Category Archives: Piano Tuner Richmond

Your Piano in 2020

your piano in 2020It’s 2020. A new year AND a new decade. Do you have special plans for your piano and yourself – or your family? Your piano in 2020 could offer exciting opportunities. In today’s post, I’ll make a few suggestions for how you can make the most of it.

Who Will Play Your Piano in 2020?

Think about it.  Who usually plays your piano? And who will play your piano in 2020? Do you play it yourself, or do you have kids who play? Perhaps both?

Then again, maybe you haven’t taken the time to play it as often as you would have liked, and perhaps hardly ever at all. That’s kind of sad.

So the first thing to think about is how to play more and more often, to increase your enjoyment in your investment. And, of course, you should encourage your family to do the same.

What will you be playing?

Then again, you may have been playing for years, or even decades. But perhaps your repertoire has gone a bit stale. Playing the same thing over and over again could get just a little bit (or a lot) boring.

So how about taking the time to discover some new music for your enjoyment – and that of your friends and family?

Now is a good time to start looking – and then practicing those new tunes. There are lots of holidays and occasions to look forward to, starting with Mardi Gras and Easter…

Keep your piano in top shape

To get the most enjoyment from your piano, make sure to keep it in top shape. Is it still in tune? If it’s been a while, schedule a time for your trusty Richmond piano tuner to stop by and take care of it. And spring, which is coming up shortly, is a perfect time to get it tuned.

What if it needs repairs? Are there keys that feel a bit sticky? Maybe some have stopped working altogether.

Then again, your piano may make some strange noises. This could be because something has become lose inside of it, or because an object has fallen inside.

How to fix your piano in 2020

Fortunately, all these problems can be fixed, and sometimes it’s a very easy fix. In fact, when I tune pianos, I also take a look around inside to spot problems that can be fixed right then and there.

So if you are ready to get your piano in shape for 2020, consider giving me a call (or send me a text message) at 804-677-2416 and we can schedule a time for me to come by to take care of it. I look forward to helping your piano sound its best no matter where in Central Virginia you happen to live.

Note: Please call only M-F during business hours, i.e., from 9 to 6. I keep my phone turned off during my private time and wouldn’t want to miss your call.

Please visit (and “like”) my Facebook page for updates as well..

Preparing Your Piano For Summer

preparing your piano for summerIt’s May, and the temperature is rising… How are you preparing your piano for summer?

You probably know that the summer can be a challenging time for your piano, what with the extra humidity and the high temperatures. So what can you do to keep it in fine shape when the weather gets hot?

Evaluate the location of your piano

Start by evaluating the location of your piano. Is it in a room in which the temperature stays relatively stable?

Here is one of my most important piano care tips when it comes to protecting your piano in summer. It should be kept away from windows and heating/air conditioning vents. The humidity levels should also be relatively stable and controlled.

If your piano is in a “safe” location, that’s a good start. If, on the other hand, your piano is in a room where there’s a door to the outside, and the temperature fluctuates wildly, you may want to consider having your piano moved to a safer location.

Now moving your piano is a major task. A piano is very heavy yet fragile. So you should hire a professional piano mover for this task, even if it is only from one room to another.

If you need help with finding a Richmond piano mover, just send me a text message at 804-677-2416 and I’ll get you in touch with my trusted piano movers who I’ve been working with for years!

Then again, hopefully, your piano is in a safe place now…

Has your piano been tuned recently?

The next question to answer would be whether your piano has been recently tuned. Right now, it’s still not too late to have your piano tuned. The best time for tuning a piano is the spring and the fall, but definitely not in the middle of summer.

So if you plan to play your piano during the summer, or your child continues his or her lessons during the summer, it’s a good idea to make sure your piano is in tune! Otherwise, the practice can be really frustrating and demoralizing.

This means, if you hit some sour notes when you play your piano, you may want to make an appointment very soon to have it tuned before summer gets here for real. Once again, just text me at 804-677-2416.

Of course you can also call me, but texting usually works much better. Because of the nature of my profession, I can’t always access my phone in the middle of a tuning, but I can always take a quick peek at a text message, and text back to confirm that I got it.

Preparing your piano for summer in two steps

As you can see, preparing your piano for summer isn’t all that hard. Make sure it’s protected by keeping it in a temperature and humidity-controlled room, away from windows, doors, and vents. Want to know more? Just click the following link for more piano care tips for the summer.

And if it hasn’t been tuned recently and will be used during the summer, get it tuned now, before the weather gets too hot. If you won’t be playing the piano during the summer, you could wait with the tuning until fall.

Still, you never know when the mood will strike you and you’ll feel inspired to play a few tunes…

That’s it for my piano care tips for right now. If you need any help with your piano, or if you have any questions, please feel free to text me, Blanton Bendall, your trusty Richmond piano tuner, and I’ll be happy to help: 804-677-2416.

 

Spring Piano Tuning Tips

spring piano tuning tipsHappy Spring Equinox. It’s the day when night and day are exactly the same length, and we know that spring is on the way. It’s also the perfect time for Spring Piano Tuning Tips.

Around Central Virginia, we’ve had a few nice springlike days already, and quite a few trees are bursting out in blossoms. So are the crocuses. And chances that it’s getting cold again are minimal.

So that means that the temperatures are going to be relatively moderate over the next few weeks and even months, until things heat up for summer.

