Piano Tuning

We got the piano tuned today.  Why is this blog-worthy?  What's the big deal?  Let me explain.

Most of you already know at least some of my backstory, growing up below the poverty line in suburban America.  It's miraculous that we owned a piano, and I am SO grateful for the church that sold it SO cheaply to my mom the Christmas that I was seven years old.  It was magical.  They snuck that beast of an upright grand into the house on Christmas Eve, and I was overjoyed the next morning.

And I played it untuned and without a treble C (it had fallen and couldn't get up) for all of my growing up years and through college.  When Erik and I moved into our little starter house in Puyallup, we brought the piano home.  And I tried to get it tuned, but having been moved unprofessionally multiple times (it had been rolled up the street on one occasion and had fallen over in the back of a pick-up truck once), the sounding board had cracked.  Irreparable to our newlywed budget.  So it sat.  I played from time to time.  But mostly I just mourned.  It was playable sort of, but I was playing a well-tuned baby grand every Sunday at church now.  My piano just hurt my ears.

Eventually, shortly after or right before (my Mommy Brain can't recall) Luke was born, we gave it away.  I placed a classified ad (yep...in the paper...it was 2005, but we were in the suburbs and who knew craigslist existed?) offering the piano "as is" and free to a good home.  The man who called me let me know that he takes pianos, fixes them up, and gives them to underprivileged kids who want to learn to play.  Okay.  So, that was perfect.  He came and got it.

Then came the electric piano my dad gave us about two months later.  I'm not kidding.  We were without a keyed instrument for less than a quarter of a year.  God knows us, people.  He knows what feeds our souls.  God knew what I needed.  My dad brought the electric piano to our house, and I knew it for the blessing it was.  And folks, I do love that instrument and am SUPER thankful to my dad for giving it to me.

But it wasn't a real piano.  And until a few weeks ago when we acquired this beautiful instrument from Uncle Bob and Aunt Cindy, I didn't realize how very much I have missed playing a real piano.  It's different.  It rings differently.  It physically hums.  It sings with me.

And then Taylor Mackinnon arrived today at 12:30 pm to tune it.  I greeted him at the door and he had a  warm smile on his face, reminding me just a touch of Santa Claus.  No joke.  The boys were downstairs playing and I left them there.  He got started and eventually the boys came roaring up the stairs, but I cut them off in the kitchen.  They could hear Taylor tuning.  And I told them they had to be silent.  Ready for another Bangsund Family Christmas Miracle?  They were.  Silent.  Like the night in the song, people.  I couldn't believe it.  They stood by his side and watched him work.  He didn't shoo them away or even looked askance at them.  In fact, at one point when swapping between registers, he engaged them in conversation and told them that they should encourage me in my lessons because having a mom who studies piano is great.  So, he works for Concord Piano Services (503-648-5247) and everyone should hire him.  Just sayin'.

As he was finishing up, I realized that in the thirty plus years that I have been a piano playing person, not once have I lived in a house with a tuned acoustic piano.   Tears.  Blessedly, I was in the kitchen and the poor man didn't need to witness that Amy Craziness.  But seriously, folks, I am so abundantly grateful, to Bob and Cindy for parting with this beautiful instrument, to Dave and Lynne for gifting me with the birthday money that started me back to piano lessons, and to Jesus Christ for creating me with a heart that loves music so much and gifting that matches that passion, allowing it to feed my soul.

Okay.  Of course I took pictures.  Pretty sure Taylor thought I was crazy.  ;-)

 I didn't time how long they stood there, but it was definitely longer than five minutes.

This is the reason that the treble B and C were sticking together.  This had been dropped into the piano at some point.  Both boys were in the room when Taylor pulled it out.  And Luke immediately said, "I did NOT put that in there.  I promise, Mom."  I had a hard time not laughing.  (I found the sticky keys while the piano was still at Bob and Cindy's...pretty sure it was one of theirs...not mine...whew!)

And now an attempt to share how much I love this instrument.  This is a super short, twenty-three second clip of me playing my current favorite passage.  I promise not to become one of these people who posts tons of videos of myself playing the piano.  But this kinda reflects some of my joy, and I wanted to share it with all of you.