Frequently Asked Questions

While tuning corrects the pitch of your piano, it is only one component of a complete maintenance program.  

Cleaning:  Many instruments haven't been cleaned in their lifetime and are just plain dirty!  Dirt and debris collect on the strings and various intricate parts and affect how well the piano performs.  A standard, simple cleaning is included with the tuning.  If it is quite dirty and a more intricate cleaning is required, we do that for an additional service fee.

Regulation pays attention to the touch and uniform responsiveness of your action - vital to making each performance pleasurable. In addition, regulation ensures that your instrument is capable of producing a wide dynamic range - a critical control factor, particularly when playing piano or pianissimo (quietly or very quietly).  Read more below about the intricacies of piano regulation.

A pitch raise is something that takes much more time than a tuning and is an intricate procedure, especially for older pianos.  That's why you can expect to pay more for that service.  Read below for more information regarding pitch raises.

We keep it simple.  We  begin with addressing any concerns you might have with your piano's voice or issues with its performance, then do a thorough assessment of your piano and can usually quickly tell if it is in need of anything more than a tuning.  

We discuss the overall condition of your piano and then provide you with an estimate..  We go over the details with you in advance so you have an idea of what to expect.

Once approved, we begin the process using high-quality tools, technology, parts and service.  Your satisfaction is backed with a money back guarantee.

Regulation to a piano is the adjustment of the mechanical parts that make up the pianos playing action. The adjustments compensate for the effects of wear and tear caused by usage, the compacting and settling of cloth, felt, and buckskin that along with wood make up the action parts. These parts are also affected by dimensional changes brought on by fluctuations in heat and humidity levels that the piano is exposed to.

The three systems involved in regulation are the playing action, pedal trap work and damper system. The action is the mechanical part of the piano that transfers the motion of the fingers on the keys to the hammers that strike the strings. It is comprised of over 9,000 parts which require adjustment to critical tolerances to be able to respond to a pianist's every command. The pedal trap work is the assemblage of levers, dowels and springs that connects the pedals to the action affecting sustain and dynamics. The damper system is the mechanical part of the piano that stops the vibration of the string when the key or pedal is released.

While tuning corrects the pitch of your piano, it is only one component of a complete maintenance program. Regulation pays attention to the touch and uniform responsiveness of your action - vital to making each performance pleasurable. In addition, regulation ensures that your instrument is capable of producing a wide dynamic range - a critical control factor, particularly when playing piano or pianissimo (quietly or very quietly).

If your piano has sticky notes, displays a lack of response, touch sensitivity or has a decreased dynamic range, it's a candidate for regulating.

If you notice that the keys are not level (some higher or lower than the rest), or the touch is uneven, the need for a regulation is indicated.  However, a sluggish action or deep grooves in the hammers indicate the need for reconditioning or repair. Give us a call to come and we can figure out what is needed to improve your piano.

All upright and grand pianos need periodic regulation to perform their best. Frequency of regulation is dependent upon the amount of use, exposure to climatic changes, and the instrument's quality, age and condition. New pianos may require regulation in their first year because settling and compacting of parts sometimes necessitates adjustment.

Several factors can contribute to how often a piano needs regulating. The intensity and number of hours your instrument is played, and climatic conditions will all contribute to this frequency. A piano kept in relatively consistent conditions which are neither too wet or dry, optimally at a temperature of 68 degrees Fahrenheit and 42 percent relative humidity, will require less adjustment.

The quality of the instrument itself also can affect frequency of regulation. Some manufacturers decrease costs by not going over the regulation and voicing processes in the factory as much as needed. Reputable retailers sometimes do the necessary regulation themselves prior to selling the pianos, but others do not.

Also, performance instruments may require some regulation before each use, due to the higher demands placed on them.

No amount of practice can compensate for a poorly maintained action. Poor legato touch, chord playing where all notes of the chord don't speak clearly, a gradual loss of subtlety in phrasing and an inability to execute quick passages or note repetitions evenly may be the fault of the piano!

A pitch raise is a preliminary piano tuning, however done on a much larger scale thus it takes longer and costs more to have performed.  A pitch raise is performed prior to a regular tuning, also known as a “pitch correction” or a "pre-tuning"

A pitch raise changes the overall tension on your piano’s structure as a whole.  

Generally, a piano that is tuned and serviced regularly does not need to receive this procedure, however:

- Vast changes in temperature, humidity, and atmosphere, 

- Loose tuning pins,

-  Heavy playing, and

-  The placement of your piano can cause pitch to change, to fall flat or be raised sharp, in drastic measure.  

If several years have passed since your piano’s last tuning date, several pitch raises may be in order to help reestablish long-term tuning stability.

You may be wondering, “Is this process really necessary?”  ”Isn’t one tuning good enough?” 

A fundamental reason to have your piano tuned to concert pitch is that a piano is designed and manufactured to sound best tuned to a certain pitch. So if your piano has dropped in pitch, it will produce a very dull, lifeless sound.

So is it really that complicated to get a pitch raise? Actually, it is! There are a number of reasons why it’s a complicated and expensive procedure.  There are over 220 strings in your piano that must be adjusted and tightened, which increases the pressure on the soundboard, bridges and plate, and there are about twenty tons of string tension collectively throughout the piano!  Getting a pitch raise means that you will be adding potentially thousands of pounds more pressure onto the plate and the delicate wood parts of the piano; particularly the bridges and soundboard which could possibly cause problems.  

Piano technicians must lubricate the points of friction on the strings if there is any corrosion. When you consider that there are over 220 strings on a piano and multiple points of friction, this is a job in itself! If the piano hasn’t been tuned in years the strings could have become tarnished or rusted melding into the pins and other parts of the piano. If you just tune it, you could end up snapping strings if you don’t take precautions.

A pitch raise can be a traumatic experience for your piano; however, through proper maintenance and regular care, you can avoid this procedure by having your piano tuned and serviced regularly.

Due to the increased tension that is added to the strings and frame when a piano is tuned, after a pitch raise the instrument can "slip" quite quickly as the frame settles under the new tension, so often it can require tuning again before it has fully settled.

This can be as soon as 2-3 months.  We would recommend scheduling a future tuning appointment to see if it needs further adjustment.