If a bass string on a piano is broken be sure to save the string. Store it in a safe place like the piano bench or simply inside the piano at it’s base. This broken string will be used in the fabrication of the new one and to ensure the new string is precisely the same measurements as the old one. This will limit false beating and scaling issues. The piano technician in most cases will pick up the string and have it shipped or dropped off at the bass string makers. When the string is complete, (usually allow two weeks) the technician will come back and put the new string on. The difficulty in replacing broken strings is that it requires several visits before the string will maintain it’s pitch. In my experience if the string has been well stretched it takes at least one other visit and perhaps a second a couple months later.

Conclusion: The unfortunate thing about broken piano strings is that it requires several, often short visits (3 to 4) on the part of the piano tuner and it is these many visits that make it a costly, yet necessary procedure.

Allison Wiebe has a Master’s of Music in Piano Literature and Performance from the University of Western Ontario and also holds a Solo Piano Performer’s ARCT Diploma from the Royal Conservatory of Music.  She specializes in the study and performance of 20^th- century music.  She will be performing Friday February 1st at 12:30 in Von Kuster Hall in the Music Faculty.

For her complete bio visit UWO’s page.

It is now possible to hook up a Yamaha Disklavier Piano to your computer and listen to the specified radio station on your piano.  You will never have a dull moment because you  won’t be limited to listening to music you own.  To see this feature in use visit D&S Pianos in London, Ontario on Hyde Park Road.  Visit the Yamaha webpage to see the list of features that the new Disklaviers have.

A good friend of mine Quillan Quarrington’s father Joel Quarrington will be touting his virtuoso double bass solo skills at Von Kuster Hall here in London, Friday January 25 as part of the University of Western Ontario’s noon time concert series. The event is free and open to everyone, though 248 seats fill up in a hurry.