Point, Click, Restore Your Piano!Piano Care Fact Sheet

Keeping your piano tuned is important for your piano's health.
A piano tuned to A-440 connects the piano to any ensemble of instruments.


 

Member of the Piano Technicians Guild  WE ARE GRATEFUL TO CELEBRATE BEING IN BUSINESS DOING WHAT WE LOVE FOR 50 YEARS
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REGISTERED PIANO TECHNICIAN
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Keeping Your Piano Tuned And At The Right Pitch

A major component of our dedication to comprehensive service is, of course, keeping your piano consistently tuned to the standard pitch of A-440 cycles per second. A-440 is the universal standard to which modern and contemporary pianos are designed to maintain. This is the pitch that will keep your piano sounding its very best. It is the pitch that teaches piano students how to play along with other types of instruments, such as the flute, the oboe, or an entire orchestra.

How Often Should My Piano Be Tuned?

If your piano is new, or newly restored with a set of fresh strings, it is usually recommended that it be tuned at least four times the first year or two. If the piano is to be a concert performance instrument, tuning will be more frequent. New strings stretch and due to their different thicknesses and weight, not all strings stretch at the same rate. It is therefore important that your technician provide methodical attention during the stretching phase.

After the stretching phase, once the piano settles into its new environment, we recommended that the piano be tuned and checked for proper pitch at least two times per year, but we tend to agree with Steinway Company's recommendation of three or four times per year as a regular measure of controlled maintenance.

There are many different scenarios. A rarely played piano sitting in a well insulated home might need only two tunings per year. A college practice piano might be tuned once or twice a month. Pianos used for recording will be tuned weekly or even daily, depending upon use, and a performance or stage piano will be tuned for rehearsals and again before each performance.

So, how often should my piano be tuned? A technician's typical response is often heard: "It all depends..." Certainly, the number of tunings your piano will require will depend upon a number of factors. Climate plays an enormous roll in how well the piano will stay in tune. Drafty rooms, or rooms that exhibit drastic fluctuations in temperature or humidity are perhaps the biggest challenges. If this is a problem your piano faces, ask your technician for remedies. With a regular tuning schedule, your technician will also have the chance to inspect the action and other working parts to make sure your piano is always in tip-top shape.

Remember:

  • Have your piano tuned regularly according to its unique needs.
  • Have your piano tuned often enough to maintain proper pitch.
  • Make sure your piano is serviced by a professional technician.

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