When clients ask me what their piano needs, I often start with a simple framework. Piano care isn’t a single service — it’s four distinct disciplines, each addressing a different aspect of how an instrument performs. Understanding them helps you know what to ask for, and what to expect.
Even an expensive piano can fall short of its potential if any one of these four areas is neglected. Here is a clear explanation of each.
1. Tuning — Getting the Pitch Right
Tuning is what most people think of when they hear “piano technician.” It addresses one thing: pitch accuracy.
Modern pianos are designed to sit at A440 — meaning the A above middle C vibrates at 440 Hz. Manufacturers recommend tuning two to three times a year to maintain this.
When a piano is left unattended for years, the pitch can drop significantly — sometimes down to A415 or even lower. At this point, the instrument sounds dull and lifeless, and bringing it back to concert pitch in a single session risks breaking strings. This is when a pitch raise is required before a fine tuning can be carried out.
Tuning answers: “Is the piano in tune?”
2. Voicing — Shaping the Tone
Voicing is about tone quality — how the piano sounds, rather than what note it plays.
The most common voicing work involves the hammers. Each time a hammer strikes the strings, it leaves microscopic grooves in the felt. Over years of playing, these grooves deepen, and the hammer felt becomes compressed and hardened. The result is a sound that feels increasingly harsh or brittle, even though the piano is technically in tune.
By carefully reshaping the hammer felt — restoring its rounded profile and softening the surface where needed — the tone becomes warmer, rounder, and more expressive. Voicing can transform a tired-sounding piano into one that feels alive again.
Voicing answers: “Does the piano sound beautiful?”
3. Regulation — Restoring the Touch
Regulation deals with the mechanical action of the piano — the network of levers, keys, hammers, and dampers that translate your finger movements into sound.
This is the area most owners overlook, and yet it has the biggest impact on how the piano feels to play. The action is built from wood, felt, and metal — materials that respond constantly to changes in temperature and humidity. A drift of just 0.5 to 1 millimetre in any component can noticeably change the touch.
Manufacturers typically recommend a full regulation every 8 to 10 years. In London homes with central heating and humid summers, partial regulation may be needed every 1 to 3 years, especially for pianos in heavily used spaces.
When a piano feels heavy, sluggish, or uneven across the keyboard, regulation — not tuning — is usually the answer.
Regulation answers: “Does the piano feel good to play?”
4. Repair — Fixing What’s Broken
Repair is the most situational of the four. It addresses physical damage or component failure, which can include:
- Structural wood repair — Re-gluing joints affected by ageing adhesive, mending cracked bridges, or repairing soundboard splits.
- Replacement of worn parts — Bridle tapes, butt cloths, dampers, or rusted strings that have reached the end of their lifespan.
- Environmental damage — Cleaning mould, treating rust, or repairing felt parts damaged by insects or rodents.
Many older pianos arrive in need of one or more of these repairs. Most are entirely fixable — and once the underlying issue is addressed, regular tuning and regulation will keep the instrument stable for years.
Repair answers: “Is anything broken?”
A Simple Way to Remember the Four
| Service | What it addresses |
|---|---|
| Tuning | Pitch accuracy — is it in tune? |
| Voicing | Tone quality — does it sound beautiful? |
| Regulation | Touch and response — does it feel good? |
| Repair | Physical condition — is anything broken? |
Together, these four pillars define what a complete piano care service looks like. Skip any one of them for too long, and the instrument’s performance will suffer — regardless of how prestigious the brand on the fallboard.
Piano Care Across South London
I provide tuning, voicing, regulation, and repair services across Sutton, Kingston upon Thames, Wimbledon, Richmond, Croydon, and Bromley. If you’re not sure what your piano needs, I’m happy to assess it on the first visit and explain clearly what’s involved.