Regulation
“Regulation” is adjusting the piano’s mechanism to make sure it all works properly.
The piano action transfers energy from your finger to the hammer hitting the string. It’s a complex mechanism, containing about 6,000 parts. Over time, these parts swell and shrink, compress, get crusty, work themselves loose. These changes can make the piano feel “heavy” or less responsive, or sound harsh. There are about 20 adjustments per note to increase the musician’s control and response, improving the feel of the piano.
Voicing
“Voicing” is the adjustment of the piano’s tone by sculpting the shape of the hammers, and modifying their density, to optimize the strike point of each hammer for the best tonal effect. A properly voiced instrument can sound remarkably more beautiful.
Repairs
Repairs can involve fixing or replacing anything that is broken or missing. I generally carry enough tools and supplies to repair most broken parts in a single visit for a reasonable price.
Reconditioning
This includes replacing old worn felt, action parts, hammers or dampers, installing new keytops, restringing, and so on. I can recommend how much of this kind of work would be appropriate for your piano.
Humidity Control
In the Pacific Northwest, we have extreme humidity swings, putting pianos out of tune. I can make your piano much more stable by installing a Dampp-Chaser humidity control system. This will keep the moisture content of the air near your piano’s soundboard at a relative humidity level of around 42% year-round, making your piano sound consistently better and requiring tuning less often. I’d be happy to discuss this with you.
