western australia

The piano has been tuned

@JudyEv (326128)

Rockingham, Australia

February 6, 2023 3:13am CST

We had our piano tuned today. It hasn’t been done for a couple of years and has been moved to this house in that time. The serial number tells us it was made between 1850 and 1890 so it is well over a century old. Pianos don’t improve with age but this one holds its pitch very well. The manufacturer was Carl Ecke, which is a German company. There is a slight crack in the iron frame. A tuner some years back put a pencil mark at the end of the crack but there has been no extension of the crack past the mark so that is a good thing. I’m sure it will see us out. I didn’t take a picture of its innards but the photo shows the interior of Vince’s brother’s piano. They are a very complex instrument.

19 people like this

18 responses

@DaddyEvil (137142)

• United States

6 Feb 23

Yes, they are complex... We had an upright piano when I was a kid. Mom hired a lady to give us lessons on it.

5 people like this

show previous comments

@DaddyEvil (137142)

• United States

9 Feb 23

@JudyEv Oh, wow! Mom paid a lot for our piano back then... Then, we all worked for three years clearing brush for the piano teacher to pay for the lessons she gave us.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (326128)

• Rockingham, Australia

9 Feb 23

@DaddyEvil Do you ever play now? It seemed so important back then for some parents to have their children taught. In my case, my mother only had lessons for a very short time and was never given time to practice. All her passion for piano was foisted on to me.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (326128)

• Rockingham, Australia

6 Feb 23

It's difficult to give pianos away here. You see lots of free ones online.

5 people like this

Show more comments

@LadyDuck (459074)

• Switzerland

6 Feb 23

Pianos are really very complex instruments, but one of my favorite instruments.

5 people like this

show previous comments

@LadyDuck (459074)

• Switzerland

6 Feb 23

@JudyEv I love piano, I would have liked to learn to play.

5 people like this

@JudyEv (326128)

• Rockingham, Australia

7 Feb 23

@LadyDuck Many now have electric keyboards which take up a lot less space.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (326128)

• Rockingham, Australia

6 Feb 23

They always surprise me by how far-reaching the sound is. It takes a lot to drown out a piano.

5 people like this

Show more comments

@shaggin (71663)

• United States

6 Feb 23

That was built to last then for sure. Do you play often?

3 people like this

@JudyEv (326128)

• Rockingham, Australia

7 Feb 23

I don't play it very often but Vince plays it most days.

2 people like this

@shaggin (71663)

• United States

7 Feb 23

@JudyEv oh that’s very neat you both play

1 person likes this

@LindaOHio (157041)

• United States

6 Feb 23

I'm glad you got your piano tuned. I miss mine.

4 people like this

@JudyEv (326128)

• Rockingham, Australia

6 Feb 23

We've never really considered getting rid of this one although it's a pain to shift.

4 people like this

@Beestring (13378)

• Hong Kong

6 Feb 23

Piano is a great musical instrument.

4 people like this

@JudyEv (326128)

• Rockingham, Australia

6 Feb 23

I think so too. I'm glad we have this one.

4 people like this

John nyambegera

@thebos (5779)

• Kisumu, Kenya

6 Feb 23

Piano is very technical instrument

3 people like this

@JudyEv (326128)

• Rockingham, Australia

7 Feb 23

Yes, it is indeed. They are not easy to tune i f you don't know what you're doing.

1 person likes this

John nyambegera

@thebos (5779)

• Kisumu, Kenya

7 Feb 23

@JudyEv that is why there are piano lessons, have ever attended one

1 person likes this

@popciclecold (35406)

• United States

6 Feb 23

That is an old piano.

3 people like this

@JudyEv (326128)

• Rockingham, Australia

6 Feb 23

It has been in the family since new.

3 people like this

@popciclecold (35406)

• United States

6 Feb 23

@JudyEv Wow. A long time.

2 people like this

@allknowing (130091)

• India

6 Feb 23

When was the last time you played on it

2 people like this

show previous comments

@allknowing (130091)

• India

7 Feb 23

@JudyEv Playing for you?

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (326128)

• Rockingham, Australia

7 Feb 23

@allknowing Playing more for himself I think. lol

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (326128)

• Rockingham, Australia

7 Feb 23

Vince plays it most days. I play it occasionally.

