Guidelines for in-house piano servicing during the COVID-19 crisis

Access to your house.

We will make a plan that can be executed remotely. It might be just you unlocking the front door prior to my arrival then moving to a distant part of the house. It might be you (and yours) leaving the house with a key under the mat for me. I will be punctual for our planned appointment (it is my nature).

Where is the piano within the house?

If it's not blatantly obvious, you might say 'second door on the left off the main hallway'. Or whatevs.

Physical distancing/isolation.

Please keep your distance. Breathing down my neck as I work was never OK, but it is now entirely inappropriate. Please trust your tradies and let them work unhindered (even pre-COVID this is a reasonable request).

Access to the piano.

Please clear all the music books, knick-knacks, metronomes, busts of Beethoven and associated cluttery tchotchkes off the top of the piano. If you don't, I'll be moving them, which is fine, but I would far rather you take care of it. I need to be able to open the lid fully and remove several cabinet parts to tune. I will be removing the upper front board, fallboard, and sometimes the lower front board.

Sanitation.

I will have in my tool kit the appropriate means to sanitise my hands, and the piano keyboard. I will clean your keyboard before and after the service call.

Other non-tuning issues with the piano.

If you've got significantly troublesome sticky note(s) or a pedal squeak, let me know. Sometimes these problems are difficult to diagnose, other times they're more obvious. Clients marking problem notes with Post-it Notes or leaving lists is nothing new. We can still communicate remotely about what a realistic scope of work for the piano will be, we just won't be doing it side-by-side.

Appointment duration.

Allow a minimum of two hours for the appointment. It may take longer. I will let you know (via text or call) when I have finished and departed.

Payment method.

Prompt electronic funds transfer will most likely be the most convenient option at this time.

I'm here to help your music-making.

Can it be done? Let's see, let's try.