Vanguard Piano Service | Piano Repair Service Kansas city

Yamaha stands at the forefront of piano innovation, introducing a diverse range of hybrid pianos that blend acoustic and digital elements. Unlike traditional acoustic pianos, hybrid models, such as the NU1, feature an acoustic action without strings, presenting a unique crossover experience. One of Yamaha’s standout innovations is the Disklavier, a proprietary player system introduced in 1982. It has undergone significant advancements, enabling it to replicate every nuance of a performance and stream it globally. Key features of the Disklavier include: - An optical sensor system that captures human-like variations in key, hammer, and pedal movements. - Up to 1,024 dynamic levels for key and hammer velocities, along with 256 unique pedal positions. - The ability to stream performances with video and record them. - An extensive music library featuring thousands of songs across various genres. - A SILENT Piano function that allows for practicing without sound. Recent Disklavier models inc...

One of our favorite clients, the talented Peter Noonan will be performing at the Sheldon on Saturday December 13th. Get tickets now!  Click here for more details!  Christine Guthrie, RPT “Three of my favorite things in regards to piano work : the music, learning how things work, and restoring old and neglected things to their former glory.” — Christine Piano Technician and Chamber Vocalist Christine grew up in Ellisville where she began playing piano at the age of seven years old. She developed her musicianship studying piano from several well-respected piano instructors in the Saint Louis area. Christine studied at the University of Missouri Kansas City where she earned a Bachelors Degree in Vocal Performance. She went on to earn her Master of Music in Choral Conducting from Webster University. She is currently performing as a 2nd Soprano with the Saint Louis Chamber Chorus under the direction of Philip Barnes. Christine’s music career has allowed her to perform in over a do...

   When you listen to a rapid trill or a thunderous Liszt passage on a grand piano, you're hearing the legacy of Sébastien Érard, a French inventor whose 1821 creation—the double escapement action—transformed piano performance forever. Who Was Sébastien Érard? Born in 1752 in Strasbourg, France, Érard was a visionary instrument maker known for his work on harps, harpsichords, and eventually, pianos. By the early 1800s, he was at the forefront of innovation, serving the needs of an evolving musical landscape. The Problem: Slow Repetition Cristofori originally invented the escapement mechanism which was the first development away from harpsichords to the early piano. Early pianos used a single escapement mechanism, meaning a key had to fully return before it could be played again. This limited speed, fluidity, and expression—especially for virtuoso performers like Liszt and Chopin. More infio : Piano Tuning Columbia MO 

  Piano Tuning; What Goes Into a 1 Hour Service Call? During a piano tuning appointment, clients will often ask questions like “How often should my piano be tuned?,” “What kind of work do you recommend to fix my piano?” or even just “How bad was it?” We always appreciate these kinds of questions, because they represent an underlying concern about keeping the piano working properly. We feel a strong responsibility to give these questions answers that will help people understand their piano better, and it is from the conversations that result from these questions that I am attempting to distill some useful information here for current and future piano owners. One hour service calls are, on the whole, best suited to maintaining the current level of your piano. Through efficiency and planning it is often possible for us to make a big difference in a piano over a short period of time, but the task is usually great and the time short. As a company, our values push us to always do our bes...

  The Footnotes of Piano Playing: What Pedals Really Do Piano pedals are often overlooked by beginners, but they play a crucial role in shaping a pianist’s sound. Let’s break down what each of the three standard pedals does—and how their functions differ between grand and upright pianos. Pedals should support your technique—not hide your mistakes. The sustain pedal connects and colors your phrases. The soft pedal brings down the dynamics or creates a gentler mood. The sostenuto (if you’ve got it) adds complexity and control. The key is to listen. Use your ears. If it sounds too blurry, lift your foot. Wrap-Up: Use Your Feet, Free Your Sound Though operated by your feet, piano pedals are essential to expressive playing. They shape dynamics, tone, and atmosphere. Knowing how each pedal works—especially the differences between grands and uprights—lets you use them intentionally and musically. Master them, and your piano will truly sing. Read More... Book a repair appointment. Our tech...

  Piano Tuning; What Goes Into a 1 Hour Service Call? During a piano tuning appointment, clients will often ask questions like “How often should my piano be tuned?,” “What kind of work do you recommend to fix my piano?” or even just “How bad was it?” We always appreciate these kinds of questions, because they represent an underlying concern about keeping the piano working properly. We feel a strong responsibility to give these questions answers that will help people understand their piano better, and it is from the conversations that result from these questions that I am attempting to distill some useful information here for current and future piano owners. One hour service calls are, on the whole, best suited to maintaining the current level of your piano. Through efficiency and planning it is often possible for us to make a big difference in a piano over a short period of time, but the task is usually great and the time short. As a company, our values push us to always do our bes...