Piano Touch:

The first step in achieving good piano touch is regulating the action. That means making all the proper adjustments so the action plays as it was designed to play, so that every key plays and repeats reliably. Usually we regulate to factory specifications, but it is possible to make small modifications to accommodate a player who wants faster repetition, more control with soft playing, or more power.

The other aspect of piano touch is "touchweight." Pianos can be light or heavy or in-between. They can feel under control, out of control or downright unplayable. Only in recent years has the piano industry settled on standards for piano touchweight. Most manufacturers are now in agreement at about 52-48 grams down-weight and about 1/2 that amount for up-weight. But they still do not always have a process that achieves those standards. It is common practice in manufacturing to build a piano according to a fixed procedure, and just hope that the touchweight turns out ok. There are many keyboards in use today that were built before modern standards for touchweight had evolved.

There are three things that determine touchweight. They are the weight of the parts, the friction between the parts, and the geometry of the design. A piano technician can help by analyzing and modifying the action to meet your needs. Hammer weight, key weight, center pin friction, and capstan position are the most likely variables in the equation to set your piano's touchweight to your liking.