Has your piano been well looked after and tuned within the last year or so? Congratulations! You’re taking good care of your instrument, so it will take good care of you! 

Standard tunings are offered when the piano is already very close to concert pitch and just needs some fine tuning to get the unisons sounding nice and pure again. This is also a great opportunity for me to look over your piano and let you know if there are any issues starting to arise that may need some attention, either now or in the future. Think of this like the annual service you would book for your car - by having your piano checked regularly you will keep it in top shape and catch any problems early before they turn into expensive repairs.

Has it been a while since your piano was last tuned? A few years or more? If so, it may be necessary to perform what’s known as a “Pitch Raise”. This is required when a piano has fallen significantly flat of concert pitch (the standard reference used in western music where the A above middle C = 440Hz). Due to the large shift in tension pianos experience during a pitch raise, it is done in two stages, but in the one visit.

Not sure whether or not this is needed your piano? No problem! Book in a pitch raise and I’ll let you know at the time of the appointment whether it’s necessary. If not, you will be charged for a standard tuning instead.

Did you know that your piano may be capable of so much more than it currently offers? Piano actions are complicated mechanisms that can be adjusted at multiple points to maximise the efficiency of the action. The process of making these adjustments is known as “regulation”. A correctly regulated piano allows the pianist to access the full range of expression available on a given instrument.

A piano that is “out of regulation” may respond poorly to a player’s touch, lack dynamic control, have sticking keys, feel heavy or sloppy to play, have notes that ring out after releasing the keys, have bobbling hammers that bounce when hitting the strings, pedals that don’t work properly and any number of other problems that prevent a pianist from getting the most out of their instrument.

Pianos normally require regulation work straight from the factory, but not all get the attention they deserve. Older instruments will slowly drift out of regulation as parts naturally wear through normal use and need to be brought back into regulation.

If you would like to experience your piano at its absolute best, have a chat with me about getting your piano regulated at your next appointment!

As part of a good maintenance routine, pianos need to be cleaned to ensure proper function. Dust and small fibres can build up around the moving parts of your piano action, including in between and underneath keys, causing a heavy feel and sometimes sticking keys. Objects like pencils and hair pins often find their way inside pianos as well! The Standard Cleaning service involves the removal of the keys and action from the piano (Upright and Grand) to give it a thorough clean, focusing on the most important areas to ensure proper functioning. It’s less about cosmetics and more about smooth operation!

Our Deluxe Deep Clean involves all of the same cleaning as in the Standard Action Clean, but goes further to cover all areas of the piano, inside and out. This includes dusting underneath and around the strings and tuning pins, around the pedals and inside the lower portion of an Upright cabinet and giving the outside of the piano case a good wipe over to remove finger prints and return that lovely shine!

Pianos often need repairing… It could be something like a broken hammer shank, missing or broken key tops, loose hammer heads, sticking keys, pedals not working correctly, notes that won’t play etc.

Due to the vast range of problems and varying complexities of each, I will give you a quote for any repair work so you can decide how you would like to proceed. Just get in touch and we can work out the best solution for your piano’s problem.