How Do I Find Out More About my Piano? Ask a piano tuner near you

Here are a couple of features you can easily identify. You’ll be using piano technician jargon in no time!

To take a look inside your upright piano, you will first need to remove the front door (the piece of wood above the keys, that faces you as you play). First, lift the lid of the piano, and then look for a catch on either side of the front door, removing it carefully. In front of you will be the engine-room of your piano - or what your tuner would call the piano ‘action’.

You will be able to see all 230 of the piano’s strings, coiled around pins, descending towards the floor. Look closer - do the strings travel in a straight line, perpendicular to the floor (photo 1 and 4)? Or do they take a diagonal route, crossing over each other on their way down (photo 2 and 3)? If you answered yes to the first question, your piano is straight-strung; its likely to be a tall upright and made in the 19th century, or the early part of the 20th century. If you answered yes to the second question, your piano is over-strung; by running the strings diagonally across each other, manufacturers where able to package the same length strings in a more compact piano body.

Now you can see the piano’s action, give it a play. You’ll easily spot the piano’s hammers moving towards the strings, and this is what makes the piano’s sound. Are these hammers fully visible (photo 1-3), or are they hiding behind a birdcage-like structure (photo 4)? If you spot a birdcage, your piano is over-dampered. This is a older style of dampering and gives the piano a beautiful after-ring. More modern pianos are under-dampered, creating a crisper sound.

Now you know your piano a little better! If you want to know more, get in touch with a piano tuner near you.

Image 1 - Straight strung under-dampered piano action

Image 2 - overstrung under-dampered piano action

Image 3 - overstrung under-dampered piano action

Image four - straight strung over-dampered piano action