General Discussion

Public Domain MIDI Songs for your Disklavier

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I’ve made a brief list here of websites where you can find free or public domain MIDI files. I always recommend registering or donating if you find the services valuable. If you’re downloading numerous songs at once, I highly recommend DownThemAll, a browser extension that allows you to simultaneously download many files at once. In most cases, these should be used for personal use.

Please also see my premium list of songs for your Disklavier. This list contains only inexpensive or readily available MIDI files, typically in the public domain.

Not sure whether you need MIDI or ESEQ? Check the Disklavier compatibility table. Remember if you’re using the Pianostream app, you can use MIDI files regardless of your Disklavier model.

Kuhmann Directory (the OG MIDI Source)

This directory was my first source for high-quality MIDI and ESEQ files, and was placed online by a Robert C. Kuhmann. Unfortunately, they’re now no longer online. You can access my complete scrape of the MIDI files here. Or my complete scrape of the ESEQ files here. You’re able to download these directories from me in their entirety. If you’re curious, this is the Wayback Machine archive of Robert Kuhmann’s website.

Kunstderfuge

This website has a very large inventory of music, and they’re probably my favorite resource. They advertise that they have 20,000+ songs to choose from (1,000+ composers, 400+ pages). These are MIDI files, so you’ll need to convert them to ESEQ for older Disklaviers if you’re not using a Pianostream. They convert nicely and are organized very well.

However, they do have a five song limit if you’re not a paying member. To become a paying member, a lifetime membership is $20.

mfiles

This website has another large inventory of files, and also offer to do music on commissions. If you’re looking for a specific song you can’t find anywhere, you might try contacting them.

Music commissions are “satisfied by composer Jim Paterson. We suggest clients check his Original Portfolio for examples of his music, and contact him direct via mfiles commissions with details.”

MusicMoz

This website has yet another large inventory of MIDI files, and a search tool.

“MusicMoz is a comprehensive directory of all things music, edited by volunteers. We list, and accept submissions of, music-related reviews, articles, factual information, biographies, and websites.

You can browse the site using our hierarchy of categories, or use the search feature to locate the information you’re looking for.”

Other MIDI Sources

Have a particular song in mind? You might try using this useful bit of Google-fu. Search for your song replacing any spaces with plus signs, and include “filetype:mid” in your search. So, for instance, if you’re searching for “Hey Jude,” try Googling the following phrase:

hey+jude filetype:mid

If you’d like, I can do this for you. Just fill out the following little form below:

About Alexander Peppe

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Alexander Peppe learned the trade of piano tuning and repair from his father, Eric Peppe, and began his tuning career with his father’s guidance. He further developed his craft as the exclusive in-house piano technician at Starbird Music for six years, where he tuned, regulated, and repaired a wide variety of both consignment pianos and new floor models. This allowed him to explore the diverse range of pianos available in Maine, and taught him the value of listening and effective communication, thanks to Starbird’s legendary salesman, John Nickerson.

Today, Alex is an independent tuner and technician, serving throughout the Southern Maine region. He enjoys getting to meet a wide variety of incredible people, their pianos, and their pets. His main goals are to provide a customer service experience that is exceptional, and for his customers to always feel their piano got more care and attention than they paid for.

With a strong foundation in acoustic piano repair and formal training in computer science and mathematics, Alex specializes in repairing Yamaha Disklaviers, hybrid pianos, and keyboards. He has a particular passion for maintaining older systems and cherishes the nostalgic sounds of vintage technology.

Alex lives with his wife Kati and his step-daughter Saoirse, on their farm sanctuary with their many animals. You can also check out their recipe blog, Plant-Based and Practical.

If you’d like to connect with Alex, please reach out through the contact page.

Web Hosting 

In addition to his piano work, Alex runs a small web hosting business, and hosts both his own website, Starbird Music, Foreside Community Church, Piano Movers of Maine, and a variety of other local businesses.

You can read about his wife’s business, Diamond K9 Dog Training, or check out the Diamond K9 Facebook Page.

