Tuning
What is tuning?
Piano tuning is the art of adjusting the tension of the strings on an acoustic piano, so that each note is acoustically harmonious with itself and with other notes.
What is pitch?
Pitch is the perceptual property of sound that makes frequency-based scaling possible
Why is pitch important?
A piano at pitch will accurately reproduce music as the composer intended.
For aspiring pianists, pitch is important as students need to accurately remember what a note sounds like. The same note should sound identical across pianos at school, at the music teacher’s, and at home.
What should the pitch of the piano be?
Concert pitch (A=440Hz) is the standard to which most modern musical instruments are tuned to.
Can I specify a particular pitch for my piano tuning?
Yes we can tune to other common standards such as A=441Hz or A=442Hz
How long does it take to tune a piano?
Between 0.5h and 1.5h, depending on whether a pitch raise prior to the tuning.
Why do pianos go out of tune?
Piano strings lose tension over time and with repeated use. String tension can also change when the piano expands and contracts with fluctuations in temperature and humidity – wood and metal have different expansion and contraction rates!
What is the difference between a pitch raise and a normal tuning?
A pitch raise is a quick, approximate tuning intended to increase the tension on all strings. A normal tuning is a slower, more precise tuning intended to accurately set the tension on the strings
Why does my piano need a pitch raise?
Piano strings lose tension over time. When too much tension is lost, the strings are unable to maintain a sudden increase in tension during tuning. During a pitch raise, freshly tuned strings are gradually losing tension as the piano is being tuned, as such only an approximate tuning can be achieved. A standard tuning can only be done after one or more pitch raises in order to attain a stable, long-lasting tuning.
How often should my piano be tuned?
For domestic use: at least once per year, or every 3 to 6 months if used more frequently. For professional use: prior to each performance or recording.
What services are included as part of a tuning?
Pitch assessment: Prior to tuning our technicians will check the overall pitch of the piano to determine if one or more pitch raises are necessary.
Piano assessment: We cannot tune the piano if it is not working! Our technicians will try to fix minor issues, or recommend making another appointment if more time is required. Please let us know if there are issues with your piano when making a booking as we may allocate more time for our technicians, and they can come prepared with additional tools.
Professional advice: Our technicians can recommend further servicing if required.
What tuning method do you use?
Our piano technicians are aural tuners, and tune by ear using the equal temperament system.
Can you send tuning reminders?
Yes we can!
Can you tune multiple pianos at one location?
Yes we can, please provide details when booking.
Repair
Why are my keys stuck or resetting slowly?
This is usually due to an increase in local humidity, causing components in the action to swell slightly and thus increase friction. There are many other possible causes; our piano technicians will diagnose and recommend solutions.
How long does it take to replace a string?
Approximately 10 to 30 minutes, depending on the location of the string.
Broken copper-wound bass strings have to be ordered and replaced at a subsequent appointment
Why do piano strings break?
Piano strings usually break due to corrosion coupled with repeated heavy impact. They can also break due to manufacturing defects.
Why do my pedals squeak?
This is usually due to friction between components in the pedal assembly.
There are buzzing noises when I play certain keys; can you get rid of them?
This is usually due to foreign objects that have fallen in the piano, or due to loose screws or lock components in the piano. Our technicians take special pleasure at finding these offenders!
Can you repair scratches, dents and cracks on the cabinet?
Yes we can; we provide a quote before performing these repairs.
Can you repair or replace ivory and ebony key tops?
Yes we can; we will attempt to match replacement key tops as closely as possible to our stock of salvaged ivory and ebony key tops.
Can you change the castors on my piano?
Yes we can supply and replace these parts.
Can you add castors to my piano?
Yes we can, but we do not recommend adding castors to pianos that were manufactured without them. Adding castors will increase the height of the piano and elevate the pedals, which may become uncomfortable to use. Adding castors will also reduce the stability of the piano, making it potentially hazardous to small children.
Can you install stage trucks on pianos?
Yes we can, please let us know the length or model of the piano.
Can you repair piano stools?
Yes we can; we provide a quote before performing these repairs.
Voicing
What is voicing?
Voicing is the art of adjusting the acoustics of individual notes, in order to refine the overall timbre and volume of the piano.
Why is voicing important?
The tone of the piano becomes brighter and more brassy with use over time; voicing resets this change by a noticeable amount.
Why does my piano sound brighter with age?
Piano hammers are made of compressed layers of wool; these layers are compacted when the hammers strike the strings. This increase in density results in harder hammers which in turn produce brighter tones.
