Published 6 April 2015 ● Last Updated on 6 April 2021
Do you fancy yourself to be a bit of an Arthur Rubinstein? Admit it; you spend hours letting your fingers dance over the keys of your beloved piano every night, in the hopes of finally mastering that Yann Tiersen piece you love so much; you know, that famous piece from Amelie. That’s totally understandable! The piano is one of the most powerful instruments, one that is capable of inducing intense emotions and producing beautiful sounds. Every instrument has its way of truly speaking to us, of telling a story and provoking feelings of calm, joy, nostalgia, melancholia or love, but the piano reigns in a class of its own. A simple, classic piano piece can move you to tears faster than when peeling an onion.
Parting from your cherished piano may seem unthinkable now, but you never know when you might have to downsize or better yet, have the means to buy an even better piano. As a die-hard pianist, you will already know that your piano’s maintenance is of utmost importance – even more so, if you want to make sure you can sell it decades later. Here are a few tips to keep your piano in mint condition!
Have a Daily Ritual
For all its bulky proportions, the piano is quite a delicate instrument and requires regular upkeep. If you use it often to develop your repertoire, complement it with a daily cleaning regimen to preserve your instrument. Use neither sprays nor chemicals – simply wipe the case clean with a dry cloth. For the keys, use a damp microfiber or lint-free cloth to minimize dust abrasion. Don’t attempt to clean the inside of the piano – leave that to the expert, i.e. the piano technician!
Keep Temperatures at a Constant
The same way humans are sensitive to weather and temperature changes, your piano is too. When it’s cold and dry outside it can cause you to feel low on energies and mentally down; your piano will react similarly to dry, cold weather. It will flatten the pitch and the wood work and glue fixtures will get weakened. When we’re facing Singapore’s ridiculously high humidity levels, we often feel on edge and hypersensitive; your piano will react too. Its pitch will sharpen and the moisture could even attack the strings, causing rust. Try to keep your piano room at a constant temperature, finding the perfect balance between not too wet and not too dry. If your country’s climate makes that a little difficult for you, you can always work with humidifiers or air conditioning.
Regular Tuning
Whether you have a piano for beginners or are the proud owner of a La Mort du Cygne, Erard piano, regular tuning is a must. Pianos should be tuned every six months; the longer you go without tuning it, the harder it is going to be to bring it back to its normal pitch. If you don’t actually play your piano and just have it around the house for show, tuning it every two years will suffice, providing that the temperatures in your home are consistent with the piano’s needs. If you’ve had your piano for more than ten years, you may consider a bigger check-up using a professional tuner.
Respect Your Piano
Even if you are using your piano for decoration purposes, you need to respect the delicacy of its materials. Placing flower pots on top of it may look pretty, but it can result in some ugly water rings which are impossible – or extremely expensive! – to remove. Someone who is looking for a used piano for sale may not be looking for a top notch instrument, but they will be put off by signs of misuse. Stained or chipped wood is not going to make a good impression on potential buyers!
– Roxanne is a German/British Journalist/Author based in Spain who shares our passion for all things old and quirky.
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