Typically around an hour and a half. Pianos that have been regularly serviced by us are often quicker, while others that we have not tuned before sometimes take longer. We suggest reserving a couple of hours for the visit, just in case.
Yes, we both have received excellent training in aural tuning and prefer to tune by ear whenever possible.
If you have any personal objects currently living on the top of the piano, perhaps it would be safer for you to relocate them before we arrive. Once we are ready to start, a quiet space is essential, as tuning does require our full attention. Apart from that, a glass of water and access to a restroom are always welcome.
Simply tune your piano regularly and let us know what you want from it. As everyone has different requirements, we can advise whether it would be beneficial to do make some minor adjustments or if it is time for more extensive TLC.
Pianos can go out of tune for a variety of reasons, but factors like heavy usage or changes in temperature and humidity can have a significant impact in a relatively short time. It is more difficult to keep the piano in tune in schools where the practice is constant, or in environments where the weather changes drastically. In the long run, each individual string is also imperceptibly but constantly drifting out of tune. Similarly to when you cut your hair or mow your lawn, the achieved result is always temporary by nature.
Even if you are not a regular player, your piano will still be affected by changes in humidity and temperature. After a couple of years without tuning, instruments often require two visits to stabilise at the correct pitch, so there is no economic benefit in keeping a piano out of tune either.
Ideally, humidity should be kept within 40-50%. Outside that range tuning stability starts suffering, and fluctuations beyond a 30-60% window can cause more severe problems with the instrument - some manufacturers will void the warranty if the piano has been exposed to humidity levels outside their recommendations. It is wise to try and keep the piano room's temperature and humidity as constant as possible, at all times.
We chose this name as it reflects what we do when we tune a piano, where the octave is usually divided into twelve equal semitones. This causes the perfect fifth interval to be slightly narrower than its pure harmonic ratio of 3:2, which string players and singers can intuitivelly tune to. In other words, a narrow fifth is an adjusted interval that is devised to compress the tempered scale so that it all fits within an octave using only twelve keys.
Mostly, though we do have a small number of customers who prefer their instruments tuned to Vallotti, where six of the fifths are tuned pure and six tempered narrow. If you are interested in exploring unequal temperaments, let us know and we will be happy to guide you through a most rewarding journey.
Concert pitch, or A440Hz, is an international standard (ISO 16) that defines the frequency of the note A above the piano's middle C as 440Hz. It was first proposed in the nineteenth century but even nowadays it is not universally adopted, for a variety of reasons. It is not unusual to find orchestras that prefer a slightly higher pitch, or particular instruments that respond better to a slightly lower pitch. There are other pitches of historical interest, varying from 390Hz to 470Hz, being often used on period instruments for more authentic renditions. Most modern pianos, however, should be tuned to A440 whenever possible for compatibility with other instruments.
Harpsichord players still tune their own instruments, but modern pianos require a different technique. It takes months of guidance to learn it, and years of practice to do it well. Without knowing what you are doing, you are more liable to damage your piano's pin block than to improve its tuning, so we do not recommend it. Our advice is to keep all untrained tuners away from good instruments, yourself included!
Use a soft cloth to keep dust and fingerprints away. Try to avoid using harsh chemical products, a slightly damp cloth will usually suffice for case and keys. We use a specialised product that is safe for the finish of your piano, if you are interested we can supply you with some at your next tuning.
While it is lovely to have the natural light on the piano while playing, it is not that great for your piano. Exposure to direct sunlight can damage the finish and affect tuning stability as the temperature and humidity change, causing the parts to swell and retract. It is preferable to place it against an internal wall, away from windows, heaters and air-conditioners.
The move is likely to upset the tuning, so it is best to wait a couple of weeks after the move, so that the piano can have some time to settle in and get used to the new environment.
Our workshop and pre-scheduled institutional work limit our ability to undertake long day trips away from our local area, so we are often unable to help, particularly if timing is important. On the odd occasion we have managed to travel further afield, though, so do feel free to get in touch in case we can make it work.
Every piano will sound different. It depends partly on the brand and model of the piano, but also relates to whether it has been kept in good shape with regular tunings, regulation and voicing.
Despite popular belief, this will not help. Water should be kept well clear of the piano.
It depends. The value of a piano is a flexible concept, but ultimately it is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it. If it means something to you emotionally, you may consider it a priceless possession. However, in terms of monetary value as an instrument, a piano is really only worth anything if it functions well musically, even if it is otherwise a lovely piece of furniture. Sometimes an investment larger than its market value may be needed to make it nice to play again.
Second-hand pianos in good condition are few and far between. The cost of removal and work needed to bring a free piano to reasonable shape can be fairly high and in many cases you may find that such large amounts of money would be more wisely spent on a new instrument. In doubt, get a technician to inspect the piano for you before you make any commitments.
Just like most other valuable assets, the cost of having a piano is never limited to its purchase price. Consider cars: they need regular fuel, services and occasional repairs to be kept in good shape, and after a number of years the running costs eventually add up to the price of a new one.
Keyboards have developed an incredible range of features over the decades and some are truly fascinating instruments - just listen to a Hammond B3 organ coupled with a Leslie speaker. However, they are not an adequate replacement if you would like to learn the piano. The piano's internal mechanical parts that make the hammers strike the strings also provide tactile feedback to the pianist's fingers, which is crucial for learning how to control the production of tone. As neither touch nor tone can be satisfactorily replicated digitally, a piano is still the best choice for an aspiring pianist. In fact, many teachers require their pupils to have access to an acoustic piano for practising.
Our work is usually restricted to the piano parts of a pianola, we tend to leave the mechanical player alone. If you would like to fully restore your pianola, we can recommend a reputable person.
We have one rate for our local area and another for those further away. Other than that, we prefer to keep it fair and charge everyone the same.
Yes, we do, though there may be a small amount for you to cover. Yamaha generously offers their customers a free tuning when they buy a new piano, but technicians can only claim a fixed amount which is sometimes less than their regular charges. In the interest of fairness to our other customers, we normally bill you for the balance if that is the case.
In the early 1900s Beale developed an alternative set up without a timber pin block, with tuning pins fitting directly against the metal plate and secured from behind with bolts. The idea did have its merits but was eventually abandoned. Most of those instruments are now over a hundred years old and usually have not been looked after properly for decades, making them particularly hard to maintain. Regrettably we no longer service them.
Our approach to piano technology is largely based on our background as musicians, and shaped by our training in universities where the focus was on technical collaboration with the Music Faculty. Running a shop requires a different set of skills and business knowledge, which are often underestimated. We also like to support our local music stores and promote the valuable service that they offer to the community.
As with music stores, we prefer to support piano movers and use their services when we need them.
We have had a waiting list of instruments to rebuild in our workshop for a little while now, so our priorities have changed and lessons have ceased. We have no plans to resume them in the near future, but our area has a number of qualified and experienced music teachers, you should have no trouble finding one to suit your needs.
A proper apprenticeship is a full-time and long-term commitment that we are not able to offer, unfortunately. We do encourage serious candidates with a genuine interest in piano technology as a career to seek formal training in reputable institutions where the profession is treated with the respect it deserves. Feel free to contact us to discuss what it entails and where it is available, we will be happy to assist you if we can.
Our workshop is not open to the general public, so please get in touch beforehand to organise a suitable time if you would like to come and see us.
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