Services

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Aside from piano tuning (which has its own piano tuning page), I offer the following services:

Evaluation

Closeup of piano hammers.

I strongly recommend getting all used pianos evaluated before purchasing. It is very discouraging to get a piano—especially a “free” piano which still costs hundreds of dollars to move—only to discover that it is, in fact, not able to be tuned.

If you are interested in looking up the age of your piano, many can be found online at Bluebook of Pianos. All you will need is your serial number and the piano’s make. The serial number is usually visible near the tuning pins (under the lid on an upright).

Appraisal

After evaluating a piano, I can give you a formal document with a monetary value. This is useful if you are selling a piano, or if you require documentation for insurance or tax purposes. I will also determine the value of damage to a piano.

Regulation

Closeup of jack flange.

As pianos age, they undergo many changes: Felt and cloth compact, wood changes shape, and glue weakens. This can cause many feelings and sounds:

  • Keys can stick or feel “slow”
  • Keys can have “lost motion,” which creates an unresponsive, gummy feeling
  • Keys can feel like they’re tight and “bounce”
  • Keys can wiggle and feel loose
  • Keys can become visually uneven
  • Hammers can hit multiple notes
  • Certain keys can make clacking sounds

A degree of regulation is included with a standard tuning; however, if a piano requires a lot of regulation in multiple areas, or if the regulation actually requires more serious repairs, there may be additional costs.

More Significant Repairs

Closeup of dampers.

Some piano issues require more than regulation.

  • Pianos can emit mysterious buzzes
  • Pedals can stick, clank or not work
  • Strings can break
  • Keys can fail to play at all

If the repair is quick and straight-forward, it is often included in a basic tuning. Otherwise, more complicated or extensive repairs can be made at an hourly rate.

Major repairs that require a shop—such as major rebuilding where the piano needs to be tipped or lifted—are referred to piano rebuilders in the area. I do not refinish pianos. Refinishing is a woodworker’s craft. Some rebuilders do refinish pianos, but many do not and refer that business to local woodworkers.

Dampp-Chaser Piano Life Saver System® installation

In many spaces, it’s difficult to regulate humidity to the degree necessary to protect your piano. For some people, the time and effort required might be unreasonable, and in some settings it might not be possible. A Dampp-Chaser Piano Life Saver System® will protect your piano from both humid summers and dry winters, and is capable of responding in real-time to the drastic changes that are an almost daily occurrence here in Maine. The only maintenance necessary is filling the humidifier, which needs to be done roughly every other week, and the periodic replacement of wicks (usually annually).

I’m registered with Dampp-Chaser as an installer, and maintain nearly 100 systems throughout the state. Every time I tune your piano, I’ll inspect the condition of the Dampp-Chaser wicks and replace them if necessary. I provide both the inspection and replacement as a complimentary part of my service.

See the Dampp-Chaser FAQs for more information, or the Price List for approximate prices.

Disklaviers, Store, and Floppy Disk Transfer

I work with many older Disklavier systems, and can assist in upgrading or repairing your Disklavier. If you have an older Disklavier and are looking to upgrade, I’ve written several articles to assist. Additionally, I can transfer your old floppy disks to modern formats. If you have any specific questions about your Yamaha Disklavier, I’d love to discuss them!

Voicing Hammers

Backlit photograph of hammers.

The component of the action that strikes the string is called the hammer. As a piano ages and is played, the hammers become stiffer and more grooved. These hammers can be filed or needled to produce a softer sound. Sometimes, one particular hammer will become more hard or soft, making one note sound different from all the others. These hammers can be softened or hardened to make them sound more consistent with the rest of the piano. Sometimes hammers also move, causing a softer part of the hammers—one that hasn’t been grooved by years of use—to strike the keys and produce a very different tone.

Cleaning

If a piano has been stored or has been exposed to very high humidity, smoke, or mice for a prolonged period, it may require cleaning for optimal performance. Dirt and mold can change the sound and feeling of a piano and cause keys to feel “sticky.” Generally, this includes vacuuming all components and using an air compressor to remove dirt from between and under the keys and inside the action. This is not for restoration, but for playability.

