FAQ's About Piano Tuning
Jan 30, 2020
How Long Does a Piano Tuning Take?
For a professional piano technician, the actual tuning of the piano takes about an hour.
Many technicians include other basic services with a tuning appointment including adjusting the pedals, tightening the bench bolts among other things. Depending on what is included in the tuning service will determine how much longer the appointment will take.
For those that are trying to tune their own piano and haven't ever tuned before, you should figure that it would take 4-5 hours to go through the piano to tune it for the first time.
Can You Tune a Piano On Your Own?
It is possible to tune your own piano, but keep in mind that the finished work won't be as good as a qualified piano technician that has been tuning for years as it is a skill that takes a lot of practice to develop. We have a more lengthy article which addresses this topic: Can I Tune My Own Piano? We also offer a video series on the basics of how to tune a piano.
How Often Should a Piano Be Tuned?
The average piano should be tuned once a year. Pianos in performance venues should be tuned more often to keep the piano sounding the best at all times. Pianos in some environments such as schools and churches may need to be tuned more often due to the fact that the temperature and humidity aren't usually as stable in these situations which will result in the piano going out of tune faster than in a home environment.
What Does It Cost To Get a Piano Tuned?
The price for tuning a piano can range from $65 to $225 depending on the area that you are in. Typically the cost of piano tuning in a large city will be higher due to the fact that the cost of living is higher than in a smaller city or a rural area. The price can also increase if the piano needs repairs or other adjustments.
Can Old Pianos Be Tuned?
The vast majority of old pianos can be tuned. The factors that would make a piano not able to be tuned without repairs would be loose tuning pins, strings that are rusty so that additional tension on the strings would cause them to break, or structural issues such as bridges or soundboard issues that affect the stability of the piano.
Should a Piano Be Tuned After Moving?
Any change in a piano's environment can affect the tuning. If a piano is moved long distances or in a different climate such as in cold weather, then the piano will be need to be tuned after the move. Typically you'll want to wait a couple weeks after the piano has been moved to have it tuned so the piano can acclimate to the new environment.
What Happens If You Don't Tune a Piano for a Long Time?
If a piano isn't tuned for a long period of time such as several years, the pitch of the piano may be further from standard pitch than if it was tuned regularly and it may need a pitchraise tuning as well as a standard tuning to get it stable. In most cases it won't cause damage to the piano.
