Complete Piano Service
Why does the touch on my piano feel loose & sloppy?
WHY IS REGULATING NEEDED?
From the striking of a key to the impact of the hammer on the string, dozens of small wooden and metal piano action pieces play their part in transferring your touch to the string to produce the exact volume, phrasing, and expression that you desire.
Yet amazingly we do not hear taps, clicks, or rattles as these parts move and respond to your touch! Why? Because at each contact point there is felt or leather, resulting in the quiet movement of these parts as they contact each other.
Regulating is needed because the felt and leather pieces compress and wear. The felted wooden parts effectively shrink in size or length. The result is a choppy touch, loss of control when playing a soft passage, with some notes not playing at all unless they are struck harder. Regulating screws, buttons, & bendable wires are designed into the action so that the technician can restore and adjust the proper position and movement of these parts. [HOME] [TOP OF PAGE]
HOW DOES THE GRAND REPETITION WORK, WHEN PROPERLY REGULATED?
Pictured are the regulation adjustment screws that are built into THE REPETITION, as well as the contact points on the repetition for other regulation adjustment screws that are located in the action framework: The capstan at the back end of the key pushes up on the bottom of the repetition, pivoting it up, causing the top of the jack to contact the knuckle thus raising the hammer toward the string until the tail of jack contacts the let off screw, forcing the top of the jack out from under the knuckle to avoid the hammer from blocking against the string. As the hammer rebounds into the back check (not shown), with the jack escaped forward, the knuckle lands on and compresses the repetition lever. As soon you begin to release the key, the back check releases the hammer which is quickly pushed upward by the repetition lever (if it has the proper spring tension), to the point where the end of the lever contacts the drop screw regulation. This allows the jack (with proper spring tension) to reset under the knuckle, ready to repeat the note, even before you can take your finger off the key. Thus the name of this composite action piece: "THE REPITITION" [HOME] [TOP OF PAGE]
What regulations in my grand piano would improve the touch?
WHAT REGULATIONS IN MY GRAND PIANO WOULD IMPROVE THE TOUCH?
Certain regulation are likely to go out quicker than others such as: Capstans, Let Off, Repetition Spring Tension, Repetition Height, Jack Position, Back Check, Drop Screw, Jack Spring Tension. Alignment of the repetition under the hammer assembly should be checked as well as the freeness of each pivot point. Key level and key travel (key dip) and proper damper regulation are often necessary. Ideally all regulations should be done for optimum performance. However often this is not financially viable, so regulations can be done one at a time or in groups - but in the proper order - since one regulation often affects another. [HOME] [TOP OF PAGE]
WHY ARE MY KEYS NOT LEVEL AND THE TOUCH IS TOO SHALLOW OR TOO DEEP?
There are felts under the keys to avoid any noise as the keys are hit and released. These felts compress at different rates, causing unlevel keys and uneven key travel. Under these felts are round paper punchings. Key level and key travel are regulated by the removal or insertion of these punchings to compensate for the felt compressing.
The use of a key dip block is pictured here on middle C. The top of the key dip block should be level with the next key. Key leveling is a similar but a more difficult and sensitive adjustment with the smaller punchings. Pictured are the selection of paper punchings ranging in thickness from .003" to about 1/16". On older grand and upright pianos with non moth-proofed felts, the felts may also need replacing. [HOME] [TOP OF PAGE]
How does the
grand repetition work, when properly regulated ?
Why are my keys not level and the touch is too shallow or too deep?
Submit your Question
on the CONTACT page!
WHY DOES THE TOUCH ON MY PIANO FEEL LOOSE & SLOPPY?
As felts in the action and the felt under the back of the keys compress, the parts in the piano action effectively shrink in size and "loss motion" increases. The noticeable symptoms are a loose sloppy feel, or a rapid double or triple strike of the hammer on the string.
Capstan regulation is pictured here in an upright piano, although a grand capstan is similar. The capstans are regulated to precisely adjust & restore the starting position of the action parts. [HOME] [TOP OF PAGE]
Why is the touch often better on a new grand than on a new upright?
ANSWERED ON THIS PAGE:
Why is regulating needed?
Why does the touch on my piano feel loose & sloppy?
Why are my keys not level and the touch is too shallow or too deep?
Why is regulating needed after reconditioning?
What regulations in my grand piano would improve the touch?
How does the grand repetition work, when properly regulated?
Why is the touch often better on a new grand than on a new upright?
How can voicing help restore consistent tone from note to note?
Submit your Question
on the CONTACT page!
How can voicing help restore consistent tone from note to note?
WHY IS REGULATING NEEDED AFTER RECONDITIONING?
(See the RECONDITIONING page regarding Hammer Resurfacing). The hammers pictured are no longer their original size. Prior to resurfacing, the strings have cut deep grooves into the face of the hammers, shortening the length of the hammer. The resurfaced hammers have been reshaped to the bottom of the grooves.
"Let-Off" Regulation needs to be done so that the face of the hammers can once again travel all the way to the string, allowing for full control of the hammer. This will allow the pianist to control very soft passages while playing with a very light touch. [HOME] [TOP OF PAGE]
Why is regulating needed?
John S. Barford
Regulating
Why is regulating needed after reconditioning ?
HOW CAN VOICING HELP RESTORE CONSISTENT TONE FROM NOTE TO NOTE?
Whether you are a pianist who has performed, recorded, and played for years; or are playing for the enjoyment of yourself, family and friends - you have probably noticed small differences in volume, tone or brightness from note to note.
Hammers are made of compressed felt. Voicing is a process of hardening or softening the hammer felt to produce a brighter or softer volume and tone. During the voicing process, changes are made in large, and then increasingly smaller steps until the ideal tone is reached. Pictured here are the voicing tools that were used to soften a dozen excessively bright hammers on this piano. [HOME] [TOP OF PAGE]
WHY IS THE TOUCH OFTEN BETTER ON A NEW GRAND THAN ON A NEW UPRIGHT?
In comparison to the Grand Repetition described above, the Upright action is much simpler. The "Jack" pictured, is attached to a "Whippen". For a view of the jack glued to the whippen, see the photo above under the FAQ: WHY DOES THE TOUCH ON MY PIANO FEEL LOOSE & SLOPPY?
Without the repetition lever as on modern Grand pianos (described in the previous FAQ) the jack does not reset under the hammer butt on an upright as quickly as the jack resets under the knuckle on a grand. However, properly regulated, the upright responds quickly enough so that only an experienced player could ascertain the difference. [HOME] [TOP OF PAGE]
Copyright John Barford. All rights reserved.