tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8378426892331055182024-02-20T01:11:50.369-08:00Piano TuningUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-837842689233105518.post-86267183449508293402019-12-31T15:03:00.001-08:002023-01-10T14:43:18.442-08:00How long does piano tuning take?My average time to tune a piano is 1 1/2 hours. I allow 2 hours for an appointment. The extra 1/2 hour is used to deal with additional issues such as an initial pitch raise, sticky notes, squeaking pedals, and other problems that have never been attended to. These are usually things that prompted a customer to call in the first place because the piano was not working properly.<br />
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Remember one thing. When you go to a concert at a theatre, notice how instruments are tuned before the concert begins <b>AND</b> slightly adjusted during intermission.<br />
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If instruments can go slightly out of tune during this time period, imagine how far out of tune will they be in 6 months.<br />
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<a href="http://www.paulbrown.org/" style="background-color: black; color: #ff8080; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">https://www.paulbrown.org </a><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> Email: </span><a class="attribute-value" href="mailto:paulbrn@telus.net" style="background-color: black; color: #ff8080; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-decoration-line: none;">paulbrn@telus.net </a><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Tel: 604-324-7013 (no texting)</span><br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-837842689233105518.post-1519898730541254092017-10-08T13:28:00.000-07:002020-07-12T07:10:53.632-07:00Moving pianos short distances does not make them go out of tune.Moving pianos short distances does not make them go out of tune. <span style="color: red;"><b>HUMIDITY</b></span> is the problem. A colleague of mine tuned a piano for an outside concert. The humidity was quite high and he had to lower the pitch to A440. He was given accommodation for the night and was asked to tune the piano again the next day. When he started to tune, he noticed that the piano was severely out of tune again (the pitch went above A440) because of the HUMIDITY. He had to do the same pitch lowering procedure he did the day before.<br />
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For the last 100 years or so, the only thing piano owners seem to be concerned about is "not moving the piano" instead of tuning it. It is not unusual for a customer to mention that they just moved the piano so they called me to tune it. If asked when the piano was last tuned, the typical answer would be "many years ago". All pianos need to be tuned at least 1 to 2 times per year. That is the recommendation of every manufacturer I can think of.<br />
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Remember, it's not just about tuning. Pianos require regular maintenance as well, just like a car.<br />
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<a href="http://www.paulbrown.org/">https://www.paulbrown.org </a> Email: <a class="attribute-value" href="mailto:paulbrn@telus.net">paulbrn@telus.net </a><br />
Tel: 604-324-7013 (no texting)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-837842689233105518.post-29391982633473785842015-12-29T21:02:00.001-08:002020-07-12T07:11:29.982-07:00Is my piano out of tune?For orchestral or concert performances, pianos go slightly out of tune by intermission. Typically, piano tuners walk on stage during the 15 minute break and make very slight adjustments to the tuning. If pianos go very slightly out of tune in this time period, imagine how far out of tune they go in a few months!<br />
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Humidity has a great effect on piano tuning stability. At one outdoor concert in summer time, a piano had to be pitch lowered to A=440 after the soundboard had absorbed too much humidity and the piano was too high in pitch. The next day, the tuner had to lower the pitch of the piano AGAIN because of excessive humidity. In this example, the piano went out of tune severely in one day because it was placed in an outside environment.<br />
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Temperature also has an effect on piano tuning stability. Many people have heated floors in their homes. Unless the soundboard is protected in some way or unless the piano has a humidity/temperature control system installed, the piano will go out of tune. Typically, the soundboard gets 'cooked' by the heat from underneath (or from floor board heaters), and the soundboard slightly flattens, causing the pitch to drop below A=440.<br />
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Moving the piano (very carefully in a humidity/temperature neutral environment) actually has very little effect on the tuning of the piano. I've read documentation that is almost 100 years old by other piano tuners saying exactly the same thing. For some reason, moving is associated with tuning instead of tuning the piano a minimum of 2 times per year - every year - with overall maintenance.<br />
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Is my piano at pitch? <br />
Just because your cell phone/tablet/computer says A=440 when you measure that one note on your piano, doesn't mean the entire piano is in tune. Many notes can be wildly out of tune. Please refer to my first post above, with regard to pianos going slightly out of tune by the time of a performance intermission for more information.<br />
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<a href="http://www.paulbrown.org/">https://www.paulbrown.org </a> Email: <a class="attribute-value" href="mailto:paulbrn@telus.net">paulbrn@telus.net </a><br />
Tel: 604-324-7013 (no texting)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-837842689233105518.post-15735123438856955882015-12-23T19:30:00.002-08:002020-07-12T07:11:50.235-07:00Let the piano settle.Most calls I get are from customers who are very concerned about making sure their piano gets enough time to stabilize in their new environment after a move. The question is this: Should customers tune the piano immediately after they move, or should they wait a couple of weeks.<br />
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The answer is simple. When was the piano last tuned?<br />
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I have tuned many store pianos that get moved to customer's homes or event locations. If I follow the tuned piano within a few days to a week, there is almost nothing to do as long as the piano was carefully moved into an environment that is fairly stable. In this case, the piano can be tuned with in the month.<br />
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If the piano has not been tuned in many years, it has likely <b><span style="color: red;"><u>stabilized in a severely out of tune condition</u></span></b>. Giving the piano an extra amount of time to continue to stabilize in bad condition doesn't make sense. It should be tuned immediately after the move and then re-tuned in a couple of months as well as having a complete regulation/maintenance check. <br />
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Pianos should be tuned at least twice per year. Think of it this way. When you attend a performance at a recital hall or theater, do you notice how the instruments are slightly re-tuned during intermission? If instruments go slightly out of tune by intermission, imagine how much further out of tune they are in 6 months with no servicing.<br />
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<a href="http://www.paulbrown.org/">https://www.paulbrown.org </a> Email: <a class="attribute-value" href="mailto:paulbrn@telus.net">paulbrn@telus.net </a><br />
Tel: 604-324-7013 (no texting)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-837842689233105518.post-18990937170308466242015-10-21T21:56:00.002-07:002020-07-12T07:12:07.694-07:00Do pianos get better over time? Can you think of ANY manufactured item that gets better over
time? When you buy a car, you are advised by the car manufacturer to set
up a maintenance schedule because your car will require yearly servicing.
