FAQs

FAQs

Why does my piano go out of tune?

A sound, stable piano will go out of tune for three main reasons:

The strings are high tensile steel which (like any other metal) will expand and contract as the temperature moves up and down.  This changes the tension of the string resulting in its pitch increasing or decreasing.  Stretch rates differ across the piano thanks to the strings being different lengths and diameters.

The soundboard is made out of wood (traditionally Sitka spruce though laminated boards are not uncommon these days) and have a crown to them.  In periods of high humidity the soundboard will expand as it takes on moisture, pushing harder against the strings resulting in an increase tension taking the pitch upwards.  Conversely, through drier periods, (during winter for example when we put the heating on) as the soundboards give up their moisture they will flatten off and push less hard against the strings.  This will cause a drop in string tension taking the pitch with it.  The soundboard is fixed in the rim of the piano meaning all the movement will happen in its centre – so mostly effecting the notes you play the most.

There is also a general downwards trend in pitch as the strings stretch over time thanks to the huge tension they are held under.

These three mechanisms are affecting the tuning of every piano every day regardless of how much use it gets.  A piano that is never played will still be going out of tune and the longer it is since the piano was last tuned the further it will have moved away from where it needs to be.  In these case the piano need its pitch raising rather than fine tuning.

Do I need to tune my piano when its been moved?

Yes and no!

If it’s an upright and all you’re doing is pulling it away from the wall to retrieve the book/pencil/photo that just dropped down the back, then the should be just fine as long as it goes in the same place.  However, if you’re changing rooms, moving it from one side of the room, or even just further along the same wall, it could be  the new section of floor it will sit on isn’t as level as the where its come from the piano will twist to suit its new position  This can take a few weeks due to the cast iron frame.

Grand pianos tend not to be effected by the changes in floor shape but all pianos, both grands and uprights, giving them new temperature and humidity conditions (see above) will also have an effect on the tuning.  In all cases the piano should be left for a few weeks to settle down and stabilise again before retuning.

How often should I have my piano tuned?

It’ll depend on the underlying stability of the piano and how changeable its living conditions are but generally twice a year is recommended.  If the piano sees wide changes in humidity and temperature it could need attention far sooner than six months.  Others may go as much as a year between tunings if the piano is quite stable and temperature and humidity are more even.