My goal is to help you get the greatest joy and pleasure out of your piano. I’m a full-time Certified Piano Technician, CPT. I apprenticed with Master Piano Technician, MPT, Eric Roberts. I am also a member of the Vermont Chapter of the Piano Technicians Guild, PTG. I’ve serviced many pianos in the Upper Valley and East Central Vermont. I look forward to bringing out the best in your piano.

Emerson tuning a Steinway & Sons 1920s Baby Grand

“Emerson did a fantastic job tuning my upright piano. He went beyond simply tuning but looked at the overall condition and worked on perfecting the tone. He explained everything he was doing and asked for my input. The piano sounds amazing! I highly recommend him.”

—Vanessa R.

  • If your piano sounds off and this affects your enjoyment, my precision piano tuning is the first place to start. This service visit will make your piano sound clean, clear and resonant. This appointment includes:

    1) Pitch measurements to create the most stable tuning for your piano

    2) Full tuning of your pianos 230+ pins

    3) Playing tests

    4) Fine tuning adjustments

    A first time appointment takes around 2 hours.

    $195

    OPTIONAL ADD ON: If you are hearing a harshness in the sound of your piano, your hammers would benefit greatly from Voicing. This service will notably increase the warmth, volume and depth of your piano. Voicing is the process of adjusting the felts on the hammers. Assessing whether to add this service can happen during your precision tuning appointment $75

  • If you are a frequent player, add voicing and cleaning to a precision tuning visit with this money saving bundle. After, all these services are performed, your piano will sound clear, deep and full, and look like new on the outside. Voicing your hammers will greatly improve your piano's tone.

    Cleaning includes key cleaning, pin vacuuming and polishing, and case dusting and polishing.

    This all usually takes around 2-3 hours.

    $295

  • If your piano sounds off and your keystrokes are uneven or weak, step up to our Power Regulation. As a piano ages, the action (its internal engine) falls out of alignment and becomes insensitive and uneven. By regulating the action, your keys will play with greatly improved sensitivity, fluidity and uniformity.

    Power Regulation involves the highly-technical process of adjusting a number of elements of the piano’s action evenly across all 88 keys. You will then be able to experience the dynamics range your piano can offer, from gently soft to vigorously responsive.

    This full service usually takes around 5-6 hours depending on the condition of the piano.

    Regain your piano’s volume, feeling and control. $695

  • As a dedicated piano player, you need your piano to be in top condition. Our Piano Spa Day offers our best technician work so your instrument sounds, looks and feels exceptional.

    This service begins with repairs and is followed by a concert precision tuning. Then your piano will be ready for a complete Elite Regulation and customized voicing. We will finish the day with a luxurious, comprehensive cleaning.

    Repairs include fixing issues such as stuck keys, buzzes, clicking sounds, and pedal issues. This includes most repairs short of major structural problems that call for a rebuild.

    Concert precision tuning will prepare your piano for performing and recording at greatly heightened levels of sensitivity.

    Elite Regulation will go above and beyond a normal Power Regulation. This highly technical service will return your instrument to its factory specifications with over 30 steps for improving the action across all 88 keys. Your piano will then have vastly improved touch, dynamics, evenness, and playability.

    Voicing the hammers will be tailored to your specific wishes for warmth or brightness across different sections. This will bring out the best tone of your piano.

    Finally, the entire piano will be cleaned, inside and outside with rust removal, metal polishing and wood polishing as is appropriate.

    This comprehensive service usually takes around the 8 hours depending on the condition of the piano.

    Overall, the piano will have an incredible tone, a highly-responsive feel and exemplary appearance. $1,395 ($1,600-$2,000 value)


  • Something is getting in the way of your instrument working well for you. Let us know what’s going on and we can diagnose the issue during a tuning appointment. We’ll fix those broken keys or solve those buzzes so you can enjoy your piano to the max. An estimate will be provided before commencing any field repairs.

  • If you have a missing string or a “false beat” string that sounds sour even after tuning, this services safely removes the old string parts along with careful installation and tensioning of the new string. Please specify which string needs replacing (i.e. G4 or A#7) $95*


    *Bass strings may be more as they need to be custom ordered for your piano. An estimate will be provided before string ordering and replacement commences

  • If your piano is very dusty and dirty, this appointment will allow your instrument to look new again. This service provides global dusting, debris removal, cleaning and polishing of the case, pin area, plate and soundboard. The whole outside and inside! This includes removing the action inside the piano to clean the system for optimal performance.

