Thanks for this and many other videos. Pianos are my passion. Besides being an ordinary pianist, I love to restore pianos. I am presently learning aural tuning on line, but would love to learn 1 on 1. I am a practical person, so learning from notes or videos is difficult. Your skills and knowledge on pianos amaze me. I would love to spend a few weeks with you in your travels or in the workshop developing my skills, I am so eager to learn more. This is in my bucket list. Thanks Brian
What a transformation! And it also goes to show that having a cracked soundboard is not the end of the world. Strange though how it cracked given the piano was previously in an environment of high humidity, as opposed to being very dry, or could it be a result of moving from a high to low humidity environment and drying out too quickly?
So excited for my appointment today!! My piano can be so much better and more responsive, as good as it already is. And having already seen what you can do, I can hardly wait!
Excellent video. 8 weeks ago, I bought a one-owner 2000 M&H BB (7-foot). Appearance is 9.5/10. Had a recent Coleman 11 WT applied, which adds more "color" but takes some aural acclimation. Planning on a day's worth of bench regulation, then voicing by an expert tech in Nashville, TN. The Renner blue tips have never been shaped, probably never voiced so they're somewhat bright. The honeymoon has worn off, and I'm questioning whether I bought the Right Thing. But uprights leave me bored, and this BB has wonderfully "alive" sonority. I swear this thing sounds different every time I sit to play. I suspect that is due to humidity and air temperature variation.
Hi Hyrum. Great video, very informative. Are you doing angel shot voicing with the chopstick needle? Just one stitch behind the crown in the middle string groove? Thanks.
Not typically for this. That would create too dark a tone for a Yamaha in my opinion. For the most part I am needling directly in the center of the string groove or towards me for the general tone of the note. I will needle like you mentioned if the sound is bright and strong but too thin sounding, then it seems to be the way to go. I probe with the needle to feel what areas are hard and respond to what I feel and hear. Going directly in the center is a good way to blend the note without killing the color of the note (access to brighter sounds when you crescendo and more mellow sounds when you decrescendo). Thank you for an insightful question!
I've been watching quite a few videos on voicing and regulating, but this was the ultimate video. I recently purchase a Baldwin L '97 as is, but great condition. Had a piano tech give me a thumps up before purchasing and appraised it for far more than I paid. We are about to venture on this journey of regulating and voicing. Any insight on the Baldwin piano you can provide?
Thanks for watching! I would say that similar things will apply to the Baldwin, but the hammers can be a little different. One thing not included in this Yamaha piano is Hammer shaping. I would think you will want to have the hammers shaped to remove grooves out of the felt so that all the screws can be tightened and the hammers realigned very consistently. Then you will definitely want to make sure the hammers are hitting all three strings simultaneously and that strike point is correct before doing any needling (See my prepping a Steinway video on setting strike point). Best of luck to you!
Interesting! Great video but so much info so fast! I have a 1971 C3 I bought about 5 months ago. I’m tinkering with the tuning, had it tuned professionally, and have lubed it already to improve the up and down weights. I’m thinking it’d be best to have a pro here. I contacted a Yamaha specialist. Sight unseen they quoted me about 3 grand with the action being in their shop for a few weeks to regulate and voice it. Seems like you did a great job in one day. I’m in Los Angeles. Any thoughts or suggestions for me?
You resurrected this piano by injecting a new soul into it. If it wasn't for the before and after I'd be hard pressed to believe it's the same piano. Nice chop skills btw! Do you come to Las Vegas for service?
like your using a brush as you vacuum the keys. Your help could land me with more quality pianos rather than the junky spinets, I mostly service. Just did a damper and bridal strap replacement on a Weber console. A mouse chewed up the original ones. I used clips on straps and never did this job before. I noticed the action is heavier maybe cause the straps and pulling too much on the wippen. I clips them on top of the catcher shanks rather than underneath to avoid them falling off. I could benefit to know how long the straps should be from the wire to shank. I could look at a new piano or regulation steps might describe it.
