FAQ
Why do some pianos have keys that feel heavy and some that feel light?
The weight required to make a key go down is referred to as the “touch.” On different pianos it might vary from 40 grams to 70 grams (26 grams make up one ounce). Differences in leverage, mass of various parts, and frictional resistance yield piano actions that play very differently.
But don’t think that a lighter touch is always better. In fact, most advanced musicians like to feel a touch that is anywhere from 52 to 58 grams. If a piano is too light, there’s no feedback from the piano back to the player. And if the touch is too heavy, arms and fingers tire easily and sensitive control is gone.
Some adjustments can be made to change a piano’s touchweight. If you’re interested, ask Brigham, 801-830-0011.
Content provided courtesy of the ptg.org tip of the day, a service for all Registered Piano Technicians.
Category : Additional Services &Brigham On The Job &Brigham's Piano Blog &FAQ
Many of our clients contact Brigham for professional advice on how to select a new or used piano. He welcomes these calls and is always happy to offer his technical advice. Sometimes it’s helpful to have a professional opinion other than that of the commission paid salesman. Feel free to call Brigham if you are in the market for a piano, new or used, 801-830-0011. (whether you intend to buy from us or not, the advice is free! We realize that we don’t always have in our warehouse what you might be looking for)
In addition, here’s an article form the PTG with specific tips on buying a new piano.
Q. What is the first step towards purchasing a
piano for my family?
A. Purchasing a piano for your family can create a
lifetime of enjoyment and intellectual stimulation.
Before you spend money for either a new or used
piano, a little preparation is helpful so that you
purchase a piano that is appropriate for your needs
and will insure your family’s musical success. The
first step in choosing a piano involves (more…)
Category : Brigham's Piano Blog &FAQ &Piano Sales
Here’s the short answer:
Every 3 months for musically sensitive: studios, professional musicians, etc.
Four times in the first year for a brand new piano.
Every 6 months for families with children in lessons or regularly played pianos.
Every year for maintaining a playable quality instrument.
Here’s a longer answer provided by the Piano Technician’s Guild.
Your piano is an investment in your future. It can bring you and your family a lifetime of music, adding immeasurable joy and beauty to your home. Since it is also such a large investment, it should be maintained with the utmost care. Regular servicing by a qualified technician will preserve your instrument and help you avoid costly repairs in the future. (more…)
Category : Brigham's Piano Blog &FAQ
Sorry folks… no! Brigham is just an “acoustic-piano-man”! He gigs and plays on plenty of digital and electric keyboards, but work on them he does not. Above is a quick snap shot I captured of him entertaining a crowd at Comedy Sports recently when we attended a birthday party there.
Category : About Brigham &Brigham's Piano Blog &FAQ &Just For Fun...
As a conscientious piano owner, you probably have your piano tuned regularly by a qualified technician. You may, however, notice a deterioration of its performance despite regular tuning. It’s important to note that tuning is only the adjustment of the system of strings and pins that determines the pitch of each string. Your piano also requires a periodic servicing called regulation, which attends to the mechanical parts which cause strings to sound when keys are played and affect the sound through use of the pedals.
What is regulation and how does it affect my piano’s performance?
Regulation is the adjustment of the mechanical aspects of the pianos to compensate for the effects of wear, the compacting and settling of cloth, felt, and buckskin, as well as dimensional changes in wood and wool parts due to changes in humidity. (more…)
Category : Additional Services &Brigham's Piano Blog &FAQ
The field of Piano technology is an unregulated trade. Therefore the Piano Technicians Guild has set its own standards of quality for piano technicians. The Guild has two types of members: Registered Piano Technicians (Brigham) and Associates. Associate membership is open to anyone with a “professional or avocational interest in piano technology.” On the other hand, the title of “Registered Piano Technician” must be earned by passing a series of examinations. (more…)
Category : About Brigham &Brigham's Piano Blog &FAQ &Professional Training
So you can’t remember the last time it was tuned, huh? You might need a pitch raise…
Your piano is designed to sound its best when tuned to A-440 (A above middle C vibrates at 440 cycles per second), the international pitch standard. At this pitch, power and tonal range are optimum and your piano will match the pitch of other instruments. When your piano varies from A-440, pitch adjustments are required to bring it back to standard. By always maintaining your piano at standard pitch, you create long-term tuning stability because the strings and structure stay in equilibrium. You also ensure proper ear training because you always hear your music in the correct key.
Why does a piano’s pitch change?
Piano strings change pitch for two primary reasons: the initial stretching and settling of strings when the piano is new, and soundboard movement due to humidity variation. In the case of new pianos, the pitch drops quickly for the first couple of years as the new strings stretch and wood parts settle. It’s very important to maintain any new piano at the proper pitch during this period, so the string tension and piano structure can reach a stable equilibrium. (Most piano manufacturers recommend three to four tunings the first year, and at least two per year after that.) (more…)
Category : Additional Services &Brigham's Piano Blog &FAQ
You’ve heard piano tuners refer to tuning to “A-440″. Ever wonder what they are talking about? The tuning fork is used to establish this baseline for tuning the piano. Here’s a good explanation from the Piano Technician’s Guild Website.
Sound occurs when air is set into motion rapidly. Humans can hear sound if those cycles of compression and uncompression occur anywhere from twenty times each second to about twenty thousand times each second.
When a piano string is set into motion, it vibrates up and down repeatedly. If the note A above middle C is properly tuned, that string will vibrate up and down 440 times in one second. That’s what A-440 means.
Every note on a piano is tuned using A-440 as the starting point. A-440 has been accepted as the universal standard for most of the century. Before that, it varied as much as a semi-tone higher or lower.
And even further back in time, there was no standard at all. Every village used a prominent local instrument, such as a church organ, as the standard for tuning its musical instruments. Pity the wandering minstrel!
Category : Brigham's Piano Blog &FAQ
