10 June 2015 Caring For The Finish On Your Piano

Caring For The Finish On Your Piano

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A piano brings a lifetime of enjoyment to any home. But if you are ready to purchase your first piano, as with any investment, taking care of it from the beginning will ensure you lifelong quality and workmanship.

Today’s pianos are finished with a variety of materials, from lacquer to modern polyurethanes and polyester resins. A piano’s finish is designed to protect the wood from dirt and spills, as well as reduce damage from every day circumstances, such as humidity changes within the room.Caring For The Finish On Your Piano

Piano finishes are designed to protect the piano without the need of polishes or waxes, and in fact are best protected with simple maintenance.

Avoid finish damage to your piano

Your piano’s cabinet is made out of wood, and like all wood, it is subject to expansion and contraction as humidity changes. With extreme variations, the wood will begin to develop tiny cracks and even begin separating in certain areas. Locate the piano in a stable area of your home, away from direct sunlight, and away from drafts, dampness or heat sources. Also avoid placing anything on the piano which can lead to scratches, or can spill liquid onto the finish, such as a plant or a drink.

Regular dusting

Rubbing dust across your piano can instantly cause scratches. Use a feather duster or a damp cloth to pick up dust without the impact of scratching. Choose a cloth made of soft cotton rather than a harsher material, such as a synthetic fabric. Also make sure you wipe any moisture immediately, as moisture can quickly get into the grains and start the damage process.

Cleaning the piano finish

Occasionally you may find smudges or fingerprints on the finish. If a damp cloth doesn’t remove it, you can dampen your cloth with a mild soap solution. Never use traditional furniture polishes or lemon oils claiming to protect wood finishes. They offer no protection from scratching and can actually soften the finish over time. They also contain silicone and oils that contaminate the wood, leaving it vulnerable to extensive damage.

Cleaning the piano keys

Piano keys often become soiled from oil and dirt on fingertips. To clean the keys, use a soft cloth dampened with water and a mild soap. Make sure the cloth is wrung out, and is damp, not wet. Wipe the keys from back to front rather than side to side to avoid moisture falling between the keys. Clean only a few keys at a time, drying them immediately with a dry cloth.

Have any more questions about cleaning your piano? Give us a call. We’d be happy to advise you on how to protect your investment for years to come.

Filed Under: Owning a Piano, Piano Restoration Tagged With: ,
30 May 2015 Easy Ways To Change Your Piano’s Tone

Easy Ways To Change Your Piano’s Tone

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Have you ever listened to a piano in a grand concert hall, impressed with its overall sound? Then you return to your home, play the same song, and wonder what happened to the quality of the music?

Your piano’s tone depends on a variety of things. A piano will have a bright tone if it has many upper partials; a subdued tone if it lacks. If it is placed on a hard surface, it will reflect the sound; a soft surface will absorb it.Easy Ways To Change Your Piano’s Tone

Just by changing the position and location of your piano, you can adjust the sound your piano produces. Hardwood floors, tile floors, carpeting, high ceilings, hard walls, glass windows, upholstered furniture, drapery, even people will all change the acoustical conditions of the room, and thus impact the sound being produced.

If you prefer a bright sound, a room with hard surfaces will help you create an incisive sound. If you prefer a more subdued tone, add softer elements to help absorb the sound.

For a bright tone:

  • Open the lid of your grand piano. The strings will reflect the sound outward, and amplify it into the room. The lid should open into the room, not into a wall.
  • Draperies should be kept at a minimum. If you choose to cover your windows, choose freeflowing, unlined drapery that will help produce a richer sound. One caveat: if your room has lots of windows, make sure sunlight doesn’t stream onto the piano, which can cause it to go out of tune in a much faster timeframe.
  • Use light fabrics for your decorating. Avoid velvets and brocades and choose cottons and satins instead.
  • Replace carpeting with wood or tile.
  • Remove acoustical or textured ceilings.

For a subdued tone:

  • Close the lid on the grand piano, or use the half stick.
  • Use acrylic caster cups on the piano legs to isolate the piano from the flooring, to prevent the floor from acting as a soundboard.
  • Use soft wall treatments, such as cork, and make sure all doors and windows are properly sealed.
  • Use heavier drapery.
  • Select heavier upholstered furniture.
  • Install wall to wall carpeting.

