Tag Archives: piano tuning

How to Keep Your Piano in Tune

Welcome to LivingPianos.com, I’m Robert Estrin. Today’s topic is, “How to Keep Your Piano in Tune.” There is nothing like a freshly tuned piano! This adds richness, beauty and purity to the sound. Once your piano tuner leaves and you get a chance to play it, it’s so refreshing! But before you know it, it’s going out of tune again. In a perfect world, we’d have live-in tuners who would tune our pianos daily. If I were a billionaire, I would definitely have one! Getting back to reality for a minute, are there things you can do to get your piano to stay in tune? Fortunately, there are quite a few things! I am going to touch bases on some of them for you.

The stability of the environment where the piano is located is crucial.

If you have a place where the temperature or humidity fluctuate drastically, the piano is not going to be stable. After all, the soundboard is made out of wood and the wood will expand and contract with the changes in the environment. The strings arc over the bridges which are attached to the soundboard. So any changes in the soundboard will affect the tuning.

How often should your piano be tuned?

Sometimes people go years without tuning their pianos not realizing that it will take several tunings to get them back to where they need to be. Usually a tuner will do two tunings right in a row just to get the piano up to pitch first, then do a fine tuning. Sadly, even that second tuning won’t hold very long. People who tune their pianos as many as four times a year or even monthly, may be rewarded with much more stability in the tuning of their pianos. But not if they play a great deal since this can knock pianos out as well.

In the recital hall at Indiana University, there were two Steinway concert grands on stage; an old Steinway and a newer Steinway. People would choose one or the other. The interesting and wonderful thing was that they were always perfectly in tune! How can this be? I touched on this a moment ago. I was friends with one of the tuners and learned that those pianos were tuned every single day! Apparently, it was rare for even one unison to go out on those pianos because they had been tuned daily for so many years that they just didn’t go out of tune anymore.

I recently had a similar experience. I inherited my father’s 7 foot Baldwin SF-10 that he bought new in 1972 and as I mentioned, he had his pianos tuned monthly. He also touched up unisons that would go out of tune between tunings. I have never owned a piano which is so stable. If you really want to get your piano to hold tuning well, tune it as often as you can and keep the environment as stable as possible.

What is Concert Tuning?

There are various techniques for getting a piano to hold better than just a regular tuning. I’m going to tell you one that is really fascinating. At one of my father’s recording sessions, there was a tuner who had a really interesting technique you may have never seen before. Some tuners play very lightly which is nice because it doesn’t blow you out of the room. Other tuners are more aggressive. This particular concert tuner had a block of wood with felt on it and he would bang every key on the concert grand while tuning. You would wonder if he was going to destroy the instrument! The whole idea was that after he was done tuning, my father could do anything on that piano and it would be very unlikely to go out of tune since it withstood the intense blows the tuner inflicted upon the piano. The technician sat there through the sessions and indeed, unisons would go out of tune in the course of the session with massive Rachmaninoff, Liszt and other pieces he was recording. But at least it had a fighting chance of staying in tune! At my father’s recitals, since he was such a powerful player with a huge dynamic range, the pianos would have to be touched up during intermission. So, at least at these recording sessions the pianos would hold their tuning longer.

The third thing here aside from providing a stable environment and tuning your piano often, is to find the best tuner you can. Ask for a concert tuning because different players require varying levels of tuning. Let your tuner know what you are after. You may pay a bit more to get top notch work, but the tuning should hold longer. So, there are several techniques for keeping your piano in tune longer!

I’m Robert Estrin here at LivingPianos.com, Your Online Piano Resource.
Please feel free to contact me with any piano related questions for future videos!

Robert@LivingPianos.com
949-244-3729

How to Know When to Tune Your Piano

It seems like an obvious thing. If your piano sounds bad, get it tuned by all means. You might not know how bad or how to know what to even listen for. Maybe you’re new at piano, and you’re afraid maybe you’re going too long, or perhaps you’re throwing away hundreds of dollars unnecessarily. So I’m going to give you some pointers today.

