You sit down to play the piano. You run through a scale to warm up.
Something doesn’t sound quite right. It makes a terrible noise.
That’s one of the top reasons piano players stop playing.
What fun is it playing the piano when the sound you’re creating is anything but pleasant?
Where is it coming from? Is there anything you can do?
Most pianos built today have 88 keys and around 230 strings to produce sound. Each string has the potential to move slightly, causing it to fall out of tune. What causes it?
Everyday use
Every time you play, the keys move, the strings vibrate, and they move ever so slightly. Over time, they move enough to be out of tune. But don’t think your piano won’t change if you don’t play. A piano needs care throughout its life, no matter if you play routinely or not.
Climate change
On the coldest days of the year, your furnace runs nonstop. On the hottest days of the year, your air conditioner pumps out cold air. Sunlight streams through the windows. Cool breezes float in through the windows. And all of it impacts your piano in different ways. Pianos are built from natural materials that can change in different circumstances. That’s why tuning a piano after different seasons is recommended.
Piano movement
When was the last time your piano moved? Did you move it to replace the carpets? Did you move it to a new home? All of that jiggling can cause strings to loosen and make your piano behave differently. Even when you apply the utmost care, any movement can impact the way your piano sounds.
Of course, these may be the biggest reasons your piano may be out of tune. But they aren’t the only ones. Because a piano is an intricate series of parts that move and change all the time, your piano is always at risk of going out of tune.
New pianos need tuning more frequently as they meld into their new positions. Older pianos may be flexible and run the risk of moving out of tune due to older parts.
It’s hard to predict what will impact the way your piano plays. But if you want great sound throughout its lifetime, it’s important to schedule tuning sessions regularly.
When was the last time you had your piano tuned?
