FAQ'S
Frequently Asked Questions

HOME | PIANOS | SERVICE | LESSONS

DIRECTIONS | FAQ | COMMENTS

Q.    How often should my piano be tuned?

A.     Pianos should be tuned at least once annually, and sometimes more frequent tunings are desired. Seasonal changes affect the pitch of the piano. The wood mass used in piano construction (the sounding board, bridges, pinblock, and case) bends with the change of heat and humidity. The type and frequency of performances or practice schedules should also be considered.

Q.    Why is it important for my piano to be in fine tune?

A.    Your piano needs to be kept in fine tune. When you are being musically trained, your ear should be exposed to a properly tuned instrument. In order to develop a ‘good ear’, you must have a piano that is in perfect tune. A musician is only as good as his instrument.

Q.    I hear a buzzing in my piano. What is it?

A.    The number one problem that we hear about, especially during the winter, is that there is a buzzing sound in a piano. The buzzing in the notes is often caused by low humidity in the room. During the winter months, we have our heat on and our doors closed and the humidity drops rapidly without our even noticing it. As many have found out, the effect on the piano can be very noticeable. Since a piano is largely a wooden instrument, it is very affected by both temperature and humidity. The sounding board, which is the heart of your instrument, has a crown (or curvature) much like that in a violin. When the air dries out, so does your sounding board, and it begins to lose its crown. You will begin to notice buzzing and a lack of tone quality. If you do not raise the humidity, you could eventually get a split in your sounding board, that will severely affect the tone and the carrying quality of the instrument.

Q.     So how do I fix this?

A.     The solution is relatively simple. You will need to get a humidifier (not a vaporizer) to keep in the room where the piano is kept. Ideally you want to keep the humidity at about 63%. Therefore, you will also need to get an inexpensive humidity gauge to be able to determine the level of humidity. Once you bring the humidity level up, you should notice a big improvement in the sound of the piano.

Q.    What is the correct temperature for my piano?

A.    A consistent temperature is important to the well-being of your piano. The old adage of keeping a piano away from an outside wall was based on the absence of any insulation. If your home is insulated, you may place it where ever you want. Though you do want to keep in mind that you should position your piano away from any heat source. That would include heating vents, wood stoves, or direct sunlight.

Q.    What causes inconsistencies in scales?

A.    If, in fact, the piano has good scale design (string length vs. size) and the wood selection is good, then the lack of good tone in a register is usually caused by sounding board bend, warpage, or other defects. If the piano developed this condition after delivery, it is usually care related, caused by improper humidity and heat. However, older pianos can benefit by string cleaning or replacement.

Q.    What is voicing?

A.      Voicing is modifying the tone by reshaping the hammers. Then the texture of the hammer is restructured through chemical treatment and fine needle texturing.

Do you have a question for us to add to our FAQ's page? Write to us at email: Mail for Creech Pianos

(We never release email addresses to outside parties.)

TOP OF PAGE

The song you are hearing is "Moving On" by Paul M. Creech Jr.