Seriously though, such a great video! It’s sometimes hard for a client to understand how the piano can play and sound so much better, especially with mechanical adjustments. It’s great seeing you do this work in the field. I primarily do these regulations back at my shop with the Grandwork regulation station. Mostly so I can be at home with my dogs and watch Netflix while I work 😅
@@saltlakepianoservice Do you use them within the string groove or both in the groove and its adjacent shoulder, i.e. the full 1/3 width of the striking point?
@@saltlakepianoservice I mean in the lateral direction, across the width of the hammer. Manicure sanding stick only in the groove or also on the "hills"? I suppose the shift pedal can change everything regarding hammer to string mating.
@@RonNewmanPiano The part that matters most is the groove, but I go out a little if the hammers are newly shaped. I don't expect mating to be good when the action is shifted, I let that one go in favor of great clear tone in the regular position.
Hyrum, YOU are the piano technician of piano technicians! Would you know of a RPT similarly trained doing service in the NY metro area for my upright? Please reply if you can Hyrum.
Hi, I don't know anyone personally out that way. You might try and contact service.steinway.com. More often than not, technicians trained to work on Steinways are some of the best. Thanks for watching!
I couldn't venture to say. There is a shortage of good technicians out there. You have to have a healthy dose of ridiculous attention to detail combined with a deep love for good piano tone.
The short answer is that there is most likely no more than 5 or 6 technicians with this ability and understanding of piano technology. In the entire world. Not sure what percentage that works out to be as there are millions of individuals who call themselves piano technicians.
@@Hammondbrass I don't have a number to it, but as minimal as possible while still allowing the jack to very comfortably escape and have a small squish at the end of the key stroke.
@ I see Renner Academy and techs like Stephen Brady recommend .060. I use a gauge that gets me closer to .045. I know what too little and too much aftertouch feels like, but I’m not a pianist. What would be the difference between .030 and .060 for a pianist that would feel better/worse? I could see how less might “tighten” up the feel of keyboard, so to speak, for more virtuosic playing. I could see .060 after some compression and wear could widen up to feel sloppy/bobbly after time. Maybe that would be considered for a keyboard that gets a lot of play but not a lot of work (like a university practice room).
@@HammondbrassOne advantage to minimal aftertouch is a feeling of crisp timing and better repetition. Faster repetition because the jack doesn't have to travel as far to reset
@@saltlakepianoservice ah yes, I will have to squirrel that away in my mind palace and bag of tricks for clients and what they want to achieve on the piano. Thank you, as always!
@@saltlakepianoservice I have a concern about our church grand piano.. The Bb in the bass is ticking when played and its damper doesnt function properly.. Aside from that it needs rgulation, when i play it soft some keys doesnt sound, its the distance of the hammer to the strings like in your video..
I don’t know what’s better watching u fix the piano or play Chopin! Both are excellent!
It's always nice when a client is willing to spend money towards making a piano play better.
I love going down new rabbit holes. I don’t play but this is fascinating. The way you handle that piano with confidence is great to see.
You have some skills play Brother! I enjoyed tge bits and pieces you played
Awesome video Hyrum!
Thanks for this and many other videos. Pianos are my passion. Besides being an ordinary pianist, I love to restore pianos. I am presently learning aural tuning on line, but would love to learn 1 on 1. I am a practical person, so learning from notes or videos is difficult. Your skills and knowledge on pianos amaze me. I would love to spend a few weeks with you in your travels or in the workshop developing my skills, I am so eager to learn more. This is in my bucket list. Thanks Brian
Fascinating overview of piano regulation and adjustment. Understandable explanations, and effective editing. Thank you!
What a transformation! And it also goes to show that having a cracked soundboard is not the end of the world. Strange though how it cracked given the piano was previously in an environment of high humidity, as opposed to being very dry, or could it be a result of moving from a high to low humidity environment and drying out too quickly?
