Though pianos have an inbuilt natural characteristic, there is also a huge amount our technicians can do to voice and regulate an instrument to ‘customise’ those qualities.
This may be to take into consideration the size and acoustics of the room in which the piano will be housed, the style of playing which you prefer and the repertoire you enjoy playing.
Though at some of our venues, a concert piano may need to be used for a particular recording which needs a particular voicing, the same piano may also be needed at a later date for another performance from a different part of the musical spectrum. Subtle changes are made to the regulation and/or voicing set up to facilitate the exact needs of the pianists for a particular performance. This ‘customising’ can equally be applied to quality domestic pianos, and to an even greater degree if the piano is undergoing a full or even partial rebuild.
When sourcing pianos for our clients, we ask if there are particular ‘ideals’ with regard to tone. This can be answered by way of favourite pianists and/or recordings, favourite repertoire, as well as other particular likes and dislikes of the individual. Although some of the pianos we source already have specific and immaculate set-up which perfectly enhances the natural qualities of the piano, we also on occasion have pianos which are still in the pre-finishing stage, so awaiting client’s instructions.