What is regulation and how do I know if my piano needs it?

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Your piano is made up of over 9,000 parts which need to be serviced and adjusted from time to time. If your piano has an uneven touch, a limited dynamic range, or sticking keys it is time to have your piano regulated.

The regulation process goes through all these different parts and makes sure they are perfectly aligned, and that the timing of all the moving parts happens at exactly the right time.

When the action is properly regulated, your piano should have an even touch across the whole keyboard, controllable over its full dynamic range, and be smooth, consistent, and sensitive across the whole keyboard.

Remember, no amount of practicing can compensate for a poorly maintained action.

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How long does it take to regulate the piano? What is the cost?

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This question really depends on what kind of piano you have, and how long it has been since it was last regulated. If your piano just needs a touch-up, this can take less than 2 hours and usually costs around $225. However, a piano that has not been regulated in decades often needs a complete regulation. This can take several hours depending on how many adjustments need to be made, and how the action itself is designed. If your piano needs a full regulation an estimate will be prepared, but usually the cost is between $450 and $600.

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Why does my piano need to be regulated? How often?

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The piano action is a complicated machine of thousands of parts. Over time the temperature and humidity fluctuations, wear-and-tear, as well as the use of the piano will cause the regulation to suffer.

Under normal circumstances, your piano should be fully regulated once every decade or so.

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What is Tone Regulation or Voicing?

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Every piano has its own unique tone. Some pianos sound warm and mellow, while others sound bright and robust. By voicing the hammers on your piano, we can eliminate groves that have worn into the hammer, soften or harden the felt, and change the tone quality.

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Older and well-used pianos often develop deep grooves in their hammers, which create a brighter and harsher tone. Other pianos hammers can decay and become soft, creating a hollow and mellow tone.

Voicing, also known as tone regulation, is the process of adjusting your piano's hammers to optimize their tone. The process involves shaping the hammers, aligning them with the strings, and hardening or softening the felt. The end result is a piano that has rediscovered its voice!

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I see grooving on the piano hammers. Do they need to be replaced?

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As the piano is used, the hammers will develop grooving that effects the piano's tone. Additionally, the hammer felt will compact, distort the hammer shape, and alter the tone. In many cases the hammers can be saved by filling them down, reshaping them, and voicing them. This is a cost-effective alternative to complete replacement for most instruments.

If the hammers need to be replaced (either because the hammers have already been filed in the past, or because of the artistic demands on the instrument), that process usually takes about 4-6 weeks.

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How can I get in touch?

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You can send me a message though the website here, or you can also email me or text me as well! Email: ryan@legrandpiano.com Cell: (215) 839-6426

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