Tag Archives: piano care

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..

Protect Your Piano In The Winter

protect your piano in the winter

A small white kitten on a winter background with a funny look near the piano. Advertising of musical instruments

Are you wondering how to protect your piano in the winter? You’re in the right place! You’ll find several tips below to help you keep your piano in fine shape no matter what the weather outside.

Depending on where you live, it can get very cold in winter. Even in Central Virginia, we have days where we have sub-freezing temperatures. And yes, we get snow too, sometimes a lot of it.

About Temperature

To keep your piano safe, it is first of all important to keep the temperature around your piano steady, preferably around 70 degrees. And that’s what it should be all year long.

This means that you should have your thermostat set to your regular temperature and keep it there, whether you’re home or not. Even if you’re on vacation for a week, you should still keep the room with your piano at that temperature, or you might be coming back to a piano that is out of tune.

Why You Should Keep The Temperature Steady

Hot and cold temperatures can have negative effects on your piano. Cold temperatures can weaken some of the delicate wooden parts of your piano, for example. And once they’re weakened, they could snap and break your piano. Heat has a bigger effect on the metal parts. But the biggest reason is something else that comes along with hot and cold temperatures…

About Humidity

Humidity fluctuates as the temperature fluctuates. If it’s cold, humidity levels are low. And when it gets hot, they rise. You know about hot and humid days, and you also know about chapped lips and dry skin when it’s cold. That’s the effect of humidity.

When it comes to your piano, humidity can really affect especially the wooden parts. They’ll expand when the humidity is high, and shrink when it is low. And that can lead to damage to the piano, as well as to the piano going out of tune.

How to Protect Your Piano In the Winter

To protect your piano in the winter against potential damage, be sure to keep both temperature and humidity steady. The temperature should be around 70 degrees, i.e., regular room temperature. The humidity should be around 40 degrees. Of course, that’s also true when you want to protect your piano in the summer...

You could use A/C to keep the temperature steady, and if needed, you can also use a humidifier if the air gets too dry in the winter.

How would you know if the air is too dry (or to humid)? You can use a hygrometer. They’re easily available from Amazon, or you could ask your piano tuner for a recommendation.

There are also humidity control systems available, but you probably won’t need one if you can control the humidity at your home in other ways, either through your A/C or by using a humidifier and/or a dehumidifier as needed.

Some Common Sense Tips

There are also some common sense things you can do, such as keeping the windows closed on humid and rainy days…  And, of course, always keep your piano away from heaters and drafts.

Any questions? Blanton Bendall, your Richmond Piano Tuner will be happy to answer them for you. And if it’s time for him to tune your piano, he’ll be glad to make specific recommendations on how to protect your piano in the winter.

Just send him a text message at 804-677-2416 for the fastest response, or call him at that number. You may also want to visit our Southern Piano Service Facebook page (and like it while you’re there).