Kallie Swanepoel Piano Tuners
Frequently asked questions and answers
How should I care for or look after my piano?
What Is Piano Tuning?
What Is Piano Voicing Or Piano Toning?
What Is The Difference Between Piano Voicing Or Piano Toning And Piano Tuning?
How Often Should My Piano Be Tuned Or Serviced?
Why Should My Piano Be Serviced Regularly?
What Is Regulation And How Does It Affect My Piano's Performance?
What Is The Piano Action And Why Does It Need Maintaining?
What Is The Pedal System?
What Is The Keyboard?
Why Is Restoration Or Rebuilding Of The Mechanical Systems Sometimes Necessary Prior To Regulation?
What Is Restoration?
What Is Rebuilding?
How Does Temperature And Humidity Changes Affect My Piano?
Won't I Have Fewer Expenses, And Get More Joy From An Electronic Synthesized Piano?
Where Do I Find A Qualified Person To Service And Maintain My Piano?
What If I Have More Questions?
How Should I Care For Or Look After My Piano?
See, and treat your piano like a valuable piece of furniture. Always keep it clean and stay away from having vases of flowers, standing drinks, or pot plants on it. Spilled liquids can cause severe damage to your piano, the repair of which may amount to a major overhaul or restoration. New pianos are usually finished in polyester or satin lacquer, which requires only to be wiped with a damp cloth and cautiously dried. No polish is needed. Older pianos are usually French polished and need better care, using a polish reviver applied with a clean soft cloth and polished with a soft duster.
Read more on
Cleaning Your Piano
No Books, Heavy Objects, Vases And Drinks On The Piano
Piano Repairs
Piano Restoration
What Is Piano Tuning?
Piano tuning is the process where harmony is restored to the piano by making small delicate changes to the pitch and thus the tension of the strings bringing it in tune with an acquired set of pitches or temperament which is normally equal temperament.
Piano tuning is not at all piano regulation, piano repairs or anything to do with the mechanical workings of a piano. Piano tuning also has nothing to do with correcting the tone quality of, or a major pitch alteration on the instrument.
Read more on
The Art Of Piano Tuning
Piano Regulation
Piano Repairs
Definition Of Piano Voicing Or Piano Toning
Pitch
What Is Piano Voicing Or Piano Toning?
Piano voicing or toning may include a number of different specialized repairs and adjustments performed on the piano to improve the sound or tonal quality and change it to suit your taste. Piano voicing or piano toning is the process of hammer reshaping by means of filing, sanding or ironing, hammer hardening or softening by means of applying chemical hardener, needling with a set of toning needles
or steaming, hammer and string alignment, string adjustment and/or repair at their anchor points, and/or piano tuning, piano regulation in order to improve the sound and tonal quality of the piano. Harder hammers will produce a brighter, louder, brassier or harsh sound, while softer hammers will sound softer or mellower.
Read more on
Definition Of Piano Voicing Or Piano Toning
Piano Repairs
Piano Regulation
The Art Of Piano Tuning
What Is The Difference Between Piano Voicing Or Piano Toning And Piano Tuning?
Piano voicing or piano toning is correcting or changing the sound and tonal quality of the piano, while piano tuning can be described as bringing the piano in tune or in harmony by making small changes to the pitch and thus to the tension of the strings.
Read more on
Definition Of Piano Voicing Or Piano Toning
The Art Of Piano Tuning
Pitch
How Often Should My Piano Be Tuned Or Serviced?
All manufacturers agree that a new piano should be tuned four times during the first year and twice a year thereafter. A concert piano should be tuned before every performance, and a piano in a professional recording studio three or four times per week. It is advisable to tune your piano at least once a year, preferably twice due to seasonal changes, even if you play it occasionally for relaxation purposes only. However, you can have your piano tuned as often as you like to satisfy your own personal musical requirements and even negotiate for discount for regular piano tuning. During the event of tuning the piano, the piano technician, also called a piano tuner, will inspect and evaluate the piano and advise you on Voicing Or Toning and regulation, which are the actual service components of piano maintenance. Only use the services of a qualified piano technician also called a piano tuner.
Read more on
Frequent Piano Tuning
Frequent Tuning
Have Your Piano Regularly Tuned
Piano Voicing Or Toning
Piano Regulation
Only Make Use Of A Qualified Professional To Tune Your Piano
Selecting A Piano Technician Also Called A Piano Tuner
Why Should My Piano Be Serviced Regularly?
A piano is a valuable investment, and should therefore be maintained regularly by a professional piano tuner to avoid costly repairs. Materials such as wood and felt of which the piano is manufactured, makes it subject to change with climatic conditions. Hot and cold or wet and dry extremes cause these materials to swell and contract, affecting tone, pitch, and action response or touch. An out-of-tune piano or an unresponsive touch can discourage even novice musicians, and is no pleasure listening at.
Read more on
Temperature And Humidity Control
Changes In Humidity
Changes In Temperature
Temperature and humidity control
Piano Pitch And Climate
What Is Regulation And How Does It Affect My Piano's Performance?
