Piano Tuning Problems? | The REAL Solutions Nobody Tells You

Welcome to LivingPianos.com. I’m Robert Estrin. What can you do with a piano that won’t stay in tune? There is a lot to this subject, and I want to share some tips that could really make a difference for your piano.

First, Determine the Cause

The first step is figuring out why the piano isn’t staying in tune. There can be many possible reasons. One of the biggest factors is the environment the piano lives in. Stability of temperature and, humidity can make a huge difference in how well a piano holds its tuning.

The Importance of Regular Tuning

Here is something many people don’t realize. If you go years without tuning your piano and then finally have it tuned, it probably won’t hold very long. In fact, the more often you tune a piano, the more stable it becomes over time. You never save money by putting off tuning. When a piano has drifted far from pitch, the technician may have to tune it twice in a row just to bring it back to the correct pitch level. Even then, that tuning may not hold very long. So two key principles are simple. Provide a stable environment and tune the piano regularly.

How Often Should You Tune Your Piano?

People ask this question all the time. The Piano Technicians Guild often recommends tuning four times a year. Many people are surprised by that number. At a minimum, tuning twice a year is very important because of seasonal changes. When you go from heating to air conditioning and back again, the pitch of the piano can shift. Sometimes the piano might still sound fine, but the entire instrument may have gone flat or even sharp. The secret to tuning stability is staying ahead of those changes. When a piano is tuned consistently, it becomes more stable.

In music conservatories, concert pianos may be tuned every day. The two Steinway pianos on stage at one of my conservatory were tuned daily for so long that technicians told me they almost never found a note out of tune. The instruments had become incredibly stable. At my father’s recording sessions, tuners were present during the entire sessions so when even one unison went out even slightly, they touch it up immediately. My father had his own pianos tuned monthly in his studio because of the heavy teaching and practice they received.

What If the Tuning Pins Are Loose?

Suppose you provide a stable environment and tune the piano regularly, but it still won’t hold. Sometimes the issue is loose tuning pins. There are two main possibilities, and this is where a bit of detective work comes in. If you notice several loose pins forming a straight line, that often indicates a crack in the pinblock. A technician might try installing oversize pins, but this can actually enlarge the crack. In that case, the real solution is rebuilding the piano.

Rebuilding involves removing the strings, lifting out the plate, and crafting a custom pinblock specifically for that piano. The holes for the 220 to 240 tuning pins must be drilled with extremely precise tolerances and angles. After restringing, the piano must be tuned repeatedly until it stabilizes. It is an involved and expensive process.

When the Pins Are Just Slightly Loose

Sometimes the situation is less severe. Instead of a line of loose pins, you may find that a general area of the keyboard has pins that are just a little loose. If there is space between the coils of the string and the plate, a technician may be able to tap the pins slightly deeper into the pinblock to gain more traction. This must be done very carefully. The bottom of the pinblock needs proper support, or the lower layers of wood can be damaged, which would create a serious problem. When done correctly, however, this small adjustment can sometimes solve the issue.

Another possibility involves chemical agents designed to increase the grip between the pin and the pinblock. These compounds are similar to super glue, but they are not actually gluing the pins in place. Instead, they increase the surface contact slightly. The feel of the tuning pins can become a little scratchy rather than smooth, but in some cases this treatment can help a piano hold tuning for years. It can be a practical option if the piano is not worth the expense of a full rebuild but you still want it to stay in tune.

Using Larger Tuning Pins

There is one more option if the pins are generally loose but not failing in a specific line. A technician can sometimes restring the piano using slightly larger tuning pins. Pianos typically start with what are called number two pins. Each step up in size increases the diameter by one thousandth of an inch. Moving from twos to threes or even fours can provide the extra grip needed. This approach allows the existing pinblock to remain in place. The plate does not have to be removed, and a new pinblock does not need to be built.

A Quick Recap

If your piano won’t stay in tune, start with the basics. Provide a stable environment with controlled temperature and humidity. Tune the piano regularly so it gradually becomes more stable. If certain pins are slipping in a straight line, a cracked pinblock may require rebuilding. If the looseness is more general, a technician might tap the pins deeper, use a chemical treatment, or install slightly larger tuning pins. These are all techniques that can sometimes bring a stubborn piano back to reliable tuning stability.

If you have other ideas or experiences with this issue, feel free to share them in the comments here at LivingPianos.com, Your Online Piano Store. I’m Robert Estrin, thanks for joining me.