What is a Piano Regulation?
Regulations are simply just adjusting the mechanical parts of the piano to compensate for wear and tear or commonly done post-repairs. As the parts wear they no longer make proper contact with their counterparts. For example, if a piano can’t play softly, it’s probably because the hammer isn’t making proper contact with the strings. This can be fixed with a regulation.
Steps of a Piano Regulation
There are around 35 “steps” to regulating a piano, give or take. The first and most important step is to replace any parts of the piano that are worn to a point where they wouldn’t function even with regulation. Pianos are full of wood, felt, and other delicate parts that do become worn to a point of needing replacement. We won’t cover every single step of regulation in this article but here are a few of the major ones; shaping the hammers to eliminate the grooves and restore a proper strike point. Leveling the keys. Leveling the strings. And many more!
How Often is a Piano Regulation Needed?
The best way to answer this is to get in touch with a professional piano technician and have them evaluate the piano to decide how frequently you may need to regulate. There are a lot of determining factors here, such as how much the instrument is played, and the climate conditions in the area. Another factor can be the quality of the instrument. A piano that is older or not as well made will need to be regulated more than a beautifully produced Steinway.
Get in touch with one of our Piano technicians today and set up a regulation schedule! Click the link to the right to get a quote for an evaluation!