@@mickandrews9458 Yes, high humidity can damage the fibers of the board, then drying out reveals the damage by cracking in the compromised areas.
So excited for my appointment today!! My piano can be so much better and more responsive, as good as it already is. And having already seen what you can do, I can hardly wait!
Good job, and excellent video editing!
Excellent video. 8 weeks ago, I bought a one-owner 2000 M&H BB (7-foot). Appearance is 9.5/10. Had a recent Coleman 11 WT applied, which adds more "color" but takes some aural acclimation. Planning on a day's worth of bench regulation, then voicing by an expert tech in Nashville, TN. The Renner blue tips have never been shaped, probably never voiced so they're somewhat bright. The honeymoon has worn off, and I'm questioning whether I bought the Right Thing. But uprights leave me bored, and this BB has wonderfully "alive" sonority. I swear this thing sounds different every time I sit to play. I suspect that is due to humidity and air temperature variation.
Excellent partage j’apprends beaucoup 👍
Merci
Thanks for the effort you put into making this. A great insight into your work. When are you coming to Frankfurt?
Ha ha. It might be a couple years before I make it to Germany 🇩🇪
@@saltlakepianoservice come on, you know you want to.
Wonderful video, I have learned a lot, thanks!
Hi Hyrum. Great video, very informative. Are you doing angel shot voicing with the chopstick needle? Just one stitch behind the crown in the middle string groove? Thanks.
Not typically for this. That would create too dark a tone for a Yamaha in my opinion. For the most part I am needling directly in the center of the string groove or towards me for the general tone of the note. I will needle like you mentioned if the sound is bright and strong but too thin sounding, then it seems to be the way to go. I probe with the needle to feel what areas are hard and respond to what I feel and hear. Going directly in the center is a good way to blend the note without killing the color of the note (access to brighter sounds when you crescendo and more mellow sounds when you decrescendo). Thank you for an insightful question!
WAY better afterwards!
That was a great video!
I've been watching quite a few videos on voicing and regulating, but this was the ultimate video. I recently purchase a Baldwin L '97 as is, but great condition. Had a piano tech give me a thumps up before purchasing and appraised it for far more than I paid. We are about to venture on this journey of regulating and voicing. Any insight on the Baldwin piano you can provide?
Thanks for watching! I would say that similar things will apply to the Baldwin, but the hammers can be a little different. One thing not included in this Yamaha piano is Hammer shaping. I would think you will want to have the hammers shaped to remove grooves out of the felt so that all the screws can be tightened and the hammers realigned very consistently. Then you will definitely want to make sure the hammers are hitting all three strings simultaneously and that strike point is correct before doing any needling (See my prepping a Steinway video on setting strike point). Best of luck to you!
Interesting! Great video but so much info so fast! I have a 1971 C3 I bought about 5 months ago. I’m tinkering with the tuning, had it tuned professionally, and have lubed it already to improve the up and down weights. I’m thinking it’d be best to have a pro here. I contacted a Yamaha specialist. Sight unseen they quoted me about 3 grand with the action being in their shop for a few weeks to regulate and voice it. Seems like you did a great job in one day. I’m in Los Angeles. Any thoughts or suggestions for me?
You resurrected this piano by injecting a new soul into it. If it wasn't for the before and after I'd be hard pressed to believe it's the same piano. Nice chop skills btw! Do you come to Las Vegas for service?
How long where you in the clients home for this service, how long is your full day sevice, 8 hours? Excellent work!
Yes, about 8 hrs.
Awesome Video!! Thanks!
like your using a brush as you vacuum the keys. Your help could land me with more quality pianos rather than the junky spinets, I mostly service. Just did a damper and bridal strap replacement on a Weber console. A mouse chewed up the original ones. I used clips on straps and never did this job before. I noticed the action is heavier maybe cause the straps and pulling too much on the wippen. I clips them on top of the catcher shanks rather than underneath to avoid them falling off. I could benefit to know how long the straps should be from the wire to shank. I could look at a new piano or regulation steps might describe it.
