High Tech Piano Tuning
by Mr. Steve Golden
“Oh, no! My piano is out of tune!”
Has this ever happened to you? Many times, pianos that are not played regularly are discovered to be out of tune when a guest arrives and begins to play. This can be a moment of embarassment for the owner. "How could it have gone out of tune?"
Pianos go out of tune for a variety of reasons such as humidity, temperature changes, how often it is played, and how it is played.
The notes on a piano consist either of one string (unichord), two strings (bichord), or three strings (trichord). The bichord and trichord strings that make up the note must be as close as possible in pitch so they ring out in unison; that is, so they sound as one note. Often when a piano sounds poorly, it is not because the piano is off pitch, but that these multiple-string notes are not sounding as one. Mr. Steve uses some of the latest high-tech piano tuning methods to accurately tune your piano from the lowest note to the highest.
“How often should my piano be tuned?”
How often a piano should be tuned is variable. It depends on the quality of the piano, temperature, humidity, and even how often and how vigorously the piano is played. In general, the recommended tuning for a piano is every six to twelve months.
However, if the piano has been out of tune for a significant time, it will likely require multiple tunings before it will stay in tune properly. This is because the longer the strings sit out of tune, the more they become used to being in that position and are prone to pulling themselves back out of tune. Often, a piano in this condition will also have dropped in pitch overall. In this case, a “pitch raise” will be required before it can be tuned. If the piano needs a “pitch raise,” additional tuning sessions, perhaps every three months or so for a year may be needed for the piano to be brought into top condition.
Mr. Steve is here to help!
Mr. Steve wants to help you keep your piano in top condition; thereby avoiding more expensive repairs later. As a “Mr. Steve’s” customer, not only will you get cheerful, personal service, but you also get the convenience of scheduing tuning appointments on Mr. Steve’s Web site, as well as regular reminders of when your next tuning is due based on a schedule of your choice.
