DSC_1005-7_1280x857Like people, every piano has its own unique voice. We may describe one piano as being ‘tinny’ and another as being ‘warm’. Although every piano is designed to sound a particular way this can be modified to better suit the players preferences or to be restored to its original tone if it has deteriorated with age. The process of modifying a piano’s tone is called voicing. Over time, hammer head felts become compressed, hard and grooved from the repetitive hitting of the strings. Once this happens hammers are reshaped to match the strings, creating a flush perfect connection with the string plane. The piano hammers are then needled and/or chemically treated to adjust the tone. It is recommended that pianos are voiced routinely to retain their beautiful sound.