John Evans Piano Tuning, Service, and Repair

Do you know if your piano needs to be tuned?

You should have your piano tuned when you want it to be tuned, and also when your piano wants to be tuned.

For your own enjoyment, you should have the piano tuned whenever you are dissatisfied with the piano’s sound. The best way to achieve the desired sound will likely be to tune the instrument, but additional solutions, such as voicing, might also be necessary. Instead of changing the pitch, like tuning does, voicing changes the tone. Tuning, however, is by far the more common solution, and has additional benefits. Not only will an in-tune piano sound more accurate, but also it can sound richer, fuller, and stronger. An in-tune piano can also feel easier to play, as if the action is lighter, because the overtones are easier to perceive. You should enjoy playing your piano, and so if you are not enjoying it, schedule a tuning!

For the health of the instrument, you should have the piano tuned at least every six months. Each piano is designed to have a certain amount of tension set across the cast iron plate and the wooden bridge. As humidity and temperature fluctuate through the year, the tension across the instrument changes and does not return to the ideal set up. Imbalance in the system degrades other parts of the piano, creating wear on the body and moving parts—the piano then does not sound or play as well as it should. The longer the piano goes between regular tunings, the worse it can fall into disrepair.

It’s important to tune the piano regularly not only for your own enjoyment, but also for the health of the instrument—even in the case that you cannot tell that the piano is out of tune.