When you work to change the tone being produced by your piano, don’t forget to have a technician voice your piano when your redesign is completed. A revoicing will help further create the tone you are looking for.

Filed Under: Owning a Piano, Piano Playing, Piano Renovation Tagged With: ,
27 May 2015 My Piano’s Soundboard Is Cracked … Now What?

My Piano’s Soundboard Is Cracked … Now What?

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A piano’s soundboard is one of the most important pieces on a piano.

If you open up the lid of either your upright or grand piano and look down, you will see a shiny piece of wood that runs the down the back or the bottom of the instrument. This is the soundboard.My Piano’s Soundboard Is Cracked … Now What?

The soundboard is what allows the piano to project its sound. It’s the part of the piano that turns the vibration of the strings into sound. When the strings are struck by the hammers, the soundboard takes the vibrations from the strings and amplifies them in order to project the sound outward.

Soundboards are constructed with four or five pieces of thick wood glued together and attached to the back or bottom of the piano. The pin block and iron plate are then mounted on top of the soundboard, and the piano is strung. In order to achieve perfect balance, and thus perfect sound, is to ensure the quality of the soundboard  is void of any imperfections that may have a negative effect on the quality of the sound.

So what happens when the soundboard cracks?

Nearly all soundboards will crack at some point over the life of the piano. Small cracks, especially cracks that form along the seams where the wood pieces are joined together, occur in most cases due to age. A piano will go through many changes as weather and seasonal changes bring in cold and warmth, dryness and humidity. It will be impacted by consistent playing, and the vibration that occurs from creating music.

However, a crack becomes a problem when the crack deepens, and you begin to notice a rattle or buzz whenever the piano is played. If caught early, it can sometimes be repaired using wood wedges and screws to prevent the extraneous noise. A piano restoration expert can usually make the repair quickly with effective results.

Yet when the crack deepens and the soundboard has more extensive damage, the only way the sound can be preserved is to remove the soundboard from the piano and replace it with one that closely mimics the original construction.

Have additional questions about the quality of your piano? Ready to have it restored to improve the quality of the music it creates? One of our professional restoration experts can help you choose the right path for you.

Filed Under: Owning a Piano, Piano Playing, Piano Renovation
23 May 2015 The Complete Guide To Moving A Piano

The Complete Guide To Moving A Piano

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Pianos aren’t your typical furniture. You can’t shuffle a piano from one place to another by yourself. And in fact, even trying to move it with the help of a friend can be difficult at best.

Overall, pianos weigh anywhere from 300 to over 1,000 pounds, depending on the style and type. Which means in order to make sure the piano arrives safely to its final destination, and you arrive uninjured from lifting a heavy, bulky item, special precautions are needed.The Complete Guide To Moving A Piano

In almost all circumstances, a piano mover will use a special skid called a piano board to help move the piano. The piano will be wrapped in blankets and attached to the piano board.

If the piano is being moved a short distance, the piano board will be put onto a dolly and rolled to its final destination. If a stairway needs to be used, the dolly is removed and the piano is slid very slowly in a controlled manner up or down the stairs.

While an upright piano will remain standing, a grand piano is moved on its side. First the lid and the pedal lyre are removed. Then the leg at the straight side of the piano is removed and the piano is carefully lowered onto the piano board. After the two remaining legs are removed, the piano is covered with blankets and strapped to the board. In this position, it gives the movers the ability to control the piano through door openings and stairwells, without the risk of damaging the protruding legs.

Most movers will consent to moving a piano up or down one flight of stairs, when no other alternative is possible. When other options are available, movers will consider them first. To get a piano to the second floor, many movers prefer to hoist or rig it and bring it in with a crane rather than moving it up or down the stairs.

Corners are the most difficult to judge because they can’t be easily measured. When you choose a professional piano mover with lots of experience, they are better at judging what’s possible and what’s not. If a piano cannot be moved safely to its intended location, a mover will stop the move, bring the piano back to its original location until an alternative process can be devised.