That's because over time, parts will start to deteriorate. Using the
car analogy again, if you drive your car constantly, the tires will
eventually go bald and lose the tread to grip the road surface. In a
piano hammer, the surface must be very smooth to produce a high quality
sound. Over time, from constant use, the hammer becomes heavily grooved
and the sound produced becomes very strident, loud and difficult to
listen to. Only by re-shaping the hammer, can the surface
be brought back to a smooth oval shape to produce the best sound
possible. So far, I've only talked about the piano hammer. What about
the thousands of other parts of the piano action that require yearly
maintenance? Sadly, most piano owners almost never keep their pianos
maintained. They usually call to have their pianos tuned (not realizing
that they are actually calling the tuner to fix something!).<br />
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<a href="http://www.paulbrown.org/">https://www.paulbrown.org </a> Email: <a class="attribute-value" href="mailto:paulbrn@telus.net">paulbrn@telus.net </a><br />
Tel: 604-324-7013 (no texting)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-837842689233105518.post-78802550742898657842013-03-24T22:44:00.001-07:002020-07-12T07:12:30.401-07:00Piano Tuning Fixes Everything - No it doesn't!Incredibly, most customers believe that tuning a piano will fix all of the problems.<br />
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Piano tuning only relates to adjusting the pitch of piano wire - nothing else.<br />
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99 times out of 100 when I get called to tune a piano, there is more work than I thought. Typically, a call was made to tune the piano but the actual complaint was about sticking keys, squeaking pedals, buzzes, or other problems. When an unqualified tuner tunes the piano for the customer and leaves problems that still exist, the customer assumes that the piano was not tuned.<br />
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When you take your car in for servicing, do you specify only to put in gas and check the oil or do you ask for general service and maintenance, in case something else is wrong?<br />
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The same problems exist in a piano. You must always specify tuning and maintenance when you call a piano tuner for regular piano servicing. If you don't it is just a matter of time before the piano action starts breaking down and becomes unplayable.<br />
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<a href="http://www.paulbrown.org/">https://www.paulbrown.org </a> Email: <a class="attribute-value" href="mailto:paulbrn@telus.net">paulbrn@telus.net </a><br />
Tel: 604-324-7013 (no texting)<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-837842689233105518.post-45264773607244545772012-08-01T00:23:00.000-07:002020-07-12T07:13:10.269-07:00How Often Must Pianos Be Tuned?Almost all manufacturers say that pianos should be tuned 2 times per year.<br />
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What about piano maintenance? A piano requires regular maintenance to perform optimally. Sadly, almost nobody follows up on a regular maintenance procedure.<br />
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When you buy a car, do you follow a maintenance procedure or do you just put gas in it? Believe it or not, that's all most people do until the car experiences horrendous mechanical problems.<br />
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The same is true of the piano. I get numerous calls from people <b>who have had their pianos tuned once per year</b> but complain about sticking notes, buzzing sounds, notes that have no sound, hammer voicing problems, "sharp sounding notes" (caused by worn out hammers), squeaking pedals, broken pedals, coins stuck between keys, pencils falling into the piano action, hammer alignment (hammers not centered on the strings), dampers not working, etc., etc.<br />
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Customers assume that "TUNING" is a cure-all for everything. Unfortunately, that's not the case. They assume that when the piano is tuned, the pedal will stop squeaking and the buzzing sounds will disappear. <span style="color: yellow;">Please be aware that piano tuning is NOT A REGULATED FIELD of work. Anyone can purchase a tuning device, a tuning hammer with mutes and go out into the public and start work.</span><br />
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Customers are always concerned about "Moving the Piano". They will use that wording above all else when looking at piano maintenance. One customer might say: "I tuned the piano 20 years ago but then moved, then we moved again three more times so I didn't want to get it tuned until it stabilized. <br />
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What about the 20 years of no servicing?<br />
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Most customers are amazed when they see proper servicing of a piano, even though they have had the piano tuned many times in the past.<br />
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The response I get all the time: "Wow - was that ever educational! When can we set up the next appointment?"<br />
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<a href="http://www.blogger.com/%20http://www.paulbrown.org">
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<a href="http://www.paulbrown.org/">https://www.paulbrown.org </a> Email: <a class="attribute-value" href="mailto:paulbrn@telus.net">paulbrn@telus.net </a><br />
Tel: 604-324-7013 (no texting)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-837842689233105518.post-79845543936895492252012-06-07T14:23:00.002-07:002023-01-10T15:05:31.371-08:00Piano Tuning DiscountsMany times, I get asked if I can give a discount on a piano I have never seen before. Let me give you some examples of piano tunings that I have given discounts on.
