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Piano Tuning

Pianos sound and work the best when they are tuned and maintained.  Much more enjoyment comes from a piano that performs well.  If a piano is too far out of tune or ajustment it becomes an instrument you just don't want to play.

Below are some of the questions that piano tuners are frequently asked, with answers:

Q.     Why do pianos go out of tune?

A.      The main cause is changes in humidity.  If possible the best thing to do is maintain a constant humidity level around 42%.  If the humidity goes up or down the whole level of pitch of the piano changes (unevenly) as well.  Over time if the general level of pitch goes down more than it goes up there will be a net drop in pitch To bring the pitch back up to A 440 (the standard pitch for all pianos), a pitch raise is involved. The opposite can happen in humid climates.  To a much smaller extent playing can also cause some change.  Loose tuning pins can also cause certain strings to drop.

Q.     How often should you tune a piano?

A.     Many people tune their piano just once a year, usually at the same time every year.  Pianos that are used for perfoming may need to be tuned more often depending on the piano and the surrounding humidity control.  The best answer is a piano should be tuned when you start to hear that a few notes sound out of tune.  Loose tuning pins can also cause certain strings to drop and not sound right.  Pianos should always be tuned before any important performance.

Q.     When is the best time of year to tune the piano?

A.      A piano should be tuned when it needs to be tuned so the time of year shouldn't matter.  It is a good idea to have the piano tuned at a time when it is being used the most.    

There are many other questions that people wonder about so don't hesitate to ask something in the box on our home page.