Key repair for sluggish keys
This post supplements an earlier post about key fit which focused more on wobbly keys. This post illustrates an example of the opposite extreme, when piano keys feel too tight or sluggish.
Piano keys are largely made of wood, and sometimes this wood warps, shrinks, and swells. For pianos in DC, Maryland, and Virginia, many pianos need key adjustments after every major seasonal change.
Sometimes when keys become sluggish and slow to return, keys need to be eased. Key easing loosens connection points that fit too tightly around pins underneath the key. The wood or felt is carefully resized, or eased back, to fit perfectly around these pins.
A good key fit allows for smooth, controlled key movement that is consistent across the keyboard. This is a basic requirement for the piano to play properly, even for beginning pianists.
The video above shows key easing on a piano in our shop. It needed multiple passes at key easing, and another pass still once the season changed and DMV humidity took hold.
For piano owners in the DMV, key easing is part of regular maintenance. As a boutique piano dealer and service provider serving Alexandria, Fairfax County, Washington DC, and the surrounding region, we usually ease keys during standard tuning visits.
If your piano has tight keys — or if you’re shopping for a piano and want confidence in how it’s been prepared — we’re happy to help! Reach out and let’s talk about what you need.