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1. One customer informed me that they had the piano <b>tuned within the last 2 years</b>. When I got to the residence, I had trouble trying to get the keys to play - most of them were stuck. I removed some case parts so I could get a good look inside.
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There were <b>hundreds of dead cockroaches 'glued' to the keybed</b> and in between the keys. After ONE HOUR of removing the dead insects and lubricating the action, I tuned the piano. *Remember, I gave a discount on this job and it should have cost much more than my normal fee. How the previous tuner was able to tune this piano is a complete mystery to me.
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2. Another customer just wanted the piano tuned. When I removed the case parts and the keys, I noticed <b>an old mouse nest in the middle of the keybed</b>. I removed all the keys, vacuumed out the action, and then tuned the piano much later than I originally intended.
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3. A customer only wanted one wire replaced. Although the service call fee wouldn't cover me driving 30 miles away, I decided to go anyway. The client had already paid someone else to tune the piano (that tuner couldn't replace wires). Inspecting the piano before deciding to put on the wire, I told them that the piano had severe structural problems and that it needed to be repaired and shouldn't have been tuned in the first place!
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Nine times out of ten, there's always about 1/2 hour of extra work to do. Sticking notes, hammers that are not hitting the strings, damping problems, squeaking pedals, squeaking benches, squeaking keys, buzzing sounds, loose screws, actions that are out of regulation, etc, etc,.
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Think of it this way. When you buy a car, do you just put gas in it and leave everything else alone, or do you constantly have it looked after by a mechanic? A piano deserves exactly the same attention to function properly.
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I generally give small discounts to customers whose pianos I HAVE TUNED PREVIOUSLY if tuned again in the SAME YEAR.
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<a href="http://www.blogger.com/%20http://www.paulbrown.org">
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<a href="http://www.paulbrown.org/">https://www.paulbrown.org </a> Email: <a class="attribute-value" href="mailto:paulbrn@telus.net">paulbrn@telus.net </a><br />
Tel: 604-324-7013 (no texting)<br />
<a href="http://www.vancouverpianotuner.com/"></a><br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-837842689233105518.post-79312367965162847462011-02-09T20:51:00.000-08:002020-07-12T07:13:54.664-07:00How to Clean a Piano Comprehensively - What about the dirt and grime inside?When most customers ask me ask me if their piano is clean, they are almost never referring to what lurks underneath the keys or deep inside the piano.<br />
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Many only want their pianos to look good and be free of any scratches.<br />
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When I remove the action (because of troubleshooting sticking notes) and keys, most customers are absolutely horrified at the dust, dirt, grime and lost items hiding in plain sight just underneath the shiny keys.<br />
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These last two weeks, I have found a mouse nest (underneath the middle of the keyboard of a piano that was only ever just tuned), lots of spider webs, spiders, dead cockroaches, mouse droppings (pianos are a favorite place for mice to breed), bobby pins, guitar pics, and many other items.<br />
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I could write a book on the items I have found during all of the years I have been tuning.<br />
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While I do understand the expense of getting a piano tuned, I don't understand why all customers don't have their pianos cleaned THOROUGHLY INSIDE at least once every 5 years or so - especially noting the cleanliness aspect.<br />
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Yes, I actually will include cleaning on every SECOND TUNING that I do for a customer. That's easy to do because the piano would require only a normal tuning with the extra time being devoted to the other "stuff" hiding in plain sight under the keys or underneath the bottom board of an upright piano. If you need general cleaning (not soundboard cleaning - that would take more time) during the first tuning, the cost is $50. extra and the results are spectacular!<br />
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So please do the following:<br />
1. Get your piano tuned at least once per year.<br />
2. Have your technician clean the inside of the piano.<br />
3. Have your technician suggest the best options of cleaning the outside of your piano.<br />
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<a href="http://www.paulbrown.org/">https://www.paulbrown.org </a> Email: <a class="attribute-value" href="mailto:paulbrn@telus.net">paulbrn@telus.net </a><br />
Tel: 604-324-7013 (no texting)</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-837842689233105518.post-37883298230808726832011-01-07T18:06:00.003-08:002023-01-10T14:52:53.340-08:00Piano Tuning Quotes - "Please Give Me a Quote"<span style="color: yellow;"><i>Continue reading below, but I no longer give quotes. I cannot quote on something I've never seen. </i></span><br />
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Fine-tuning (2 HOUR APPOINTMENTS that include minor adjustments
and vacuuming UNDERNEATH KEYS), my fee is $185 GST included. That price
is for Vancouver, North, and West Vancouver. For Richmond and Burnaby,
the fee is $195.<br />
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Pitch raising or lowering IS
INCLUDED, but you must understand that if your piano has not been tuned
regularly, 2 times per year, every year, you should schedule another
appointment in about 1-3 months. There is no way a piano can stay in
tune after many years of neglect. When you attend a piano concert,
you'll notice that the piano tuner comes on stage during intermission to
make minor adjustments. So, if a piano goes slightly out of tune during the first part of a performance, imagine how far out of tune it will be
in 6 months!<br />
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I always ask the customer to give me the general location of where the piano will be, the name of the piano and if possible, when it was last tuned.<br />
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At least this way, I have some information to help me assist the customer with general pricing guidelines.<br />
