Piano Tuning Services 101: Things To Know As A Customer

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A well-tuned piano is one of the finest instruments known to mankind, but all pianos can fall out of tune. Here is a look at some of the things to know about professional piano tuning. 

How much will it cost to have the piano tuned?

You can expect to pay somewhere between $65 and $225 to have your piano professionally tuned. Larger pianos can naturally be more on the expensive side to tune, and older pianos with intricate parts and tuning mechanisms can also be higher. 

What is actually involved in having a piano tuned?

The professional will use special tuning instruments and standards to get the piano in tune. You will see the piano opened up to access the tuning pins, and each string and tuning pin will be adjusted until it is providing the perfect pitch. 

Why should you have your piano tuned every few years?

The longer a piano goes in between tuning, the harder it can be to get it back where it needs to be. All pianos fall out of tune as they are played through the years, and the strings can relax and tuning pins slightly release. Strings that are left in these positions for many years can grow more rigid and brittle. 

How can you keep the piano in tune after it has been tuned?

Pianos will retain their tuning for quite some time after they have been professionally tuned, but they do gradually fall out of tune with regular playing. The easiest thing you can do to protect the tuning is to keep your home a stable temperature, as changes in temperature and humidity levels can have an effect on the tension of the strings and tuning pins. It is also a good idea to avoid aggressively pounding on the keys because when the hammers hit the strings aggressively, it can knock them out of tune. 

Why do you have to get a piano tuned after it is moved?

It is a common misconception that pianos have to be tuned after moving them because the movement itself jars the tuning loose, but this is actually rarely the case. The reason a piano usually needs tuning after a move is associated with a change in the climate where the piano is located. Something as simple as taking a piano from a home with ambient temperature and relatively low humidity out into the summer heat in high humidity can cause tuning to change.  

For more information, reach out to a piano tuning service.


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