You may be asking, what is regulation? Simply put, regulation is the service which a technician performs on your piano(s) where each individual key is set to perform its best.
In acoustic pianos everything has to do with leverage. The Afrikaans word for “Keys” is “Klawers” which also means “Levers”. This is the best word for a piano key because that is exactly what it is, a lever. If you look at the keyboard from the side, you will see that the keys are angled slightly upwards. You have probably already learned that playing a chord with your fingers at the edge of the keys (as opposed to in the middle), requires a different amount of force and gives the chord an altered expression. This is due to leverage.
The angle at which they sit in relation to the other internal parts it affects is what we as technicians alter to help the piano perform at its best and to help you, the musician, perform with the most ease.
Regulation should be done periodically. Usually every three to five years due to wear and tear, and slight changes that happen because of humidity and temperature.
So let us give so some perspective of how regulation will affect you as a pianist.
Lost Motion:
Incorrect: The piano key depresses a few millimeters before moving the hammer.
Correct: The piano key moves the hammer at the same time it is depressed.
Problem: If your fingers are pressing the keys but the hammers are not moving together. It is not only wasted energy on your hands but it can also lead to mistimed notes. One note can hit the strings before the others in a chord.
Key Leveling:
Incorrect: The keys are not all at the same height or, at the optimal height for your piano.
Correct: All the keys are level with each other and set at the optimal height. Usually 20-22mm above the “key slip” – The piece of wood in front of the keys when the fallboard is open.
Problem: Playing on a piano with unlevelled keys is difficult as your hand learns incorrect posture to play notes/chords. Along with this, one or more of your fingers will work harder than the others and/or, your fingers will get caught on some keys while performing scales and/or arpeggios.
Key Dip:
Incorrect: The keys depress too deeply or too shallow or, one key depresses more than another.
Correct: All keys depress by the same amount. The usually standard is about 10mm on modern pianos.
Problem: Although a slightly shallower touch will give you a Mozart type feel, this will reduce the tone of the piano. Inconsistencies in key dip with train your hands incorrectly and waste energy if you must move your fingers more than they should be moved.
Aftertouch:
Incorrect: Every key feels slightly differently, it feels like it “clicks” under your fingers. The scales do not feel consistent, and each key requires a different amount of power to execute a note.
Correct: Every key feels relatively the same and requires roughly the same amount of force to execute it.
Problem: This makes a piano’s touch unpredictable. To execute a correct fortissimo or pianissimo, one must be able to predict the amount of pressure required for each relative passage. The touch must be as smooth as the piano can give to make musical expression easier and more natural.
Any musical instrument is essentially an extension of oneself. If the instrument is not properly maintained, there will always be frustrations when it comes to practicing. Music is challenging enough, and you need not have extra concerns regarding your instrument(s).
After an out-of-tune piano, an unregulated piano is one of the most common reasons why students stop practicing. They are just not always aware of this. If you are having trouble executing passages, phrases, articulations or ornaments in your music, your piano’s regulation may be interfering with your technique.
Regulation can be done in varying degrees depending on each piano. Ask your technician if your piano needs regulation to meet your needs.