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For more information, check out my piano tuning fees: <a href="http://paulbrownrpt.blogspot.com/search/label/Piano%20Tuning%20Fees">http://paulbrownrpt.blogspot.com/search/label/Piano Tuning Fees</a>.<br />
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<a href="http://www.paulbrown.org/">https://www.paulbrown.org </a> Email: <a class="attribute-value" href="mailto:paulbrn@telus.net">paulbrn@telus.net </a><br />
Tel: 604-324-7013 (no texting)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-837842689233105518.post-67154425535374923282010-07-06T21:27:00.000-07:002020-07-12T07:14:41.798-07:00Free Pianos<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><b>Do NOT buy a piano without consulting a Registered Piano Technician. The used piano business is FAR WORSE than the used car business!</b></span><br />
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With the economy the way it is, many parents are looking for real bargain pianos. They search the classified ads, Craig's List, Buy & Sell Online, and other piano resource pages.<br />
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Piano seller ads (I should say: "Run as fast as you can" if you see some of the wording for ads below.)<br />
1. Leaving the country - must sell now!<br />
2. House just sold - piano free!<br />
3. 80 year old piano in perfect condition. A few notes don't work and pedal needs adjusting. Perfect for the beginner.<br />
4. Old piano. Selling as furniture.<br />
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Thinking that cheaper is better (because nobody wants to spend money if their children may lose interest in playing the piano), parents sometimes look for the cheapest piano.<br />
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I get calls all the time from customers who have been given (or found) a free piano. Immediately, my heart sinks because I am all too aware of the dangers of "caveat emptor" - Let the buyer beware.<br />
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Here is a list of the questions I ask:<br />
1. What is the name of the piano? From the name, I can tell where the piano was made. Hopefully it was produced for the North American market.<br />
2. I ask what the serial number is so I can find out the age of the instrument.<br />
3. When was the piano last tuned? There should be a business card in the piano (just under the top lid) or the seller (giving away the piano for free) may know who the tuner was.<br />
4. I ask the customer to play all the notes chromatically (from the lowest bass note to the highest treble note), and I listen over the phone as they play. I can immediately deduce most problems (but not all) just by listening to the notes (some notes may not work).<br />
5. I ask the customer to take camera phone photos behind the piano, looking down inside the piano from the top and a photo of the front of the piano.<br />
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If I get good feedback from answers to the above questions, I will probably set up a time to do a piano appraisal.<br />
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The BEST book of information on how to buy a piano: <a href="http://www.pianobuyer.com/">http://www.pianobuyer.com</a><br />
It is free to view online!<br />
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<a href="http://www.paulbrown.org/">https://www.paulbrown.org </a> Email: <a class="attribute-value" href="mailto:paulbrn@telus.net">paulbrn@telus.net </a><br />
Tel: 604-324-7013 (no texting)</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-837842689233105518.post-43734531580611289862010-06-22T23:25:00.000-07:002020-07-12T07:15:02.039-07:00Why Kids Quit Piano LessonsEver wonder why kids stop playing the piano? (This is only my perspective on viewing hundreds of situations during daily piano servicing over many years).<br />
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As a piano technician, I am always astonished at the condition of pianos that children are asked to play. Amazingly, some of these kids are absolutely top notch and are somehow able to compensate for the lack of playability of their pianos.<br />
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Here are just a couple of examples of the pianos I have encountered recently.<br />
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Case #1: An institution has a piano that is used regularly. I was called in by a fellow technician to work on the piano because it was not functioning properly.<br />
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Believe it or not, I could not get any of the notes to play - AT ALL!! Wondering what the time line would be to get the piano in working order, I asked how often the piano was used (assuming it was not played at all). I was told that it was in use ALL THE TIME!<br />
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How is this possible? How can kids be asked to play pianos that simply do not work? How can they stay inspired if they are asked to play something that has no sound? I know - it was a completely unbelievable experience for me as well.<br />
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Case #2: A customer brought the family piano from Asia. I was called in to work on it after a teacher gave me the referral. I was told that the children were keenly interested in playing but some of the notes (every time I hear those few words, alarm bells go off) were not sounding quite right.<br />
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The piano was a complete disaster! Tuning pins horribly loose, action parts wobbly. There was simply no way the piano could be played. It needed to be completely rebuilt!<br />
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My opinion is that kids are astonishing at hearing good quality sound. After all they listen to sound tracks on the computer much of the time. Their hearing becomes so highly developed, they are actually able (in my experience) to hear quite well when the piano is going out of tune.<br />
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Kids advise their parents that "the piano sounds funny" and that they should get the piano tuned. Most of the parents hear the complaints, but either put off the tuning because of budgetary reasons or because they ignore the requests of their children.<br />
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Kids start to lose interest and stop playing the piano entirely. It is a very sad situation. After all, the parents have paid good money to get an instrument so their kids would have an interest in playing but are usually neglectful in paying a small amount extra to get regular piano servicing every year.<br />