Piano moving is the responsibility of the customer. If you have a move coming up, don’t wait until the last moment. By hiring a piano mover first, they can visit your location ahead of time, judge the move, and offer recommendations on how to safely get your piano from one destination to the other, safely and security.

Filed Under: Owning a Piano, Piano Moving Tagged With: , ,
16 May 2015 What Is Piano Regulation?

What Is Piano Regulation?

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As a piano owner, you probably have your piano tuned on a regular basis to keep it playing and performing at the best of its abilities. Yet despite regular tuning, you may still notice a deterioration of its performance.

Tuning adjusts the strings and the pins, the system that determines the pitch of each string. Your piano also requires a periodic servicing called regulation, which adjusts the mechanical parts causing the strings to sound when the keys are played and the pedals are used.What Is Piano Regulation?

Regulation is the adjustment of the mechanical aspects of the piano to compensate for the effects of wear, the settling of cloth and felt, as well as the dimensional changes in the wood and other materials due to changes in humidity levels. There are three system involved in the regulation process: the action, the trapwork and the damper system.

The action is the mechanical part of the piano that transfers the energy of the stroke of the keys to the hammers that strike the strings. The action is the most complex system of the piano, with over 9,000 working parts that are able to respond to a pianist’s every movement.

  • The trapwork are the levers, dowels and springs that connect the pedals to the action.
  • The damper system stops the vibration of the string as you strike and release the key, and is controlled by both keys and the pedal system.
  • While tuning your piano corrects the pitch of your piano, regulation attends to the touch and responsiveness of your action, all vital in creating the performance you are striving for.

All upright and grand pianos need periodic regulation to perform at their peak levels. Frequency of regulation is dependent on a variety of things, including how often your piano is used, exposure to climate changes, the piano’s quality, the age of the piano, and how well its maintained. A new piano may require regulation in its first year as it settles and adjusts to its new form and environment. The frequency after that is often determined by you and your piano technician

If your piano displays a lack of sensitivity, or simply doesn’t have the range it once had, it may be time for regulation. If you notice the keys are not level, the keys are sticking, or they are uneven to the touch, it may be time for regulation.

No amount of playing or practice can compensate for a piano that is not at its proper playing level. The only way to get a quality sound every time you play is to tune and regulate your piano on a regular basis.

Filed Under: Owning a Piano Tagged With:
9 May 2015 Why Tuning Your Own Piano Is A Bad Idea

Why Tuning Your Own Piano Is A Bad Idea

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It probably started with a note or two playing off key. Or maybe a single octave doesn’t sound right with the others.

You know the only way to bring it back into key is to have your piano tuned. But do you want to go through the hassle of bringing someone in? Finding the right person for the job, waiting for them to come into your home, and paying for it might not be on your list of to do’s. Maybe you should try it yourself.Why Tuning Your Own Piano Is A Bad Idea

Or should you?

Tuning your own piano is a bad idea for many reasons. And in some cases can do more harm then good.

Tuning experience on other instruments isn’t the same

Maybe you have experience tuning a guitar. It can’t be that much different, can it? Actually, it can. Each piano is unique, and is tuned based on the temperament of the piano. They have different gauges and string lengths, and therefore what sounds great on one piano may not work on the next. A professional uses sophisticated software, as well as aural tests that will help calculate how to tune the temperament of each piano he or she works on.

Tuning stability

A piano’s tuning pin must be set and secured by the tuner. A tuner will move the pin as much as is necessary to achieve the right pitch. Only then will they secure it to make sure it stays put. If its not done correctly, one aggressive song will cause the note to pop back out of tune. Its one of the last things a professional piano tuner will master, and takes most tuners many, many piano tunings to understand.

Strings breaking

Depending on the age of the piano, piano wire can become brittle and be easily broken. If the string is adjusted too far sharp, it may snap. String replacement is another skill that takes practice to develop. A professional tuner will have the appropriate tools and skills to fix or replace the piano wire if it should break during tuning.

Timing

If you talk with a piano tuner, they will tell you their first try at tuning took them four, six, even eight hours or more to bring a piano back into tune. And in some cases it wasn’t a perfect job. After years on the job and hundreds of tunings later, many tuners can perform the function in an hour or two. Tuning takes a good ear, and over time your hearing precision becomes more difficult to concentrate on. Especially when you don’t do it on a regular basis.

