The Nittty-Gritty on Piano Tuning
 Piano
tuning means that tensions in the strings of the
instrument are adjusted. This is what needs to happen to
keep your instrument in tune. This service can be
provided to you by a registered tuner or technician.
There are a few things to consider when looking into this
matter. These are:
• How often the piano should be tuned
• Cost
• The
piano tuner’s recommendations
How Often Should I Have A Tuning?
As often as
possible silly! All joking aside this is the number one
question on any piano owner’s mind. Before asking this
question there is something to keep in mind. A piano is an
investment, think of it as a car.
Piano tuning is
much like tuning up a car. For either of them to run at
their best, they must be serviced properly by a licensed
technician. Secondly, keeping up a maintenance schedule will
help you keep your instrument sounding beautifully in tune.
As a general rule, though normal use, a piano should be
tuned every six months to a year.
If you play
your piano quite a bit, you will need to up the tunings to
every few months. Remember that you paid a big chunk of
change for that large instrument in your living room, keep
it from depreciating too quickly with proper care.
Many people wonder how to
tell if their piano is in need of tuning. A simple
test is to just listen to the notes. If they start sounding
“off” while playing your favorite tunes than its time to get
an adjustment.
Newer pianos may need more tuning for
the first few years. The strings in a newly purchased piano
are tight and stretch quite a bit. Pianos that have been
restrung will also need more frequent tunings until the
strings have been “seasoned” again.
What Is This Gonna Cost Me?
Obviously the
service isn’t going to be free. Just like everybody else,
tuners have to pay bills, and things like gas are going to
affect their bottom lines. Prices are going to differ quite
a bit form region to region and how much experience a tuner
is bringing with them.
The type of piano is also going to play a role. A
grand piano is going to run higher than a run-of-the-mill
upright. The condition of the instrument will also be a
factor in the final cost of the tuning as well.
If
any repairs need to be done for such as broken strings or
worn out hammers, the price of the tuning will reflect this.
Some tuners offer a quote to help you gauge costs.
On average the cost will be between $75 and $200.
The Piano Tuner Wants Me To Do What?
There are many things that tuning can uncover. At times
there can be extra things that need to happen to your piano
before it can be restored to its former glory. Aside from
restringing and rehammering there are other things that most
people write off as “the
piano tuner hustle”.
Understand that
registered piano tuners are held up to stringent
international standards set forth by the
Piano Technician’s Guild. These standards dictate
what must be done to preserve the piano as an investment and
musical instrument.
When a technician tells you that your piano needs
regulating, he is not trying to sandbag you into an up-sell.
This operation is a set of adjustments that are performed on
each note. The adjustments affect the action of the keyboard
giving you a more responsive experience.
After
frequent use, the keys start to become “slow” or less
responsive. Regulation restores the play of the piano and
should be performed every five to ten years.
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