Tuning

Due to use and changes in temperature, humidity or simply the passage of time, a complex system under such enormous tension as a piano tends to fluctuate how that force is balanced. These fluctuations result in the musical notes changing pitch, which have to be corrected to return the instrument to its intended clarity.

Without tuning, not only would individual notes sound off-key, but intervals and chords would also sound out of tune, detracting from the overall listening experience.

There are four main reasons why a piano needs to be tuned: regular use, changes in temperature or humidity (common during seasonal changes and when transporting pianos), the elasticity of the strings, and whether the piano is new or has recently been restrung. Piano tuning consists of adjusting the tension of each of the approximately 230 strings (varying by model) so that not only do the three strings of the same note sound in unison, but all intervals between notes are properly determined, following the principles of the temperament in question. Although in 99% of cases it is Equal Temperament, in which all notes are spaced according to a common ratio (the twelfth root of two), there are alternative temperaments for tuning a piano, which, however, do not allow as much freedom in the keys in which each piece of music can be played harmoniously.

Voicing

While voicing a piano we shape each note’s timbre to improve the tone quality across the whole instrument.

To better understand what voicing is, it is necessary to grasp a few fundamental aspects.

The sound of a piano depends primarily on the quality of four factors: Design/Construction, String and Bass Specifications, Hammer Head Voicing, and Tuning.

Voicing can be understood as the art of sculpting sound. The process of voicing a piano actually comprises several phases, including alignment, rectification, and voicing itself. The latter consists of redistributing the density across various areas of the felt. Three general cases may arise: lack of density, excess density, or poorly distributed density. The desired result is achieved either by inserting needles of various diameters into specific areas of the felt as many times as necessary and performing corrections with sandpaper of various grits, or by using specific varnishes for this purpose, which are applied surgically in precise quantities.

Regulation

Regulation involves restoring all parameters and alignments for which the mechanism was designed and calculated, in order to maximize its performance and, ultimately, prevent components from wearing out.

In Mechanical Regulation, as the name implies, the escapes, double escapes, brakes, springs, hammer rest positions, keyboard level, depths, and individual and collective activation of the dampers are adjusted. Alignments are crucial to ensure that all components trigger their respective levers, centered relative to one another to guarantee maximum efficiency and minimal energy waste, as well as to prevent unnecessary and unwanted wear.

Proper regulation enables the pianist to play the piano with high efficiency, allowing for maximum musical expression with consistency across all dynamics and the instrument’s range.