Tag Archives: richmond piano tuner

Announcement: Southern Piano Service (& Piano Tuning) 804-677-2416 (M-F 9-6)

kitten on pianoWelcome to Southern Piano Service, where we take care of your piano as if it were our own!

Please note: This is my welcome message, and it will stay right here for the foreseeable future. BUT… look right underneath this post for my newest blog posts about piano care and maintenance, and lots more. Or just keep reading… 😉

To get in touch, please TEXT me (or call) anytime from Monday to Friday between 9 and 6.

If you have a piano, no matter what kind of piano it is, and if you want a trusted expert to take care of it, you’ve come to the right place.

We at Southern Piano Service love pianos, and will be very happy to help you take care of your piano and keep it in top playing condition.

Check out the services below to see the range of what we do. And if you don’t find what you’re looking for, we STILL might do it. Just give us a call at 804-677-2416. Continue reading →

Get Your Piano Ready for the Holidays

piano ready for the holodaysFall has come and gone and you’re probably thinking about getting your piano ready for the holidays. After the last holidays were more of a solitary experience for most people, you’re surely looking forward to having lots of family and friends over to celebrate.

And all those guests call for preparation. So what are the steps to get ready for them? Read on for some tips to make sure your holiday celebrations are events your family members and friends will be sure to remember.

1. Make your piano sound great

The first item on the agenda is to make sure your piano sounds great. Is it in tune? When was the last time you had it tuned? If it’s been more than 6 to 9 months, it is time to give it a little tune-up. Of course, with the holidays coming up, others have the same idea, so call or text your Richmond piano tuner as soon as possible to get on his calendar.

2. Give your piano a festive look

A great way to make your piano really shine is to give it a festive look. What does that mean? Add some holiday decorations to really make it shine. Depending on the other decorations you have in the room, you can even place a miniature tree on top, or maybe next to it. Add some beautiful baubles and glass galls, and tinsel, or whatever decorations please you most.

3. Get your piano ready for the holidays with music

You may already have plenty of sheet music for the holidays, and if so, it’s time to get it out and have it ready to play for your own enjoyment or that of your guests. If you’re a little short on music, there’s still plenty of time to shop for it, either online or in your favorite local piano store.

4. Get ready to play your holiday music

Depending on your skill level, you may also want to practice playing your favorite holiday music. If you’re playing year-round, that may not be an issue, but if you have some new music you want to try out, give yourself time to rehearse it. And if you want to play with other musicians and/or singers, maybe adding a violinist or cellist, or a guitar to your ensemble, rehearsing is a must.

5. How to expand your repertoire

Perhaps you have some favorite songs you play every year. But how about expanding your repertoire? There are a lot of websites devoted to provide you with wonderful holiday music, and even sites that help you practice holiday tunes. They’re geared to accommodate all levels of expertise, from beginners to highly experienced players. Have fun exploring them and finding your new favorites. Here are 10 holiday tunes anyone can play.

It’s easy to get your piano ready for the holidays with these steps

Get started now and getting ready will be easy enough. Start by making sure your piano sounds great. Schedule to get it tuned as soon as possible. Just text your favorite Richmond piano tuner at 804-677-2416 for an appointment.

Next, add some baubles for the proper holiday spirit to your piano, and then focus on the music. Find new favorites, practice the old ones, and get ready to enjoy the season with your family and friends.

 

Piano Tuning Richmond VA in Fall

piano tuning richmond va in fallHave you noticed the weather lately? It’s the perfect time for piano tuning Richmond VA. I’m sure you’ve noticed that it’s time to bring out the jackets and the sweaters, even though it’s not really COLD yet.

This means that in fall (or autumn, if you prefer), the weather is perfect to get the best results from your having your piano tuned.

Why the best results? Because the weather, along with the temperature and the humidity is comparatively stable, which means that your piano will stay tuned for quite a while.

The perfect time for Piano Tuning Richmond VA

Richmond has seasons, and so it can get quite cold during the winter. And when the heating system comes on, the air indoors can become quite dry, unless you’re putting some effort into setting up humidifiers.

And of course we all remember what the summer was like. Hot and humid. And humidity can expand the wooden parts in your piano and make the piano go out of tune.

But when the piano has some time to hold its tune, it will stay well-tuned for a little longer, so the best time to have it tuned is in fall — and in spring! But now it’s fall…

Perfect pitch for the holiday season

And there’s another reason to make sure your piano has perfect pitch: the upcoming holiday season! Don’t you want your piano to be in good shape for social events at your home? Someone might want to sit down and show off his or her skills. Maybe even a member of your family!

