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Regulation & Voicing Services

​What is regulation?

Action regulation is adjusting the mechanism on the inside of your piano to perform at a higher level of efficiency. When a piano is new, the parts are still freshly regulated from the factory and normally require little maintenance during the first couple of months. After several hours/weeks/months of playing, the felt and leather parts in the action become increasingly compressed/worn and the moving parts begin to change their positions in small amounts (therefore changing the geometry of the action). It's a good idea to request touch up regulation during regular 6-month to a year tuning appointments to help maintain the proper relationships between the moving parts in your piano's action - especially if the piano is getting a lot of daily use. This will ensure that the piano is in proper tune and that it is functioning properly mechanically as well.

There are many steps involved in a complete regulation procedure (around 30 steps for grand pianos), but the most important parts of the process are hammer blow distance, letoff distance, amount of drop, repetition spring tension​, key dip, and aftertouch​:

Hammer Blow Distance

Blow distance is the distance between the crown (striking surface) of the hammer and underside of the string when the hammer is at rest. The typical "universal" measurement for this distance is 1-3/4" (one and three-quarters of an inch). Some pianos perform better at a slightly different blow distance, but that is the most common placement. This measurement, in combination with a proper letoff adjustment greatly affects your control of dynamics (loud and soft playing).

Amount of Drop (grand pianos only)

Drop is the distance the hammer falls after letoff. You can only observe these measurements by slowly (taking 3-5 seconds to press the key all the way down) pressing the key and watching the movements of the hammer. The drop should roughly double the distance the hammer is from the string when it lets off. So, the hammer should be approximately 1/8" to 1/4" from the string after letoff and drop. Drop limits the hammer from traveling too close to the string when the key is fully depressed, but it should not be excessive, as this will cause issues with repeating notes quickly.

Aftertouch

Aftertouch is related to key dip in that the amount of key dip you have (the amount the key goes down) affects how much aftertouch you have. The more key dip - the more aftertouch, and vice versa. Aftertouch is the amount of key travel after letoff. Some technicians consider aftertouch a feeling, while others think of it as a measurement. It is both. You want the key to travel around .040" (fourty-thousandths of an inch) after letoff to ensure the hammers do not bobble or block against the strings. You do not want too much aftertouch, because this also will cause blocking hammers, along with broken jacks and other parts. 

Letoff Distance

Letoff is the distance between the crown of the hammer and underside of the string just before the hammer falls away from the string. You can see the placement of this adjustment by very slowly depressing the key (without sounding the note) and watching the hammer slowly rise toward the string, reach a certain point, then fall down. This measurement should be somewhere in the ballpark of 1/16" to 1/8" for proper dynamic control. 

Repetition Spring Tension (grand pianos only)

In grand pianos, there is an extra part in the action called the repetition lever. This lever is underneath of the hammer shank knuckle and the hammer rests on this lever. There is an adjustable spring that affects how quickly you can repeat the note for that hammer. If it is not adjusted properly (such as in older pianos where the spring has lost its strength) you will likely not be able to repeat single notes quickly, which is a function that grand pianos are intended to be able to perform. If the spring is too strong, hammers may jump back up with too much force when releasing the key, resulting in a hammer double striking the string.
Our regulation services range from the price of a tuning (touch up/economy regulation) upward to a complete 2-day regulation, including reconditioning of parts, thorough cleaning, and friction assessment of action parts/repinning/key rebushing, etc. Professional musicians may be interested in more advanced services, including touchweight analysis, which involves measuring the action ratio of a piano and strategically adding and removing weight from hammers and keys to achieve an even "balance weight". Selection of new hammers also involves measuring the action ratio and this measurement is key in selecting the proper hammer weight for your instrument.

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What is voicing?

Voicing is a broad term used to describe the altering of the sound or tone quality of the piano. Usually, voicing is described as manipulating the hammers with a handheld tool holding needles to puncture the hammer's felt in order to make the sound of the piano more mellow (less harsh or brittle). There are numerous methods that technicians use in order to change the voice of a piano. Another technique categorized as "voicing" has nothing to do with using needles, but rather moving the level of the strings in relation to the striking surface of the hammer (or vise-versa) in order to make the hammer "fit" the strings more accurately so that the hammers are hitting all 3 strings at the same exact time. There are also several liquid voicing solutions (including lacquer or thermoplastics dissolved in acetone) used to "voice up" a piano if the tone is lacking volume or power. A piano that has had decades of use may need its hammers replaced in order to reach its full tonal potential. Each piano and pianist has their own unique needs that need to be met, and Smith Piano Servicing is here to meet those needs. Start a conversation with us today.

Our standard tuning service includes some minor voicing. If you are looking for more thorough voicing work to be done (including hammer reshaping, hammer replacement, etc.), please contact us so that we can start a conversation about your needs and what is realistic to expect from your piano's voice.