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Piano Regulation

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Piano Regulation Services

What is piano regulation?

In short, piano regulation is the recalibration of the piano's inner mechanism to keep the parts playing at their peak efficiency.

Why do pianos need regulation?

Over time, the wood parts of a piano change dimensions, felt cushions compress, and friction levels change. Readjusting the parts back to where they function optimally will greatly increase the responsiveness, evenness and the capacity for expression. It makes the piano easier to play and the pianist can get more out of it.

 

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How is Piano Regulation Done?

The mechanism of a modern piano, called "the piano action," is hidden from the pianist but is designed to be fully serviceable and adjustable. While different brands and styles have slight variations in design, the concepts are all the same. Piano regulation is about addressing every point of adjustment to help the piano play at maximum efficiency and as evenly as possible from note to note. Because most steps of the process will affect the adjustments of others, it's important to have a specific order of the process in mind - choosing a broad view while still being able to nitpick the small details. 

Grands vs. Uprights

Many don't realize it but grand pianos and vertical pianos are actually different in the piano action's design on the inside. Grands have a couple additional parts to increase repetition speed and generally allow for greater expression because of the design, which is why true concert pianos are always grands. Here we will be discussing piano regulation specific to grand pianos, but verticals can be regulated as well and many of the concepts are similar.

 

Part 1: The Piano Keys

We start our piano regulation process by addressing the piano keys first. It's important to have the piano's keys be at the same height, equally spaced, and straight in alignment, not only for aesthetics but also for a smooth and uniform feel. "Key level" is a step that ensures all the piano keys are at the proper height, and "key dip" ensures that all the piano keys go down exactly the same amount. This is the foundation for a solid piano regulation. Key height and dip are adjusted by adding or removing felts under the keys, which are adjusted to within thousandths of an inch (the thickness of newspaper).

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Part 2: The Action Stack

The assembly of parts that sits above the piano keys is called "the stack." These parts are an intricate series of levers that connects the piano keys to the hammer and is what allows the grand piano to repeat notes effectively and with control. The timings and relationships of these small parts to each other and to the strings, along with the tension of the repetition springs, is what is adjusted to make the piano even. 

One example of a critical adjustment is escapement, or "letoff." In essence, the piano action must disengage itself just before the hammer hits the string for the mechanism to function correctly; the hammer must finish on its own inertia so that it doesn't get "blocked" or forcibly stuck against the string. Adjusting letoff to occur when the hammer is exactly 1/8" from the string is critical for pianissimo playing; if you've every tried to play a note softly and it doesn't play as softly compared to the others, you may have experienced this yourself!

There are many other adjustments within the stack that can be made to improve the touch. Every part has a unique function and while the adjustments are small they all add up to make a big difference.

Part 3: The Damper System

In grand pianos, the dampers sit on top of the strings and they're responsible for stopping the sound after the piano key is lifted. While the system is directly connected to the back end of the piano key lever, it is an entirely separate system, controlled by both the piano keys and the pedals, and also can need regulation over time to help it work well.

An important adjustment here is the damper timing. The individual dampers need to lift at the correct time in relation to the piano keys, for proper function and smooth feel, and the dampers as a unit need to lift evenly with the pedal to allow for crisper clearing of the sustaining notes, and easier half- and quarter- pedaling.

The middle and left pedals also can be adjusted if needed. The middle pedal, or the sostenuto, is like a selective-hold pedal when it works correctly, and the left pedal, or shift pedal, should move the action over to the right so that there is a change in the tone of the piano, created because the hammers are contacting the strings with a softer area of felt.

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Piano Regulation Experience

The Artful Key is highly qualified to regulate your grand or vertical piano for you. Ashley has years of experience with piano regulation procedures in homes, dealerships and restoration shop settings, in addition to factory training by Steinway & Sons (New York) and Kawai USA. Ashley is a classically trained pianist and appreciates firsthand the refinements the regulation work makes in the touch and expression capabilities of the piano. See the About page for more information.

Piano Regulation FAQs

How long does piano regulation take?

Complete piano regulation can take up to 2-3 days, especially if parts have been replaced on the piano or a high level of performance is demanded. But a big difference can still be made in a single day by focusing on the most important things the piano needs the most, helping the work to better fit time or budget constraints.

 

Does the piano have to be moved to be regulated correctly?

All piano regulation work can be done at the piano's current location! The only things needed are good lighting and enough space to remove the action from the piano and move around the side of the piano.

Piano regulation consultations are offered; please inquire by phone or email.

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