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It is a lose, lose situation. The kids quit piano and the parents don't understand why. Then the parents have to find some other interest for their child.<br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_2055375629"><br />
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<a href="http://www.paulbrown.org/">https://www.paulbrown.org </a> Email: <a class="attribute-value" href="mailto:paulbrn@telus.net">paulbrn@telus.net </a><br />
Tel: 604-324-7013 (no texting)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-837842689233105518.post-68007346553891278812010-06-12T09:24:00.000-07:002020-07-12T07:15:19.996-07:00Piano Tuner AccreditationWhen I decided to become a piano tuner, I contacted the technician who had been servicing our family piano for many years. To test my inspiration, the technician advised me to read two technical piano books first to see if I really wanted to study the profession. The first book is called "Piano Tuning and Allied Arts" (<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Piano-Tuning-Allied-William-Braid/dp/9996267636">http://www.amazon.com/Piano-Tuning-Allied-William-Braid/dp/9996267636</a>) by William Braid White. The second book is "Piano Servicing Tuning and Rebuilding" (<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Piano-Servicing-Tuning-Rebuilding-Second/dp/1879511029/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_b">http://www.amazon.com/Piano-Servicing-Tuning-Rebuilding-Second/dp/1879511029/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_b</a><a href="http://www.sheetmusic1.com/piano.servicing.reblitz.html">l</a>) by Arthur A. Reblitz.<br />
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After reading these books, I found that my interest in piano technology only increased. I was then advised to take a correspondence piano technology course. The course I chose was the Niles Bryant correspondence course in Sacramento California and to my knowledge is no longer available.<br />
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Upon completing the correspondence course, I trained with several technicians in one location for a few years. The training was very intense and I had to work for 5 - 7 days a week. The training included tuning, regulating, repairs and complete rebuilding.<br />
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One day, while out in the field, my trainer told me that I was going to do the tuning for this job, completely by ear. When I was finished, he checked my work and told me that in his opinion I was ready to take the Piano Technicians Guild tuning exam.<br />
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I signed up for the tuning exam and passed it in Tacoma Washington on my first try (minimum of 80% to pass in 8 sections). Deciding that was not good enough, I took the exam an additional 4 times to see how good I could get. After all in this field, being just good is not good enough. My customers expect the best job possible at all times.<br />
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After passing the tuning exam, I took the Piano Technicians Guild technical exam in Vancouver. I also passed this exam on my first try and soon afterward I received confirmation from the PTG Home Office that I had been reclassified to Registered Piano Technician status.<br />
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I have continued to upgrade my skills by attending numerous Regional Conferences and PTG Conventions.<br />
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<a href="http://www.paulbrown.org/">https://www.paulbrown.org </a> Email: <a class="attribute-value" href="mailto:paulbrn@telus.net">paulbrn@telus.net </a><br />
Tel: 604-324-7013 (no texting)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-837842689233105518.post-48851374665840203692010-03-27T22:36:00.000-07:002020-07-12T07:15:41.226-07:00Piano Tuning Myths & MisinformationOver the years, the piano owner has become misinformed about the care and maintenance of their instrument.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Myth: Pianos get better over time.</span></b><br />
Fact: No! Can you think of ANY manufactured item that gets better over time? When you buy a car, you are advised by the car manufacturer to set up a maintenance schedule because your car will require yearly service. That's because over time, parts will start to deteriorate. Using the car analogy again, if you drive your car constantly, the tires will eventually go bald and lose the tread to grip the road surface. In a piano hammer, the surface must be very smooth to produce a high quality sound. Over time, from constant use, the hammers become heavily grooved and the sounds produced becomes very strident, loud and difficult to listen to. Only by re-shaping the hammers, can the surfaces be brought back to smooth oval shapes to produce the best sounds possible. So far, I've only talked about piano hammers. What about the thousands of other parts of the piano action that require yearly maintenance. Sadly, most piano owners almost never keep their pianos maintained. They usually call to have their pianos tuned (not realizing that they are actually calling the tuner to fix something!).<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Myth: A piano tuner is the same as a piano technician.</span></b><br />
Fact: No! Some tuners only know how to tune and have no formal training in repair or maintenance. Again, it comes down to <a href="http://paulbrown.org/images/PianoTuner-PaulBrown.gif">trade papers</a>. Are they qualified or are they not?<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Myth: All tuners who advertise their craft are qualified.</span></b><br />
Fact: No! Piano tuning is NOT a regulated profession. ANYBODY can buy tools, a tuning machine and go out into the public domain and work as a 'Professional' (only means that they take money for their work) Piano Tuner. One of the most glaring examples I saw was a very large yellow page ad in the phone book. The person advertised themselves as a professional piano tuner and could not even set pitch (A440). They had no knowledge of how to set a temperament either! Please check for <a href="http://paulbrown.org/images/PianoTuner-PaulBrown.gif">trade papers</a> and if those are not easily available, recommendations (word of mouth) from recording or music (piano teacher) studios or concert venues.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Myth: Tuning by ear is the only way! Electronic tuning machines are no good! </span></b><br />
