Piano Tuning

What is piano tuning?
Piano tuning is carried on on all pianos to make sure the strings vibrate to the right pitch. The strings are adjusted until the correct pitch is met and this involves very skilled work as well as the correct tools.

Why does a piano require regular tuning?
A piano that has been played on a regular basis may experience a gradual drop in pitch and/or a slight disharmony in tone. This is mainly due to the easing of tension in the piano strings. Furthermore, a piano is built largely out of wood, which swells when moisture is absorbed. Over time, this can affect a wooden structure particularly with the temperatures and humidity of a tropical climate. When this occurs, the relationship of steel wire strings to the bridges and sound board of your instrument is changed. As a result, the piano goes slightly out of tune. This is entirely normal – it is not a fault in your instrument. This effect is largely mitigated by using a piano heater or if the piano is kept in an air-conditioned space permanently. 

What are the ideal conditions in which to keep my piano?
The best location for a piano within your home would be away from direct sunlight and open windows to prevent problems arising from heat and humidity. A heater is usually included with pianos in Singapore, which provides great protection against the effects of humidity. As with any piece of fine furniture, keeping drinks off finished wood surfaces is a simple rule always to follow. New piano finishes generally require only occasional cleaning, ideally with a microfiber cloth, or with either a dry or damp cotton cloth. 

How often should a piano be tuned?
We usually recommend at least 1 to 2 tuning per year for a piano getting average use in the home. Pianos with heavier use such as those in music schools and teacher’s pianos should be tuned more frequently while studio and concert pianos are recommended to be tuned before performances or recordings.

Pitch Raising

If the pitch of your piano has slipped below that of concert pitch (A440) you may wish to consider having the pitch raised. This may happen if you have not had your instrument tuned regularly or in conditions of extreme temperature or humidity. It is particularly recommended to keep your piano at concert pitch if you are playing it with any other instruments or singers. A pitch raise can be carried out by a tuner, and constitutes a very rough overall tuning to pull the piano up to pitch. followed by another fine-tuning at the new pitch to obtain an even and stable tuning. If the pitch has to be changed considerably it may be necessary to have another tuning fairly shortly afterwards.

Technical Repairs

Our tuning technicians are also qualified to undertake minor technical repairs or maintenance such as broken strings, minor toning or regulation work and internal cleaning. Music Lodge is also fully capable of major repairs and maintenance at our workshop, so do contact us for an evaluation. 

String Breakages

If your piano has broken strings, please mention this when you book your piano tuning. The thin wire strings in the treble (the upper end) are easily replaceable. Our tuners carry reels of this wire in varying gauges with them. The copper-wound strings in the bass (the lower end) have to be specially made to order and will therefore take longer to replace. These are thicker and are less likely to break than those in the treble.

Toning & Voicing

A lot of people can mistake the process of toning with tuning. The tonal quality of your grand or upright piano is down to the character of the felt that cover the hammers that strike the strings. With regular use of your piano the felt becomes compressed hard and this causes the strings to cut into the surface. This causes the tonal quality to become quite harsh as a result. This problem can be resolved with an operation called voicing. Our tuners can undertake some voicing at the same time as tuning, by prior arrangement.

Regulation

This refers to the regulation of the action of your piano. The mechanism that transmits the pressure of your finger on the key to the hammer which strikes the string is called the action. This is a very sensitive mechanism which needs regulating to maintain the proper relation of each part with the other. A tuning technician can undertake minor regulation work, such as individual sticking or stiff notes, at the time of tuning, again by prior arrangement.

Piano Evaluation

If you wish to have your piano valued we can carry out the examination. If you would like a quote for major servicing work carried out to your piano, we can send a technician for an evaluation followed by a written quote to you for the work necessary. The charge for carrying out this examination will be refunded to you when the work goes ahead.

Cleaning

From time to time dust may build up inside your piano. You may also occasionally experience problems with pests such as moth or silverfish. Our technicians can advise you about this. We are happy to carry out the cleaning of the inside of your piano for you by prior arrangement. The process takes approximately an hour.

All of these services are available to both Grand Pianos and Upright Pianos. Do contact us for more details.