Keith Macfarlane Pianoforte Specialist
Business Consulting in Cape Town

Keith Macfarlane has a web site  which seeks to provide a service to the would be piano buyer, finding a teacher, finding a buyer, finding a seller, maintaining a piano, or the piano owner who wishes to have any form of assistance in the realm of pianos.     He provides advice on moving a piano, piano seller, prices for piano tuning.  Keith Macfarlane also has numerous references from past satified customers which are also listed on the web site. Keith Macfarlane Pianoforte Specialist has been in the piano business for the past 40 yrears.

A piano is made largely from wood and iron and both of these materials respond to climatic conditions. Some pianos are built in such a manner as to minimize the effects of climate on the tuning but most instruments are affected to a certain extent. The main influence on tuning is a change in relative humidity As the relative humidity rises, the soundboard swells, increasing its crowned shape and stretching the piano’s strings to a higher pitch. Then during drier times the soundboard flattens out, lowering tension on the strings causing a drop in pitch. The drop in the dry season normally exceeds the rise during humid times, so the effect is a drop in pitch each year that the piano isn’t tuned and serviced. Stretching of new strings soon after replacement of strings or on new instruments. Heavy usage such as will occur when a concert pianist is practicing for many hours in a day. Heavy usage such as worship leading in a large and lusty congregation. Continual usage in specific regions of the keyboard as will be experienced with teaching beginners. Pianos in recording studios and on concert platforms are tuned prior to rehearsals and prior to the concert or recording which can be twice a week. In Piano competitions the piano is tuned after every performance which can mean several times in one day! The replacement of felts is an expensive exercise which can be circumvented by regular tuning and maintenance! It is advisable to leave strong smelling herbs such as lavender or camphor wood in the piano to deter the moths and other insects from setting up camp. Your piano tuner should be able to provide evidence of his qualifications and training, and in this country he should preferably be a member of the SAAPPT or a at least a similar overseas Association. This will enable you to have an assurance of his abilty and his accountability. A properly trained piano tuner will have served an apprenticeship for at least three years preferably followed by a further two years of practical experience. He may also need further specialized training and experience if he is to be able to tune, regulate and voice concert instruments. This company was awarded the contract for the tuning and maintenance of all schools in the province of K.Z.Natal