Connections That Matter: The Healing Power of Music

Posted on Sep 1, 2011 in News & Events | 0 comments

Connections That Matter: The Healing Power of Music featuring Paul English

9.22.11 @ Houston Piano Company

Tuning and Adjustment: Piano Care Tip #11

Posted on Jun 6, 2011 in Piano Care Tips | 0 comments

Pianos are delicate instruments which need professional attention periodically. Basically there are two types of professional piano care: tuning and adjustment. Tuning means correcting the pitch of every note by re-tightening the strings. Each piano string is normally stretched to a pressure of about 90 kilograms (198 ½ pounds), but eventually it will stretch further with use and lose some of its tension, causing the piano to lose its correct pitch.

The strings need to be tuned once or twice a year to restore them to their proper tension. Adjustment involves the entire piano action, keyboard, and pedal movements. Proper adjustment is especially important for grand pianos. Whether the piano will perform properly or not depends on how accurately the adjustment is made. Tuning and adjustment should only be done by an expert. When your piano requires either one, call a specialist.

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Beware of Excessive Dryness: Piano Care Tip #7

Posted on May 12, 2011 in Piano Care Tips | 0 comments

Just as Piano Care Tip #6 says to be careful about excessive moisture, excessive dryness can also cause problems, and reek havoc on your pianos!

Too much humidity is a problem, but excessive dryness is an even more serious one, especially where heating or cooling systems are used to create artificially dehumidified rooms. Used in naturally dry climates, the piano has enough natural moisture to prevent excessive drying. However, if the air becomes too dry, the wooden and felt components will shrink. In extreme cases, the soundboard, joints, and other laminated sections may even come apart, even though they have been glued together carefully. Slight distortion of the parts may cause noise, and the tuning pins may work loose, making it difficult to keep the piano in tune. To avoid excessive dryness, it is best to keep some kind of leafy plant or a humidifier in the piano room.

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How to Protect Against Excessive Moisture: Piano Care Tip #6

Posted on May 11, 2011 in Piano Care Tips | 0 comments

Here are a few general tips for proper care:

On cloudy or rainy days, close all windows in the piano room. Also, be sure to close the top board each time after playing. The piano’s thick cloth cover absorbs moisture in damp or rainy weather and should be taken off and dried on clear days. Be especially careful about excessive moisture if you live in one of the following places:

• Along the coast or in a rainy or humid region.
• In a valley, in a house facing hills, or in an area with poor drainage.
• In a concrete building not more than one or two years old
• In an area where air exhaust are directed into a room or in a dark, dank room facing north.

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How Humidity Affects A Piano: Piano Care Tip #5

Posted on May 10, 2011 in Piano Care Tips | 0 comments

Felt, cloth, leather, and the precision wood parts – some of them machined to tolerances as fine as 1/100mm – used in such critical parts of the piano as the action, are extremely sensitive to humidity. Too much humidity will result in dull hammer action, unclean tones, rusting of internal parts, and sticking keys. Before this happens the piano should be repaired.

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Proper Conditions Mean Better Sound: Piano Care Tip #4

Posted on May 9, 2011 in Piano Care Tips | 0 comments

Proper ventilation is also important. Generally speaking, a relative humidity of between 50 and 60 percent is ideal for pianos. The use of materials such as wood, felt, and cloth in piano construction means that many parts are quite delicate. If not properly cared for, they can be damaged easily.

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Avoid windows: Piano Care Tip #2

Posted on May 5, 2011 in Piano Care Tips | 0 comments

Try not to place the piano near a window. Its cabinet is made of wood and must be protected against direct sunlight, humidity and sudden changes in temperature. Windows which open on the out-of-doors offer the least protection. If you must place the piano near a window, use a heavy curtain over the window for protection.

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