MARSHALL'S PIANO SERVICE

07/28/2024

Today's Sunday. Enjoy this day the Lord has made, and if you're in church praying to find someone to tune your piano, God has already answered your prayer. Call me today to schedule your piano tuning/service. call 215-510-9400.

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07/27/2024

July 26, 2024
No didn't forget our series on "The Piano Owner's Mindset."

This is the last post of our small series. We covered quite a bit of material for us to think about. It's important to hold the correct mindset toward piano care and appreciation.

The piano is an instrument and should receive regular service whether it's being played or not, even if it's an annual tuning. If for anything, perhaps someone would visit and sit down to play the piano and discover even if it's out of tune, it's not so far out because it hasn't been tuned in fifteen or twenty years.

should the piano keep their piano if they refuse to grasp the correct mindset? I think the piano should be donated or given to someone who maintains the right perspective.

I hope these posts rekindled or birthed an appreciation of the piano's importance as a musical instrument rather than a piece of furniture used to hold pictures and lamps. Stay tuned for more posts and as always, comment or call to schedule your piano tuning/service at 215-510-9400

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07/26/2024

Today is July 26, 2024
I apologize for the Delay. It was a busy day. This week, we've been discussing "The Piano Owner's Mindset." We've covered a lot of ground, so please go back and read the past posts if you haven't already.

This post will be a little shorter, but it is a topic I want to address. this is part of the wrong perspective we discussed previously. Sometimes I receive this response, "Insert child's name, isn't taking lessons anymore," or "Nobody's playing it." So for whatever reason, the piano knows it is no longer being played and remembers the hard work I put into it making certain it was in tune and stable. I did say pianos are living and breathing, but I meant this in an artistic, musical sense. lol. The piano will not magically stay tuned until somebody plays it. The weather will not suddenly stabilize until the piano is played. This too is an incorrect mindset. How do we correct it?

It ties in with the previous posts. The perspective is like a snowball. If we take this week's previous topics and roll them like a snowball or stack them like building blocks they unfortunately connect or build upon each other.

To alter the piano owner's mindset requires a transformation of all the misconceptions we've discussed. The fact a piano is no longer being played adds to the unappreciation of the instrument and the disrespect piano technicians receive as experts.

There isn't a solution unless the entire mindset receives a makeover. This is the sad truth. I cannot offer any advice here except the piano owner must reprogram their perspective. Depending on the individual, it may be a lost cause, but there may be those few who have hope and grasp the proper mindset.

Join me tomorrow for our last post on this series where we will discuss the remedy for the few who have hope to gain the proper perspective and assume a new "Piano Owner's Mindset." I'll add some final thoughts as well to wrap things up. In the meantime, comment, or call to schedule your piano tuning at 215-510-9400.

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07/25/2024

Today is July 25, 2024 and we continue with the series, 'The Piano Owner's Mindset"

The past couple of days we discussed the importance of a piano being a musical instrument with furniture-like characteristics. Transforming a piano into another work of art is always an option if a piano is no longer playable or tunable especially if the piano holds sentimental value.

Today I want to travel a different road, which is often taken by piano owners. Perhaps this is due to the day and age we live. If a mechanic said that your car needed his particular repair/service to pass state inspection if your state has one, would you rebuff, "No, my car doesn't need that." or let's say a plumber tells you that tree roots are blocking your pipes and causing problems underground, would you reply, "No my plumbing doesn't need that while you stand that trying to figure out why the toilet keeps overflowing? Why should a piano be different?

Once in a while, when I contact customers to schedule their regular tunings, I receive the rebuff, "My piano doesn't need tuning." I challenged a customer one afternoon to her disliking, but it was necessary. The wrong piano mindset places the piano owner in the seat of the piano expert because, after all, a piano is a piece of furniture, right? Wrong. Perhaps it's a matter of finances, but a piano owner holding the correct perspective doesn't allow money to deter them. They want their instrument tuned and sounding fresh throughout the year. In fact, almost six months ago, a customer and I scheduled her September piano tuning. As a quick side note, it doesn't matter what type of piano the piano owner plays. If they embrace the proper perspective, they'll care for their instrument. Who is the expert?

Once the piano owner's perspective is properly grounded. Like a doctor, lawyer, plumber, mechanic, etc, the piano tuner/technician is the expert. Iff a person refuses to grasp the right mindset, they should call a furniture repair person. I'd like to see if they could tune or repair the piano beyond the furniture-like structure. The funny thing is, we piano technicians/tuners sometimes utilize furniture repair experts if the outer structure requires service beyond our skill set. What is needed?

Respect for our craft is required. Respect for a piano technician/tuner's craft and the right mindset go hand in hand. Unfortunately, if a piano owner refuses to hold the right mindset, the respect for our craft is null and void. "That's Ok, my piano, desk, living room set,, and kitchen set don't need tuning, but thanks."

Tomorrow, we'll explore another road often traveled by piano owners who grasp the wrong mindset. Our series is winding up. If you have any questions about this topic or comments, leave them here, or eel free to call 215-510-9400 if you wish to schedule your instrument's tuning/service. If the outer structure is damaged beyond my skill set, I can locate a great furniture repair person. Have a great day. Happy piano playing, and we will meet again tomorrow.

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07/24/2024

July 24, 2024. It's Wednesday and we continue our series, "The Piano Owners Mindset.

