Tuning
Dan tunes by ear. He does not rely on electronic tuning devices. The temperament he uses is known as a two-octave temperament which was introduced to the trade by the late Dr. Al Sanderson of Harvard University. This allows for pure octaves stretched over a 3 to 4-octave range. Clarity, sustain, and volume are enhanced when octaves and their overtones are perfectly stacked. This produces sympathetic resonance with a richer and fuller-bodied sound.
To maintain tuning stability over many months of use, Dan recommends the Piano Life Saver System by Dampp Chaser
Tunings start at $128.00.
Action Rebuilding
Custom high-performance action rebuilding and precision-touch design is a specialty at Skelley Piano. Over the years wear from usage begins to take its toll on even the finest pianos. Hammers become worn and harsh sounding, key felt bushings become loose and wobbly, and the instrument displays a lack of dynamic control and range. The craft of piano technology has advanced to the point where customizing the touch of an action can surpass its original performance, even if the piano is from a well-known maker. There are many reasons for this:
- Working on the touch utilizes expertise that is not required of factory workers.
- Action work is at the end of the assembly line. Production schedules necessitate completion even when there is more work to be done.
- Very innovative piano technicians have researched leverage, weight, and friction in piano actions and have made that research available to other technicians who are able to put it into practice.
In his custom high-performance action rebuilds, Dan uses David Stanwood's non-proprietary action protocols for evaluating how an action is performing and is one of the few technicians in western Washington that has the equipment and experience to deliver this degree of accuracy in action rebuilding. Both the key and its corresponding hammer are weighed on a gram scale and balanced for precise weighted gradation. Before and after results are printed on a graph showing changes in friction, weight, and leverage throughout the action.
Prices for a custom action rebuild and precision touch design start at about $1,900.
Regulation
Regulation is the adjustment of the action mechanism to compensate for the effects of dimensional changes in wood, cloth, leather, and felt caused by wear and humidity fluctuation. Precise regulation accomplishes 3 goals:
- optimal repetition (how many times can a note sound in one second)
- enhanced power and control (very important in pianissimo play)
- evenness of feel from note to note.
There are over 9,000 parts in an action which require adjustments to critical tolerances to be able to respond to a pianist's every command.
For more info on regulation, please see ptg.org and search for regulation.
Voicing
Most musicians rely on their technique and years of study to produce a beautiful tone. But for pianists it is different. Their tone quality is given to them by their piano and optimized and maintained by experienced piano technicians.
Most pianists think of voicing as inserting needles into the hammers to change the quality of tone. While this is true, there are few technicians that perform the necessary procedures prior to needling that prepare the piano to sing its sweetest.
All the strings must be seated on their bearing points, the hammers must be properly shaped and level at their apexes, and the hammers must be fitted to hit all 3 strings simultaneously. Correct hammer fitting promotes sustain, clarity, and tonal power. Steinway describes this process as "essential!"
In addition to string fitting and seating, and hammer shaping; the piano must be tuned and regulated. Then and only then begins the process of tone building by needling, steaming, ironing, or the use of chemical hardeners.
An experienced concert technician knows the exact placement and depth of the needle to achieve the intended result.
Much of Dan's voicing experience comes from years of working on Steinways and from all the training he has had at the Steinway factory in New York.
For more info on voicing, please go to ptg.org and search for voicing.
Reconditioning
Another service that Dan is proud to offer and that few technicians are able to feature is the all-day piano reconditioning. In this process his voicing, tuning, regulation and repair skills are essential; but prioritizing each procedure is just as important because of time constraints. Speed, agility, and stamina all affect the outcome as well as an intuitive talent for knowing a piano's potential.
He has offered this service to the WSMTA Scholarship Fund at each of their conventions for the last 4 years. All teachers who have been awarded the service through their auction have been thrilled with the result. The cost is $600.