Fact: Not necessarily. It depends on the qualifications (<a href="http://paulbrown.org/images/PianoTuner-PaulBrown.gif">trade papers</a>) of the tuner. A major advantage for the customer is being able to see, electronically, if their piano requires a pitch raise or not. Without seeing visually where their piano is at, the customer must take the word of the piano tuner (and pay more) and cannot dispute a pitch raise suggestion!<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Myth: The piano tuner used a machine! This tuner does not know how to tune.</span></b><br />
Fact: Not necessarily. If the piano tuner served an apprenticeship and has <a href="http://paulbrown.org/images/PianoTuner-PaulBrown.gif">trade papers</a>, they certainly know what they are doing.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Myth: The piano tuner used a machine and tuned from the lowest note in the bass to the highest note in the treble without checking intervals. They do not know what they are doing!</span></b><br />
Fact: Wrong! The tuner was probably doing a pitch raise or a pitch lowering in order to stabilize the piano at A440. The actual fine tuning would be done immediately afterward.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Myth: Moving a piano completely puts the piano out of tune.</span></b><br />
Fact: If pianos are moved small distances very carefully in stable environments, there is actually very little change. By far, people use moving as an excuse instead of not tuning their pianos for a great many years!<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Myth: Piano teachers are fully trained in piano inspection.</span></b><br />
Fact: Teachers are very useful in playing and hearing the tone of pianos but almost always have no piano technological background. They have no tools for inspecting piano defects. All the teachers I know call me first to inspect pianos for their students.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Myth: It is more expensive to tune a grand piano than an upright piano.</span></b><br />
Fact: It should not be! When tuning a grand the tuner usually sits on the piano bench and can rest his/her arm near the tuning pins. When tuning an upright the tuner must either stand (in an awkward position) or sit and has to have the tuning arm above the head (which is not very comfortable and more strenuous on the body). Also, it is much easier to set a temperament in a well scaled grand piano than a smaller upright.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Myth: It is easier to tune an upright piano than a grand piano.</span></b><br />
Fact: Not necessarily. Generally speaking, I find it much easier to tune grand pianos because it is much less stressful on my tuning arm.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Myth: Blind piano tuners are superior to sighted tuners.</span></b><br />
Fact: Not necessarily. Fully qualified blind tuners are equal to fully qualified sighted tuners.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Myth: Piano tuners who cannot play do not know how to tune.</span></b><br />
Fact: Some of the best piano tuner technicians in the business do not know how to play - at all!<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Myth: My piano only needs tuning.</span></b><br />
Fact: If pianos are used regularly, they ALWAYS need additional work. Using an analogy, let's talk about your car. Does it only need gas or oil and nothing else - EVER? What about engine maintenance, windshield washer fluid, air in the tires, headlights, tail lights, wheel balancing, etc. <br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Myth: The piano tuner finished in under one hour, they did not do a good job.</span></b><br />
Fact: Some tuners (very few) are extremely fast at their craft. You might ask if they completely checked the piano for sticking notes or regulation problems. Most tuners I know take 1 1/2 hours per visit.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Myth: Should I put a jar of water inside my piano?</span></b><br />
Fact: Nowadays, humidity is well controlled by piano humidifier and dehumidifier systems. Depending on where you live, it would be best to have a Registered Piano Technician service your piano several times during a year or two to document any idiosyncrasies of your piano. If there are wild swings of pitch, your technician may suggest purchasing a <a href="http://www.pianolifesaver.com/english/home.php"><span id="goog_1267075981313"></span>humidity control system<span id="goog_1267075981314"></span></a>.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Myth: My soundboard has cracked, my piano is ruined!</span></b><br />
Fact: Not necessarily. Some pianos have soundboards with many cracks and they sound just fine. However, there is no question that the value of the piano will be less because of the noticeable visual defect.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Myth: Piano tuners require perfect silence when tuning.</span></b><br />
Fact: The piano tuner requires reasonable (not complete) silence in order to do their work accurately. The vacuum cleaner is the piano tuner's worst enemy!<br />
<br />
This list will be continually updated. For additions, contact <a href="mailto:paulbrn@telus.net">paulbrn@telus.net</a><br />
<br />
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<a href="http://www.paulbrown.org/">https://www.paulbrown.org </a> Email: <a class="attribute-value" href="mailto:paulbrn@telus.net">paulbrn@telus.net </a><br />
Tel: 604-324-7013 (no texting)</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-837842689233105518.post-55043629771865322562010-01-06T23:07:00.003-08:002023-01-10T14:55:57.670-08:00Piano Tuning Quotes - What To Look For<span style="color: yellow;"><i>Continue reading below, but I no longer give quotes. I cannot give a quote on something I've never seen.</i></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: yellow;"></span>Like most people nowadays, we are always trying to get the best value for our money. How do you know which piano tuner/technician to choose?<br />
<br />
Here is a list of items that I would look for if I was a customer.<br />
<br />
1. What are the tuning fees: <br />
Fine-tuning (2 HOUR APPOINTMENTS that include minor adjustments
and vacuuming UNDERNEATH KEYS), my fee is $185 GST included. That price
is for Vancouver, North, and West Vancouver. For Richmond and Burnaby,
the fee is $195.<br />
<br />
Pitch raising or lowering IS
INCLUDED, but you must understand that if your piano has not been tuned
regularly, 2 times per year, every year, you should schedule another
appointment in about 1-3 months. There is no way a piano can stay in
tune after many years of neglect. When you attend a piano concert,
you'll notice that the piano tuner comes on stage during intermission to
make minor adjustments. So, if a piano goes slightly out of tune during
the first part of a performance, imagine how far out of tune it will be
in 6 months!<br />
<br />