1 person likes this

Show more comments

@RebeccasFarm (86830)

• United States

6 Feb 23

Pianos are so lovely if you can play them.

My Granny was able to.

3 people like this

@JudyEv (326128)

• Rockingham, Australia

7 Feb 23

Vince's family are all very musical and all play very well. I'm glad we have this one.

1 person likes this

@wolfgirl569 (95645)

• Marion, Ohio

6 Feb 23

They really are complex when you look inside

3 people like this

@JudyEv (326128)

• Rockingham, Australia

7 Feb 23

After the string is struck and it is vibrating another felt pad 'damps' the string and stops the sound. And it all happens so quickly.

1 person likes this

@Fleura (29218)

• United Kingdom

6 Feb 23

They are complex but no more than necessary. Little One's favourite engineer and You Tuber Mark Rober made a very interesting video all about trying to simplify a piano because it was thought to be unnecessarily complex - turns out it isn't, it's very clever and contains all the necessary components to achieve the aim and no more.

www.youtube.com

Your browser isn’t supported anymore. Update it to get the best YouTube experience and our latest features. Learn moreRemind me later

3 people like this

@JudyEv (326128)

• Rockingham, Australia

6 Feb 23

Thanks for the link. It's fascinating watching the mechanics (of the piano) at work.

3 people like this

@sol_cee (38222)

• Philippines

6 Feb 23

That’s like gold! Did you buy it yourself?

2 people like this

show previous comments

@sol_cee (38222)

• Philippines

8 Feb 23

@JudyEv oh my, the history is astounding

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (326128)

• Rockingham, Australia

7 Feb 23

It has been in my family since new and was brought to Western Australia by ship from South Australia back in the late 1890s.

1 person likes this

Show more comments

@JamesHxstatic (29257)

• Eugene, Oregon

6 Feb 23

I assume that you, or maybe both of you play? What is your favorite music to play?

2 people like this

show previous comments

@JamesHxstatic (29257)

• Eugene, Oregon

7 Feb 23

@JudyEv I didn't know you had taught. I am a big jazz piano fan.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (326128)

• Rockingham, Australia

8 Feb 23

@JamesHxstatic Our son is a bass player and plays jazz. He did a PhD on the history of jazz in Ireland.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (326128)

• Rockingham, Australia

7 Feb 23

I taught piano for years but rarely play now. Vince plays by year and uses it most.

1 person likes this

Show more comments

@vickyrose (2235)

• Cooma, Australia

7 Feb 23

Do you play? My son plays quite well, I plan to learn one song at a time. That’s a nice looking piano.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (326128)

• Rockingham, Australia

7 Feb 23

I used to teach piano but don't play much now. Vince plays most days.

@rsa101 (37968)

• Philippines

8 Feb 23

Nice that you have preserved that piano for such a long time. That is already a museum piece already.

It is good to know that the manufacturer still exists to service that piano to stay in tip-top condition.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (326128)

• Rockingham, Australia

8 Feb 23

There are still quite a few technicians who tune pianos.

1 person likes this

@rsa101 (37968)

• Philippines

8 Feb 23

@JudyEv The interior looks pretty new to me is it still the original or it was already replaced?

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (326128)

• Rockingham, Australia

8 Feb 23

@rsa101 It's the original.

1 person likes this

Show more comments

@rebelann (111248)

• El Paso, Texas

7 Feb 23

I haven't seen many pianos except in tv shows or pictures so to me the one in your picture looks really odd to me but very kooool.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (326128)

• Rockingham, Australia

7 Feb 23

The front of this one has been taken off so the tuner can work on it.

1 person likes this

@jstory07 (134570)

• Roseburg, Oregon

7 Feb 23

That is great that you got the piano tuned. That really is an old piano.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (326128)

• Rockingham, Australia

7 Feb 23

It hasn't been tuned quite as often as it should have been but mostly we've looked after it.

1 person likes this

@JESSY3236 (18953)

• United States

7 Feb 23

My uncle used to get his tuned. We haven't gotten his tuned. We would like one of friends to have it, but he hasn't been by to get it yet.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (326128)

• Rockingham, Australia

8 Feb 23

They take a lot of room, especially if it's not going to be used.

1 person likes this