A piano is a gloriously complex musical instrument. Some have metallic sounds, some have brilliant sounds, while others have a sharper tone.
It is a true work of art that combines historical innovations with the need of artists to be more involved with the instrument. It can produce more varying sounds than any other acoustic instrument, and allows for a greater freedom of musical expression unlike any other instrument.
With all it's intricacies and required precision, it is important to maintain a piano regularly, so that it can achieve its optimum performance potential.
Piano technology is the art and science of tuning, voicing, regulating, repairing, rebuilding and restoration of the instrument in order to obtain that potential.
Piano Tuning
Piano tuning is quite simply the adjustment of the tension of the approximately 200 strings in a piano. The tuning pins on a piano are adjusted with a tuning "hammer". The pins are turned so that all of the notes of the piano are the same musical distance apart. If there is more than one string for a note, each one must be tuned to precisely the same frequency, or be in unison
Piano Voicing
Voicing is manipulation of certain parts of the piano to produce a certain sound or tone, usually set to the preference of the owner or the person playing the instrument. It ensures that the hammers are properly aligned to the strings, and that they contact the strings evenly. A tool called a "voicing needle" is pressed into specific areas of the hammer which vary according to the kind of tone desired. Some people prefer a rich mellow, or "fruity" sound while others prefer a brighter, sharper or "bell-like" sound. No one sound is better than another; the sound you choose for your piano is simply a matter of deciding which one is most pleasing to you
Piano Regulation
Piano regulation involves the adjustment of thousands of parts in a piano so that they function properly in relation to each other. Regulation involves key levelling, adjustment of key height and key dip, "let-off","lost motion","hammer blow", "back checking",damper adjustment, and pedal adjustment. A properly regulated piano will allow the musician to repeat at any volume, ornament well, and play very softly. The goal is to have a consistent feel across the entire keyboard, and can be adjusted to suit the player's requirements for a lighter or heavier touch while playing.
Piano Repair
With all of the thousands of parts in a piano and the sometimes harsh treatment it receives in it's lifetime, from excessive or even normal use, occasionally things are bound to go wrong or require repair. Sometimes a string will break, occasionally a pedal will start to squeak, old brittle parts may break, or keys will stick. A qualified piano technician recognizes these and other common symptoms of typical repair situations and can usually do these repairs in your home.
Piano Rebuilding
Occasionally, a piano is suffering from more serious problems that an in-home repair appointment cannot rectify. For example, the strings may be old or rusty, and the tuning pins might be loose and unable to hold a tuning. There may problems with the soundboard, the bridges or the felts and cloths may be damaged by insects. The keys might be chipped or cracked, and may need to be replaced. If rebuilding is done, the piano is usually removed from the home and taken to a rebuilding shop. It will usually remain there for quite some time, so the owner must be prepared to live without their piano for an extended period of time. A piano technician will be able to give an estimate of how much time it will take and how much money it will cost to make these repairs. In some cases the work to be done will cost more than the piano is worth, and a good technician should be straightforward with you about that. Many people choose to have rebuilding done on their piano regardless of the cost because it is a family heirloom and much sentimental value is attached to it.
Piano Restoration
Restoration is not something normally done by piano technicians, as their shop facilities are not set up to do it, and, since chemicals are involved, the shop may not have adequate ventilation to do it safely. Restoration can mean having the plate resprayed, minor touch ups to pianos with polyester finishes, or complete cabinet restoration, which involves completely removing the original surface, and applying a new one. If the plate is being resprayed, it is normally done as part of a rebuild, as it is impossible to spray the plate while it still in the piano, and removing it under any other circumstances could mean replacement of the strings as well. New manufacturers decals can also be applied at this time as well. A piano that is being restored is almost always sent to another location where the work is to be done.
