off distances, key travel, spring tension adjustments, key leveling, hammer checking and a host of other procedures. It doesn't have to be done very often, typically, but should be checked routinely. Keep in mind that concert or recording pianos are gone over thoroughly for every performance, or should be. Lubrication is another thing that should be done regularly to control friction and noise. It's always better to keep up with things incrementally than to wait until the piano is unpleasant to play and the job of rectifying is much bigger.
What is rebuilding?
Rebuilding encompasses a variety of procedures during which the piano is restored to its "like new" condition. The term "rebuilding" is not rigidly defined and many pianos that are termed "rebuilt" may vary considerably in the scope of the work performed. When considering a rebuilding job it may be useful to think of the piano in terms of three main areas:
The belly of the piano, which includes the strings, soundboard, bridges, pinblock, rim, and structural bracing: (see below "When should the soundboard be replaced").
The action of the piano, which includes hammers, shanks, wippens, keys, dampers system, pedals and trapwork. (see also below "My action is too heavy, what can I do about it")
The case, which refers to the cosmetic appearance of the piano.
See the following page "Piano Rebuilding and Restoration" for a list of items typically addressed in a complete restoration job. Rebuilding procedures must be assessed for each individual piano as the needs of each piano may vary.
My action is too heavy (or too light). Why and what can I do about it?
The piano action consists of a system of three levers which combine to create the total action leverage. In simple terms, the action leverage determines how efficiently weight (in this case the hammer and related parts) can be lifted. Because a small change in the weight of the hammer makes a relatively large change in the touchweight (how much force is required to depress the key), the weight of the hammers must be balanced against the total system leverage. Only when the action leverage is coordinated with the hammer weight will you get an action that is properly responsive with controlled inertia and uniform touchweight. Actions do offer some flexibility between heavier and lighter and all action jobs can be customized to the player's personal taste. A complete analysis of overall inertia, hammer weight matching to action leverage, smooth touchweighting, uniform balance weighting, component interfacing, elevations and matching, are all standard procedure when rebuilding actions.
I've heard that the soundboard is the soul of the instrument and that it should never be replaced. How do I know whether or not to replace the soundboard?
Briefly, once the soundboard has deteriorated and stops functioning as it was designed to (assuming it functioned correctly to begin with), it bears little resemblance to the soundboard as it was in its original condition and replacement should be considered. A properly functioning soundboard will be designed in conjunction with the string tensions in a particular piano and will aim to balance attack, development and sustain--qualities which are the component parts of piano tone. Failure or weakness is usually characterized by tonal distortion, buzzing, aggressive attack and short sustain and is often most evident in louder playing and in the 5th octave of the pianos (one octave above middle C). Not all soundboards will need to be replaced. Age, original design and construction and environment in which the piano lived will all play a role in soundboard health and longevity.
Pianos go out of tune primarily due to fluctuations in temperature and humidity. These changes cause expansion or contraction of the various component parts of the piano and will alter the overall pitch. Rates of change vary in different parts of the scale such that the overall pitch level and the consonance between sections will be altered, i.e. the piano goes "out of tune". As a consequence, pianos go out of tune whether or not they are played and should be serviced regularly in spite of the level of usage. All items below are moving targets, that is, things change and keeping the piano performing at a high level requires attention to all of these. Tuning changes the fastest as it's subject to temperature and humidity swings. Voicing changes are second in line for stability as each time you play a note the impact of the hammer on the string changes the consistency of the felt and with it the tone. Regulation changes the least quickly but still changes over time.
How often should I tune my piano?
Typically, pianos are tuned twice a year. How often a piano needs tuning will depend mostly on the stability of the environment in which the piano is kept and the critical demands of the player. In an unstable environment consider having a Dampp-Chaser (humidity control) system installed. The expense is not too great, the tuning will be more stable and it will reduce the stress on the soundboard and bridges associated with humidity swings.
What is regulation?
Piano actions need periodic adjustment of the moving parts to compensate for wear, the compacting of felt and cloth, and changes due to fluctuations in humidity. This process is called regulation. Each note in the piano requires several specific adjustments to insure proper and uniform response. Regulation often involves the distances parts travel or the starting position of those parts. For example: key leveling, key dip or key travel (how far down the key goes), adjusting hammer starting position relative to string (blow distance), hammer let off (when the hammer stops traveling due to the movement of the key and continuous of its own momentum) and several other adjustments are part of maintaining a properly function piano. In addition, action lubrication, adjusting spring tensions, damper lift timing, pedal adjustments are also part or the regulation process. Regulation doesn't change that fast but over time it does require attention.
