The Fundamentals of Piano Tuning and Maintenance

Essentials of Care, Maintenance, and Mechanics

by Jason Cassel

A richly illustrated, contemporary guide for the fundamentals of piano tuning, regulation, and repair.

Registered Piano Technician Jason Cassel provides a clear, methodical path for those interested in learning the skills of a piano technician and turning that into a career. Over 170 photos and 40 supplemental videos help the reader understand what to listen for and how to subtly manipulate the tools to achieve success.

Key Features:

Rich Visuals: High-quality images and diagrams make complex concepts easy to understand.
Video Content: Exclusive videos demonstrate key concepts, difficult procedures, and techniques.
Step-by-Step Lessons: Piano tuning, regulation, and repair are structured into 35 digestible lessons.
Hands-On Homework Assignments: Practical exercises are designed to build real-world experience.
Regulation Adjustments Table: A clear, easy-to-follow reference table shows each adjustment point and which direction to turn the screw.
US vs. UK Terminology Tables: Regional differences in piano terminology are explained.

Cassel explains how to safely remove the case parts of the piano and then the action parts before diving into piano tuning. He surveys the adjustment points in the piano action for both an upright and grand piano. The book includes both US and UK terminologies. Finally, the book lists the most common reasons for specific repairs, such as clicks, buzzes, squeaks, sticky keys, leaking/ringing dampers, and even a step-by-step guide to replacing a broken string.

Jason Cassel serves as a piano technician for the School of Music at Brigham Young University, USA. He is a Registered Piano Technician with the Piano Technicians Guild, where he serves as both a Certified Tuning and Technical Examiner and has received manufacturer training from Steinway & Sons, Yamaha, Mason & Hamlin, and Renner USA. Cassel received the Crowl-Travis Member of Note Award for his contributions to the piano industry, as well as the Jack Greenfield Award in recognition of his over three dozen articles in the Piano Technicians Journal.