You may have seen pianos in museums that look like new, and
you may have seen home or public pianos that were much “younger” but very won
out. When she visited her friend in Florence, Tomoko went to a Medici house museum. There she spied an antique harpsichord. The owners let her play: Bach’s Prelude and Fugue in C sharp major. It felt as if the centuries melt away.
As a piano owner, performer, and teacher, Tomoko knows the
value of taking care of pianos. Pianists can only be as good as the instrument
they use. Here are some tips to keep
your piano in good shape so the music sounds as good as possible.
Prevention is a good start. If your piano has a keyboard lid,
keep those keys clean longer by closing that lid when the piano is not being
playing. Pianists should also wash their hands before playing to cut down on
the possible dirt and oil.
Even the physical location of the piano can affect its
condition. Piano parts, especially the soundboard, are sensitive to temperature
and humidity. Ideally, the humidity near the piano should be a consistent
40%-50% to minimize swelling and shrinking. The area around the piano should be
well ventilated, and the piano should not be placed next to a window or exterior
wall. Nor should you put extraneous items on the piano such as heavy objects,
which can effect the piano’s tone, or water containers (for obvious reasons).
Keys should be cleaned regularly. If the keys are ivory, clan
them with a mixture of warm water and a little dish soap. If the keys are
plastic, clean them with a mixture of filtered water and white vinegar. In both
cases, wipe the keys vertically with a lint-free cloth; avoid paper towels.
To avoid damaging the piano, have it professionally tuned every
six months. That’s because piano strings need correct, consistent tension. Other
parts of the piano, such as the pins and hammers, also need to be examined and
serviced to slow down damage. A professional turn can even adjust the piano’s tonal
quality by altering the hammers’ rigidity. Regular tuning actually saves money in the
long run because the strings and other parts will stay in better shape longer.
You want the performance and music to be the best quality,
and maintaining the piano in good condition optimizes both the composition and
the performer.
