FAQ
There are a vast range of pianos available in India, let’s consider some rules that should help
you in buying a piano for yourself.
Try to go for the tallest piano you can buy that falls in your budget and can fit in your room.
Do not compromise on height of the piano while considering your budget.
Longer the strings better is the sound and resonance and the action of the piano.
But do get your piano dimensions clear to avoid any logistical problems. Generally pianos fall under the category of Shrill, Harsh, Loud, mellow and soft. Choose the sound that suits your ear or what you would like the piano to be within these parameters.
Consider the touch of the keyboard, again this is a matter of taste, but a slightly firmer touch is always better for your fingers.
Always consider the piano that has Wooden parts and not plastic parts.
Lastly but most important consider the climatic changes in the city you are living in.
This is very crucial for the overall health and longevity of your piano.
Talk to us if you have any queries and we will be readily available to help you.
Try to go for the tallest piano you can buy that falls in your budget and can fit in your room.
Do not compromise on height of the piano while considering your budget.
Longer the strings better is the sound and resonance and the action of the piano.
But do get your piano dimensions clear to avoid any logistical problems. Generally pianos fall under the category of Shrill, Harsh, Loud, mellow and soft. Choose the sound that suits your ear or what you would like the piano to be within these parameters.
Consider the touch of the keyboard, again this is a matter of taste, but a slightly firmer touch is always better for your fingers.
Always consider the piano that has Wooden parts and not plastic parts.
Lastly but most important consider the climatic changes in the city you are living in.
This is very crucial for the overall health and longevity of your piano.
Talk to us if you have any queries and we will be readily available to help you.
Tuning of your piano depends on the age of your piano, new pianos will require at least 3
tunings in the first year which we call the settling year. After which the piano should be tuned at
least 2 times in a year for it to be stable.
Secondly, the climatic conditions need to be somewhat stable during the time of tuning, so always tune your piano after the seasons get in. In India recommended time would be around after summer starts and when monsoon ends say march and then in october. But again it also depends where you are staying.
Please contact us if you have any doubts on when I should get my piano tuned.
Secondly, the climatic conditions need to be somewhat stable during the time of tuning, so always tune your piano after the seasons get in. In India recommended time would be around after summer starts and when monsoon ends say march and then in october. But again it also depends where you are staying.
Please contact us if you have any doubts on when I should get my piano tuned.
Let's start with the exterior, use a recommended polish by the dealer for High gloss pianos to be
cleaned. Never use water to clean piano surfaces.
Regularly have a qualified technician service your piano apart from tuning which should include cleaning the interiors also, as the dirt under keyboards generally attract a lot of insects who eat the felts. This may lead to further complications.
Once a year have the piano soundboard also cleaned, ask your technician on the same.
Keys should always be kept clean as they are the ones used the most.
In India dust is unavoidable, try to use a cover for your piano if possible.
Playing the piano regularly, being a mechanical instrument, the parts need to be moved, just like our bodies need exercise, the piano action also needs that. It will also keep the touch even.
Never keep water or wine glasses ever on the piano. Especially during parties.
Regularly have a qualified technician service your piano apart from tuning which should include cleaning the interiors also, as the dirt under keyboards generally attract a lot of insects who eat the felts. This may lead to further complications.
Once a year have the piano soundboard also cleaned, ask your technician on the same.
Keys should always be kept clean as they are the ones used the most.
In India dust is unavoidable, try to use a cover for your piano if possible.
Playing the piano regularly, being a mechanical instrument, the parts need to be moved, just like our bodies need exercise, the piano action also needs that. It will also keep the touch even.
Never keep water or wine glasses ever on the piano. Especially during parties.
Regularly Service your piano with a qualified technician only. Maybe it's been too long overdue.
Never use low grade parts or materials during reconditioning.
Get your regulation done from a well known, trained technician.
Check for humidity problems.
Check with the technician for hammerhead conditions. Has the earlier technician voiced the piano at any point during the service.Please check with him immediately.
Check the strings, have they developed rust.
Is there anything fallen in the piano or behind blocking the soundboard?
Never use low grade parts or materials during reconditioning.