Perhaps you’ve probably heard the term “A440”. A440 is the reference that orchestras tune to often and pianos are tuned to. It’s the A above middle C on the piano, and when you hear A, you’re actually hearing 440 vibration cycles per second. That’s right; your mind is a calculator of frequencies when you recognize pitches! If your piano goes low or possibly even high from the weather, you might not know it since it could be in tune with itself. In this instance, you want to utilize some kind of reference pitch. The easiest thing in this day and age is to find an app you can put right on your phone to check your tuning periodically to make sure “A” is at 440. If it’s at A441 or something like that you’re okay. But if you see it slipping down several points, you want to get your piano tuned because otherwise, the tuning won’t hold very long if you let it get too far gone.

What about if the piano is basically on pitch? You’ve tried different notes that are all about center, some are a little high, and some are a little low. You wonder what are you listening for when notes are out of tune. When you play notes that are in tune on a piano, there’s a purity to the sound. I’m going to let you hear as I detune one of the strings on a G on a piano just a slight amount on the accompanying video. You’re going to hear waves. Why do you hear waves? Well, pitches are simply waves going through the air. “A” is 440 cycles per second and if you have three strings and one of them is going at a slightly slower frequency than the other ones, you get the interference wave of where they start over again. Like if two people are clapping at different speeds, eventually they match up again. It’s the same thing with this, so I’m going to detune this one string very slightly so you can hear the detuned chorus effect which makes the tone thicker like two pianos playing the same note slightly out of tune with one another.

When you go through your piano, and you hear any notes that aren’t pure, those are the notes that are out of tune. So you might go through your piano, and some of the notes will be pure and others might have waves. You want the notes to sound pure, and you don’t want to hear the strings distinct from one another. You want to hear just that one pure pitch. So in a nutshell, you want to make sure your piano’s basic pitch is up to pitch either with a tuning fork or better yet, get an app on your phone. I recommend “PanoTuner”.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/free-chromatic-tuner-pano-tuner/id449780743?mt=8

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.soundlim.panotuner&hl=en_US

It’s a very easy app to use, and it’s available for iPhone, iPad and Android phones and tablets. I use it quite often to check pitches on pianos around the store. Usually, I can tell when they’re low because of an interesting fact. If your piano drops in pitch a bit and it’s in tune with itself, you might think it’s okay until you get it tuned. Pianos are made to sound their best at A440, and when they drop in pitch, you get a dull, lifeless sound. So, tuning your piano will enhance the sound. Also, changes of weather effect tuning. So, put it on your calendar for when you go through changes of seasons. When you go from air conditioning to heat and back again later in the season, your piano could shift, and that’s a good time to get out the app and check things out. Listen carefully note to note and listen to see if any of them have beats or waves that I demonstrated to you. I hope this is helpful for you! Robert Estrin here at LivingPianos.com – your online piano store! 949-244-3729 info@LivingPianos.com

Why a Piano is Never in Tune

This might sound crazy and even a little depressing but it’s true and a topic worth discussing. You would think having a tuner come in and tune your piano would be enough, it should be in tune right? But is it really?

The short answer is no, your piano will never be perfectly in tune. If you look back in history and at other instruments this concept is easier to understand. When it comes to singing, pitches come completely from your head, just like when a violinist plays there are no frets for them to make the exact notes and the pitches are constantly changing; this is even true of guitars where a string can bend to affect the pitch of note.

There was a period in time in when keyboards were tuned to specific keys. So, if the keyboard was tuned to D major, it was perfectly in tune in D major. It would sound O.K. in A major and possibly G major, but would sound atrocious in A-flat major or D-flat major. Eventually tuners created a system in which all the half steps are equal so that all keys are equally out of tune!

When a piano tuner tunes your piano the first thing they do is set the temperament. The temperament is taking an octave and making all the half steps equal. This means that when you play any interval other than an octave on the piano, they are all equally out of tune. So if you play a perfect 4th, 3rd, or any other pair of notes, they will all be perfectly out of tune with each other. We have gotten so used to tempered tuning that we don’t even notice it’s out of tune. However, if a string player tries to match pitch with a piano they will have to make adjustments to play in tune.

