About Me – Whitehouse Piano

A little something about me…

I’ve always had a predilection for working with my hands and figuring out how to make things work. I fixed up and modified a lot of instruments from my early years on past high school. I later built a harpsichord during college in 2012, where I met my mentor, Jeffrey Potter. As the university music department’s technician, he taught me how to tune and maintain the harpsichord that I was studying on, and later invited me to apprentice with him at his private workshop. He taught me tuning, and oh so much more.

My interest in the piano began at about 4 years old, when my uncle came to visit and dazzled me with his piano playing. Taking piano lessons for years, I also branched out to study recorder, flute, guitar, drums, and then returned to recorder and harpsichord in my late teens as I became fascinated by Baroque music. I went to community college and university to expand my music studies while beginning my many years of work in both live and recorded audio production, learning to capture and translate music to audience’s ears. And I couldn’t help tinkering with instruments all along the way.

Building my harpsichord in 2012

…harpsichord progress

Stringing a Steinway B in 2022

Few piano technicians have the luxury of learning by apprenticeship, and I was lucky enough to be plopped right into the middle of Jeff’s full-service operation, Santa Cruz Piano. One of the first things I learned was to replace damper felt on a Steinway B rebuild; very exciting for a then-novice to be hands-on with such a fine instrument.

Together, we performed just about every imaginable overhaul that a piano might need, on just about every kind of piano. I am fortunate to be able to bring that experience with me East, and continue to deliver the same excellence that Jeff had established over 40+ years.

The rarely seen plate underside of a Steinway A, just after being removed.

A customer’s Mason & Hamlin AA plate, just before sanding and then a new finish.

Fully refinished Steinway B, plate finally being reinstalled.

A splitting Baldwin frame from pinblock. This was a fun repair!

First steps of regulating all new action.

A routine key-bushing replacement.

I’m also an active member of the Piano Technicians Guild, and keep up with other communities such as Pro PTN, to continue expanding upon best-practice methods, and to keep apprised of the latest innovations.

The “experience of music” has always been the central focus over my 20-year career. I still keep a semi-irregular blog, typically about things related to music production and audio technology. Though I’ve sacrificed providing audio services to focus entirely on piano work, I do like to come back and write about that time in my life. If you’re interested, you can read my audio blog here: robinwhitehouse.com

My fiancé, Janine, and I, providing sound and DJ services for a wedding.

Janine painting better-than-original lettering on a freshly refinished plate.

And the result of her handiwork.

FYI, the logo I have on this website is from the catchall music services (both piano and audio) business I had in California. As I’m still getting situated here in Maryland, it’s going to be a minute before I can acquire a more relevant logo. So bear with me while I’m *Website Under Construction*

Successful removal of a Young Chang G-275 concert grand cast-iron plate, during a full refurb.