    This deep clean usually takes around 2-3 hours, depending the condition of the piano.

    Only piano industry standard, non-toxic cleaning supplies are used.

    $275


  • If you are considering getting that piano on Craigslist, you may be wondering whether the price and the moving cost will be worth it. This service visit will include a full inspection of the over 10,000 essential parts of the piano. You will also be able to ask questions and will receive a written report about the state of the piano. You'll know what you would be getting and if the price is right for you. $145

  • If you are thinking about selling your piano, you may be wondering how much you can get for it. This assessment will give you a full sense of the marketability of the piano along with a play test and written report. You can also ask questions. Piano sales strategies customized to your instrument will be offered on request. $145

  • You are thinking of selling a piano and you know it is worth something. This sale accelerator service allows you to sell the piano at a higher price by wowing your buyer with how great the piano looks and sounds. The piano will receive a full precision tuning, customized voicing and a solid clean.

    After the precision tuning, the hammers will be conditioned to bring out the best tone in the piano. I will then then dust the visible parts of the piano along with polishing the case, cleaning the keys and vacuuming the visible pinblock area. You will be able to ask questions. You will receive a written report about the piano's unique selling points. Additional strategies about how to increase the value of the piano available on request. $325


TESTIMONIALS:

“Emerson tuned my well-loved 40 year old upright piano last night. He did a wonderful and very thorough job, and it now plays like it did before 40 years of kids and grandkids learned on it. I highly recommend him.”

—Micki C.

“What a wonderful experience. Our piano has never sounded so good and Emerson is a wonderful person to work with.”

—Andrew L.

“Recently, Emerson came to our house to assess our 1928 Steinway piano. He found that the soundboard was in great shape for its age and didn't need to be rebuilt--( much to our relief!). However, our piano did still need some tuning, action-regulating, and cleaning. After he finished a tuning session, our old Steinway's new sound was immediately more coordinated and noticibly clearer. Because it's been quite awhile since we've
cleaned it and regulated the action on it, that will be the TLC he performs on it the next time he comes.

We found Emerson to be very efficient and precise at his work, as well as, respectful of our space and our old Baby Grand.”

—Liana H.

“We enjoyed meeting the most pleasant and knowledgeable piano tuner ever! There is no question he did not answer, and he shared the tuning process with me as I watched him work. We look forward to the next time he takes good care of our piano.”

—Loie H.

“Emerson did an amazing job with my old baby grand. He is technically knowledgeable, considers the character of the instrument and I think has really brought out best in my piano. Also he is a locally well-known and talented multi-instrumentalist, who clearly brings his musician's ear and wisdom to his technical piano work. I couldn't be happier!”

—Michael K

 

FREQUENTLY ASK QUESTIONS

  • Piano manufacturers say that pianos should be tuned 2-4 times a year.

    Frequent players prefer twice a year while occasional players usually choose once a year. Serious pianists prefer every 3 months.

  • A piano is a masterful construction of wood, felt, leather and steel. Changes in humidity alter the wood elements and thus the string tension, throwing the piano out of tune. Keeping the humidity at about 45% is the best way to need less tuning and maintenance. Feel free to contact us for humidification advice.

  • A first-time tuning appointments takes around 2 hours. This allows us to thoroughly assess your piano and provide it with the best tuning possible. Follow up tuning visits in the same year usually take 1-1.5 hours.

  • Payment happens upon completion of the piano servicing appointments. Checks written to “Emerson Gale” are accepted.

    On a case by case basis, I am happy to discuss a payment plans so you family can enjoy your piano again and pay for the work over time.

What towns do you serve?

Most towns in the Upper Valley and East Central Vermont.  Click Reserve Your Piano Tuning enter your address and select a time.

Service area includes Strafford, Thetford, Norwich, Hanover, Lebanon, Enfield, Bradford, Fairlee, Vershire, Chelsea, Sharon, Pomfret, Woodstock, Quechee, Hartford, White River Junction, South Royalton, Bethel, and Randolph.