Piano tuning requires technical expertise. An out of tune piano can sound dissonant and jarring, no matter who plays it. It is usual for a pianist to keep their instrument in relative tune with check-ups normally twice a year. Ideally your piano should be tuned once in the spring and once in the fall.

Hulme and Sweeney’s skilled piano technicians take the time needed and spend up to 2 hours tuning. To make sure that your piano performs to its greatest potential, we offer complete piano repairs. Whether it’s an action regulation or repairing broken parts, we can provide a solution to all your piano needs.

Your piano’s voice refers to its unique sound. Pianos can sound bright, mellow, and in-between. Hulme and Sweeney can voice to create different tones.

Where tuning is largely an objective process, voicing is subjective. If you like the way your piano sounds, you probably don’t need a technician to voice it (although many manufacturers recommend regulation and voicing every 4-5 years). A piano’s construction dictates some characters of its voice.

Voicing starts with a well-tuned piano. Your technician will ask you what voice characteristics you want. The technician will manipulate the hammers that strike the strings, resulting in the sound you’re looking for.

Pianos are complex instruments with many sensitive parts. Action regulation is the process that adjusts the connection from the hammers to pedals, dampers and so on.

A new piano should be regulated after the first year. Manufacturers recommend regulation every four to five years thereafter.

While most piano owners know the importance of tuning, regulation may be forgotten. However, use of the instrument, time, temperature, humidity, and more effect a piano’s action, in turn affecting its touch and thus, the sound.

In the case that you experience a buzzing sound, sticking notes or uneven keys, your piano may be a candidate for regulation, or at least some attention.

Keys, pedals, hammers, strings, pins and dampers all need to be maintained. Thankfully, many repairs are minor. Hulme and Sweeney technicians can identify and fix most problems during a regular tuning session. We carry with us a complete inventory of parts needed to fix keys, replace strings and even install new parts in the action.

If you notice anything ‘off’ about your instrument between tuning visits, call us to talk about your concerns. Whether it’s a broken string, a buzz, a sticky key or just a sense that something’s off, our experts will handle your concerns, identify the problem and provide a time and cost estimate for the repairs.

Regardless of your intent to refurbish or sell your piano, Hulme and Sweeney piano experts will conduct an in-person visit to assess its overall condition, estimate its value, and determine what kind of attention it needs.

If you’re interested in selling your piano, we’ll quote a value and perhaps offer to sell it on consignment. We may offer suggestions on how to go about selling it on your own.