Regulation
Why does a piano need regulating?
When a piano leaves the factory, it has been finely adjusted so that its touch is even and responsive to the pianist, whether they are playing pianissimo or fortissimo. Over time, as the instrument is used, the cushioning between the various components compresses and degrades. The ‘feel’ of the piano becomes uneven as some notes require more effort to play. Eventually, notes can fail to mute properly, and hammers may strike the string twice or not at all. A piano regulation resets the piano mechanism so that each moving part travels the correct distance at the right time with the appropriate amount of friction.
What does piano regulation involve?
I may need to make many different adjustments to each individual note. Each one is critical to ensure that the keys, action and dampers all interact with each other as they should.
Prior to regulation, I will advise whether any cloth and felt should be replaced at this point. It may also be necessary to renew the pins around which various elements rotate. This procedure can be essential to reinstate the correct level of resistance and give an even touch.
Regulation of an upright takes place at the piano. However I sometimes request to take the ‘action’ to my workshop beforehand if a lot of preparatory work is required. This might involve replacing a lot of felt, or changing a full set of ‘centre pins’.
Partial regulation of a grand piano is performed in situ. For a full regulation, I generally remove the action to the workshop so that it can be adjusted on a specially designed bench. The final finer adjustments are then made back at the piano.
If you would like advice or an assessment of whether a full or partial regulation service would be of benefit, please don’t hesitate to contact me.