Frequently Asked Questions

How often should I tune my piano?

Your piano technician will have a good recommendation for you, dependent upon the tuning stability of your piano and your own needs and sensitivities to tuning fluctuations. General recommendations:

  1. Twice a year – to minimize pitch changes, and for those customers with finer instruments and more critical ears
  2. Once a year – as a minimum, particularly if the piano has good tuning stability
  3. As needed – when it is being used for performance, or is in a large venue where environment is harder to control.
When is the best time of year to tune my piano?

Unfortunately, in the state of Indiana, if you are waiting for the perfect weather time, good luck! Each person’s needs are different, but in general if it is out of tune don’t wait for the illusive “perfect” time.

Should I get my piano tuned immediately after moving it to a new location?

In a home situation, it’s a good idea to let it settle into the new environment for perhaps 6 weeks or so, to get acclimated to a different humidity norm. Again, if it is badly out of tune when moved, then have it tuned sooner after the move.

What causes pianos to go out of tune?

Aside from loose tuning pins or structural problems, changes in humidity are the single most common causes. While heating-air conditioning professionals recommend keeping your home at 35%, piano manufacturers recommend maintaining humidity at 42%. The more constant the humidity is kept, the more tuning stability your piano will achieve.

How long does a tuning take?

Your appointment in your home should take around 1 to 1-1/2 hours. If you need more work done, obviously that would increase the time involved. When making the appointment, please alert your technician to any other issues you may be having with your instrument.

I know the frustration of waiting around for a service person to arrive. I therefore try to schedule my appointments in a way that will allow me to be as prompt and timely as possible. I respect your time, your home, and treat my customers with respect.

What is a pitch raise?

When a piano has not be tuned in a timely manner, the overall pitch may fall so far below standard pitch that a stable tuning cannot be accomplished. A pitch raise is an actual extra tuning on your entire piano that pulls the pitch quickly above standard pitch. This is immediately followed with a fine tuning at standard pitch. This process helps to re-establish standard pitch for your instrument. There is an additional amount added to the normal tuning fee for this process.

Do you use an electronic tuner?

I was trained to tune aurally(by ear) and have for 30 years. While using an electronic device is commonplace today, I also rely heavily on my ear for tuning – listening to each piano individually to reach the full potential and beauty of sound from your instrument. I find an electronic tuner particularly useful for making pitch changes, as well as a check for difficult to hear upper register notes, but always under the guidance of my aural skills.