Filed Under: Owning a Piano, Piano Renovation Tagged With: ,
11 April 2015 Piano: The One Instrument That Gets Better With Time

Piano: The One Instrument That Gets Better With Time

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When parents choose to offer the gift of music to their child, cost is usually one of the top considerations.

If they select a violin, a cello, a viola, or a guitar, they know they will have to select a student instrument, sized correctly for how big their child is. As they grow, new instruments will have to be purchased as they move into better programs, or potentially audition for top schools such as Julliard. While a starting instrument may cost a few hundred dollars in the beginning, it can quickly reach into the tens of thousands of dollars as they perfect their skills and require better sound.Piano: The One Instrument That Gets Better With Time

Parents expect replacing the tools of the trade as their child grows and changes.

But what if a child chooses piano?

Piano is the one instrument that, if chosen correctly, can last a lifetime.

Over the years, manufacturers of pianos have come and gone. Some were good, some, well, not so much. But as the years have rolled by, some of the best continue to be sought after instruments that people are not only proud to play, they are proud to display.

Think Steinway.

Think Baldwin.

Think Yamaha.

And of course many more.

When pianos are built, if they are built with top workmanship from the best materials available, they are built to last. If they are well cared for over time, they will continue to last from generation to generation.

The key is in the maintenance.

A well maintained piano is placed in an environment where temperature and humidity are kept at a relatively consistent basis. It is cleaned on a regular basis. It is tuned on a regular basis. And when necessary, repairs are made.

With just these few things in place, the same piano a child learns on at 5 can be playing well when she reaches 105.

Ready to invest in a quality piano that will last a lifetime? Give us a call or stop by today.

Filed Under: Buying a Piano, Owning a Piano Tagged With: , ,
9 April 2015 How Often Should I Replace Piano Strings

How Often Should I Replace Piano Strings

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“I’ve never owned a piano before, but am now looking at one for my young daughter who would like to play. Depending on which one we get, how often will I have to replace the piano strings? Is there a difference between getting an old piano or a new one?”

The average modern piano that is in use in most houses across America today have over 230 strings with a combined tension of 15 to 20 tons. And if you upgrade and move into the concert grand pianos, the combined string tension will be up to 30 tons or more.How Often Should I Replace Piano Strings

With that much tension, you could assume that strings would easily break, needing repair on a frequent basis. That’s not necessarily true.

When a manufacturer builds a piano, his main area of focus is on the scale design, which refers to the calculations made to determine the pitch, diameter, length, and the tension of each wire. A good piano will have a better scale design, which means the engineers within the manufacturer spent the time constructing the piano in such a way that it plays at a superior level. They test, do more calculations, construct and test again until the ideal sound is achieved.

If you look at the wires within your piano, you’ll discover that more than one wire is used to produce each note. For the bass notes, one or two wires may be used, while the higher notes will have three. The wires used for each note helps determine the volume of the sound. A large bass string will produce more volume than a smaller plain wire. The volume is balanced by increasing the number of strings for treble notes, and fewer for the larger, fuller notes in the bass section.

Occasionally a wire may break and will need to be replaced. Piano strings can break for a variety of reasons.

  • In most cases, a string becomes rusty, weakens and breaks.
  • The string may become kinked or bent over time.
  • The string may be defective.
  • Strings can become brittle over time.
  • They are used extensively and simply wear out.

When a string breaks, there are several options.

In some cases, a broken string can be repaired by splicing in a short piece of new wire into the existing wire. The advantage is by using the old wire, it will better match the tonal quality of the surrounding strings.

In some cases, the broken string can be replaced by new wire. Piano wire comes in different sizes and types, so its important to choose a gauge wire that matches the one being replaced.

And in some cases, for an older piano, it may be best to restring the entire piano. If strings break on a consistent basis, or rust is prominent throughout the strings, it may be better to bring new life to your piano and provide it with a complete restringing.

