Collection: Piano Regulation

Contact us via telephone or email to schedule a piano tuning, regulation, voicing or repair.

T: 0800 032 9919

E: info@shacklefordpianos.com

Improve Your Piano’s Touch with Professional Regulation from Shackleford Pianos

If your piano has sticky notes, lacks responsiveness, shows uneven touch sensitivity, or has a decreased dynamic range, it may be due for piano regulation.

You might also notice keys that are not level—some higher or lower than others—or an uneven touch across the keyboard. These are clear signs that your piano needs regulation. However, a sluggish action or deep grooves in the hammers could indicate the need for reconditioning or repair. Contact us, and our experts will assess what’s needed to improve your piano’s performance.

What is Piano Regulation?
Regulation involves adjusting the mechanical parts that make up your piano’s playing action. These adjustments compensate for wear and tear caused by regular use, as well as the natural settling and compression of materials like cloth, felt, buckskin, and wood that compose the action.

Temperature and humidity fluctuations can also cause dimensional changes in these materials, affecting your piano’s action and touch.

The Three Systems Involved in Piano Regulation:

• Playing Action: The intricate mechanical system that transfers the motion of your fingers on the keys to the hammers striking the strings. This system contains over 9,000 parts that must be adjusted to precise tolerances to respond accurately to every pianist’s touch.

• Pedal Trap Work: A complex assembly of levers, dowels, and springs that connects the pedals to the action, affecting sustain and dynamics.

• Damper System: The mechanism that stops string vibration when keys or pedals are released, ensuring clean note endings.

Proper regulation ensures your piano plays smoothly, responsively, and with an even touch—helping you play better music every time.

Why Do Pianos Need Regulating?         

While piano tuning corrects the pitch of your instrument, it is only one essential part of a complete piano maintenance program. Piano regulation focuses on the touch and uniform responsiveness of your piano’s action — a vital factor in making every performance pleasurable. Regulation also ensures your piano can produce a wide dynamic range, which is especially important when playing softly (piano or pianissimo).

All upright and grand pianos require periodic regulation to perform at their best. The frequency of regulation depends on several factors including usage intensity, exposure to climatic changes, and the instrument’s quality, age, and condition. New pianos may even require regulation within their first year, as settling and compacting of parts sometimes necessitate adjustment.

Several factors influence how often your piano needs regulating:

• The intensity and duration of play

• Climatic conditions such as humidity and temperature

• The piano’s build quality and manufacturer standards

A piano kept in consistent conditions — ideally around 20°C (68°F) and 42% relative humidity — will require fewer adjustments.

Some manufacturers reduce costs by limiting regulation and voicing during production. While reputable retailers may perform the necessary regulation before sale, others might not, so it’s important to have your piano professionally serviced.

Performance instruments often need regulation before each use due to the high demands placed on them.

No amount of practice can make up for a poorly maintained action. If you experience poor legato, unclear chord playing, loss of subtle phrasing, or difficulty with fast passages and note repetitions, the problem may lie with your piano’s action — not your technique!