Tuning & Voicing
Tuning & Voicing are essential to the health of your piano. To tune and piano and not voice it is to leave that piano with nothing to say. To voice a piano without first tuning it is like misspelling all the words of a great speech. You cannot deliver the best speech while stumbling on each word.
We prepare each note to respond to your musical input. As a result, every piece you play, whether a taxing classical piece from Prokofiev or a subtle jazz interlude from Bill Evans, is rendered with the musical ideas you had in mind. A piano that is ready to respond to your students will inspire them to new heights of accomplishment. Call Campbell Piano Shop and schedule your next service call today and start reaping the rewards of tuning & maintenance.
FAQs Regarding Tuning & Voicing
1. How often should I have my piano tuned?
Piano manufacturers recommend a home piano be tuned twice a year while an active teaching instrument needs tuning monthly. We discuss your piano’s condition, environment, and your requirements, with you, then develop a customized tuning & maintenance program. The average service call is about $300.oo and will help keep your piano in prime playing condition based on your needs. Below are a few of the elements to consider when developing your plan:
- How often is the instrument played?
- What is the age and condition of the piano?
- Do pianists use excessive force when playing the instrument?
- Are there expectations of a performance on this piano? Instruments used in concert halls or recording studios will require higher levels of performance.
- What expectations do performers/musicians have of the piano? Are environmental conditions controlled and how do they impact the health of the piano?
2. Why do strings break when I have my piano tuned?
Take a piece of wire and bend it back and forth until it breaks. You created the conditions that cause a piano string to break. The vibrations of a string cause the metal to fatigue, resulting in the strings becoming brittle and breaking. The question is what caused the string to become fatigued to the point of failure?
- What was the quality of the manufacturing process for the string?
- Does the design/scale of the piano account for tension values?
- Are there environmental conditions reacting with the metal?
- How much force is being used by musicians when playing?
- What is the age and condition of the instrument and its strings?
Changing tension in the process of tuning a piano rarely causes a string to break. Most technicians will be glad to repair or replace the string for the cost of time and materials.
3. What is a pitch raise?
Think of a pitch raise as a quick tuning to stretch the strings before a refined tuning is completed. This first tuning is necessary when a piano has strayed too far from the A440 standard. Returning a string to its proper pitch and tension will stretch the metal in the string, causing the string to be under pitched and out of tune in a short period of time. By raising the pitch of the string slightly over the target point, it has a chance to accommodate the new forces, stretch, and settle closer to the proper pitch. A second tuning sets the string to its final tension and pitch, resulting in a more stable tuning.here it is?”
The real answer to this question is pretty complex and lies in the design of the piano. For the past one hundred years pianos have been designed around the standard pitch of A440. That is to say, the fundamental pitch for the A above middle C is 440 cycles per second. All the rest of the notes are tuned relative to this standard pitch.
When the instrument was designed, each string was given a specification as to its diameter, length, and tension in order to achieve the proper pitch as well as a specific character of the sound. If the tension of a string is too far from the design, the sound will change character, usually adversely, resulting in poor tone quality. Keeping your piano tuned to the right pitch is wise as it will allow the strings to perform their best.
There are exceptions to this standard such as when a piano’s structural condition is suspect or, in some cases, an orchestra selects a slightly different standard pitch. However, in most cases it is best to keep the tuning & maintenance of your instrument centered around the standard pitch of A440
Why do I need a pitch raise? Can't the piano just stay where it is?
The answer to this question lies in the design of the piano. For the past one hundred years pianos have been designed around the standard pitch of A440. That is to say, the fundamental pitch for the A above middle C is 440 cycles per second. All the rest of the notes are tuned relative to this standard pitch.
When the instrument was designed, each string was given a specification as to its diameter, length, and tension in order to achieve the proper pitch as well as a specific character of the sound. If the tension of a string is too far from the design, the sound will change character, usually adversely, resulting in poor tone quality. Keeping your piano tuned to the right pitch is wise as it will allow the strings to perform their best.
There are exceptions to this standard such as when a piano’s structural condition is suspect or, in some cases, an orchestra selects a slightly different standard pitch. However, in most cases it is best to keep the tuning & maintenance of your instrument centered around the standard pitch of A440.
4; Dodm't the technician just voice my piano last time? Does it really need it again?
Voicing is an area that seems to become a controversy no matter what the technician believes or does. This lies, at least in part, in the materials a piano is made from. The wool used to create the felt used in the hammers gathers moisture from the environment and gist it off as well. This process effectively compacts the hammers without anyone playing a single note. Add to this the constant pounding of being played and you have a recipe for disaster.
Many technicians believe they are uniquely qualified to voice instruments. While you must listen and know your ‘toolbox’, this is not a reason for note learning the processes and practicing the art. Voicing is critical to giving a piano the final finish necessary to make playing your piano enjoyable, whether you are a concert pianist or a Saturday afternoon tinkerer.
Our Mantra.
There are a number of good tuner/technicians that change the string tension on each string until they are in a proper relationship. A few tuners will not only tune the strings but also voice the hammers, so the tambour is improved. We do all of that and much more, making your piano sound and play its best, leaving you free to enjoy the music. We strive to be in the class of piano technicians that make you a better musician.