Voicing or tone regulation is the process of changing the character and timbre of the piano tone to make it more pleasing and even from note to note and throughout the range of the piano. Voicing includes preliminary regulation of the action, strings leveling and other fine adjustments and by working with the hammers.
Voicing can be done to change the character of a piano's sound to match individual tastes, or to increase or decrease the sound level of the instrument. Our goal in voicing is to produce a full, rich, clean and even voicing with excellent carry and sustain. We avoid bright or harsh over voicing and strive for a smooth bell like tonal quality with even progression of tone throughout the scale.
All pianos need voicing regulation at some time. Hammer felt is highly compressed. Over time distorations in the surface and throughout the hammer felt will cause changes to the sound of the piano. Wear is also a factor.
Among the techniques used in voicing:
- Needling of hammer felt
- Liquid infusion to the hammer felt for hardening purposes
- Filing and shaping of the hammer felt
- Ironing of hammer felt
- Gentle steam exposure to surface felt of hammers
- Action regulation adjustments
