Piano Tuning

Casual Pianists – 6-12 months
Teachers and Professional Pianists– 3-6 months
Live Concerts and Recordings– Prior to rehearsal and Concert

The pitch of a piano will drop if a piano is not tuned on a regular basis and the stability of its environment will determine how often it needs to be tuned.

All pianos need to be serviced at some point in their life to maintain greatest sound, but this can depend on the amount of usage they receive and the conditions in which they are kept in. A concert pianist’s instrument would perhaps benefit from an annual service whereas one used by a beginner may only need to be looked over every five years or so to maintain its optimum playing condition.

PTA Registered Tuners, like Stuart, are highly skilled people who make a very difficult job look easy. There is a cost attached to this skill. The best way to find out a costing is to contact us through the contact page for a more accurate price for your individual piano tuning needs. An average cost of all our tunings would be in the region of £80 – £100 subject to condition of piano and distance.

The mechanism of the piano (the action), with a large number of moving parts, becomes subject to wear and tear and requires to be regulated to keep its optimum performance and feel. Rather like a car, the piano requires ongoing attention (tuning) with occasional service and repairs. Each note needs to be regulated individually to give optimum performance. Regulation also improves the touch which over time becomes uneven due to the amount of use the piano receives. Unevenness of tone can be remedied by skilful voicing of the hammers to give a good overall balance. On musician’s pianos and on concert instruments this is done on a regular basis. The pedals also require occasional adjustment.

A piano does not like to be too hot or too cold. As climate and environment affect a piano, avoid placing pianos where this may be an issue; avoid standing the instrument in a draught and place it away from windows, radiators or other sources of heat. A constant temperature of between 18°C to 21°C (65°F to 70°F) is ideal.

Our experienced delivery men and tuners will advise you on piano placement in a room when they deliver to you, to make sure you have all the facts.