The first thing I would have done is tighten up that bench! 😄
Great video, nonetheless!
Ha ha
Seriously though, such a great video! It’s sometimes hard for a client to understand how the piano can play and sound so much better, especially with mechanical adjustments. It’s great seeing you do this work in the field. I primarily do these regulations back at my shop with the Grandwork regulation station. Mostly so I can be at home with my dogs and watch Netflix while I work 😅
Loved this video! How much do you charge per hr?
$140/hr locally.
For sanding to mate the hammer to the string, is that a sanding stick like they use for manicures?
Yes, I learned that trick from another technician. They are the manicure sticks that you can get at any drug store... Very handy!
@@saltlakepianoservice Do you use them within the string groove or both in the groove and its adjacent shoulder, i.e. the full 1/3 width of the striking point?
@@RonNewmanPiano I usually stroke past where the groove is anticipating hammer wear in the future.
@@saltlakepianoservice I mean in the lateral direction, across the width of the hammer. Manicure sanding stick only in the groove or also on the "hills"? I suppose the shift pedal can change everything regarding hammer to string mating.
@@RonNewmanPiano The part that matters most is the groove, but I go out a little if the hammers are newly shaped. I don't expect mating to be good when the action is shifted, I let that one go in favor of great clear tone in the regular position.
How many hour for this job?
It took about 7 hrs for this.
Hyrum, YOU are the piano technician of piano technicians! Would you know of a RPT similarly trained doing service in the NY metro area for my upright? Please reply if you can Hyrum.
Hi, I don't know anyone personally out that way. You might try and contact service.steinway.com. More often than not, technicians trained to work on Steinways are some of the best. Thanks for watching!
Great video. This may seem like a crazy question, but what percentage of techs are as good as you?
I couldn't venture to say. There is a shortage of good technicians out there. You have to have a healthy dose of ridiculous attention to detail combined with a deep love for good piano tone.
The short answer is that there is most likely no more than 5 or 6 technicians with this ability and understanding of piano technology. In the entire world.
Not sure what percentage that works out to be as there are millions of individuals who call themselves piano technicians.
What is your personal aftertouch preference as a pianist?
@@Hammondbrass I don't have a number to it, but as minimal as possible while still allowing the jack to very comfortably escape and have a small squish at the end of the key stroke.
If I had to guess... 0.035-0.045"?
@ I see Renner Academy and techs like Stephen Brady recommend .060. I use a gauge that gets me closer to .045. I know what too little and too much aftertouch feels like, but I’m not a pianist. What would be the difference between .030 and .060 for a pianist that would feel better/worse?
I could see how less might “tighten” up the feel of keyboard, so to speak, for more virtuosic playing. I could see .060 after some compression and wear could widen up to feel sloppy/bobbly after time. Maybe that would be considered for a keyboard that gets a lot of play but not a lot of work (like a university practice room).
@@HammondbrassOne advantage to minimal aftertouch is a feeling of crisp timing and better repetition. Faster repetition because the jack doesn't have to travel as far to reset
@@saltlakepianoservice ah yes, I will have to squirrel that away in my mind palace and bag of tricks for clients and what they want to achieve on the piano. Thank you, as always!
Can you visit philippines please.
I'd love to! Just get me the funding and I'm there 😂
@@saltlakepianoservice I have a concern about our church grand piano.. The Bb in the bass is ticking when played and its damper doesnt function properly.. Aside from that it needs rgulation, when i play it soft some keys doesnt sound, its the distance of the hammer to the strings like in your video..
@@enecitoleoveras8208 What kind of piano? What brand?
@@saltlakepianoservice a Japanese Piano, Diapason by Kawai
@@saltlakepianoservice Diapason model 183 Grand Piano
Does the mask supposed to tell us that you're a "Deeply good person"?