+ Tuning ... (read more)

A highly skilled piano technician has a lot of different ways of getting a piano into a harmonious and stable tuning. Some companies charge different amounts depending on which techniques are used. You can be confident that you will not be charged extra by Sostenuto, but here is some information about the different techniques your technician may apply.

When a piano is extremely out of tune, each string will need to be tuned and then tuned a second time, because an extreme change in the overall tension will change what’s already been done. It’s like when you put a new set of strings on a guitar, or tighten the lug nuts after changing a tire. Piano technicians call this first tuning pass a “pitch raise” or “pitch adjustment”. Sostenuto service visits include enough time for your technician to do this.

A careful technique is indicated when there is evidence that string breakage is more likely during tuning, as is the case with very old or corroded strings.

Your final tuning pass will have extremely small pitch movements, aural test chords and some loud test blows to make sure the pitch is stable and won’t move when your piano is played loudly.

+ Regulation ... (read more)

Regulation is adjusting the timing and alignment of parts for consistency from note to note and optimal control when you play. To find out if your piano is in good regulation, test how easy (or difficult) it is to play pianissimo. With regular home service, your technician will touch up the regulation to keep up your piano’s responsiveness. Once in a while, additional work may be recommended to make interrelated adjustments throughout the piano action, which can make a noticeable improvement in your piano’s touch and tone.

+ Voicing ... (read more)

Voicing is the work piano technicians do in addition to tuning and regulating to control the tone and volume of each note. These may involve changing the hammer density distribution as in the case of hammer surfacing, needling, and lacquer. Your service visit includes time for a conversation about how you are feeling about your piano’s tone. In many cases, with your input your technician can voice your piano and improve your piano experiences.

+ Repairs and Rebuilding ... (read more)

When parts of the piano wear out or break, we have a lot of repair and rebuilding techniques that we use. We’re working on making videos so you can see what we do in the shop, and we’ll be adding more over time. Links to the videos will be found in the Blog section of this website.