Services

We are able to do any repair work on your piano with the exception of replacing the soundboard and refinishing the case. Below are some examples of the services you may need.

Repairs

Enough tools and supplies are regularly carried to repair most broken parts in a single visit for a reasonable price. Minor repairs can be included in the tuning price. Major repairs will be quoted before starting. For some repairs it is necessary to remove the piano and/or action to our shop.

Action Regulation:

Adjustments aimed at increasing the efficiency of the mechanical part of your piano are called action regulation. Frequently, relatively inexpensive adjustments can make an enormous difference in the sensitivity of touch, allowing you to play much more expressively. These adjustments restore the correct tolerances that were set when your piano was new, but which gradually changed over the years with use. There are over a dozen adjustments per note. A recommendation as to which of these will make the greatest improvement with the least expense can be prepared at a tuning or a separate visit.

It is important to realize that as a piano ages and felts compact or parts become loose, not only is the piano no longer as fun to play as when new, but the player starts to compensate in ways that increase the wear on the piano parts and shortens the life of the piano. At institutions where pianos have 5-8 hours or more of playing every day, there are a set of preventive procedures that are done every 3-4 years to prolong the life of the instruments at top condition. These can also be accomplished on a home piano at a longer time interval, usually about 8-10 years depending upon usage. Preventive maintenance means that expensive repairs need to be done much less often during the life of the piano. (It’s sort of like getting your oil changed in your car at a regular interval instead of waiting for the engine to seize and replacing the engine.)

Voicing

Adjustment of the tone of a piano is called voicing. It is accomplished by making careful changes to the shape and density of the hammers. A properly voiced instrument can sound remarkably more beautiful. Voicing is the most difficult of skills to master, and it typically takes years to perfect. Before voicing, a piano must be in good regulation and tuning. Typically, people associate voicing with needling hammers, but that is only one tool in a much larger tool kit at the voicer’s disposal. The proper voicing procedure for your piano will be evaluated according to your needs and musical desires and then the procedures to achieve those ends will be discussed before voicing is initiated. Voicing is always a collaboration with the pianist and the technician.

Evaluations

It is highly recommended that an evaluation be made of every instrument prior to purchase. Pianos vary widely in quality and condition for the same price. Many need costly repairs or maintenance that are not obvious to the untrained eye or ear. Advice can be offered over the phone that can save you time and money when you are looking for a piano to purchase. Due to increased government regulation with regards to value appraisals, appraisals for insurance, donation and IRS purposes cannot be made at this time by Roseman Piano Tuning.