Friday, February 27, 2015

A Piano Tuning F.A.Q.

by Garrett Hope, certified piano technician and
owner of the Nebraska Tuning Company, LLC













Pianos are beautiful instruments, but there is often a lot of confusion about the care and maintenance they require. Below are some of the frequently asked questions asked of me. I hope you find this information useful! If you have any further questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me at 402-875-6271, or tuner@nebraskatuningco.com.

How often should my piano be tuned?
Piano manufacturers recommend a piano be tuned at least twice a year. In geographic regions, like the state of Nebraska, that experience four seasons it becomes very important to tune your piano every six months. With the change of temperature and humidity from winter to summer and back again, the wood in your piano experiences a tremendous amount of contraction and expansion. This, along with the general quality of your piano, explains why a piano goes out of tune so quickly. Can some pianos get by with only tuning once a year? Yes, but you risk having to perform a pitch raise. The rule of thumb is to have your piano tuned every six months.

When a piano is regularly tuned it becomes more stable so it will fall out of tune less quickly, and each new tuning takes less time. Furthermore, your piano technician will be able to identify any problems before they become a major issue.

What is a pitch raise?
When a piano is grossly out of tune a pitch raise is required to bring the strings back up to the pitch standard of A440. When a piano has not been tuned regularly (I often encounter pianos that have not been tuned for years!) the strings will generally be extremely flat. Simply bringing the strings up to pitch risks applying uneven tension across the piano and string breakage. When conducting a pitch raise, the piano technician will have to do a preliminary tuning to increase string tension before fine tuning, which is why a pitch raise can add an additional 45 minutes to an hour to the regular tuning. Furthermore, if a piano is extremely out of tune or very old, it may be necessary to tune the piano to itself but not bring the strings all the way up to pitch.

I like to use the analogy of visiting the chiropractor for spine care when discussing pitch raises on the piano. If you are in chronic pain a single adjustment might relieve some acute pain, but the underlying problem will still be present. In order to get your body working optimally it will require additional adjustments until you can get on a regular maintenance schedule. So it is for pianos. If the piano has not been cared for it will take several tunings (including one or more pitch raises) before the tuning of the piano is stable. This is, of course, assuming that the piano is of good quality and doesn’t have any other major issues preventing it from being raised up to pitch or becoming stable.

My child is taking piano lessons. How necessary is it to tune my piano?
It is critical that a student hear and experience the music they are playing with an in-tune piano—the way it was meant to be heard. When a child is studying an instrument they are not only learning technique (the how of playing an instrument), but they are also training their ears on how to hear music. Musicianship is a combination of technique, theory (the study of how music works), and ear training (learning to identify scales, intervals, chords, etc. aurally). A piano that is out of tune hampers the student’s development of ear training. This, in turn, can have a negative effect on the overall musical development of the student. You should consider having your piano tuned both as an investment in maintaining the instrument as well as an investment in the musical education of your child.

How much does it cost to have my piano tuned?
The Nebraska Tuning Company, LLC charges $95 plus tax for a standard tuning. If your piano requires a pitch raise it will be an additional $30. If you are tuning your piano regularly (every six months) the cost averages out to only $0.52 a day!

I have a key that seems to stick, can you help with that?
This is a common problem, especially in older pianos. The piano is a large, finely engineered mechanical device with lots of moving pieces. Typically, these pieces are made of wood and move on flanges and pins that can become dirty and sticky, or break, over time. When you call a piano technician to set up a tuning you should let them know if you’re having any problems with the keys and he or she can evaluate the problem while tuning.

How can I find a good used piano?
Many families with children studying music desire to have a real piano for their children to learn on. And rightly so! It is possible to learn a lot of the technique of playing piano at an electronic keyboard, but keyboards generally lack the touch, weight, and sensitivity of a real piano. There are electronic keyboards that offer these features, but their cost is nearly equivalent to purchasing a good used piano. Furthermore, they never sound as good as a real piano.

If you are in the market for a used piano you need to be wary of free or very low cost pianos on Craigslist. Many of these pianos are older and may not be worth the cost of getting back into playing order. Sometimes even family heirloom pianos, such as Grandma’s old upright that she wants to pass on to you, will only be worth the effort and expense of moving it and tuning it if it has high sentimental value.

Many piano technicians offer the service of evaluating used pianos for a nominal fee so consider asking a technician to perform an evaluation before purchasing a used piano. I don’t mean to be so negative though! You might find a real peach out there. A safer bet, and the option I recommend, is to visit Dietz Pianos (48th and R) because they have a great rent-to-own program for used pianos at a very low monthly rate.

Friday, February 6, 2015

Welcome: Jesse McBee


Harris Academy of the Arts proudly welcomes new instructor, Jesse McBee! Jesse will be teaching trumpet, baritone, euphonium, trombone, and tuba.

Jesse McBee is a jazz trumpet player currently based in Lincoln, NE. He graduated from West Virginia University with a Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies, and the University of Louisville with a Master of Music in Jazz Performance. He is currently pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts in Jazz Performance at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where he also serves as a Graduate Teaching Assistant and Hixson-Lied Fellow.

Most recently, Jesse has had the opportunity to serve as a sabbatical replacement in the Jazz Division at West Virginia University, as well as working as a Master Teacher for the West Virginia Governor’s School for the Arts. He has had the opportunity to perform with the University of Louisville Jazz Ensemble I as a featured soloist with Jamey Aebersold at the 2012 JEN Conference in Louisville, KY, as well as performing John Zorn’s “Cobra” with the Ophidean Ensemble at the International Society for Improvised Music Conference at the University of Michigan in 2010.

