About
Christopher Hacking, P.Tec, LRWCMD, B.A (hons), MSc
Fully trained and qualified as a piano technician.
“I have been playing the piano for nearly 42 years and am a graduate of the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. I studied pianoforte under world renowned concert pianists, namely Geoffrey Buckley, Julian Jacobson and Mikhail Kazakevich. I graduated from the conservatoire in 1996. I qualified as a secondary school teacher of music in 1998. I remained in education for nearly 20 years, before returning to my passion for everything and anything to do with pianos.”
“During my piano technician training I was mentored by Steven Droy at the Northampton Piano Technology School, one of the leading and most respected Piano Technicians in the UK and a training course endorsed by the Piano Tuners’ Association. There I learned the art of piano tuning by ear as well as using cutting edge computer software in an integrated approach to tuning. A modern approach to tuning allows me to deliver a pure twelfths tuning, that produces the most wonderful results.”
“My piano servicing appointments are made up of private clients, schools, professional venues, recording studios and restaurants and bars; I am available Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday for piano servicing appointments. Saturdays and Sundays are reserved for any piano removal or disposal services that may be required.”
“Please take a look at the pre-loved pianos page if you are interested in purchasing a meticulously prepared, used piano. I also renovate high quality older instruments and these are available in the “Pianos of note” section on that page. My pricing is always affordable and I have a wide range of instruments. I can also find instruments to order. All pianos are delivered FREE, come with a FREE piano stool, checked and regulated and tuned to concert pitch 440htz. Viewings at my showroom are by appointment only in Abergavenny”
Chris Hacking
Enjoy the music again.
"The only truth is music." - Jack Kerouac.
We tune for…
…events such as the Hay festival winter weekend 2021…
Yamaha GC1
…schools and colleges such as Porthcawl School, South Wales
John Broadwood boudoir and Yamaha G3
…theatres such as The Grand Pavillion in Porthcawl…
Yamaha G1
Pianoforte Tuners' Association Training Day with Torben Garlin
On 20th November 2022, Torben Garlin, the concert & institutional service director for C. Bechstein in Berlin, delivered a fascinating workshop for PTA members on concert grand piano regulation, voicing and tuning.
What an experience…very humbling to be taught by the likes of Tobin Garlin, a lovely chap who flew over from Berlin for the event, a piano technician who is truly at the top of his game. I learned an awful lot about voicing a piano that day and am grateful to him, the Piano Tuners’ Association and the C. Bechstein centre in Manchester for their hospitality; some valuable professional development for both myself and other technicians.
I rode my motorcycle up to Manchester that day…you can see me just poking my head through at the back there in my biking kit…I didn’t take a change of clothes. My hands were so frozen after the ride home I could hardly move them…rigor mortis was setting in…but the event was worth the pain.
Chris Hacking
A good turn out for the event, organised by The Piano Tuners' Association.
Tornin Garlin, a world renowned piano technician
Torbin is the concert & institutional service director for C. Bechstein in Berlin
The event was held at the C. Bechstein centre in Manchester
The centre has a wide range of wonderful grands and uprights to choose from
The flagship centre for the company's UK presence
Keeping abreast of the latest techniques
”I firmly believe that you will never stop learning about pianos; it is an incredibly complex instrument. Continuing professional development is very important to me, especially if I can learn from the best in the piano trade. The PTA (Piano Tuners Association) invited me to attend this workshop in March 2020 with Karl Heinz Habermann, Head Technician of the Schimmel Grand Piano Department. Below is a screen shot of the PTA news from April 2020, the piano tuners association monthly publication”
Karl Heinz Habermann, Head Technician of the Schimmel Grand Piano Department and myself voicing a Schimmel K230 Grand piano.
Karl is one of the world’s authorities in piano hammer voicing. I learned a tremendous amount from him and it was a pleasure to be in the company of a gentleman.
Chris Hacking