Benches, covers, and other parts

I can order any parts and piano accessories for you and bring them to our tuning. For a full menu of available items, see the Schaff Piano Supply catalog.

I now offer part replication!My shop now has 3D printing capability with a wide variety of sizes and materials.For individual piano owners, this means I can now replicate even the most difficult-to-find parts that piano suppliers might not carry.To other piano technicians, I’m happy to offer my services duplicating those difficult-to-find parts. Please contact me and I’ll make that perfect party!

Price List

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This publicly posted price list is accurate as of January 20th, 2025.

Travel

I will not charge travel for any piano within an hour of Portland, Maine. I am willing to travel farther, although I will sometimes charge for considerable distances and trips to islands if there aren’t enough other customers in the area.

Discounts

I offer discounts to regular customers, schools, churches, retirees, nonprofits, and home-schooling families. I also have special deals for piano teachers.

Return Policy

“Can I put my name on it?” When I finish working on your piano, I’ll leave a signed card on it: This represents that I believe I’ve done my best work, and that I’m pleased to put my name to it. If you have any problems with the piano at all, whether in terms of tuning or mechanical issues that you feel I’ve overlooked, let me know. I guarantee all of my work completely.

The Price List

Service Price
Standard service (tuning and minor work) $180
Standard service for regularly scheduled customers $160
Regulation $120/hr
Full disassembly and cleaning $200
+ cleaning under the strings of a grand piano + $80
Evaluations $80
+ appraisal write-up + $40
Dampp-Chaser Piano Life Saver System® (most uprights) $550
Dampp-Chaser Piano Life Saver System® (dehumidifier only) $250
Dampp-Chaser Piano Life Saver System® (< 7′ grands) $600
Dampp-Chaser Piano Life Saver System® (larger grands) $875
Remote humidity monitoring $200
Hourly charge for repair $120

Other Policies

Please pay at time of service.

I can take payment by check or cash.

I can send you a digital invoice you can pay with card or Cash App.

Giebler’s Yamaha DOM Package for a Clavinova Backups

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Yamaha service note from 2004 refers to Giebler’s Yamaha DOM package, which is used for copying Clavinova and Disklavier files. I’m in the process of transferring files in a Yamaha CLP-156, a Clavinova from 1994, which uses an early version of ESEQ. I was curious to see if Giebler’s software package gave me better results than the more modern tools I have available, and if it might have an edge reading older disks.

You can view the Yamaha DOM Package from Gary Giebler on the Giebler website. It’s a bit pricey — $54.95 at the time of this writing. But it’s a specialized tool!

However, it requires an MS-DOS based version of Windows. I couldn’t get it to run in FreeDOS, as it required a Windows environment for the installation. However, I was able to get it running on Windows ME, running on physical hardware with an internal floppy disk drive. This is a very high bar to clear for installation — Windows ME and Windows 98SE are hard to install on modern hardware, to say the least, and Windows ME barely ran on the 2008 era computer I used for this process. So I looked for a better solution.

Running Giebler’s Yamaha DOM Package on a VM

Eventually, I was able to improve on this. I’m now running it on a virtual machine using VirtualBox. To start with, I had to install Windows ME, and found a Windows ME VDI ready to use on Internet Archive. The Giebler software will install only in the Windows environment, but on the virtual machine it won’t run in it. It was necessary to install DOS Mode for Windows Millennium Edition, and then reboot into DOS. Obviously it can’t directly read the floppy disk drive from within VirtualBox, so I make images of the floppy disks, and then attach those to the session after booting into DOS.

If you’re interested in making floppy disk images for use with Giebler’s Yamaha DOM package in a virtual machine, you’ll find a Greaseweazle is just the tool to make high-quality images of your disks.

Reading a Yamaha Disklavier Floppy Disk

Finally, I got everything installed, and I got to the first screen. This software has the following options, and none are particularly helpful for our purposes:

The Yamaha Disk Manager control screen. (Serial number and name are scrubbed from the status bar.)