Filed Under: Owning a Piano, Piano Renovation Tagged With: ,
4 April 2015 The Piano Buyer’s Guide For First Time Buyers

The Piano Buyer’s Guide For First Time Buyers

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One of our most common piano customers is a young family looking for an instrument for their young child. And with good reason. With all the data out there on how music can improve memory, learning abilities, even SAT scores down the road, music is one of the best investments you can make for your child.

Yet one look at piano prices can often times make a young family think twice.The Piano Buyer’s Guide For First Time Buyers

Before you give up on integrating music into your child’s life, look at your options.

The piano industry estimates that last year, around one million pianos were sold, with around 50,000 of them or so being new. That means only 1 in 20 were new; the rest coming from a variety of sources, both private parties and authorized dealers.

Because fewer new pianos are being made, it has opened up a world of opportunity in the restoration of old pianos. And frankly many of them can be far superior to what is available new today, given the quality of workmanship that was put into the construction years ago. Many, many people not only ask for a specific model and make of piano when purchasing, they demand it.

Pianos hold their value well if you take care of it on a regular basis. If you purchase a piano from a reputable dealer today, and provide regular tuning and maintenance over the years, you’ll find you can easily trade it in down the road.

Don’t get caught in the common disbelief of finding the cheapest instrument you can. Many budget minded families find a piano in a relative’s home that has been in storage for years, or pick up a piano off of Craigslist for next to nothing, only to wonder why their child doesn’t respond to the music.

Imagine choosing a bicycle for your child with flat tires, or sending them into a football game without proper padding. When you purchase a piano that isn’t properly tuned and doesn’t sound quite right, it can be difficult to play. If you don’t “hear” the music you are making, its difficult to want to continue to practice.

And that $200 bargain you found online may take hundreds, even thousands of dollars to bring it back into working condition.

Remember, before buying any piano, new or used, it should be in tune before you purchase it. If the seller can’t provide you with a tuning certificate showing you its recently been tuned and approved, don’t accept it. This is your guarantee of a properly working piano.

If you have any additional questions as you make your final selection, feel free to give us a call or stop by today.

Filed Under: Buying a Piano, Owning a Piano Tagged With: ,
7 March 2015 How Many Keys On A Piano Do You Need?

How Many Keys On A Piano Do You Need?

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“I’ve recently started looking at digital pianos. I’m new to piano, but love making music. I’ve noticed as I search through different sites that keyboards come with 61 keys, 76 keys, and 88 keys. Why? Is there a difference? Will I be disappointed if I buy a 61 key? Will it limit my playability?”

Great question, and one we hear a lot when people first come in to our retail location, looking at digital pianos.How Many Keys On A Piano Do You Need?

Like every market, there is room for a variety of things. If you go back in time, to the 18th century, you’ll find the harpsichord was created with five octaves, or 61 keys, while pianos were manufactured with 88 keys.

Today, digital pianos are created in a variety of ways, for a variety of needs. That is why you’ll find you’ll find the variance in number of keys. A keyboard designed with 61 keys will have less features, and offer a less than full range of playability for a musician. It also makes the piano more portable. And because many of today’s songs rarely go beyond the five octave range, a smaller keyboard may be just fine.

However, longevity should also be taken into consideration. Is this a starter piano for a budding musician wanting to learn how to play? Or is it a more sophisticated choice, with plans for continued use in the future?

To ensure you have a top quality piano both in sound and playability, focus instead on these:

  • Make sure the keyboard provides full sized keys. In many lesser quality pianos you will find miniature keys that don’t have the same feel as a traditional piano. To ensure you create piano playing skills that can be easily transferred from piano to piano, learn on a full sized keyboard.
  • A full 88 keys is idea for long term playability. 76 is good, 61 is bare minimum. Anything less won’t offer you the keys necessary to learn to play music effectively.
  • The keyboard should provide touch sensitive keys that are weighted to mimic a traditional acoustic piano. Without it, a student will never learn to control the sound they are producing.

The more a keyboard looks and acts like a real keyboard, the easier time you’ll have learning to play and creating quality music.

To feel the difference, stop by our retail location any time. We can show you the differences between today’s leading manufacturers, and help you choose the right keyboard for you.

Filed Under: Owning a Piano, Piano Playing Tagged With: , ,
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