Voicing

Voicing is the adjustment of the piano’s quality of sound or tone. The technician will voice the piano to ensure the tone is even from the lowest to the highest notes. A piano’s tone will change with use. As the hammers wear and compact, the tone will often become too harsh. Before having a piano voiced, it should first be well-tuned and regulated. Symptoms indicating a need for voicing are similar to those requiring regulation. As with regulating, voicing typically only needs to be done once every one to five years depending on the condition of the piano and the amount of use.

Voicing is also necessary when the piano hammers require repair or replacement. As a piano ages, the hammers can develop deep ruts where they come in contact with the strings. The hammers may also flatten out and cause a slapping sound when they strike the strings, causing the piano to sound harsh or metallic. If the hammers are not too worn, they can be filed to remove some of the felt and restore the original shape. This procedure will improve the sound of the piano to some extent.

If the hammers are too old and worn to produce satisfactory results, they must be replaced. Replacing old hammers with a set of new, high quality hammers can suddenly bring a piano back to life. Installing new hammers also involves voicing as they may sound too harsh or too soft when they are first installed. It is very rare for hammers to have an even tone throughout the piano until they have been voiced.