I tried a handful of disks with it. I found its performance at reading disks somewhat limited compared to modern tools like Mark Fontana’s Player Piano Floppy Backup Utility (PPFBU). But it was able to look at disks and list their contents, and it had a pleasant old-timey feel. See, for instance, a directory listing:

The directory listing for a Christmas album I used as a sample.

I attempted to make a copy of the disk, and was met with an error. “Illegal to Copy!” As you can see in the above screenshot, Giebler’s Yamaha DOM package notices that the disk is “Copy Protected!” And it alters its behavior accordingly.

Reading my Clavinova Disk

So now, for my Clavinova. First, using Yamaha Disk Manager (YDM), I copy the track to the local disk:

Copying an MDA / ESEQ file to the local disk.

And then, I open up the DOMSMF application. At this point, I can select “Convert Yamaha to Midi” and, remarkably, it works!

Instructing DOMSMF to convert the MDA file to MIDI.
Playing the song in Windows ME (before transferring it to an actual computer from the modern era)!

Note that tempo and track data are successfully transferred. This information is lost by DKVUTILS when converting MDA files to MIDI.

Free Piano Giveaway for “Passionate Instrument Lover”

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Have you recently received an email offering a free, high-quality piano to you, a “passionate instrument lover”? I periodically receive emails from customers asking me for guidance after receiving similar emails. See the email below for an example:

Greetings
I am offering my late husband’s Yamaha Piano to anyone passionate about musical instruments. Please inform me if you are interested or if you know someone who might appreciate this instrument.
Best regards,
Tiffany

A customer sent this to me recently. After he received the email, he wrote a reply, asking for more details. He received the following:

Hello [NAME],
Thanks for your message.
The Yamaha Baby Grand Piano GC1 model used to be owned and played by my husband who passed away last year, the dimension is “161cm by 149cm”. It was last tuned sometime last year before he passed. She’s about 3 years old and in an impeccable condition.
I’m relocating to France next two weeks, and I don’t think my husband will be happy if I sell this piano, so I’m hoping to give it out to someone who is a passionate lover of the instrument, I wasn’t going to leave it alone in an empty house.
The Piano is currently in storage in Little Rock Arkansas with the movers I employed to move my properties from my house. I can forward you the movers’ contact details to enable you to contact them. The movers can deliver anywhere. However, I will not be responsible for the cost of delivering the piano to you. However, the movers’ rates are reasonably affordable.
I look forward to your reply.
Tiffany

So are these real?

These emails are scams. Random emails offering free pianos, particularly ones of considerable value, are almost always scams. Most of these emails follow similar patterns, and the piano’s “owner” typically will tell you the piano is currently being handled by a mover or storage company, and that you just need to send them money. There is no piano. You will not see your money again, and they’ll gather your personal information for future attacks. If you’re in Maine, see my Piano Moving FAQ for local piano movers, and for many reasons to research your piano movers carefully!

Nearly all scam emails that people have shared with me have involved deceased family members. I’ve received a variety of such emails, and I’ve included them below. If you’ve received a similar email, hopefully one of these will come up in your web search!

These emails often include pictures of the instrument. These pictures are frequently taken from Craigslist, Facebook, and other platforms with pianos for sale, such as the one in this post. The pianos are nearly always higher value instruments, worth thousands, in order to activate your sense of lost opportunity.

For more information, see ‘Free Piano?’ Be careful or you’ll be the one who gets played from Consumer Reports.

Solicitations I’ve Received by Email.

