FAQ

Q. I haven't played my piano since having it tuned 2 years ago so I don't think it needs tuning?

A. Your piano will still need fine tuning since it is affected by the temperature and humidity changes that naturally occur throughout the year.

Q. I haven't had my piano fine tuned for about 3 years but it sounds okay to me so I don't think it needs tuning?

A. It is true that in some cases your piano may sound okay but over a period of time the piano's pitch will flatten as the strings slacken. It is important to have your piano tuned regularly (at least once a year) in order to prevent the piano's pitch from altering significantly, the consequence of which can make it more difficult and expensive to restore the tuning to standard pitch. This creates an elevated risk of strings breaking during the tuning process.

Q. My piano tuner said that my piano can't be tuned to concert pitch is this right?

A. From a technical point of view there are many things to consider but the more basic ones are if the strings are rusty, the condition of the cast iron frame, the sound board and the tightness of the strings and tuning pins. If the piano is a semitone or more flat and having assessed the overall condition of the piano including tuning some "test" notes, it is often possible to raise the pitch without issue, this process is a major undertaking and takes between 2 and 3 hours to complete.  The cost will typically be twice the usual tuning fee. The piano will need fine tuning again a short time after the main pitch raising event.

Q. I've had my piano tuned recently but it seems to have gone out of tune again?

A. This can happen for a number of reasons including wide temperature fluctuations. If this is the case there are remedies that can minimize this including the fitting of either a humidifier, a dehumidifier or a combination of both (a life saver system). The piano may have a cracked frame or sound board (your tuner should advise you if there are issues with your piano). The piano had a major pitch raise and the piano is settling (again your tuner should recommend a re-tune after a shorter time period and advise you this may happen).

If you have any other questions please feel free to contact us.