Get Piano Tuning Facts, Not Fiction
In this two-part series, we explore the many myths that abound about piano tuning. Read on to learn the truth about piano tuning and how critical it is to ensure the longevity and value of your favorite instrument.
Piano tuning is an art as old as the instrument itself. Over the years, however, many myths and misconceptions have surrounded this dedicated craft, leaving piano enthusiasts and even professional musicians with confusion and a collection of conflicting advice.
Read on to learn about the intricacies of piano tuning, the most common myths that have been passed down for generations, and how to separate fact from fiction.
Myth #1: Pianos only need tuning when they sound bad.
Pianos should be tuned twice a year, especially in Minnesota. The biggest thing that affects the physical properties (and thus the sound) of the piano is humidity. Changes in relative humidity cause the crown (the convex shape of the soundboard) to swell and shrink. That puts added stress on the strings during the summer and releases tension on the strings in the winter.
Those changes never occur evenly, so over time, the strings lose more tension than they gain. That leads to a piano becoming more and more flat and out of tune.
When a piano is massively out of tune, the tuning pins have to be turned by large degrees to bring it back into tune. The more turning a pin receives, the looser it becomes in the pin block. Thus more slippage can occur to the strings’ tension and pitch.
To keep the pins tight, turning them as little as possible is what’s most ideal.
As such, when one schedules piano tuning services every six months the pins don’t have to be turned as much, remaining tighter in the pin block. This means the piano will stay in tune longer and require fewer repairs. Additionally, tuning every six months relieves stress on the strings, bridge, and soundboard for healthier padded pressure and tension inside the piano.
Myth #2: Anyone can tune a piano.
Anyone can try to tune a piano, and with electrical tuners, it’s becoming easier, However, there are still many things that can go wrong.
The most obvious issue is if someone tightens a string too much. This will result in the string snapping. Each string is under about 200 psi with over 210 strings in a piano, and if part of your body or another household member is too close to a string when it breaks, someone will get hurt. Injuries can range from deep cuts requiring stitches to much worse (loss of eye or even death). When a professional piano tuner tunes a piano, they know how to keep themselves and the piano safe.
Professional piano tuners are trained in what to listen for as they are tuning. It’s not as simple as two instrumental players in an ensemble listening to whether they are flat or sharp. It’s also more complex than making sure the electronic tuner is “in the green.”
Piano tuning is a skill that is both scientific and technical, as well as intuitive. A professional piano tuner listens to the beats between any two strings and relies on an understanding of when and how many beats should be present to provide perfect tuning among octaves and unisons.
Myth #3: Once a piano is tuned, you never have to have it tuned again.
A piano is mostly made of wood — the cabinet is wood, the structural support is wood, the interworking parts of the keys and action are wood, and the sound-enhancing soundboard is wood.
Wood is a material that is greatly affected by climate — temperature, humidity, and airflow. These wood pieces are always swelling and shrinking which means the feel and the sound of a piano is constantly changing.
To guarantee a long life and quality sound, a piano should be tuned twice a year. Once a piano is tuned, the pitch will eventually change over time. And not every key/string will change the same.
Myth #4: Smartphone apps or electronic devices work just as well as a professional piano tuner.
There are a lot of inconsistencies in the sound of pianos, especially those that are smaller. To achieve the correct pitch and sound, piano makers decide what compromises to make when creating an instrument. If you were to make a piano that was “perfect” for the physics of sound creation, you would need a 20-foot instrument that weighed over a metric ton.
The compromises normal pianos have built in create impure sounds that cannot always be accounted for by electronic tuners. As such, professional piano tuners have been trained to not only know what to listen for, but what to ignore.
The precision required to tune every single string is dependent on the person tuning. There is a skill required of a tuner when using the tuning lever, usually consisting of tiny movements to adjust each string higher or lower. Once the string is in tune, the pin has to be “set” so that when left alone it won’t slip and the pitch won’t fall. Like any other skill, it is one that requires hours and hours of work and practice to master.
While apps and electronic tuners have gotten better over time, when a piano tuner comes to your home and tunes your piano in under an hour, it’s because they have so much experience, training, and skill. You might question the investment necessary for such a brief period of time, but what you’re paying for is the piano tuner’s expertise, knowledge, and talent.
Myth #5: Tuning can fix all piano problems.
Tuning a piano will bring all of the notes into correct pitch. However, there are still many sounds a piano can make that present a problem for a musician.
There may be unwanted and sustained clicking noises emanating from the keys or timbre that is too “bright” or too “mellow.” There can be double hits on strings or hammers that don’t let go. These are issues that go beyond tuning and enter into piano repair and regulation.
With professional regulation, all of the interconnected parts between the key and the hammer are aligned and put into their proper position, so the piano works optimally.
Voicing helps the tone of the piano, making its notes brighter or more mellow, or just evening out the sound between all the keys.
Professional piano repair can fix and feel issues or address strange sounds that the piano shouldn’t be making.
Come back in two weeks to read Part Two in this series on myths about piano tuning. In the meantime, to learn more, get a service estimate, or schedule a piano service appointment contact A Kopp Music today.
