Achieving a Bell-Like Piano Tone
Transforming Pianos to Reveal Their Hidden Voice
We are living in a golden age of piano technology. Modern grand pianos are more powerful yet more nuanced than ever before. Their keyboards respond with greater precision, built with superior materials that resist wear and environmental changes. In many ways, these instruments have surpassed their predecessors and even challenge the very definition of what a piano can be.
Introducing: The Bellharp
At the heart of every grand piano lies something extraordinary—a bell-like essence waiting to be awakened. Our philosophy views the piano as a chromatic keyed bell, an instrument that resonates with harmonic energy when tuned and regulated with intention.
By focusing the bell-tone energy through specialized tuning and precise regulation, we bring out this hidden dimension of sound.
The Art of Tuning
We believe aural tuning—not digital tuning—is the key to unlocking a piano’s bell tone. Starting with a fine Japanese tuning fork, we match its pure pitch to A4 and build the tuning sequence organically, note by note, each derived from the one before it—like the natural process of cellular division.
The temperament, tuned within the 3rd–4th octaves, defines the tonal balance of the instrument. Using a circular tuning pattern, we create an internal vortex of energy, extending this tuning across the full range—four octaves above and three below—through pure sound multiplication.
This fully aural method reveals the inherent bell character within the piano’s frame.
Tensioning the Bellharp
The modern piano harp is under immense tension. By firmly tensioning the frame, we allow the piano’s cast iron structure—the real “bell” within—to resonate at its fullest. A lax tuning pin weakens this tension and dulls the tone; a properly tensioned frame sings with life.
The Piano as a Resonant Form
The grand piano’s tetrahedral shape, supported by three legs and four planes, creates the energetic field in which sound exists. Within this form lies the cast iron frame—the true Bellharp—transforming the piano from a flat tonal design into a three-dimensional sound structure.
The Modern Action: The Clapper of the Bell
The grand piano’s double-escapement action acts as the bell’s clapper. Each hammer is a finely tuned mechanism designed to strike and release, generating waves of resonance. Understanding this connection between hammer and bell is essential to achieving a pure, bell-like tone.
Regulating by Ear
Every adjustment in the piano’s action can enhance—or diminish—its sound. That’s why regulation must be done by ear, with sensitivity to how touch influences tone. A well-regulated piano produces sounds of effortless beauty; a poorly regulated one, harsh and strained.
Solid Foundations & Key Ratios
The piano’s keyboard must withstand the power of a fortissimo while maintaining structural harmony—like a cable-stayed bridge balanced by precise tension.
We fine-tune the ratio between key depth and hammer strike to discover each instrument’s “magic point,” where tone, touch, and resonance align to produce the most vibrant bell-like sound possible.
After all these technical refinements, there comes a simple joy:
Sit back, play, and let the piano perform its magic beneath your fingers.