Regulation is the adjustment of the mechanical parts of the piano's action optimizing its performance to compensate for the effects of wear and tear, the compacting and settling of cloth, felt, and leather, as well as dimensional changes in wood and felt parts due to changes in humidity and temperature. The three systems implicated in regulation are the action, pedal system and keyboard.
Read more on
What is piano regulation?
Changes In Humidity
Changes In Temperature
What Is The Piano Action And Why Does It Need Maintaining?
The action is the mechanical part of the piano that transfers the motion of the fingers on the keys to the hammers, which strike the strings. When you look inside your piano, you will find a cast iron plate or "harp", strung with steel and copper-wound strings over a large expanse of wood which is the soundboard, and all these form part of the piano's backframe. If you take a closer look, you will discover a system of levers, springs, and hammers, largely consisting of wood and felt, connected to the keyboard, which causes a hammer to strike a string when a key is pressed, and this is called the action. It consists of over 9 000 parts which require adjustment to critical tolerances to be able to respond to a pianist's every command. It includes the damper system which is the mechanical part of the piano that stops the vibration of the string when the key is released, and is controlled by the key and pedal systems. Like all other instruments that are subject to wear and tear, it is esensial that these important parts of the piano are serviced regularly by a qualified piano technician also called a piano tuner. Each and evry note needs to be perfectly regulated individually to give optimum performance. The pedals also need occasional adjustment.
What Is The Pedal System?
The pedal system is a collection of levers, dowels, and springs which connects the pedals to the action controlling sustain and dynamics.
What Is The Keyboard?
The keyboard or claviature of a modern piano consists of seven octaves and a minor third or 88 keys. This is the section of the action used by the pianist to play the piano and from where the touch is controlled. The keys act as levers that set the action in motion. This motion causes the hammers to hit the strings and produce sounds.Why Is Restoration Or Rebuilding Of The Mechanical Systems Sometimes Necessary Prior To Regulation?
If it has badly worn parts, or if there has been corrosion or moth damage, the piano may not be able to be properly regulated without some repairs or replacement of parts.
Read more on
Piano Restoration
Piano Repairs
Piano Regulation
What Is Restoration?
Restoration is the process of restoring your piano back to good condition by cleaning, repairing, and adjusting it for maximum performance with replacement parts only where needed. If your piano has deteriorated beyond simple restoration, it may need to be rebuilt.
Read more on
What Is Rebuilding?
Rebuilding involves complete disassembly, inspection, and repair as necessary with replacement of all worn or deteriorated parts. The piano is then reassembled, tested, and adjusted to the same or similar tolerance and performance as when it was new.
How Does Temperature And Humidity Changes Affect My Piano?
Hot to cold, or dry to wet, extremes are harmful to your piano. Dryness causes the pitch to go flat, whilst moisture let it go sharp. Repeated swings in relative humidity can cause soundboards to crack or distort. Extreme dryness can also weaken the glue joints that hold the soundboard and other wood portions of the piano together. Moisture may lead to string rust. A piano functions best under fairly consistent conditions, which are neither too wet, nor too dry, optimally at a temperature of 19 degrees C, and 42 percent relative humidity.
Read more on
Temperature And Humidity Control
Changes In Humidity
Changes In Temperature
Temperature and humidity control
Piano Pitch And Climate
Won't I Have Fewer Expenses, And Get More Joy From An Electronic Synthesized Piano?
The beautiful, natural, unique sound of an acoustic piano is due to the remarkable blending of such materials as wood, metal, leather, and felt. Together they create a sound like no other instrument in the world. While electronic synthesizers may approximate the sound of an acoustic piano, it cannot approach the true beauty of the real thing, and never will accomplish that. The artificial sound and touch of an electronic instrument, will never match that of a acoustic piano.
Read more on
Where Do I Find A Qualified Person To Service And Maintain My Piano?
We recommend only the use of a member of the
South African Association of Professional Piano Tuners, to which we are affiliated, to render any piano services with in the borders of South Africa. He or she will be in possession of an identity card 
stating membership to the association, with an expiry date, on which membership is to be renewed.
Read more on
Only Make Use Of A Qualified Professional To Tune Your Piano
Selecting A Piano Technician Also Called A Piano Tuner
What If I Have More Questions?
If any of your questions on pianos are still not answered, or you couldn't find the information you are looking for elsewhere on the site, we would like to hear from you. Please contact us.
This page is also available in Afrikaans
Kallie Swanepoel Piano Tuners is affiliated with, and accredited by, the
South African Association of Professional Piano Tuners
Kallie Swanepoel Piano Tuners CC Registration Number 2003/023549/23
Back To Top Of Kallie Swanepoel Piano Tuners | Frequently Asked Questions
Pretoria Gauteng South Africa
Last Modified on 20 March 2011
Copyright © 2006
Kallie Swanepoel Piano Tuners | Frequently Asked Questions