Fall is finally here, and I am beyond excited for glorious weather and beautiful foliage!
In Virginia, we have 4 distinct seasons, with some overlap as the weather transitions from hot and humid to cold and dry. These changes can wreak havoc on acoustic instruments, especially right now when the weather can’t quite make up its mind. For those of you who are not local, it was 37 degrees Fahrenheit two nights ago, and temps were in the 50s just ten days ago. It’s 72 degrees today.
Wood is porous. When it’s so humid out, the wood (and other materials like felt and leather in the case of pianos) absorbs the extra moisture and swells. This can cause your bridge to shift, your strings to be exceptionally high off the fingerboard (this distance is called the action for string instruments) and pitch can suddenly go sharp. You may notice that your pegs won’t turn anymore. It can also mean that the soundpost inside your instrument is too tight, causing a change in overall sound and responsiveness. In pianos, keys might start sticking, clicking, or buzzing.
On the flip side, the air is generally much drier during the winter, which causes instruments to leach moisture. This can cause potential cracks, seams opening, soundpost shifts, and strings rattling against the fingerboard. Tuning can be a pain as your pegs won’t stick, no matter how much peg compound and tension you put on them as you turn them!
Your bow can also feel the effects of weather changes. Too much humidity can make your bow hair feel saggy and unresponsive. Too little moisture can make you feel like you have to rosin every few minutes just to get your bow to pull the string!
So, how does one protect their instruments from the weather?
Keep your instrument in the same space in your house whenever possible.
Monitor the humidity in this space. I have a digital hygrometer in my music studio.
Use a dehumidifier during the most humid months. (I find that my instruments do best around 40% humidity.)
Use a humidifier during the dry months. I have a whole house humidifier that kicks in when I turn on the heat, which helps keep the climate more stable. If my hygrometer drops too far below 40%, I use a humidifier in my music room to add back moisture.
Keep a small humidifier in your instrument case when traveling with your instrument. Be careful! If these types of humidifiers are not kept moist, they can actually draw moisture out of your instrument, exacerbating the problem.
I recently purchased a viola (!) from Gary Frisch. After he adjusted the soundpost, I was able to ask him about instrument maintenance, and how often he recommends it. “Whenever you change the strings, that’s a good time to bring it in,” Gary says. “If you notice any change in the feel or sound of your instrument, that’s a good indicator that it needs an adjustment. It might feel or sound tight when it’s humid,” he adds. “Every six months to a year is a good gauge.”
Violinists and violists: For your biannual tune-up, I highly recommend getting in touch with Gary Frisch! For more serious repairs such as cracks and open seams, check out Fairfax Fine Violins.
Cellists: Again, Fairfax Fine Violins can take care of all of your instrument needs. Alternatively, you can check out Day Violins in Chantilly, VA.
Bassists: The best luthier in the area is Tom Wolf. He is located about 40 minutes outside of Fairfax in scenic The Plains, VA. Tom is a master luthier and deals exclusively with basses (and early keyboard instruments!) Tom tells me that more often than not, the soundpost stays in the same spot for basses. The biggest thing to look out for is open seams at least twice a year. “Get them fixed immediately,” he stresses. “If you let them go too long, it causes more problems. Also check that the bridge is more or less upright and not leaning back towards the fingerboard. You can correct this yourself by putting your bass flat on its back and pulling back on it ever so slightly. Keep the rosin off your bridge and wipe it down after every practice session to keep it from warping.” Thank you for the great advice, Tom!
Bows of any instrument: Whether you play violin, viola, cello, or bass, Joshua Henry has you covered. Located in West Virginia, he also accepts bows via mail for convenience. He is the only person I trust to rehair and repair my bows, and he recently replaced the nacre on the frog of my bass bow. I am absolutely thrilled with his work!
Ok, and what about pianos?
Pianos obviously stay pretty much in the same area of the house from the time they’re moved in until they’re moved out again. You’ll want to find a place in your house that isn’t subject to significant temperature changes; that it, it’s a bad idea to have your piano near a doorway or against an outside wall, or even on the opposite side of the wall where your stove is. You can help reduce the effect of a cold or warm wall by pulling your piano about 6 inches away from the wall, but it’s more difficult to regulate the temperature changes from a door that leads outside that is frequently opened.
Get your piano tuned 2 to 3 weeks after there has been a significant weather change, or twice a year. If you wait a really long time between tunings, it can be difficult to correct the pitch, requiring several tunings in quick succession and costing you more money in the long run.
Ask your tuner about installing a Dampp-Chaser de/humidifying system. Sometimes this is just a rod that stays plugged in and warm throughout the year. It can also include a container of water to help keep your instrument from getting too dry. A note of caution: these need to be checked up on regularly. If it malfunctions, you’ll need to catch it ASAP and have it fixed immediately.
Need a tuner? Check out the Piano Technicians Guild website. (For local readers, I can highly recommend Hannah Beckett)
A happy instrument = a happy musician. Happy practicing!