Hello,
How are you doing today? I am looking to give away my late husband’s Yamaha baby grand piano to a passionate instrument lover, Please let me know if you will take it or have someone who will care for it. Contact me via: [EMAIL ADDRESS]
Regards,
Lacikay
Hello,
How are you doing today? I am looking to give away my late husband’s Yamaha baby grand piano to a passionate instrument lover, please let me know if you will take it or have someone who will care for it.
Regards,
Elysha
Received as a text I am giving away my late husband’s Yamaha Grand GC1 as a donation. If your facility is interested or you know of any teacher, school, child, church, or any home it will be appreciated, Please share this email with them. God bless you. Regards, Theresa Williams
How are you doing today? I am looking to give away my late husband’s Yamaha Baby Grand Piano to a passionate instrument lover, Please let me know if you will take it or have someone who will care for it.
Alice

Further scams…

Hello,
How are you doing today? I am looking to give away my late husband’s Yamaha baby grand piano to a passionate instrument lover, Please let me know if you will take it or have someone who will care for it. Regards,
Mrs Mata
Hello,
I hope this mail gets to you soon. I’m looking to give away my late husband’s baby grand piano to a loving home, music school or church. Please let me know if you will adopt it or if you have someone in mind who wants it, just in case you don’t need it.
Best Wishes,
Laura
Recently, I made the difficult decision to part with the Yamaha Baby Grand Piano GCI model. this decision is filled with sentimental value and the memories of my late husband, making it all the more significant. The Yamaha Baby Grand Piano GC1 model used to be owned and played by my husband who passed away last year, the dimension is “151cm by 146cm” . It was last tuned sometime last year before he passed. She’s about 3 years old and in an impeccable condition.
I’m moving my properties to another place and I don’t think my late husband will be happy if I sell this piano, at the same time, I am settling for a home with less space, so I’m hoping to give it out to someone who is a passionate lover of the instrument who will cherish and enjoy its beauty and melodic charm. I wasn’t going to leave it alone in an empty house.
Anyone who is intrested in taking the Piano should contact me via my email: [email protected]
Warm regards
Charlene Scott

Yamaha GH3 Substitutions

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I recently had a client request I replace the stock GH3 action in her Yamaha CVP-305 with a Yamaha Natural Wood action, and I had an opportunity to do some experimenting.

The Yamaha GH3 keyboard action can be replaced with the NW-GH3 action, the GH3X action, or the NWX action. All four of the actions below seem to be interchangeable, with the features as listed:

Plastic Wood
No Escapement GH3 NW-GH3
Escapement GH3X NWX

Her favorite action was the NW-GH3. Although there’s some subjectivity, we mutually agreed that the natural wood actions were lighter than the plastic equivalents (which is a bit counter-intuitive initially), and that the escapement added perceived weight.

In other words, we found that the NW-GH3 action was the lightest action, perceptibly, and the GH3X was the heaviest.

Cadenza in Freeport

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As a professional piano tuner, I’ve had the privilege for several years of working at some the most beautiful music venues. Cadenza is nestled right in the heart of Freeport at 5 Depot St, and this venue attracts music lovers who come to enjoy live performances and the beauty of its Yamaha C7 grand piano.

From classical concerts to jazz nights, the musicians who grace its stage are some of the most talented and passionate. The piano itself is a magnificent instrument, and has been a centerpiece of the venue for many years. They take wonderful care of it. I have spent many hours tuning and caring for this beautiful instrument, and it’s well-loved by the performers who play on it.

Whether you are a music lover or simply appreciate the finer things in life, this venue and its piano are not to be missed. I highly recommend taking the time to visit and experience the magic of live music and the beauty of this magnificent instrument.

Here’s what they have coming up next.

Photo courtesy the Cadenza website and gallery.

Maine Piano Teacher Directory

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Are you looking for a piano teacher?

This is a (nearly) comprehensive list of local piano teachers here in Southern Maine. This list includes both teachers who work with you in-person, and also those who use remote teaching tools.

Teachers who can travel to your home are marked with a black star (★), and teachers who can work with you remotely are marked with a white star (☆).

If you have any submissions or updates, please contact [email protected]. Or contact me through my contact page.

I am honored to be able to offer what I believe to be the most comprehensive list of piano teachers in the state, and will respond quickly to any updates you have for me. Some of these piano teachers are difficult to find elsewhere, and all are excellent.

