Regulation
| Ben Gac Registered Piano Technician |
What is "regulation"?
Regulation is a term that is used to refer to the intricate adjustments to the action of a piano (the
part between the keys and the strings that makes the piano work) to make it play and feel the way it
should. There are an average of over 9,000 parts in a piano, regulating all the minute intricacies
help the piano perform in the best way it can. Pianos need to be regulated in order to keep them in
good working condition (just like tuning!). Over time, the wood, felt, metal, and buckskin in the piano
settles and compresses. Regulation re-adjusts these parts so the piano will perform optimally.
Often times a pianist will say, "my piano doesn't feel right" or "when I push the keys I lose power" or
"this piano is difficult to play quietly on". These are all most likely regulation issues, and can be
solved by having a qualified technician regulate your piano. I once heard another technician say, "If
tuning is like changing the oil in your automobile, consider regulation the 60,000 mile check up."
What sort of things are regulated in a piano?
All kinds of things! Below is a link to the technical drawings of the inside of one note of a piano
action (a piano has 88 of these!). Nearly everything that you see can be adjusted up or down, in or
out, etc. by twisting small screws, adding and removing thin paper punchings, and slightly bending
metal parts. A very essential part of piano regulation is voicing.
Regulation is a term that is used to refer to the intricate adjustments to the action of a piano (the
part between the keys and the strings that makes the piano work) to make it play and feel the way it
should. There are an average of over 9,000 parts in a piano, regulating all the minute intricacies
help the piano perform in the best way it can. Pianos need to be regulated in order to keep them in
good working condition (just like tuning!). Over time, the wood, felt, metal, and buckskin in the piano
settles and compresses. Regulation re-adjusts these parts so the piano will perform optimally.
Often times a pianist will say, "my piano doesn't feel right" or "when I push the keys I lose power" or
"this piano is difficult to play quietly on". These are all most likely regulation issues, and can be
solved by having a qualified technician regulate your piano. I once heard another technician say, "If
tuning is like changing the oil in your automobile, consider regulation the 60,000 mile check up."
What sort of things are regulated in a piano?
All kinds of things! Below is a link to the technical drawings of the inside of one note of a piano
action (a piano has 88 of these!). Nearly everything that you see can be adjusted up or down, in or
out, etc. by twisting small screws, adding and removing thin paper punchings, and slightly bending
metal parts. A very essential part of piano regulation is voicing.
