What is piano regulation, and why does my piano need it?

What is regulation, anyway?

Everyone understands that a piano needs regular tuning to sound pleasing. Many don't realize that all pianos must also be regulated occasionally so they respond correctly when played.

Regulation means adjusting all the action parts so they work together as designed, restoring a “touch” that gives you good control. That sounds simple — 88 notes, 88 adjustments, right? Not quite.

Thousands of parts

There are somewhere between 2,000 and 6,000 parts in an average piano action, mostly wood and felt — materials that change over time as wood shrinks and swells and felt compresses. So the factory regulation slowly drifts as the piano ages and is played, and adjustments are needed to bring it back to factory specs.

In fact there are 8–10 adjustments per key, totaling around 800, some set to a thousandth of an inch. Most pianos that are “due for a regulation” are off by as much as a quarter inch. It's amazing they function at all — and even more amazing how much improvement clients notice once it's done.

Keys and action

Regulation breaks into two areas. Key regulation levels the keys to the same resting height and sets how far each travels when pressed; sometimes this is within tolerance and can be skipped. The action portion holds most of the adjustments and takes most of the abuse, so it's more often required.

An action-only regulation takes about 6 hours, sometimes more; keyboard regulation can add another 4–6. Grand actions are usually removed and taken to the shop for the special regulation bench, while upright actions are regulated in the piano at your home.