Believe it or not this gets even more complex. Stretch octaves are something that goes beyond the idea of tempered tuning. Our ears actually hear flat in the high register so to compensate for this a tuner will stretch the tuning a bit higher in the high register so it sounds right to our ears even though it is not mathematically perfect.

To keep it simple, always remember that when your piano is tuned, the tuner is striving for the perfect compromise. It’s a crazy concept but it’s true. Thanks again for joining me Robert Estrin Robert@LivingPianos.com (949) 244-3729

Do you Need to Tune Your Piano After it’s Moved?

This is one of the most common questions we get asked. You might think how fickle some musical instruments can be with tuning and assume that a piano would probably have to be tuned after it’s moved because of the potential stress the strings exert on the structure.

Conventional wisdom states that you would need to tune a piano after it’s moved; some people might even insist on tuning a piano if you roll it across a room. Is this really the case?

Pianos are much more robust than many people might imagine. After all, pianos used to be transported across the country on horse and buggy, they are very rugged instruments and a simple move across a room or even across town is not going to necessarily knock it out of tune. It would take a tremendous amount of force to knock a piano out of tune just by moving it.

For longer moves – let’s say across the country or hundreds of miles – unless the piano is shipped in a climate controlled truck it could possibly need to be tuned once it arrives at it’s new location. The move itself is not what will make the piano go out of tune however, it’s something much more important.

The climate of the room where a piano is kept is the determining factor in whether or not a piano will have to be tuned once it’s moved. Pianos need a stable environment in order to stay in tune and unless you are moving a piano in a climate controlled truck it may need to be tuned once it reaches its destination and becomes settled to it’s new home. Just moving a piano across town will probably not make the piano go out tune as long as the climate in your home is similar to the climate where the piano was previously. So how long should you wait before you decide to tune the piano after a move?

I always recommend letting a piano sit in it’s new location for at least a couple of weeks before performing its first tuning in its new location unless there are some issues with the piano that need to be addressed sooner. This will give the piano time to settle and acclimate to it’s new home. You shouldn’t wait too long after a move to tune your piano though as there is a potential danger to be aware of.

Many people might not know this but neglecting to tune a piano could be damaging to the instrument. The piano can shift up or down in pitch – and it’s something you might not even notice – and it can take a number of tunings before you can get the piano back up to the standard A440 pitch and keep it stable. So after a few weeks (2-8 weeks) tune the piano and keep tuning it on a regular schedule.

Thanks again for joining me. If you have any questions about this topic or any others relating to pianos or music in general please feel free to ask: Robert Estrin, Robert@LivingPianos.com (949) 244-3729.

Can You Tune Your Own Piano?

This is a very common question from piano owners. After all, the idea of calling someone in to tune your piano can be costly. Wouldn’t it be easier if you could learn to tune your piano yourself?

Every now and then I get comments from someone saying they are going to try to tune their own piano. They take out a pair of plyers or a locking wrench and think, “It can’t be that hard!”. Tuning a piano takes much more skill than you may think. Attempting to tune a piano in this manner can cause serious damage to your piano.

I personally learned how difficult it is to tune a piano when I was a young boy. I used to see my father touch up his piano in his studio and one day when I was alone there I thought it would be fun to try to tune one string on the piano just to see what it was like. I got out his tuning wrench and tried to tune one note. But once I struck the key I heard two notes coming out and I thought I had destroyed the piano! I sheepishly called him into the room and he very easily got the piano back in tune. If you have an interest in tuning your piano, I recommend that you acquire the right tools and try to tune just one string. You will gain a deep respect for your piano technician.

So can you tune your own piano? If you get the proper tools (tuning wrench, felt strip, rubber wedges) and appropriate software, you can attempt to tune your piano. However, only a good tuner is able to provide a tuning that will hold for a reasonable amount of time.

The Right Type of Tuning Wrench

1. The head should be removable since the best wrenches are built that way.

2. 2. Make sure the tuning wrench has a star head. A square head will go over the pin, but you will not be able to place the wrench in an ergonomic position in order to finesse the string. You absolutely need a star hex head to properly tune your piano

3. You can buy a cheap tuning hammer that will fit your basic requirements, but you are much better off getting high quality tools if you plan on tuning your piano or even doing touch-up.