The Spring Piano Tuning Connection

So what does spring have to do with piano tuning? Well, spring is the perfect time to have your piano tuned! And for a good reason…

You probably already know that pianos are very sensitive to changes in temperature and humidity. And both of these are pretty stable right about now, in spring. This means that if you have your piano tuned now, it will last for quite a while, especially if you do your best to protect it from the upcoming summer heat and humidity.

Spring Holidays

And that’s not all! There are various spring holidays coming up. A lot of families enjoy playing their piano around Easter, Mother’s Day, and other holidays.  It’s great fun to share songs and enjoy some Easter piano music.

Whether your piano is still pretty much in tune or whether it’s producing some sour notes, I can make it sound perfect in a hurry.

Just call me (or better, send me a text message at 804-677-2416) to schedule a time for me to stop by and take care of your favorite musical instrument.

If you have kids who are practicing the piano, it’s especially important to make sure it’s in tune. After all, you want them to stay motivated.

Pianos in Schools and Churches

With the holidays coming up, there are big demands made on pianos in schools and churches. So they have to be in top shape – and sound their best. This means that now is also the time to have your school piano (or school pianos) tuned. And the same is true for pianos in churches.

How to book an appointment for spring piano tuning?

I am Blanton Bendall, your trusty Richmond piano tuner. And the best way to book an appointment with me is to send a text message to 804-677-2416. I will then get back to you promptly.

Why Text Messages Work Best?

Why a text message and not a phone call? I spend my days tuning pianos, and can’t easily take phone calls while I’m doing that. And checking voice mail is also something that can be challenging in that environment.

But I can always take a quick peek at my phone to check my texts, and if you leave me a message, I can either text you back or call as soon as I’m able to.

I do recommend that you book an appointment soon. I will do my best to fit you in as soon as possible, but as my schedule fills up, it might be more challenging to find a good time that suits you, especially before Easter.

In the meantime, I hope you’ll enjoy the nice spring weather. And I look forward to making sure that you’ll be able to enjoy your piano as well, with a perfectly timed spring piano tuning.

Please also visit my Facebook page for updates, and be sure to “like” it.

Best Time To Tune A Piano

best time to tune a pianoAre you wondering when would be the best time to tune a piano? Actually, there are TWO ideal times to tune a piano! The first one in the year is in spring, and yes, this means that the best time to tune a piano is in April and May!

However, there’s another best time to tune a piano – and that’s fall, which means, just about right now, in October. In this article, I’ll tell you all about the reasons why you should try to have your piano tuned in spring and/or fall, depending on whether you want to have it tuned once or twice a year.

You can reach me, Blanton Bendall, at 804-677-2416, any weekday (M-F) between 9 AM and 6 PM, preferably by text message, but phone calls work too. I look forward to talking with you!

Why the best time to tune a piano is either spring or fall

As you know, pianos are very sensitive to changes in temperature and humidity, and the biggest changes happen as you change over from winter to spring, and then again from summer to fall.
Continue reading →

Richmond Piano Tuning For Christmas & Holiday Season

richmond piano tuning christmasThe holidays are getting closer, and it’s time for Richmond piano tuning for Christmas & Holiday Season! It seems everyone remembers to get their piano tuned in December or even the week before Christmas. And while I hate to let anyone down, I can only tune so many pianos in a week.

So if you want your piano to sound great when you have your holiday party sing-alongs, please plan ahead just a bit, and have it tuned as soon as possible.

That way you’ll also be able to enjoy your perfectly tuned piano during the entire holiday season!

Imagine how embarrassed you (or whoever plays your piano) would be if there were sticking keys, broken strings, or other issues that result in unsavory sounds coming from your piano. And then, there’s that out-of-tune music too.

Continue reading →

Piano Tuner Near Me – Finding The Best Piano Tuner

piano tuner near meAre you looking for a new piano tuner? Or maybe you’re looking for your first one.

If you’ve recently bought or been gifted with a piano, you’re probably asking yourself: “How do I find a Piano Tuner near me?”

And when I looked around a bit online in order to find out how I could help my potential customers find me, I discovered that this is actually a very common question. That’s why I decided to write up a quick guide to help you with finding and deciding on the best piano tuner for your needs.

As you check out my website, you may also notice that I usually feature an image of a piano with each article, but this time I have decided to include a photo of myself. After all, you need to see the person who will come to your home and work on your piano, to make sure you’ll feel comfortable with him (in my case) or her.

Piano Tuner Near Me – Why That’s Important

Why is it important to find a piano tuner near you? Or at least, why should you start your search there? Continue reading →

Richmond Piano Tuner: Now Tuning In More Richmond Neighborhoods

richmond piano tunerFor years, I have been tuning pianos in the Central Virginia area, but stayed mostly in the periphery of Richmond proper. This is now changing.

I’m actively expanding into a range of City of Richmond neighborhoods and look forward to providing my piano tuning and repair services to the piano owners in Richmond proper as well.

I’m particularly looking to expand in the following areas, in no particular order: Three Chopt, University of Richmond, Willow Lawn, Windsor Farms, Tuckahoe, Bon Air, Glen Allen, Woodlake, Wyndham, Stony Point, Huguenot, Grove Avenue, and all areas in between. In addition, I’ll be happy to tune and service pianos in the VCU area, as well as in the Fan, the Museum District, and Monument Avenue.

Now, that it’s hot and humid, it’s especially important to keep an eye on your piano to ensure it will continue to work properly. If you find signs that it has been affected by the heat and humidity, be sure to have it checked.

Of course, I’ll happily do a complimentary climate control check whenever I tune a piano, Continue reading →