Here are some basic piano terms that are frequently used regarding pianos. These terms will help you to understand more about the piano.

BRIDGE: The wooden piece of material connected to the soundboard over which the strings are stretched to transmit the vibration of the strings to the soundboard.

CASE: The wooden outer and inner rim of a grand piano or exterior cabinet of a vertical piano and includes the structural support beams, key covers, keybed, lids and other wood and enclosure covers.

DAMPERS: Small pieces of wood attached to pieces of felt that rests on the strings to prevent the vibration of strings unless lifted by a pedal.

HAMMERS: A mechanism of wood with a wooden block of wood covered with felt on the striking end. It is the part of the action that actually strikes the string generating the sound.

PEDALS: Individual pedals operated by the feet that activate certain action functions that produce different tonal effects as the piano is played.

PIANO ACTION: The mechanical mechanism used as a means of transmitting the motion of the fingers on the keys to produce sound from the piano strings.

PINBLOCK: Many layers of wood that holds the tuning pins which hold the strings.

RESONANCE:The transmission of vibrations from the vibrating strings to the bridge, soundboard, rims and other wood structures.

SOUNDBOARD: The wooden surface which collects and vibrates with the vibrations of the strings and is the principal resonator of the piano.

TONE: A sound of definite pitch and duration, as distinct from noise. A beautiful tone on the piano means a beautiful and pleasant sound.

TOUCH: The force and weight of the finger as it comes in contact with the key measured by the resistance of the action in activating the hammer to strike the string.

TUNING: Adjustment of the piano strings that creates the correct pitch for each note and octave.

TUNING PINS: Threaded rods made of steel and anchored into the pinblock which hold the strings and allows the tension and pitch of each string to be adjusted.

  

The frequency for need of tuning usually depends upon the amount of use of the piano. Concert pianists typically require their piano to be tuned before each performance. Regular tuning not only is good for the piano, but also increases the ability to develop expressiveness of a player, aid in ear training for recognizing accuracy in playing music compositions, and the musical enjoyment of the player and listeners alike. The modest cost is well worth the benefits of periodic tuning.

All new pianos go through a settling process when placed in a new environment. New piano strings need several tunings in their new surroundings to stretch and stabilize. The more often a piano is tuned the first year, the more stable it will be in the future.

The frequency of tunings from just seasonal changes should be tuned at least twice a year to accommodate moisture changes. If you use your piano daily and want to enjoy its maximum expressiveness, you may want to schedule tunings three or four times a year.

  

All acoustic pianos, old and new, have to be tuned. The tuning of the piano is most often affected bythe changes in temperature and humidity of its surroundings. The soundboard absorbs moisture in wet seasons and loses it in dry seasons. This moisture will swell and shrink the wood, thereby changing the tension of the strings which affects the tuning of the piano.

The actual moving of a piano should not cause a piano to go out of tune unless it has other mechanical problems such as a defective pinblock, broken bridge, or broken harp. Need for tuning after a move is mostly a function of change in temperature and humidity of where it is placed.

  

While many facilities and homes now have sophisticated climate control systems that regulate temperature and humidity, many homes and even commercial spaces need to sensitive to temperature changes in the area where the piano is placed. It is best to provide a constant balance in temperature settings that do not fluctuate more than a few degrees if possible. Pianos in environments that maintain a normal room temperature for only part of the day or only occasionally during the week are going to need tuning more often. The longer time between tunings and the more that strings are allowed to change pitch, the more difficult is will be to restabilize them when they are tuned.

When heat is seasonally introduced into the environment where the piano is, there will be a sudden change in relative humidity that can impact the tuning of the piano. You may want to discuss with your piano technician or dealer the need for a device to control adding or subtracting humidity in your environment.

  

To clean plastic key tops, use a slightly damp sponge or cloth using a small amount of dishwashing liquid. Be sure that there is not too much moisture that would allow any dripping of water down into the keyboard. Avoid using harsh chemicals or abrasive cleaners on white or black key tops.

  

There are basically two types of problems with problem key action. If a key sticks all the way down and won't come back up, it is often a problem of something caught between the keys such as a coin or paper clip or other foreign object. If it occurs during a seasonal change with an increase of humidity, there is need for a technician to evaluate where wooden parts have expanded and need adjustment.

If the key is just sluggish in returning to its normal position, this could be a humidity problem of wood parts swelling or a common problem of moisture swelling felt bushings in one of the action parts or bushings in which the key guide pins travel up and down.

Both of these conditions are best serviced by your dealer or piano technician and may be covered by your piano warranty if recently purchased.

  

Read this document on Concert Demands of Piano Tonal Quality (PDF 888KB)

  

During the development of the piano, there was a demand for a piano that would require less floor space for use in music practice facilities and homes. While the square grand provide some accommodation for requiring less floor space, the most popular design was an instrument that positioned the harp and strings perpendicularly to the floor rather than horizontally.

Obviously, this became a very popular alternative for many individuals to have a piano that more easily fit into the smaller area of a typical home. There were major mechanical and design differences that were necessary to be incorporated into the vertical piano that separate the grand piano from the performance and sound of the popular (upright) studio, console and spinet pianos that we know.

A significant difference between a grand and a vertical piano is the action function. A grand piano action rests underneath the strings and dampers and is greatly assisted by gravity making it a more responsive to the touch of the player. Since the strings are perpendicular to the floor on a vertical piano, the action is placed in the same position requiring the hammers to function with almost no assistance from gravity. In fact, the action has to have assistance from several springs and straps in order to have reliable repetition. The weight of the vertical damper action can never be lifted off of the keys to allow greater dynamic control of expression by the player.

The wooden case of a vertical piano is substantially different in tonal function from a grand piano. The shape of the vertical case does not lend itself to an outer and inner Rim design used to encase a grand piano; likewise, the rectangular shape of the soundboard is designed to enclose the back of the piano rather than to interact with a rim in developing resonance and projection of sound.

There are many other difference in action design and placement, length of the piano keys, performance of action and dampers, and significant difference in tone, color and volume of sound. As with many commodities for home, the major factor that dictates levels of quality in a product is a competitive purchase price. While price can often be an indicator of quality, it is important that this not be the only indicator that you use to determine the quality of a piano you might be considering.

  

Read this document on Why Are Some Grand Pianos More Expensive Than Others of the Same Length? (PDF 37KB)

  

Check out this Grand Piano Action Diagram (PDF 954KB)

  

Read this document on Event Sequences of a Typical Grand Piano Action (PDF 932KB)

  

Check out this Vertical Piano Action Diagram (PDF 1.3MB)

  

Read this document on Event Sequences of a Typical Vertical Piano Action (PDF 1MB)