Yesterday we explained that a piano is a musical instrument with furniture-like characteristics, and as a musical instrument, it should be treated as such, with regular tuning/maintenance. I asked, "Should someone own a piano who's not playing it or treating it like the very musical instrument it is?" My answer, ,"No." No? Did he say No? Aside from sentimental value, a piano has no value if it's not played regularly, and sentimental value can apply to any piece of furniture. However, a piano is a musical instrument. Imagine the power/influence this correct mindset would have if a pianist inherited a piano from a previous pianist who also had the right mindset. Simply taking a piano off someone's hands isn't enough. The right mindset must also accompany the piano.

We want to save the piano because we too appreciate this instrument and want to pass along the legacy of the previous instrument owner to our children or ourselves. My cousin who didn't have the correct perspective called and asked if I wanted my uncle's piano. Of course, I did. I told my wife when we purchase a home, we're keeping this piano and I'd like to buy a better quality piano since I am a musician. The correct mindset and the piano should go hand in hand when a piano is passed along.

Is a piano an instrument and never a piece of furniture a hard fast rule? there is an exception. If the piano is no longer tunable or playable but has sentimental value, have a professional dismantle it and use its case to create something special.

If a piano is no longer played and enjoyed, the owner should pass it on to someone who will treat it like it was intended to be used. Pianos shouldn't sit idle. Unlike a desk, table, or bed, a piano speaks and feels. Together the piano owner who holds the proper mindset and the piano has the power to create a unique experience with every song and arrangement played. Can a desk or other piece of furniture accomplish this? No.

Are you ready to grasp this correct and necessary mindset? Call me to schedule your piano tuning so that together you and your piano can make music. 215-510-9400.

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07/23/2024

Today is July 23, 2024, and we continue our short series, The Piano Owner's Mindset

Often a piano is seen like any other piece of furniture, a table, chair, desk, etc. Sometimes a piano has sentimental value. I'll hear customers say, "My mother had this piano when she was a little girl." I get it. I have a piano my uncle once owned. He thought someone would take lessons but the piano just sat like, "furniture." He too had the wrong mindset.

A piano is an instrument, one with many moving intricate parts. Sure, it does have furniture-like characteristics such as a cabinet, a nice finish, and matches the room's decor, but the reality is, that a piano is a musical instrument. All instruments require care. Pianos are no different. They require maintenance, tuning etc. I had a woman call me who had the correct mindset or perspective. She didn't play piano and no one in the house did either, but she called because she wanted a repair completed because a piano should work properly she explained in a nut shell.

Tomorrow, we'll address this issue a little differently and answer the questions, "What if no one's playing the piano?" and A"What if the piano is no longer tunable, but for now grasp this take away for this post today. A piano is a musical instrument and should be treated as such. Would I be so bold as to say a person shouldn't own a piano if they are treating it otherwise? Come back tomorrow for my answers. Have a great rest of your day and feel free to call with your questions or to schedule a piano tuning/service 215-510-9400.

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07/22/2024

Hi Everyone,
There's more to piano tuning than the fact it should be tuned regularly. (6 to 12 months) and there's more to piano tuning than the method by which it's tuned (Aurally or Electronically). Piano tuning is a frame of mind, and changing one's mindset is often required to grasp the importance of regular piano tuning/service.

It's Monday, July 22, 2024, and I'm going to post a short series , The Piano Owner's Mindset. Todays topic, Realizing the fact that piano tuning/service is a mindset. Like auto care, the owner knows that at certain milage points, certain services are required aside from regular oil changes, tire rotation etc. Pieanos are no different. Well they are. I've never seen someone drive a piano except on a cartoon. So for today, realize that piano tuning is a mindset, an approach, a necessity. Tomorrow I'll dig a little deeper into this mindset. In the meantime, feel free to reach out and schedule your piano tuning.

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07/19/2024

Nothing surprises me when it comes to people and the care of their pianos. People are often clueless. Sure you find those few who get it. They want their pianos tuned/serviced regularly, (one or twice a year), but every now and then I run into a situation where a customer thinks they know whether their piano requires tuning or does not require tuning. In reality, they don't want to spend the money caring for their instrument which is somewhat understandable due to our economy. However, it's best to be totally honest. Rather than say, "My piano doesn't need tuning," the optimum answer would be, "I don't have the money right now to have it tuned." There's never shame when a person is completely honest. The economy is tough and it has affected many, but for those who are still willing, I'm here and ready to schedule your piano tuning. So don't delay Call 215-510-9400 and let's make it happen.

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05/18/2024

How's your piano tuning holding up?

05/04/2024

It's already May and that means the time for special events is upon us. If you have a gathering or occasion and would like to have live music, contact us. It's never too late to have your piano tuned as well. Let us know how we can help.

06/14/2023

In yesterday's post, we asked this question. "How often should a piano be tuned?" This question often comes up when we service/tune a piano. We have two answers. The first is the ideal most beneficial answer. The second is unfortunately what we often see due to many factors which we'll discuss in another post. A piano should be tuned every six to twelve months. Like piano tuning, we have a certain standard we aim toward for example a third should beat at a certain rate, but mathematically this isn't always possible. Six to twelve months is an ideal time frame, but other factors play a part and we'll cover those in another post. Stay tuned. No pun intended.

06/13/2023

Today I serviced a Baldwin Hamilton that hasnt been tuned in over 20 years. How often should a piano be tuned? Can you guess?