Didn’t think you could tell if a piano was out of tune or not?

If you couldn’t hear it before now, you should hopefully be able to hear in this video a very clear example of what a piano can sound like BEFORE TUNING as well as AFTER TUNING!

Here are the most common reasons for a piano to go out of tune:

• HUMIDITY – Changes in humidity cause the soundboard to swell or shrink resulting in a loss of tension in the strings.
• NEW STRINGS – If you have a brand new piano, because the strings are also new, it will need at least 4 tunings during the first year. Likewise, if you recently replaced some or all the strings on your piano, as is the case with repairing broken strings or fully rebuilding your piano, it will also need at least 4 tunings during the first year in order to stabilize.
• REGULAR PLAY – Pianos that are being played frequently as is the case in concert venues, institutions, or even in an in-home studio require more frequent tunings than a piano that is rarely played.
• PINBLOCK – For a piano to hold its tune, it is essential that the tuning pins are tight. The pinblock, which holds the tuning pins, is made of hardwood. If your piano is only a few years old, problems with the pinblock are most likely going to be covered in your piano’s 5-10 year manufacturer warranty.  If your piano is much older, over time the pins can sometimes loosen up as the pinblock wood loses moisture content.
• TIME – Even if you don’t play often, your piano will still go out of tune over time. This is because of the temperature and humidity changes of the seasons.

Aural Piano Tuning Concert!

For standard maintenance, we recommend a piano tuning 1-2 times a year.  One exception is new pianos or newly restrung pianos that need 4-6 tunings the first year to stabilize the new strings. If you have recently moved, changes in climate will cause your piano to go out of tune, and we recommend scheduling a tuning ~6 weeks after the move to give your piano a chance to acclimate.