When a piano sounds good, it encourages the student to play more. The more enjoyment and praise the students receive, the more the students will spend time practicing. It is particularly important for a piano student to hear the correct pitch of each note and the pleasing effect of combinations of notes. And the only way to make this happen is to tune the piano regularly.
With more than 220 strings, the average tension exerted on a piano is 20 tons (40,000 lb.) It will go out of tune over time even if it's not played regularly. Moreover, the strings do not go out of pitch uniformly.
Your piano is designed to sound its best when its strings are at their proper tension (usually at standard pitch - A440). Tuning should be done enough to hold pitch between A439 and A441 especially if you have piano students and young children in your family. Your well tuned instruments can spark interest in playing the instrument and is important for ear training.
Others factors that cause your piano to go out of tune:
- Fluctuations in relative humidity
- Weak pin block
- Age and quality of the piano
How often should the piano be tuned?
- A new piano needs to be tuned 3-4 times the first year because the strings have not reached their stable state yet. It then needs to be tuned twice a year for a couple more years. After that, an annual tuning is minimum for regular usage. For serious pianists, tuning twice a year is necessary.
- A piano that isn't played regularly should still be tuned at least every 3-5 years. Maintaining proper tension of the strings prevents costly problems in the future and prolongs the life of your piano.
When is a pitch raise (pitch correction) needed?
It's impossible to fine tune a piano if it's too far from the standard pitch. Pitch raise is a pre-tuning procedure. Your piano will need a pitch raise if it has deviated from the standard pitch of 2 cycles/second, which is about 8 cents drop, in the center section. (The difference between two consecutive keys is 100 cents.)
With more than 220 strings, the average tension exerted on a piano is 20 tons (40,000 lb.) It will go out of tune over time even if it's not played regularly. Moreover, the strings do not go out of pitch uniformly.
Your piano is designed to sound its best when its strings are at their proper tension (usually at standard pitch - A440). Tuning should be done enough to hold pitch between A439 and A441 especially if you have piano students and young children in your family. Your well tuned instruments can spark interest in playing the instrument and is important for ear training.
Others factors that cause your piano to go out of tune:
- Fluctuations in relative humidity
- Weak pin block
- Age and quality of the piano
How often should the piano be tuned?
- A new piano needs to be tuned 3-4 times the first year because the strings have not reached their stable state yet. It then needs to be tuned twice a year for a couple more years. After that, an annual tuning is minimum for regular usage. For serious pianists, tuning twice a year is necessary.
- A piano that isn't played regularly should still be tuned at least every 3-5 years. Maintaining proper tension of the strings prevents costly problems in the future and prolongs the life of your piano.
When is a pitch raise (pitch correction) needed?
It's impossible to fine tune a piano if it's too far from the standard pitch. Pitch raise is a pre-tuning procedure. Your piano will need a pitch raise if it has deviated from the standard pitch of 2 cycles/second, which is about 8 cents drop, in the center section. (The difference between two consecutive keys is 100 cents.)