Piano tuning is the process of altering the pitch of the piano strings by either tightening or loosening the tuning pins.

In order to have the most beautiful sound coming out of your piano, it must be periodically tuned, just like every other instrument. The main reason pianos go out of tune is weather and temperature related.  Since the piano is made of mostly wood, it is very susceptible to moisture in the air.  Pianos tend to swell during the wet months and contract during the drier months, making it sound flat or sharp.  Other factors that can contribute to a piano going out of tune include: moving it, how often and how hard the piano is being played, and in some cases there can be something structurally wrong with the piano itself.

Because a piano’s tuning changes with the seasons, your piano will sound best if you have it tuned every season.  This however, this is not always financially feasible. Most of our clients tune their pianos every 6 months, once in the summer months and once in the winter months.  If you go too long between tunings, not only does the piano start to sound bad, it is often more difficult and costly to bring it back into correct tune.

The biggest thing you can do is maintain a consistent temperature and humidity in the house, allowing for fluctuations of no more than 10 degrees.  Placing your piano away from drafty doors & windows, as well as from fireplaces & other heat sources will also help your piano stay in tune.  The goal is to keep your piano’s environment at around 50% relative humidity.