Piano Tuning & Repairs
I enjoy coaxing the most realistic potential out of every piano I work on. No matter if you own a small spinet for young kids to get acquainted with music, or teach piano lessons at beginning or advanced levels, or are responsible for church music with one or more pianos, or manage a concert venue, or simply have a personal music experience at home, my experienced hands are at your disposal.
Pianists who listen carefully often notice that my tunings have a unique, more musically enhanced resonance than you have likely experienced before. This is not an illusion. If interested, I can explain the technical details, but please note my offering on seminar topics for some hints on how that process works.
Optimizing Action Performance
Depending on your goals and the situation, I can offer a 1/2 day tuning, voicing, and quick regulation of basic parameters, or a full-day more comprehensive, complete regulation with key leveling, key dip, minor damper adjustments, tuning and voicing. If appropriate we can also discuss complete action replacement and restoration for new, or better-than-new, performance. I am able to achieve astonishingly accurate evenness note-to note, by weighing off each hammer to within .1 g, and customizing action ratios for specific parts. My college experience has given me the opportunity to refine voicing skills and develop optimal performance strategies while working within specific time limits in a busy schedule.
Appraisals
If you need an appraisal to buy, sell or upgrade insurance I can help with that as well. In some situations, it’s possible to give enough information over the phone to accomplish your needs at no charge, but generally appraisals are included with any tuning. If an appraisal is needed without tuning, then I typically charge only about an hour of time for travel and visit. Do not purchase a used piano without some evaluation of its structural integrity.
Classes, Seminars and Tutoring
I am also available for occasional class instruction to Music Teachers or Piano Technicians on topics in Piano Technology. Some topics for consideration are: “Concert Tuning: What is it exactly, with Practical Tips and Methods”, “Historical Tuning and Temperament Overview: Theories and Practice”, “Effective and Efficient Voicing for Grands and Uprights”, “10 Things Every Pianist should know about Pianos”, and “Understanding and Optimizing Action Ratios”.
If you are an Associate Member of the Piano Technicians Guild and wish to improve your aural tuning skills in preparation for the tuning exam I am happy to offer some mentoring advice with either one on one tuning instruction or as a realistic, mock PTG tuning exam. This is an excellent practice which we strongly recommend before signing up for the real exam.