Tuning is only the start of maintenance. 

Tuning

A qualified tuner can add years to the life of your piano.  A standard tuning should include not only tuning, but also light cleaning and evaluating any issues that may develop over time that can easily be fixed early on before becoming a major issue. 

Typically, tuning is recommended twice a year due to the changes in humidity and temperature that occur in the spring and fall. A new piano may require an extra tuning as the new strings will stretch with playing. 

Talk to your piano technician and ensure they include basic cleaning as part of their standard service. If your piano is very dusty, you may need a separate service just for cleaning.

Discuss any concerns you may have with your technicians when you schedule your appointment. 

Adjustments & Repairs

Items such as adjustments to fixing sticky or sluggish keys, adjusting pedal mechanism and replacement of broken strings, are part of your maintenance and can be attended to by your tuner. Please give your tuner all the information possible when booking. A second visit may be required.

For major repairs, we recommend you book a tuner to provide a report and quotation first.!!

Regulation

The “action” of your piano consists of thousands of individual parts between the key and the hammers. This is an amazingly complex system that will, over time, need to be adjusted to keep it working smoothly. There are over 25 points of adjustment for each individual key. Many of the piano parts are wood, cloth and felt that require periodic adjustments as they age. Keeping the proper alignment of the parts will make the piano function smoothly and evenly throughout its lifetime. In order to compensate for wear, compacting of cloth and felt, and changes in wooden parts due to humidity, periodic adjustments must be made. Keeping the correct relationship between every part will prevent unnecessary wear, and will make the action “feel right”. That is, each key will function smoothly and evenly throughout the whole keyboard.

Voicing

Voicing is a personal preference about the distinct sound or “voice” of your piano. Different manufacturers have different tonal characteristics, and your piano will have its own sound that changes over time. As you play, the hammer felt strikes the strings and eventually becomes harder and more compact. This can cause the piano to become overly bright or harsh. Or the piano may simply become less expressive and lively.

Before a piano can be voiced, it should be fully tuned and regulated. Your piano technician can make recommendations based upon the age and condition of your piano.