2. Qualifications: Make certain that the tuner/technician has credentials or <a href="http://paulbrown.org/images/PianoTuner-PaulBrown.gif">trade papers</a>. My <a href="http://paulbrown.org/images/PianoTuner-PaulBrown.gif">trade papers</a> are <a href="http://www.paulbrown.org/images/rptpapers.jpg">here</a>. If they cannot produce documentation proving they are a skilled tradesman, look elsewhere. When somebody just says that they are certified and professional, it does not mean that they are. Anybody can say that.<br />
<br />
3. Make certain that they are tuners and technicians. If they only know how to tune a piano and something goes wrong, they have to have the knowledge to repair things that are broken or recommend a colleague who can.<br />
<br />
4. After fulfilling the first 2 requirements I have mentioned, you might want to choose the tuner/technician who lives nearby. I am amazed at the number of people who hire out of town tuners when an equally qualified technician lives only a block or two away.<br />
<br />
5. Word of mouth is excellent for referrals. When you have done good work for a number of people, your name gets passed along and no other advertisement is necessary. Other people do the advertising for you.<br />
<br />
6. Be very wary of tuning quotes that seem too good to be true. Some of these people get into your house at a cheap price only to add things on as they start working. If you insist on a quote, make sure you get it in writing before any work is started!<br />
<br />
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<a href="http://www.paulbrown.org/">https://www.paulbrown.org </a> Email: <a class="attribute-value" href="mailto:paulbrn@telus.net">paulbrn@telus.net </a><br />
Tel: 604-324-7013 (no texting)</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-837842689233105518.post-20576764188193757362010-01-04T22:36:00.000-08:002020-07-12T07:16:17.356-07:00How To Buy A PianoNEVER BUY A PIANO without an inspection from a Registered Piano Technician! Once you buy a piano from the general public, you have no recourse to recover your money. This situation is known as "caveat emptor" (Let the buyer beware). In my opinion, it should be "Let the seller beware!"<br />
<br />
Two of the best piano buying information books BY FAR can be found at www.pianobook.com. There is also an additional link on that website to www.pianobuyer.com.<br />
<br />
The used piano market is far worse than the used car market in my opinion. If anyone tells you that you "must act now", run as fast as you can or hang up (if you are on the phone)! Almost always, these people are desperate to get rid of the junk that they have.<br />
<br />
How much are you willing to pay for expert advice on purchasing a piano? Most people I have encountered would rather save some money than spend a few extra dollars guaranteeing they get good value for their money.<br />
<br />
Typically, there are piano selling ads that state something like: "Old piano in perfect condition - only one or two notes need to be fixed. Perfect for a beginner!" Using an analogy about cars, the same ad might read: "80 year old car in perfect condition and refinished - brakes need to be fixed and tires are worn. Perfect for a beginner!"<br />
<br />
Does that ad (about a car) make any sense to you? Well, it doesn't to me either but when the word 'piano' is substituted in the sentence, the general public seems to accept the ad as genuine.<br />
<br />
Please! Go to www.pianobuyer.com, get informed and TAKE YOUR TIME when looking for a new or used piano. When you have selected something that seems to be okay, make certain you hired a Registered Piano Technician to do the final inspection before you spend your hard earned money.<br />
<br />
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<a href="http://www.paulbrown.org/">https://www.paulbrown.org </a> Email: <a class="attribute-value" href="mailto:paulbrn@telus.net">paulbrn@telus.net </a><br />
Tel: 604-324-7013 (no texting)</div>
</div>
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</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-837842689233105518.post-61022928236677179712010-01-01T17:37:00.000-08:002020-07-12T07:16:36.876-07:00Piano Tuning By Ear Or MachineThere has been so much misinformation about this topic; most of the public is now completely confused. When the customer notices that a piano technician is using an electronic device to tune their piano, they assume that they have not been trained by ear.<br />
<br />
That may or may not be the case. If the technician has <a href="http://paulbrown.org/images/PianoTuner-PaulBrown.gif">trade papers</a> (Registered Piano Technician Member of PTG), they most certainly have aural tuning skills.<br />
<br />
Let me explain again using an analogy.<br />
You go to a doctor's office because you have a feeling of chest pain. The doctor might use a stethoscope and listen to the beat of your heart from the front and back. Suspecting something (perhaps nothing), the doctor might decide to use:<br />
<br />
1. An electrocardiogram to further study your heart's activity. *At this point do you stop your doctor and tell them to not use a machine and only listen to your heart by ear!? They might be lacking valuable information!<br />
2. Chest X-Ray to further diagnose any heart abnormality. *At this point do you again stop your doctor and tell them to not use a machine!?<br />
3. A CT scan which gives incredibly detailed information about the heart. *At this point do you stop your doctor from using a machine!?<br />
<br />
From this perspective, you can now see how a fully qualified, accredited technician should be using every tool (electronic or otherwise) at their disposal to produce a truly exquisite tuning.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: #9fc5e8;"><span style="font-size: large;">What kind of piano tuner are you?</span></span></b><br />
I am known as a "hybrid piano tuner". I tune both aurally and with a machine. While the machine gets the work done much faster, I find that I MUST still make refined aural adjustments to arrive at the best tuning possible. If I was to tune strictly with the machine without making minute adjustments, mistakes could be made - such as those made by unqualified machine tuners with little or no aural tuning skills.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: #9fc5e8;"><span style="font-size: large;">What happens when my machine breaks down?</span></span></b><br />
No problem! Since I'm fully trained by ear, I simply continue where I left off. That has happened about a dozen times during the last 5 years or so. If you find that your tuner is not able to continue without a machine, I would get someone else who has complete aural training.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: #9fc5e8;"><span style="font-size: large;">Are tuning forks accurate?</span></span></b><br />
