Iggy Chen is a piano tuner and technician based in Urbana, Illinois.
Serving Champaign-Urbana area since 2025
About
Iggy is a piano tuner, technician, and pianist composer based in Urbana, Illinois. He learned to play the piano at a young age and has accumulated intimate knowledge and great passion for the piano.
As a musician, he was greatly inspired by pianist composers like Nils Frahm and Ólafur Arnalds for their extensive use of preparation techniques and bold capture of mechanical noises of the piano, leading him to tinkering his own piano and eventually becoming a professional piano technician.
Iggy is a member of Piano Technicians Guild. He works with The Piano Shop in Champaign and has worked on numerous pianos for institutions including Krannert Center For The Performing Arts, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign School of Music, First Presbyterian Church of Urbana, Channing-Murray Foundation; and for many musicians and piano lovers in and around Champaign-Urbana area.
Services
Tuning
Routine Tuning (every 6-12 months) is highly recommended to keep your piano healthy and stable - especially in the Midwest climate. The total string tension in a modern piano can exceed 20 tons! Regular tuning helps the instrument hold pitch, prevents large swings in string tension that can stress the frame, soundboard, pinblock, and preserves proper tone and touch balance.
When a piano goes too long without tuning, it may require a Pitch Raise/ Pitch Drop before it can be fine-tuned. In some cases, it can take multiple visits to bring the tuning back to stability, which can increase overall maintenance costs.
As a musician himself, Iggy is also happy to discuss Custom/ Historical Tunings that suit your musical style and creative needs.
Cleaning
Over time, dust, debris, and foreign objects can accumulate inside a piano, affecting its performance and appearance. A thorough cleaning includes washing keys, removing foreign objects, dusting and vacuuming the action and soundboard, and polishing the strings and cabinet surfaces. Regular cleaning keeps the instrument responsive and helps preserve its value.
Regulation
Tone & Touch Regulation is the detailed adjustment of a piano's action to ensure that every key responds and speaks evenly and precisely. It involves dozens of fine mechanical settings adjusted to specific measurements for each of the 88 keys, and requires specialized tools, experience, and a trained ear. Proper regulation restores the intended touch and dynamic control, making the instrument more responsive, expressive, and enjoyable to play.
Key regulation procedures include key leveling and dip adjustment, hammer alignment and traveling, hammer blow and let-off regulation, lost motion & checking correction, hammer voicing to balance tone and character, and more.
Repair & Maintenance
Most common piano repairs can be completed on the spot. Iggy provides a wide range of Field Repairs and Maintenance Services to restore the piano's proper function and reliability, including restringing individual notes, re-pinning loose or sluggish action centers, repairing/ replacing broken action parts, replacing/ restoring worn felt and leather components, lubricating key pins and pedal linkages, tightening loose bolts and hardware, addressing noises such as squeaks and clicks, and more - ensuring that the instrument continues to play smoothly and extending its life.
First Visit
Every piano has its own personality and story, often requiring a thorough evaluation followed by a combination of services for the First Visit. Depending on the instrument's needs and yours, this process can take multiple hours and in some cases, requiring follow-up visits to bring the instrument back in shape. Each piano Iggy services receives the same level of care and attention he'd give his own - respecting its individuality while ensuring it performs and sounds its best!
Detailing a dusty grand piano
Some of the specialized regulation tools, including a few homemade by Iggy
Splicing a broken string with the "piano tuner's knot"
Reshaping worn hammers to restore tone and clarity
Here's a rare Chickering & Sons square piano, spotted in Urbana!
Contact
Text: (217)819-6987
Email: iggyspianoservices@icloud.com
Usually responds within 24 hours
Feel free to reach out if you have any question or opportunity regarding piano technology or piano music!
