Piano technician Bob Lee tunes a grand piano at Syracuse University's Crouse College, April 18, 2017. The Vernon, New York resident has maintenanced and cared for Syracuse University's numerous pianos for 21 years and maintains more than 60 pianos and harpsichords in Crouse College and around the SU campus.

“The piano is a work of art, but it's much closer to being a machine than any other instrument out there," said Bob Lee, Piano Technician for Syracuse University Visual/ Performing Arts Program. "Unlike the guitar or violin, there are 88 individual mechanisms that have to fire really consistently to play that instrument." Lee has repaired, maintained and tuned pianos in Texas and central New York for 34 years.

Piano technician Bob Lee, mutes piano strings while tuning at Syracuse University's Crouse College, April 21, 2017. Most of the keys on a piano are mechanized to hit three strings upon being pressed. Each string is tuned separately slightly differently to play a more well-rounded note. The Vernon, New York resident has maintenanced and cared for Syracuse University's numerous pianos for 21 years.

Piano technician Bob Lee tunes strings on a harpsichord at Syracuse University's Crouse College, April 18, 2017.The Vernon, New York resident has maintenanced and cared for Syracuse University's numerous pianos for 21 years and maintains more than 60 pianos and harpsichords in Crouse College and around the SU campus.

Piano technician Bob Lee tunes strings on a harpsichord at Syracuse University's Crouse College, April 18, 2017.The Vernon, New York resident has maintenanced and cared for Syracuse University's numerous pianos for 21 years and maintains more than 60 pianos and harpsichords in Crouse College and around the SU campus.

Piano technician Bob Lee tunes strings on a harpsichord at Syracuse University's Crouse College, April 18, 2017. The Vernon, New York resident has maintenanced and cared for Syracuse University's numerous pianos for 21 years and maintains more than 60 pianos and harpsichords in Crouse College and around the SU campus.

Bob Lee, piano technican Syracuse University's Crouse College maintains, repairs and tunes pianos all over central New York. "I regulate the touch, tone and sound (of the piano) so the artist can make color and produce beautiful music," said the Vernon, New York resident. Lee regularly works with Crouse College's 57 pianos and numerous other pianos through Syracuse University's schools.

Bob Lee, re-glues a loose hammer from a piano action, at Syracuse University's Crouse College, April 21, 2017. The Vernon, New York resident has maintenanced and cared for Syracuse University's numerous pianos for 21 years.The margin of error to set a hammer correctly ranges from 1/4th of an inch on the low pitch end and less than 1/16th of an inch on the high pitch end. If these margins are exceed the hammer will fail to hit the strings and ruin the sound of the piano. Each of the 88 piano keys on a grand piano have a separate mechanism to produce sound.

Pictured is a paino action that has been removed by hand for repair. Piano actions assemblies can weigh up to 45 lbs. Piano Technician Bob Lee removes piano actions by hand to make repairs to the assembly or inside of the piano and may need to remove and replace an assembly several times in one sitting.

A visual and performing arts student inspects a harpsichord that was just tuned by piano technician Bob Lee, at Syracuse University's Crouse College, April 21, 2017. The Vernon, New York resident has maintenanced and cared for Syracuse University's numerous pianos and harpsichords for 21 years.