|
by OnlyPiano.com
Every piano owner should include regular
piano tuning in a routine maintenance
plan to keep his or her instrument
sounding great. Piano tuning can even
reduce the need for costly repairs
throughout an instrument’s lifetime.
What is Piano Tuning?
Piano tuning can be a complicated
process that takes a great deal of
expertise and training to accomplish
successfully. A piano has more than 500
working parts, 250 of which are strings.
Each string is wrapped around a tuning
pin set in a wooden block. A piano
note’s pitch depends on the tension or
tuning of these strings. A piano tuner
will usually use a tuning fork to
correctly tune each string.
Why is Piano Tuning
Required?
Just like cars, pianos need regular
maintenance, the most important being
piano tuning. Pianos are sensitive to
exterior influences, such as humidity
and motion - even lack of activity can
cause strings to go out of tune.
Consequently, a piano can easily go out
of tune in a matter of six months. Most
pianos only stay in perfect tune for a
few weeks. Studies have shown that
practicing on an out-of-tune piano can
be detrimental for musicians; it
distracts the player from the quality of
sound being produced.
How Frequently Should I
Tune My Piano?
Most piano tuners suggest piano tuning
twice a year, coinciding with seasonal
changes, for budgetary reasons. The
humidity that accompanies spring and the
house-heating that commonly starts in
the fall affect the wooden parts of the
soundboard, causing strings to go out of
tune. In reality, a piano can benefit
from monthly tuning; however, most piano
owners would find monthly maintenance
too cost prohibitive.
Piano Tuners and Their
Services
Piano tuners, otherwise known as piano
technicians, receive in-depth training
and certification to specialize in piano
tuning. Some piano tuners begin their
careers as apprentices for experienced
piano technicians. Others learn how to
tune a piano by attending college
courses in piano technology from
respected universities.
Some piano tuners only tune your
instrument, but others are capable of
piano tuning, repair, and regulation. A
piano tuner might repair an instrument
by replacing worn parts or fixing broken
strings. Piano regulation ensures that
every piano part moves the proper
distance at the proper time. Regulating
a piano gives more control and better
sound.
How to Choose a Piano
Tuner
There are probably a few piano tuners to
choose from in your town, but your best
bet is to choose one who is a member of
the Piano Technicians Guild (PTG). You
can recognize a guild member if the
piano tuner’s name has RPT or Registered
Piano Technician after it.
You can start by asking your music
teacher or a fellow musician for a
recommendation. If you don’t have any
luck finding a piano tuner by word of
mouth, you can always look online or in
the phone book. Before choosing a piano
tuner, here are some questions you might
want to ask:
-
How much do you charge?
-
What method(s) do you use to tune
(i.e. a tuning fork or electronic
tuner)?
-
Do you guarantee your work?
-
Do you regulate and repair pianos? Are
these repairs included in the price of
a maintenance visit?
-
Do you require customers to sign a
service contract?
Once you’ve found a piano tuner you like
(and is within your budget), you can
schedule your first appointment. When
the piano tuner arrives, feel free to
ask questions and observe him or her at
work. If you aren’t satisfied with the
job, you might ask for a follow-up
appointment or simply seek a different
piano tuner for the next scheduled
maintenance.
Cost of Hiring a
Professional Piano Tuner
As with all service businesses, the
prices of piano tuning vary from
community to community. If there are
many piano tuners in your town, you
might be able to get a better price
thanks to competition. The cost might
also be commensurate with your piano
tuner’s experience and training or the
type and condition of your instrument.
However, an average piano tuning can run
from $75 up to $175. Most piano tuners
need an hour or two to carefully tune
your instrument.
If your piano hasn’t been tuned in a
long time (three or more years), you
might incur additional expenses to raise
it back to pitch.
How to Tune a Piano
Myself
Be forewarned: Piano tuning is not a
simple task. It requires a great deal of
patience and attention to detail. If you
aren’t careful, you could break the
strings or the piano’s frame. A piano’s
strings have a total of almost 30 tons
of tension; a few broken strings could
result in serious personal injury.
However, with some instruction, you can
learn how to tune a piano yourself.
For equipment, you’ll need a tuning
wrench or hammer, a tuning fork or
another form of pitch reference, and a
set of mutes. These tools are not very
expensive, but learning to use them
properly will take time.
Below is a brief explanation of how to
tune a piano. Please keep in mind that
this is purely informative in nature and
not to be considered a detailed tutorial
in piano tuning.
Step 1: Make sure you can concentrate by
clearing the room of distractions.
Step 2: Start with middle C. Only tune
one string at a time. Locate the pin
that turns the string you are tuning.
Place your mutes in between the string
and the others in the set to stop
vibrations. Strike the piano key,
firmly, and turn the pin with the tuning
wrench until the pitch matches the
corresponding note on the tuning fork or
electronic tuner. If you’re new to this,
an electronic tuner is easier to handle.
Loosen the tension of the string before
you tighten it, and go very slowly.
Step 3: Once the key is in tune,
continue by removing the mutes and
moving on to the next string in the set.
Tune every key in the middle octave;
when you’re done, tune the other octaves
by matching them to the middle octave.
Step 4: Once all octaves are tuned,
check the tuning by ear. This process
can take about 20 minutes per octave, so
take your time.
Hiring a professional piano tuner,
however, is the safest and most
economical way, in the long run, to keep
your piano in tune. Although a
professional piano tuning can be a bit
expensive, it’s well worth the
expenditure to keep your instrument
properly maintained. Better still, your
playing will sound much better on a
carefully tuned instrument. Routine
checkups from a skilled piano tuner will
help prevent costly repairs and preserve
your piano’s value.
|