These are just pieces of metal which are influenced by temperature changes. If a customer requested that I tune the piano aurally, I would first set A440 with a machine and then turn it off and tune the rest of the piano by ear. There is no question that setting A440 with a machine (then tuning the rest of the piano aurally if requested) is the most accurate way.<br />
<br />
When taking an exam to become a piano tuner, how you set A440 is extremely important! Guest what? To determine how close you set A440 on the piano with a tuning fork, the final result is measured BY MACHINE!! The mark (for setting pitch) is an indicator of two things.<br />
1. The technician may or may not have an accurate tuning fork (they should have taken readings of their fork with a machine and made minor adjustments by filing).<br />
2. The person may have an accurate fork but may not be able to accurately transfer the pitch to the piano.<br />
<br />
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<a href="http://www.paulbrown.org/">https://www.paulbrown.org </a> Email: <a class="attribute-value" href="mailto:paulbrn@telus.net">paulbrn@telus.net </a><br />
Tel: 604-324-7013 (no texting)</div>
</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-837842689233105518.post-59245119894242975902010-01-01T13:18:00.002-08:002023-01-10T15:00:30.782-08:00Piano Tuning Fee: Fine Tuning - Pitch RaisingFor fine-tuning, my fee is $185 GST included. That price is for Vancouver, and North and West Vancouver. For Richmond and Burnaby my fee is $195. For outlying areas, the charge is more.<br />
<br />
*I do not service Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Maple Ridge, Surrey, Delta or New Westminster areas.*<br />
<br />
Piano Tuning as described (in Wikipedia) is: "The act of making minute adjustments to the tensions of the strings of a piano to properly align the intervals between their tones so that the instrument is in tune.<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Musical_tuning" title="Musical tuning"></a>"<br />
<br />
Many (but not all) pianos that have been neglected for long periods of time require a pitch raise or lowering so that the piano is at A440.<br />
<br />
If you do not understand what a pitch raise is, think of this analogy.<br />
You need somebody to cut your lawn because you are having an outdoor party. The lawn cutter comes over and notices that the grass in your yard is 2 feet high! He immediately tells you that his service will take much longer because he will have to cut the lawn several times to get it down to the standard height. Naturally, the fee will be more expensive because the original time quoted, will be much longer.<br />
<br />
You could probably find a lawn cutter who is less experienced at a smaller fee and who will simply cut the lawn just at the height it is, making only minor adjustments. The only problem is, the lawn height will not be appropriate for the party you expect to give.<br />
<br />
It the lawn height is properly cut down to a normal level, the grass will be brown and very stressed because of the amount of work done on it. Similarly, pitch raising or lowering the wires on a piano is very stressful and it will take a period of time before the piano settles down. Almost certainly, after major pitch adjustments of this nature, pianos will require tuning again within a few weeks to several months. There's absolutely no way around it.<br />
<br />
Fine-tuning (2 HOUR APPOINTMENTS that include minor adjustments
and vacuuming UNDERNEATH KEYS), my fee is $170 GST included. That price
is for Vancouver, North, and West Vancouver. For Richmond and Burnaby,
the fee is $180.<br />
<br />
Pitch raising or lowering IS
INCLUDED, but you must understand that if your piano has not been tuned
regularly, 2 times per year, every year, you should schedule another
appointment in about 1-3 months. There is no way a piano can stay in
tune after many years of neglect. When you attend a piano concert,
you'll notice that the piano tuner comes on stage during intermission to
make minor adjustments. So, if a piano goes slightly out of tune during
the first part of a performance, imagine how far out of tune it will be
in 6 months!<br />
<br />
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<div style="margin: 0px;">
<a href="http://www.paulbrown.org/">https://www.paulbrown.org </a> Email: <a class="attribute-value" href="mailto:paulbrn@telus.net">paulbrn@telus.net </a><br />
Tel: 604-324-7013 (no texting)</div>
</div>
<div style="margin: 0px;">
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-837842689233105518.post-72347074242157899502009-12-31T21:05:00.002-08:002023-01-10T14:58:00.349-08:00Piano Tuning Fees: How Much Do You Charge?That's probably the most frequent question I get asked. Am I being asked about tuning, technical work, voicing, cleaning, appraising, refurbishing, rebuilding, partial rebuilding, or other types of piano work?<br />
<br />
When you call a dentist, if you were to ask: "How much do you charge?", the receptionist might well ask if you are having your teeth cleaned, if you have any pain in your mouth, cavities that need work, root canals that are failing, denture work, etc.<br />
<br />
Before giving out any fee information, I need to know where the customer lives (they might be too far away and another technician may be much closer), what the make of the piano is and when it was last tuned.<br />
<br />
Fine-tuning (2 HOUR APPOINTMENTS that include minor adjustments
and vacuuming UNDERNEATH KEYS), my fee is $185 GST included. That price
is for Vancouver, North, and West Vancouver. For Richmond and Burnaby,
the fee is $195.<br />
<br />
Pitch raising or lowering IS
INCLUDED, but you must understand that if your piano has not been tuned
regularly, 2 times per year, every year, you should schedule another
appointment in about 1-3 months. There is no way a piano can stay in
tune after many years of neglect. When you attend a piano concert,
you'll notice that the piano tuner comes on stage during intermission to
make minor adjustments. So, if a piano goes slightly out of tune during
the first part of a performance, imagine how far out of tune it will be
in 6 months!<br />
Some customers have gone a step further in supplying me with information by taking photos of their piano playing mechanisms (as well as photos of the entire piano) with cell phones. Even more high-tech customers have recorded the pitch of all notes from the bass to the high treble.<br />
<br />
The more information I have, the more prepared I am to supply the customer with my fee structure.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.paulbrown.org/">https://www.paulbrown.org </a> Email: <a class="attribute-value" href="mailto:paulbrn@telus.net">paulbrn@telus.net </a><br />
Tel: 604-324-7013 (no texting)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0