Note that "touchweight", whether static, the number of gram weight required to actuate the key, or dynamic, resistance to acceleration (inertia), i,e, the action is too heavy or too light, is not a regulation process. Changes in touchweight can be made but those changes are generally more involved and often require the action to be removed to the shop (sorry no turn of the screw for that one). However, improvements and refinement of touchweight can be critical in how the player interacts with the piano. Even new pianos are often not set up as precisely as they could be or at the desired weight for a particular player. Different players like different levels of touchweight. Contact us for more information if you are not happy with how your action feels or plays. See below "My Action is Too Heavy".
What is voicing?
Voicing, also referred to as tone regulating, primarily involves making changes to the tone of the piano by addressing both the static and dynamic hardness of the hammer felt. Goals of voicing are dynamic range and level, timbre (partial development), evenness, and balance. Customer's personal preferences ultimately dictate tonal levels.
Other factors may also contribute to the tonal character or lack of tonal clarity or evenness such as the general shape of the hammer (from wear), hammer to string mating, string seating, regulation, soundboard and bridge health and response. Assessing where the problem lies and addressing those specific issues when possible is part the process.
Manipulation of hammer hardness is done with the use of needles, shaping, through the use of chemical hardeners and a number of other techniques depending on the type and responsiveness of the hammer.
Voicing is a highly technical procedure requiring experience and expertise and is as important as tuning in bringing out the potential of the instrument and in giving tonal control to the player.
So is having my piano just tuned at each service be enough?
Generally not. Just like changing the oil in you car it is only one aspect of having your car serviced and kept performing at the highest level, pianos need more than just tuning. That includes inevitable repairs, voicing and regulation which are an important part of piano maintenance. All are moving targets, meaning they change over time. Tuning is the most variable as it reacts to changes in temperature and humidity as well as playing to some degree. Voicing changes as you play the piano and hammer felt wears and packs down because of constant impact on the strings--they get brighter and louder and over time the tone can become harsh and uneven. That needs to be addressed and regularly. Regulation changes the most slowly as a result of wear and felt compaction in the action parts. Regulation includes things like adjust hammer travel, let-off distances, key travel, spring tension adjustments, key leveling, hammer checking and a host of other procedures. It doesn't have to be done very often, typically, but should be checked routinely. Keep in mind that concert or recording pianos are gone over thoroughly for every performance, or should be. Lubrication is another thing that should be done regularly to control friction and noise. It's always better to keep up with things incrementally than to wait until the piano is unpleasant to play and the job of rectifying is much bigger.
What is rebuilding?
Rebuilding encompasses a variety of procedures during which the piano is restored to its "like new" condition. The term "rebuilding" is not rigidly defined and many pianos that are termed "rebuilt" may vary considerably in the scope of the work performed. When considering a rebuilding job it may be useful to think of the piano in terms of three main areas:
The belly of the piano, which includes the strings, soundboard, bridges, pinblock, rim, and structural bracing: (see below "When should the soundboard be replaced").
The action of the piano, which includes hammers, shanks, wippens, keys, dampers system, pedals and trapwork. (see also below "My action is too heavy, what can I do about it")
The case, which refers to the cosmetic appearance of the piano.
See the following page "Piano Rebuilding and Restoration" for a list of items typically addressed in a complete restoration job. Rebuilding procedures must be assessed for each individual piano as the needs of each piano may vary.
My action is too heavy (or too light). Why and what can I do about it?
The piano action consists of a system of three levers which combine to create the total action leverage. In simple terms, the action leverage determines how efficiently weight (in this case the hammer and related parts) can be lifted. Because a small change in the weight of the hammer makes a relatively large change in the touchweight (how much force is required to depress the key), the weight of the hammers must be balanced against the total system leverage. Only when the action leverage is coordinated with the hammer weight will you get an action that is properly responsive with controlled inertia and uniform touchweight. Actions do offer some flexibility between heavier and lighter and all action jobs can be customized to the player's personal taste. A complete analysis of overall inertia, hammer weight matching to action leverage, smooth touchweighting, uniform balance weighting, component interfacing, elevations and matching, are all standard procedure when rebuilding actions.
I've heard that the soundboard is the soul of the instrument and that it should never be replaced. How do I know whether or not to replace the soundboard?
Briefly, once the soundboard has deteriorated and stops functioning as it was designed to (assuming it functioned correctly to begin with), it bears little resemblance to the soundboard as it was in its original condition and replacement should be considered. A properly functioning soundboard will be designed in conjunction with the string tensions in a particular piano and will aim to balance attack, development and sustain--qualities which are the component parts of piano tone. Failure or weakness is usually characterized by tonal distortion, buzzing, aggressive attack and short sustain and is often most evident in louder playing and in the 5th octave of the pianos (one octave above middle C). Not all soundboards will need to be replaced. Age, original design and construction and environment in which the piano lived will all play a role in soundboard health and longevity.