What does a voiced piano sound like?
The tone of a voiced piano is usually described as mellow, rounded, and balanced. Please visit our showroom to experience the tone of our voiced instruments!
What is hammer filing?
Through repeated impact with the strings, hammers will develop grooves and may even become flattened. Hammer filing removes these grooves and restores the shape of the hammers, allowing voicing to be done effectively. Our piano technicians can assess on-site whether hammer filing is necessary prior to voicing.
How long does it take to voice a piano?
Between 1-4 hours depending on how much work is required.
How often does my piano need to be voiced?
This varies with intensity of use and personal preference; our piano technicians will advise you at the appointment.
Regulation
What is regulation?
Regulation is the process of making adjustments in a piano assembly, with the goal of improving the playability of the piano.
There are approximately 100 parts for every note with 20-25 adjustments to make all the parts work properly.
Why is regulation important?
Regulating a piano ensures consistency of the correct amount of touch across all notes, resulting in better control of expression. We regularly regulate examination and concert pianos. If your practice piano is regulated to a similar level, you will be able to better prepare for a performance.
Many piano students find the touch of examination and concert pianos much different than their practice pianos, which may lead to a poorer performance.
How long does it take to regulate a piano?
Anywhere between an hour to two days, depending on the condition of the piano; this is best assessed by our piano technicians.
How often does my piano need to be regulated?
We recommend adding additional regulation time to every other tuning, so that our piano technicians can address any regulation issues before they become repair issues.
Can you adjust how heavy my piano keys feel?
Yes we can, within manufacturing limits.
Rebuild / restoration
Where is your workshop?
It is at our showroom at 451 Willoughby Road Willoughby NSW 2068. We also have repair centres in Melbourne and Brisbane.
Do you use original parts during rebuilding?
We generally try to, especially for rebuilding Steinway pianos.
Do you have rebuilt pianos on display?
Yes we have some examples in our showroom.
Can I visit my piano as it is being rebuilt?
Yes you can, with prior arrangement.
Cleaning
Can you remove rust from strings?
Yes we can.
How do I clean under the strings on my grand piano?
We have special tools for cleaning the soundboard under the strings. We do not recommend that you try this yourself!
How do you keep a piano clean?
A piano cover protects the exterior from minor scratches. A string cover prevents dust from settling on the strings and soundboard in a grand piano, and is recommended if the piano is usually played with the lid open. A window cleaner used with a microfibre cloth can be used to remove smudges and fingerprints from the exterior and keyboard.
Can you clean my piano?
Yes we can; a full vacuum, clean and polish takes approximately four hours for a grand piano and two hours for an upright piano.
Inspection
What are inspections?
Inspections are onsite evaluations done by our piano technicians, with the goal of providing specific information requested by our customers. For example we can:
- evaluate a piano prior to purchase for suitability to use by a piano student;
- provide a valuation for insurance purposes;
- determine the amount of servicing required to bring a neglected piano up to performance standard; and
- provide quotes for repairs and rebuilds.
Do you provide reports?
Yes we can provide official reports for legal and insurance purposes.
There are many free pianos advertised on the internet; why should I get you to inspect them first?
Free or cheap pianos advertised online usually come with the condition that the buyer pays for moving, which can be expensive! From experience, unwary buyers only discover the defects of a piano when they get us to tune it after buying and moving.
How to care for your piano
How can you help me maintain my piano?
As needed: Clean exterior and keyboard
Every 6 or 12 months: Tuning and voicing
Every other tuning: Regulation
Every 5 years: Clean interior and polish exterior
Use a piano cover
Install a Damppchaser
Install a string cover (grand pianos)
Where should I place my piano?
We generally advise that the piano be placed where there are minimal fluctuations in temperature and humidity.
For grand pianos we also recommend that the piano plays into the room and not into a corner when the lid is open.
We can do site inspections to pick ideal locations for your piano.
How does moving the piano affect it?
Upright pianos can go slightly out of tune after moving.
Grand piano strings can break when the piano rolls over uneven ground.
How does the weather affect my piano?
During a rainy spell, an increase in humidity makes sticky keys more likely.
How does using an air-conditioner or a heater affect my piano?
Any rapid change in temperature and humidity may cause uneven expansion of the various wood and metal components in a piano, resulting in a piano going out of tune sooner than expected.
The change in room temperature between day and night is sometimes as much as 10 to 20 degrees, especially during winter. This is not ideal for pianos!
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