Why do I need to tune my piano?

There are two main factors that cause your piano to go out of tune. Large seasonal changes in the humidity and temperature of the piano’s environment have the biggest impact. Here in New England we have dramatic differences in our indoor climate from season to season. The summers swell the materials of the piano (which are mostly wood) and the winters shrink it back down due to the dry conditions from heating. As the pianos expand and contract, the strings gain and lose tension causing quite large pitch changes. The other cause of tuning loss is the amount of play your piano gets. This knocks the strings of out tune a little bit at a time each time you play. So, even if you control the environment well, eventually your piano will need tuning just from using it.

How often should I tune my piano?

If your piano is new or has new strings, they will be stretching quite a bit. Most manufacturers recommend tuning newly strung pianos every two or three months to stabilize the strings for the long term. For most other pianos, a minimum of once or twice per year will suffice. Of course, people vary widely in their sensitivity to tuning changes as well as their needs and may tune their piano much more or less frequently than this.

Why are my keys sticking?

This is one of the most frequent complaints piano technicians get calls about. Both excessive dryness and humidity cause keys to swell and contract in their pivot points and can make keys stay down after striking or rise sluggishly. We can correct this fairly easily but not prevent it. Every quality level of piano is prone to this problem which is best addressed through environmental controls.

Can you fix my piano as well as tune it?

Yes. I repair, regulate, and restore most action issues (that is the playing mechanism, dampers, and keys) as well as replace broken strings and things related to them. For larger structural or finish problems, I can refer you to expert craftsmen.

Do you buy pianos?

I do not buy or sell pianos.

Can you help me find a piano?

Yes. I can help steer you in your search and answer any questions you may have. I can also be hired to evaluate a piano you have an interest in as well as provide an estimate for repair or appraisal for sale or insurance purposes.

Do you move pianos?

I do not move pianos, but I can refer you to trusted professional movers depending on your location and where the piano is to be relocated.

How do I maintain my piano in good condition?

The best way to preserve the longevity and responsiveness of your piano is to service it regularly. The more often a technician sees your piano and is familiar with it, the easier it is to correct small issues before they become larger ones. This helps keeps things adjusted for better responsiveness and tone. It is much more difficult and costly to make large changes after years of neglect. Placing your piano away from heat sources as well as controlling the environment can have a huge impact on your instrument. You cannot underestimate the positive impact of humidifying your piano in the dry winter months. Using air conditioning or dehumidifiers in the humid summer months is highly recommended as well. I install climate control systems directly on pianos which work silently and efficiently with almost no maintenance.

How do I prepare for your visit?

The best thing you can do is clear the piano off completely as well as the area around and under the piano (if it is a grand style) and provide as much quiet as possible. Tuning a piano requires listening to very subtle overtones which can be easily drowned out by common household appliances. Generally, library level of quiet is ideal but not required. Good lighting is also very helpful. The nature of piano issues can be intermittent. For that reason, I ask that you please try to inform me ahead of time of any specific problems you are encountering so I can better prepare for your appointment.

How long does the appointment take?

Allow for 1 to 2 hours for most routine tunings. If there are other issues such as repairs or adjustments, it might take a little longer. Although I find that ninety percent of piano problems are fairly quickly corrected, I might need to correct something that requires a return visit. In that case, I will give you an estimate of the cost before any work is done.