Piano Services
Tuning is where most of my visits begin, but it is rarely all a piano needs. Below are the services I provide throughout Florida’s Treasure Coast, in your home, studio, church or concert hall.
Repairs:
In addition to tuning, I carry enough tools and supplies to repair most broken parts in a single visit for a reasonable price.
Sticking keys, notes that will not sound, broken strings, buzzing, unresponsive pedals and dampers that fail to stop the sound are all common problems, and most are straightforward to correct. In this climate, a sticking key is frequently a humidity problem rather than a broken part.
Action Regulation:
Adjustments aimed at increasing the efficiency of the mechanical part of your piano are called action regulation. Frequently, relatively inexpensive adjustments can make an enormous difference in the sensitivity of touch, allowing you to play much more expressively. These adjustments restore the correct tolerances that were set when your piano was new, but which gradually changed over the years with use. There are over a dozen adjustments per note. My job is to recommend which of these will make the greatest improvement with the least expense.
Voicing:
Adjustment of the tone of a piano is called voicing. It is accomplished by making careful changes to the shape and density of the hammers. A properly voiced instrument can sound remarkably more beautiful. Voicing is the most difficult skill for a tuner to learn, and it typically takes years to master. I enjoy this task of bringing out the greatest beauty in the sound of an instrument.
Evaluations:
I highly recommend the evaluation of every instrument prior to purchase. Pianos vary widely in quality and condition for the same price. Many need costly repairs or maintenance that are not obvious to the untrained eye or ear. I also offer free advice over the phone that can save you time and money when you are looking for a piano to purchase.
I also evaluate instruments for owners who are preparing to sell their pianos. I do not offer evaluations for insurance purposes.
Piano Tuning:
Precise tuning for the home, the teaching studio, the recording studio or the concert hall, using a hybrid of electronic tuning equipment and traditional tuning by ear. If your piano has been tuned to standard pitch in the past two years, my tuning fee is $145. You can read more on my piano tuning page.
Where I Work:
I provide these services in your home throughout Florida’s Treasure Coast, from Sebastian and Vero Beach south through Fort Pierce. My principal location is Vero Beach.
Please call me at 772-610-3700 or fill out a Contact Us form.
I look forward to hearing from you!
Questions About Piano Services
What is action regulation, and does my piano need it?
Action regulation is the adjustment of the mechanical parts that connect your fingers to the strings, and there are over a dozen adjustments per note.
Your piano likely needs some if the touch feels uneven, notes fail to repeat quickly, keys sit at different heights, or it simply feels harder to play expressively than it used to. Those tolerances were set when the piano was new and drift with years of use. Regulation is often surprisingly inexpensive relative to how much it changes the instrument.
What is voicing, and how is it different from tuning?
Tuning changes the pitch of the strings. Voicing changes the tone, by making careful changes to the shape and density of the hammers.
If your piano is in tune but sounds harsh and brittle, or dull and lifeless, voicing rather than tuning is the answer. Hammers compress and harden where they strike the strings over years of playing. Voicing is the most difficult skill for a tuner to learn and typically takes years to master.
Can you repair keys that stick or do not play?
Yes, and usually during the same visit as your tuning.
I carry enough tools and supplies to repair most broken parts in a single visit for a reasonable price. Sticking keys, silent notes, broken strings, buzzing and unresponsive pedals are all common. In Florida, a sticking key is frequently a humidity problem rather than a broken part.
Should I have a piano evaluated before I buy it?
Yes. I highly recommend the evaluation of every instrument prior to purchase.
Pianos vary widely in quality and condition for the same price, and many need costly repairs or maintenance that are not obvious to the untrained eye or ear. A free piano can easily become an expensive problem. I also offer free advice over the phone that can save you time and money while you are still looking.
Do you evaluate pianos for selling, insurance or an estate?
Yes. I evaluate instruments for owners who are preparing to sell, and for estate and insurance purposes.
An evaluation covers the condition of the action, hammers, strings, pinblock and case, and what the instrument realistically needs. Call me with the brand, model and approximate age and I can tell you what is involved.
How much do repairs cost?
It depends entirely on what is wrong, and I will tell you before I begin any work.
Many small repairs can be handled during a regular tuning visit for a reasonable price. If I find something larger while I am there, I will explain what it is, what it costs, and whether it needs attention now or can wait. Nothing gets done without your say-so.
Can regulation or voicing fix a piano that just feels wrong to play?
Usually, yes, and more cheaply than most owners expect.
Owners often assume a piano that feels sluggish or sounds harsh is simply old and finished. In most cases the instrument is mechanically sound and has drifted out of adjustment. Regulation addresses how it feels; voicing addresses how it sounds. Together they can transform an instrument without any major work.
Do you work on grand pianos and uprights?
Yes, both, and all major brands.
I have over 30 years experience tuning and repairing pianos in private homes, teachers’ studios, recording studios and concert halls, on every major brand of instrument.
Do you provide these services in Fort Pierce and Port St. Lucie?
Yes. I provide in-home tuning, repair, regulation, voicing and evaluations in Vero Beach, Sebastian, and Fort Pierce.
Vero Beach is my principal location and where most of my work is. If you are outside that area, please call anyway — if I cannot help you, I will tell you who can.