Teacher City
Arthur Melendy
(207) 376-3376
Email | Facebook		 Auburn
Christina Morrill
(207) 831-5531		 Auburn
Midcoast School of Music ☆
(207) 837-2955		 Bath
Amy Irish
(207) 449-0093
Email		 Bangor
Midtown Music
(207) 282-0254
Email		 Biddeford
Ann Hartzler
(207) 837-3416
Email		 Bowdoinham
Maya Doumas
Email | Facebook		 Brunswick
Eric Peppe ☆
(207) 400-6011
Email		 Buxton
Carrie Clement
(207) 236-4353
Email | Facebook		 Camden
Claire Helene Bevan
(617) 319-1291
Email | Facebook		 Camden
Christine Kissack
(207) 780-5265
Email		 Falmouth
Jacqui Savage ☆
(207) 232-9893
Facebook		 Falmouth
Dr. Gulimini Mahamuti
Email		 Freeport
Gorham School of Music
(207) 839-3900
Email | Facebook		 Gorham
Peggy Gates
(207) 839-6141		 Gorham
Rhee Michelle
Email | Facebook		 Gray
Kim Bean
(207) 615-3104
Email		 Harrison
Sara Sturdivant ★☆
(978) 382-3687
Email | Facebook		 Haverhill, MA
River Tree Arts
(207) 967-9120
Email | Facebook		 Kennebunk
Barbara Fraser
(207) 793-2103		 Kennebunk
Marc P. Mailhot ★☆
(207) 420-7683
Email		 Lisbon
Andrea Rosenberg
(207) 409-0750		 Peaks Island
Kathryn Miller ☆
(207) 487-5405
Email | Facebook		 Pittsfield
Erica Ball ☆
Email		 Portland
Michael Beling ☆
(207) 939-7969
Facebook		 Portland
Music with Mona ★☆
(207) 295-5658
Email		 Portland
Nell Britton ☆
(207) 408-5197
Facebook		 Portland
Amy Hunter ☆
(207) 370-8826
Email		 Portland
Phyllis Leeke ☆
(207) 773-2523
Email | Facebook		 Portland
Liz Manduca
(207) 773-7012
Email		 Portland
Maine Academy of Modern Music ☆
(207) 899-3433
Email		 Portland
Maine Music Lessons ☆
(207) 200-4296
Email		 Portland
Carol Starbird ★
(207) 409-4841
Facebook		 Portland
Mesa Schubeck
(207) 266-6621
Email		 Portland
Alice Peterson ☆
(207) 210-4214
Email		 Portland
Joy Tremont ★
(207) 837-1875
Email		 Portland
Eve Sawyer
(207) 773-8741		 Portland
Patricia Jalbert
(207) 934-1218		 Portland
Dale Churchill
Email		 Portland
Midcoast School of Music ☆
(207) 837-2955		 Portland
KMH Music
(207) 764-3651
Email | Facebook		 Rockland
Midcoast Music Academy ☆
(207) 701-7410
Facebook		 Rockland
Abigail Nash ☆
(207) 355-1535
Email		 Rockland
Alyssa Hawkins ☆
Email | Facebook		 Sabattus
Irina Malayev
(207) 615-3854
Facebook		 Scarborough
Fiddlehead Scarborough
(207) 730-3798
Email		 Scarborough
Nell Britton ☆
(207) 408-5197
Email		 S. Portland
Sarah Pearce ☆
(207) 460-0128
Email		 S. Portland
Kim Jamison
(207) 206-6468
Email | Facebook		 Sanford
Joel Pierce ☆
(207) 370-8266
Email | Facebook		 Topsham
Kiersten Christy
Email | Facebook		 Waterboro
Jennifer Day
(207) 590-7910		 W. Baldwin
Barbara Fraser
(207) 793-2103		 W. Newfield
Christina Misner Rao ☆
Email		 Wayne / Winthrop
317 Main St
(207) 846-9559
Facebook		 Yarmouth
Marlene Wagner ★
(734) 645-4129
Email | Facebook		 Yarmouth
T Will Huval ★
(207) 361-1069		 York
Lori Gundlah
(207) 363-5046 Email		 York

This list is open to all piano teachers who operate in Maine. Just write to [email protected]. Entries are free.

Please consider donating to support this list.

Thank you for using this list!