Get your regulation done from a well known, trained technician.
Check for humidity problems.
Check with the technician for hammerhead conditions. Has the earlier technician voiced the piano at any point during the service.Please check with him immediately.
Check the strings, have they developed rust.
Is there anything fallen in the piano or behind blocking the soundboard?
This is a very important aspect. To make you understand, Piano Technicians are like superspecialist surgeons who have studied the subject of piano making in great detail and know the instrument thoroughly. So they are also very good piano tuners as well. But not every piano tuner is a trained piano technician. Tuners should also be qualified as they have to also do a lot of practise and studies for tuning but rebuilding is a completely different field and should be left to the experts. Piano Technician should be an able Rebuilder, reconditioner, tuner, voicer. He has to master all these four VAST fields in order to rebuild or work on pianos. Whereas others prefer to work only as piano tuners.
In other words tuning is just like general medical Practice but a Piano Technician is a super specialist doctor but in all the aspects of Piano building.
In other words tuning is just like general medical Practice but a Piano Technician is a super specialist doctor but in all the aspects of Piano building.
Pianos are mainly made of felt, wood and metal. Over a period of time with usage, piano felts
compress and the parameters that the piano maker has set for the moving parts or we can say
factory standards for the action to work in the right coordinates changes. At this time we need to
restore the parameters so that all parts work smoothly without any stress.
Regulation involves a series of steps that the piano technician has to perform on the action, like
setting the key height because the keys are played continuously the felts below them wear and
the keys become uneven, or the keys are making too much noise while playing.
Regulation ensures that all parts are functioning smoothly plus the pianist does not have to put
extra effort while playing the piano.
Time frame to regulate would depend on the condition of the piano excluding repair work if any. For uprights say maximum 2 days, for grand pianos maximum 3 to 4 days.
Time frame to regulate would depend on the condition of the piano excluding repair work if any. For uprights say maximum 2 days, for grand pianos maximum 3 to 4 days.
Voicing a Piano means shaping the Sound of the Instrument so that the Pianist can play from soft to loud with increasing degrees of colour and expression having full control of the sound right with his fingers.
It is a complex process involving needling the hammers in specific areas, addittion of liquids to hammers but before Voicing the piano first needs to be completely rebuilt or reconditioned, regulated so all parts are working perfectly in sync with each other and tuned perfectly.
Lets say
There is an iron ball and a basketball. When thrown on the ground at the same time, the iron ball will bounce less, make a very harsh sound, whereas the basket ball will bounce faster and make a rounder sound. This is exactly what the voicing process is. To turn the piano hammer from an iron ball into a basketball the hammer needs to be needled or hardened in certain areas. The piano technician or the Voicing expert is highly skilled in this as it takes a lot of patience and hardwork. This work is to be performed only by trained Voicing experts, who like very great sculpture makers carve the sound of your piano.
At A. Mistry we have well trained voicing experts with years of experience and dedication.
Voicing is a totally different subject which is included in the rebuilding process but not in reconditioning or tuning.
Lets say
There is an iron ball and a basketball. When thrown on the ground at the same time, the iron ball will bounce less, make a very harsh sound, whereas the basket ball will bounce faster and make a rounder sound. This is exactly what the voicing process is. To turn the piano hammer from an iron ball into a basketball the hammer needs to be needled or hardened in certain areas. The piano technician or the Voicing expert is highly skilled in this as it takes a lot of patience and hardwork. This work is to be performed only by trained Voicing experts, who like very great sculpture makers carve the sound of your piano.
At A. Mistry we have well trained voicing experts with years of experience and dedication.
Voicing is a totally different subject which is included in the rebuilding process but not in reconditioning or tuning.
Like we all have to make choices in our lives this is a big question for us Indians while looking
for a piano.
It's a complete matter of choice, please be sure of what you want at last.
One piano and that's it or you will change pianos over time?
Is the second hand worth its value?
Is it a high quality second hand piano?
Will the resale value of either be high if I have to change it over a period of time?
Will there be major problems, if they are get them checked beforehand.
Rely on the experts, who know the inside of the piano.
Feel free to contact us, we can guide you as per your requirement.