In his spare time, Jesse is an enthusiastic, if not skilled runner and is looking forward to completing his first half marathon in Lincoln in May.

Thursday, February 5, 2015

February Pet of the Month


Meet Gir, who belongs to Amy Fairchild, General Manager at Harris Academy of the Arts. Gir loves to attack feet and make trips outside onto the deck, and has a strange fascination with water. 

Do you have a pet you love? Send us a photo for a chance to be featured as the Pet of the Month!
Now accepting submissions for the March Pet of the Month. 

Instructor Spotlight

Lee Heerspink



Lee Heerspink has had his share of both life and musical experiences prior to joining the Harris teaching staff. After getting his music education degree he went on to study jazz performance for his master’s degree. From there, after a few years of private teaching and performing, he was placed in the US Air Force Heartland of America Band in Omaha, NE where he had the opportunity to boost the morale of troops both near and far.

Lee recalls a moment during his time with the US Air Force Band when he played at the bedside of a wounded soldier in Afghanistan. “One of my favorite performances,” Lee shares, “was playing an acoustic version of “Knee Deep” by the Zac Brown Band for a wounded warrior at the hospital in Kandahar, Afghanistan. We asked what he wanted us to play, he said “anything.” He smiled as we quietly sang and gave him a short bedside concert.”

Now, Lee shares his love of music in a different way, by connecting with students in private lessons. At Harris, Lee teaches guitar, bass guitar, and string bass. One of his main goals, right along with the nitty gritty technique and determination with learning any instrument, is to make learning music fun and enjoyable. We hope you’ll enjoy getting to know yet another of Harris’ fine music teachers.

Read Lee’s Bio


More About Lee:

What is your main instrument?
My main instrument is the guitar!

How long have you played your instrument?
I’ve played for close to 20 years (wow that’s scary, I’m having a moment…)

How did you get started playing your instrument?
I spent my first 8 years playing classical piano. I had a wonderful piano teacher, but once I got to middle school I began listening to rock n’ roll and more contemporary music. My dad suggested that maybe I should try guitar lessons, so I made the switch and never really looked back!

Do you play any other instruments?
Piano, voice, upright and electric bass

What is your favorite kind of music?
I love jazz! I’m a huge fan of the guitarist Pat Metheny, and spend quite a bit of time playing and analyzing his solos. That being said, I also have a soft spot in my heart for playing rock and popular music because it’s what got me into playing guitar in the first place!

Do you have a fun or inspiring story to share about teaching lessons?
I used to encourage my younger students in Michigan to practice with the help of candy. I’ll never forget when one of my students, Simon, found out that I had an ENTIRE drawer dedicated to just candy. His eyes got as big as saucers! #mindblown

What is your hometown?
Holland, MI

What other hobbies do you have besides music?
Making dinner with my wife Bethany, walking my English bulldog Edward, and playing video games!

What is your favorite food?
I could eat stir fry every day of the week.

What do you think is the best movie of all time?
Back to the Future. There’s no question.

What is your favorite quote?
“You’ve got to learn your instrument. Then, you practice, practice, practice. And then, when you finally get up there on the bandstand, forget all that and just wail.”
-Charlie Parker

What is a little known fact about you?
I was in show choir in High School and loved it! We had a wonderful director named Kerry Daab, and he made it so much fun. Somewhere there are videos floating around of my dancing and jazz hands!

Tuesday, February 3, 2015

February Student of the Month

Morgan Madsen



Thursday nights you’ll hear any combination of Hound Dog, Thriller, The Twist, YMCA, and more coming through the studio walls.  It’s not an all studio dance party (although that’s an idea), it’s the Treble Maker Show Choir, a singing group for ages 7-12 years led by Christine Collins. This lively group is learning new songs for the upcoming Spring Recital. Among these energetic singers and dancers is Morgan  Madsen, the February Student of the Month!

Christine shares about having Morgan in class:
"Morgan is a natural born leader and singer. She has such a passion for singing and the talent to go with it. She is always ready to work and participate in whatever activity we are doing and knows how to lead by example. It’s an absolute pleasure to have her in my class!"


Morgan is 12 years old and also plays violin at school. Her favorite subjects in school are science, art, and—naturally—music. Morgan loves to dance and when she’s not doing the Twist (or the YMCA, or the Chicken Dance) she likes to draw. Read on to learn more about this talented girl.

More About Morgan:

What is your favorite food?
Pie!!!

What are your goals with music lessons?
To do the best I can.

What is something new and exciting you have learned in lessons lately?
A new song that we’re learning called “Over the Sea to Skye”

What is one of your favorite recital or performance memories?
My very first one when we (Ella, Eliza, me) sang “Seize the Day” from the musical “Newsies.”

What is your favorite quote? 
“Go forward. Be brilliant!”
“Do or do not, there is no try.”

What do you think is the best movie of all time? 
The Hunger Games!

What is a book everyone should read? 
Spirit Animals

What is a little known fact about you? 
I broke my arm when I was 10 years old.

Do you know any good jokes?
Me: Why did the chicken cross the road?
You: I don’t know.
Me: To get hit by a car!
Me: Knock, knock.
You: Who’s there?
Me: Not the chicken!