Why A Steinway Action Regulation Is Necessary

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By Jose Jackson


Founded in 1853, Steinway is well known for revolutionizing the development of high quality pianos. A huge chunk of concert pianists uses a Steinway during their grand performances. In order to maintain their quality, a Steinway action regulation is a common procedure done right before pianists perform for a show.

Concert instruments must be maintained at a high standard since consequences rest on them. Tuning services are a common aspect of maintenance that most owners often get done when they start to notice that the tones produced by the instrument have altered. In tuning, adjustments are made on pins and strings found inside the system to bring back the original tone of the piano.

Sometimes, the problem lies deeper in the mechanical parts and tuning alone cannot restore the condition of an instrument. This is when an action regulation is executed. Over time, usage and shifts in temperature can induce wear on the cloth, felt, or leather and affect the overall condition of the instrument. Even normal usage causes the sensitivity of the keyboard to diminish.

This happens when users begin to notice that tones are a bit delayed whenever a certain key is pressed. Whenever experienced pianists encounter this problem, they claim that the pleasure of using the instrument is altered. The responsiveness of all the keys can be corrected by regulating the piano.

The dynamics of each note are also maximized and the player has more control over the depth of each key. The response of a well regulated piano is more heightened than that of an instrument that does not go through any form of maintenance at all. Tuning alone is not enough since it only corrects the pitch of each key but regulating it, on the other hand, addresses all the mechanical parts working together to make a single key function.

As a matter of fact, 25 adjustment points are working together to generate a single note. Notes that are off, sticky keys and damaged pedals are corrected by regulation. Instruments will also have a more enhanced dynamic range.

When a piano is first bought, some regulation adjustments are required to get the parts more acquainted with normal usage and functioning as a single system. The frequency of any succeeding maintenance requirements depends on the advice of the technician, the range of usage, and the conditions where the instrument is in. Other manufacturers reduce the prices of their products by skipping the regulating process altogether.

Meanwhile, companies like Steinway are clearly more expensive because the manufacturing covers the regulation process. Moreover, sheer craftsmanship and hard work are injected into building each piece of instrument. In their factory, they ensure that all moving parts are in alignment. Moreover, necessary refinements are also accomplished to create a seamless mechanical system inside the instrument.

Musical instruments are often expensive to purchase and even pricier to maintain and restore. Steinway claims to produce only around 3000 pianos a year and that is already a staggering amount compared to all other manufacturers combined. This is how you can rationalize the hefty amount written on price tags of most musical instruments. Each piece entails dedication and hard work from hundreds of laborers that put their passion and expertise into every single product.




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