The "88th" Note
After reading this, you must now realize that piano technology is a very specialized field, and that a piano technician is a highly skilled craftsperson that has chosen to translate their love and appreciation of the instrument into a challenging and very interesting livelihood
It is a true work of art that combines historical innovations with the need of artists to be more involved with the instrument. It can produce more varying sounds than any other acoustic instrument, and allows for a greater freedom of musical expression unlike any other instrument.
With all it's intricacies and required precision, it is important to maintain a piano regularly, so that it can achieve its optimum performance potential.
Piano technology is the art and science of tuning, voicing, regulating, repairing, rebuilding and restoration of the instrument in order to obtain that potential.
Piano Tuning
Piano tuning is quite simply the adjustment of the tension of the approximately 200 strings in a piano. The tuning pins on a piano are adjusted with a tuning "hammer". The pins are turned so that all of the notes of the piano are the same musical distance apart. If there is more than one string for a note, each one must be tuned to precisely the same frequency, or be in unison
Piano Voicing
Voicing is manipulation of certain parts of the piano to produce a certain sound or tone, usually set to the preference of the owner or the person playing the instrument. It ensures that the hammers are properly aligned to the strings, and that they contact the strings evenly. A tool called a "voicing needle" is pressed into specific areas of the hammer which vary according to the kind of tone desired. Some people prefer a rich mellow, or "fruity" sound while others prefer a brighter, sharper or "bell-like" sound. No one sound is better than another; the sound you choose for your piano is simply a matter of deciding which one is most pleasing to you
Piano Regulation
Piano regulation involves the adjustment of thousands of parts in a piano so that they function properly in relation to each other. Regulation involves key levelling, adjustment of key height and key dip, "let-off","lost motion","hammer blow", "back checking",damper adjustment, and pedal adjustment. A properly regulated piano will allow the musician to repeat at any volume, ornament well, and play very softly. The goal is to have a consistent feel across the entire keyboard, and can be adjusted to suit the player's requirements for a lighter or heavier touch while playing.
Piano Repair
With all of the thousands of parts in a piano and the sometimes harsh treatment it receives in it's lifetime, from excessive or even normal use, occasionally things are bound to go wrong or require repair. Sometimes a string will break, occasionally a pedal will start to squeak, old brittle parts may break, or keys will stick. A qualified piano technician recognizes these and other common symptoms of typical repair situations and can usually do these repairs in your home.
Piano Rebuilding
Occasionally, a piano is suffering from more serious problems that an in-home repair appointment cannot rectify. For example, the strings may be old or rusty, and the tuning pins might be loose and unable to hold a tuning. There may problems with the soundboard, the bridges or the felts and cloths may be damaged by insects. The keys might be chipped or cracked, and may need to be replaced. If rebuilding is done, the piano is usually removed from the home and taken to a rebuilding shop. It will usually remain there for quite some time, so the owner must be prepared to live without their piano for an extended period of time. A piano technician will be able to give an estimate of how much time it will take and how much money it will cost to make these repairs. In some cases the work to be done will cost more than the piano is worth, and a good technician should be straightforward with you about that. Many people choose to have rebuilding done on their piano regardless of the cost because it is a family heirloom and much sentimental value is attached to it.
Piano Restoration
Restoration is not something normally done by piano technicians, as their shop facilities are not set up to do it, and, since chemicals are involved, the shop may not have adequate ventilation to do it safely. Restoration can mean having the plate resprayed, minor touch ups to pianos with polyester finishes, or complete cabinet restoration, which involves completely removing the original surface, and applying a new one. If the plate is being resprayed, it is normally done as part of a rebuild, as it is impossible to spray the plate while it still in the piano, and removing it under any other circumstances could mean replacement of the strings as well. New manufacturers decals can also be applied at this time as well. A piano that is being restored is almost always sent to another location where the work is to be done.
The "88th" Note
After reading this, you must now realize that piano technology is a very specialized field, and that a piano technician is a highly skilled craftsperson that has chosen to translate their love and appreciation of the instrument into a challenging and very interesting livelihood