Software Can Help

Luckily we live in an age where there is software available to assist in tuning your piano. I have seen professional piano tuners utilizing software on their phones! Technology has come a long way. Years ago when seeing a piano tuner come in with a strobe tuner, you knew that they were hacks. But today, the best software models the specific piano you are tuning and can offer good results in the right hands.

It’s Not Just Getting a Note in Tune

There are many aspects that go into a proper tuning that only an experienced tuner or technician can learn through the process of tuning hundreds of pianos. Getting a note in tune is just the first step. If you watch a great tuner you will notice how they strike the same note over and over again at a very loud volume to make sure the notes will hold. There are many techniques utilized by fine tuners in order to be assured that the notes will hold beyond the first hard blow.

Every string has a tremendous amount of tension on it and setting the strings properly is a very difficult task. Strings have what is called speaking length and non-speaking length areas to them. In between these sections you have points of tension. Setting a string requires you to deal with the tension points and how they will even out once you strike the string.

Once you strike the note the tension will even out and the string will immediately go out of tune. There is always a section in the back of the string where the tension is divided between another point of tension or point of termination.

As you can imagine, getting a string to set properly and hold tuning is a very complex task and is something that takes a true professional to finesse and get just right. There are also over 220 strings on most pianos, and every one will have to be set properly for the piano to stay in tune – it’s a very time consuming task!

Another thing to remember is that when you go up into the higher treble notes the sound will not last very long. So, it’s very difficult to hear or for a tuning application to register. Even an experienced tuner can have issues hearing the correct pitch in the extreme high and low registers on a piano.

Can You Do It?

If you plan on tuning your own piano you should be prepared for a lot of hard work and practice before you can reliably get your piano in tune. You will need to perform dozens of tunings before you start to become competent at it.

This article isn’t meant to scare anyway away from trying to tune a piano. But you should be aware that a piano tuner’s job is not as easy as it might seem. There is a lot of work and experience that goes into learning this craft properly and that’s why it’s both a time consuming and expensive process when done properly.

The good news is that you can learn to touch-up the tuning on your piano. This can prolong the integrity of the tuning on your piano. It is also a lifesaver if you ever have a broken string replaced since they need to be tuned 5-6 times before they hold.

I hope this is helpful and if you have any questions about this topic or any other, please email me Robert@LivingPianos.com for more information.

What is Stretch Tuning?

Stretch tuning is a term you may not be familiar with, but you’ve certainly encountered it if you play piano – or almost any instrument for that matter! Today we are going to talk about what stretch tuning is and why it’s important to you.

Before we get into the concept of stretch tuning we need to discuss what pitch is. Pitch is the ability of your brain to count sound waves. When you hear an A – as when an orchestra tunes to A440, you are hearing 440 vibrations per second which is perceived as the pitch A above middle C. If you double the frequencies to 880 vibrations per second, you will get A an octave higher. We could go into extreme depth about the proportional relationship of tones. This article and video touches on the subject:

When it comes to tuning, specifically the tuning on a piano, you’ve probably heard the term “A-440 tuning”. This refers to tuning the piano to A440 – or 440 vibrations per second. There are tuners who can precisely tune a piano to these frequencies but there is much more to tuning a piano than just the reference pitch. Even if a piano is tuned to 440, the higher octaves would sound flat to the human ear if they were mathematically perfectly in tune. You may wonder how this can be.

This is where stretch tuning comes into the equation. The human ears are imperfect in how they perceive pitch. They tend to hear flat in the higher register. To counter this, the octaves must be stretched beyond their normal pitches in order for the human ear to hear them correctly. A good piano tuner will know how much to stretch the higher octaves to make it sound correct to the human ear. This can be as much art as science since tuners take different approaches to this as well as other challenges in tuning a piano.

You can depend on technology to an extent, but the ultimate test is your ears when it comes to deciding if an instrument is in tune throughout all registers.

Thanks again for joining us here at Living Pianos. If you have any questions about this topic or any others, please contact us at: Info@LivingPianos.com (949) 244-3729