FAQ

Do you tune by ear or with a tuning device?

I combine aural techniques with the use of electronic tuning devices (ETDs) to deliver the best possible tuning for each individual piano. The art of piano tuning has been refined over centuries, and while ETDs provide valuable information about pitch and frequency, they are only tools. A technician’s ear, experience, and understanding of harmonics, temperament, and tone are vital when creating a beautifully tuned piano.

I use an ETD for tasks like performing pitch raises and checking the initial scale, but the majority of my tuning is done by ear. For example, setting the temperament—how notes blend across the piano—is something I use the ETD to assist with but always evaluate aurally, drawing on techniques and checks developed by experienced technicians such as Rick Baldassin and Jason Cassel. The tuning of unisons, where multiple strings for a single note must resonate perfectly together, is especially reliant on the tuner's aural skills, as ETDs cannot fully capture subtle issues like false beats. 

Finding the perfect balance between the science and the art of making a piano sound at its best is key. While ETDs enhance speed and precision, every piano has its unique voice, and only by listening and evaluating carefully can I ensure that it sounds its best. The blend of technology and aural skill allows me to deliver exceptional results to every piano.

Why do pianos need to be tuned every year?

• Temperature & Humidity Changes: Pianos contain thousands of wood and felt components which expand and contract with changes in temperature and humidity. This causes the soundboard (the large wooden piece that amplifies sound) to expand or contract, thereby impacting string tension. In Tasmania’s varied climate, shifts between cold wet winters and hot dry summers will affect tuning, as will having the heat pump turned off and on, or having the piano in front of an open window. Tuning annually helps to offset these natural fluctuations and will keep your piano in its best condition.

• String Tension Changes: Each piano has ~230 strings, each held under very high tension (up to around 90kg per string), which can add up to ~20 tonnes of combined force. Even slight changes in tension can cause the piano to go out of tune, especially after the initial stretching of new strings or following repairs. Regular tuning helps maintain stability and prevents the piano from drifting too far off pitch.

• Usage Wear: Frequent playing causes wear and slight shifts in tension, especially in the strings and tuning pins. Over time, this can cause unevenness in tone and shifts in pitch. Pianos in professional or heavily-used environments such as schools often need even more frequent tuning, such as every six months or before exams or concerts, but even lightly used pianos benefit from yearly maintenance due to environmental and tension changes.

• Aging Materials: Pianos, like all mechanical instruments, change slightly with age. Felt hammers compress, wooden components shift, and strings wear down. Regular tuning and servicing ensures that these changes don’t compromise the piano's sound quality over time and help to solve small problems before they progress to large problems.

• Maintaining Pitch (A440 Hz): If a piano isn’t tuned regularly, it can drift a long way flat from standard pitch (A440 Hz). The longer it stays out of tune, the harder it becomes to restore proper pitch, sometimes requiring multiple consecutive tunings or a complete pitch raise to regain stability. Regular tuning ensures the instrument stays close to the ideal pitch, making future tunings easier and more stable, and helping the piano to continue resonating at its best.

Why is a Catch-up Tuning necessary if my piano hasn't been tuned for a few years?

Pianos are comprised of many components that are subject to aging and degredation. Prior to commencing a catch-up tuning, a detailed inspection is performed on the piano. Is there rust on the pins or strings? Are the screws tight? Are there cracks in the bridge or soundboard?

Pianos that have not been tuned regularly are more likely to have undiagnosed problems and also require a pitch raise before normal tuning can be performed. This means that each string needs to be tuned a minimum of three times, sometimes four, to ensure that the tuning remains stable. There is also a greater risk that a piano string that has been static for years will break during tuning due to imbalance of tension, weakening of the metal, and rust.

Can I just buy a tuning kit and tune my own piano? I've been playing for years and think I can do it.

You could have a go, certainly, however it is not recommended. It is possible to irreparably damage a piano through use of improper tuning techniques. Strings can be overpulled, pins can be bent, and other delicate parts of the mechanism can be broken resulting in replacement parts and costly repairs being necessary. Setting the temperament of a piano and tuning perfect unisons, not to mention the hammer techniques involved in getting the tuning stable, are all quite difficult to master. If you do decide to tune your own piano and are not happy with how it goes, get in contact and I will be happy to come and tune it for you!

What do I need to do before or during the tuning appointment?

There are a few things that you can do before and during the tuning to help expedite the process and ensure best results:

• Please remove all items from the top of your piano

• Please keep noise to a minimum to ensure that all frequencies from your piano strings can be heard and tuned accurately. The quieter the surrounds, the better the tuning.

• Please keep the room at the temperature that it would usually be. The components of a piano expand and contract with changes of temperature/humidity and can take hours to settle. If the piano is still adjusting to its new environment as it is being tuned, the result will be an unstable tuning. For example, if a room is heated after being cool, the metal components (such as the strings) will gradually expand resulting in varying lowering of pitch. Simultaneously, the wooden components (such as the soundboard and bridge) will decrease in size due to a decrease in humidity, resulting in a lowering of string tension and subsequent drop in pitch.