How often should I get my piano tuned?

For the typical home piano, it’s best to schedule a tuning every six months. Rehearsal spaces, venues, churches, schools, and recording studios often have their pianos tuned more frequently.  Making sure to schedule a tuning at least twice a year will keep your piano from needing a pitch raise and improve your piano’s long term stability.

Piano tuning $150

What is a pitch raise?

If your piano hasn’t been tuned in over a year or has been moved recently, it will likely need a pitch raise. This is a preliminary rough tuning before a finer one can be done. Essentially, a pitch raise brings the tension of each string above its final resonating frequency so that when it naturally falls back down, it will land within one or two cents of concert pitch (usually A=440hz, the international pitch standard) and a more accurate tuning can then be done.  

Pitch raise $50

What causes my piano to go out of tune?  

There are a variety of factors that contribute to tuning instability, the main ones being atmospheric changes, location, and time.

The soundboard and bridges in your piano are made of wood and swell and contract with fluctuations in humidity. When there is a lot of moisture in the air, the soundboard swells and the bridges push up on the strings, thereby increasing their tension and raising the pitch. With lower moisture levels, the wood contracts and the string tension loosens, making your piano fall in pitch.

The location of your piano in your home is also critical to maintaining proper tuning stability. Make sure your piano is facing an inside wall, away from windows, radiators, baseboards, AC units, and fireplaces. Direct sunlight should always be avoided.

Some believe that if a piano has been tuned years ago but has rarely been played, it will remain relatively in tune. Unfortunately this isn’t the case. Cyclical weather patterns will still cause your piano to fall out of pitch over time. By scheduling regular tunings and caring properly for your piano, you can avoid putting unnecessary stress on the bridges and soundboard and enjoy an in-tune piano year-round.

Contact Us for a Tuning

Phone: (949) 424-3991

Email: Landon@CollinsPianoService.com