Whether you’re in the mood for some spooky tunes for Halloween, or something festive for Thanksgiving and the entire Christmas season, a well-tuned piano will increase your enjoyment greatly.

Piano Tuning, Richmond, VA, prepares your piano for holiday fun

So consider Piano Tuning. Richmond, VA, offers the perfect weather to help you get the most of your investment. Of course you’re not the only one who knows that! Others are making their appointments too, and I’ve been pretty busy as it is.

Why don’t you send me a text at 804-677-2416 to schedule a good time to have your piano tuned. Of course you can also call me if you prefer. It’s just that it’s often easier and faster for me to get back with you quickly if you send a text message. It’s just the nature of my profession…

And as you know, I don’t only tune them in Richmond, including in the Fan, the West End, Bon Air, and many other places, but also in surrounding areas. In fact, just about anywhere in Central Virginia. Whether it’s in Hanover or Henrico County, Ashland, or any of the surrounding towns and communities, I’ll be happy to tune your piano.

Just text or call me at 804-677-2416, and I’ll take care of your piano!

P.S.: Please visit (and like) my Facebook page too.

 

How to Protect Your Piano in the Summer

how to protect your piano in the summerIt’s summer in Richmond and Central Virginia again, and temperatures are inching up. So does the humidity. t’s time to find out how to protect your piano in the summer from excess heat and humidity as well as temperature and humidity fluctuations. It’s also a good idea to find out whether you need a humidity control system for your piano.

You probably know that your piano is very sensitive to changes in temperature and humidity. And so it’s important to protect it from those changes as much and possible. read on for some tips on how to keep your piano safe during the hot Central Virginia summer months.

How Humidity Changes Can Affect Your Piano

You may wonder how a change in humidity can affect your piano. As you know, your piano is mostly made out of wood. And wood expands and contracts as the room humidity increases and decreases. As a result, your piano can go out of tune. worse, some of the key wooden parts can crack and may need costly repairs.

How to Protect Your Piano in the Summer

As a Richmond Piano Tuner, I am constantly giving tips to my clients on how to protect their piano in the summer.
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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.

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).

Piano Music For The Holidays & Christmas

Piano Music For The Holidays

Are you planning to share your Piano Music for the Holidays? How about checking out some Christmas Sheet Music to get ready?

I just took a look around to find some great options for you. Some of them are free and others have a very reasonable price tag.

So if you have guests at home over the holiday season, starting now and all the way to Christmas and into the New Year, take a look around…
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Spooky Piano Music For Halloween

spooky piano musicIt’s fall, and time for spooky piano music for Halloween! And even though I’m your Richmond piano tuner, I’m not talking about piano tunes that are spooky because the piano is out of tune.

In fact, the spooky tunes work best when played on a piano that is perfectly in tune. Of course, since it’s fall and a lot of people have their pianos tuned right now, which is the perfect time to tune a piano. That makes for some great spooky piano music!

So what are spooky tunes and where can you find them?

Spooky Piano Music For Halloween

Take a look at the following YouTube videos:

And here are some more…
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Back To School Piano Practice

back to school piano practiceWhat’s so special about back to school piano practice? Well, a lot of kids (and adults) are side-tracked by summer fun and activities and are taking a break from practicing the piano.

And after a few weeks or even months of time-out, getting back into a regular practice routine can be a challenge.

So what to do? I’ll focus on tips for kids, but they apply to adults too, at least in modified form…

Focus on Having Fun

The first thing you should focus on is having fun! Sure, a few scales and other practice items are always good to do. But make an effort to find pieces that your young piano student will really enjoy! In fact, you as an older piano student should follow the same principle.
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Easter Piano Music And The Perfect Time for Tunings

easter piano musicDid you notice? Spring is in the air! It looks like we’ve made it through most of the cold weather, and the temperatures are more normal again. Your piano will certainly appreciate that. And Easter piano music may be part of your spring enjoyment, which also makes March the perfect time for tunings.

And while it’s a bit early to actually tune it right this minute, it’s time to get on the schedule of your favorite Richmond piano tuner so I can get to it at the perfect time, right after the last cold spell and when the temperature has been normal for a little while so the piano had a chance to adjust. Let’s say in March!

Remember, the two biggest enemies of your piano’s perfect sound are temperature fluctuations and changes in humidity. And both are drastically different when the seasons change from winter to spring to summer.

Continue reading →