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EntryNo: 162  Date: Monday 17:17 08.17.2009 Alexandra Thank you so much for generously sharing your experiences and knowledge. I am going to follow your advice to tune my own piano. Thank you again !  EntryNo: 161  Date: Monday 09:15 08.03.2009 Agiad Thank you 4 your web  EntryNo: 160  Date: Saturday 05:35 07.25.2009 Mike I just bought a(cheap) baby grand. I tuned a piano 20 years ago with the Reblitz book. I would like to know which electronic tuner is adequate. I have a $50 guitar tuner & it wavers too much. Mike Comment:Tuner needles are going to jump, because of natural variation in vibrations, reflections from the room walls, and other extraneous sounds. Obviously, try to keep the room as quiet as possible. Are there any fans or motors or even the AC running to add extra sounds? Perhaps you would find an electronic tuner with a larger display easier to use, such as [url=http://www.amazon.com/g p/product/B000EE8YPK?ie=UTF8 &tag=detwilerus-20&linkCode= as2&camp=1789&creative=39095 7&creativeASIN=B000EE8YPK]Ko rg CA-40 Large Display Auto Chromatic Tuner[/url]. Just get as close as you can. By the way, not all dedicated guitar tuners have all the notes; when piano tuning, make sure you have a chromatic tuner.  EntryNo: 159  Date: Saturday 23:50 07.18.2009 Bojan Thank you for this great website! By the way, the book which you mention "Piano Tuning: A Simple and Accurate Method for Amateurs" can be found on Project Gutenberg. http://www.gutenberg.org  EntryNo: 158  Date: Thursday 23:42 07.02.2009 Stacy Thank you for the info. Great web site!!  EntryNo: 157  Date: Friday 17:24 06.26.2009 Jimmy Johosephat Sez... Thanks for the piano tuning clarity. My new "equal-temperamented" knowledge now sits calmly among my now attenuated reservations. Thanks for the scorecard. I'm now the player on first, if only in the little league.  EntryNo: 156  Date: Thursday 12:17 06.11.2009 Bettie Colson This is a very informative website. I have been a musician for decades and finally decided to try tuning a couple of pianos about 3 years ago. (I live in a large city in Guatemala but there are NO piano tuners here at all!) It went well, but now with this information I am better prepared to do some more. And eventually receive training to be a professional. Thanks!  EntryNo: 155  Date: Tuesday 09:50 06.09.2009 Kevin Thank you so much! My researching this page was sparked by listening to a 1920s Cable baby grand being tuned. A family friend has had this beautiful piano as a piece of furniture and hasn't tuned it in about 15 years...When she heard me play it, she instantly called the number of the professional saved in her phonebook. I, too, have recently acquired a 1930s Monarch (Baldwin) Parlor grand...my family won it in a raffle somewhat accidentally. The piano is in TERRIBLE shape. My dad is a woodworker who knows a bit about the technicalities of the piano, but we don't have the money to refurbish it yet like he plans to. If I can get my hands on these tuning necessities, I'll try to give it a touch-up, since it'll be a few years until it can get done. I'd love for it to be moderately playable! Again, thanks for a site that's informative, easy to read, and full of disclaimers to let people know that professional is STILL the route to go, especially for a nice piano. THANK YOU.  EntryNo: 154  Date: Wednesday 09:34 05.27.2009 Leslie Thanks so much for your wonderful website. My upright Yamaha has been going out of tune very quickly this year (after a month, easily) and it has frustrated me. I was interested to read that some tuners are better than others at "setting" the pins so that the piano holds its tuning, so my first decision is to try a different tuner next time. Also, my current tuner strongly suggested humidifying the room, and I'll do that next fall. I had a question concerning tuning the upper registers. Every tuner I've used in recent memory has insisted on tuning the upper registers "flat". They claim that by doing so a normal person hears the notes in tune, and that a true tuning will cause the upper registers to sound sharp. But to my ear, they always sound flat when tuned that way, and it drives me crazy. Do you have any thoughts on this? Have you run into this issue? Thank you, Leslie Comment:Your tuner is "stretching the octaves," which is the correct way to tune. Long story short, it adjusts for the natural but predictable differences between a real piano from the "ideal" piano. Part of the skill of a professional tuner is to be able to stretch the octaves just right for a particular piano. Perhaps your tuner is over-doing the stretch; another tuner might give you a more agreeable result.  EntryNo: 153  Date: Wednesday 08:31 05.27.2009 Joe Thanks for the giving heart. I want to pick up a piano I saw on a curbside but I need to know what I'm getting into as far as tuning it compared to the electronic keyboards I'm used to.  EntryNo: 152  Date: Wednesday 11:34 05.20.2009 Chuck I just wanted to thank you for sharing the information you worked so hard to get for yourself. I'm a fairly good handiman so with your instructions, I should be able to take the pain out of our daughter's practice time. Thanks again, Chuck  EntryNo: 151  Date: Wednesday 19:22 05.13.2009 michael i never write, but thanks..., suppose i can't say never anymore..., you're time and energy benefited me greatly...  EntryNo: 150  Date: Friday 16:20 05.01.2009 Nancy Thanks for the great website. I bought a new console Wurlitzer piano for $2600 23 years ago. When do you make the decision to "s[deleted]" the piano as you mentioned in an earlier post? I have religiously had my piano tuned by a professional once a year. It will not hold a tune. We have several piano players in our household and it is very annoying to play. Is there such a thing as a lemon piano? I had never thought about tuning the piano myself until today, and came across your fantastic website. Thanks for any suggestions. Comment:Some pianos are better than others; a lemon is quite possible. But first rule your house's environmental conditions affecting it. If the humidity level changes widely through the year, for example, that can really affect the tuning stability. Perhaps you just need something to even out environmental conditions, like a humidifier in winter. Consult a piano technician, rather than just a tuner, for an opinion.  EntryNo: 149  Date: Friday 08:06 04.24.2009 Néstor Thank you for the help!  EntryNo: 148  Date: Wednesday 04:08 04.22.2009 clement ton site est parfait et est tres bien expliqué merci  EntryNo: 147  Date: Monday 22:19 04.13.2009 David Myer Thanks for the excellent quick tune tutorial. For a more thorough treatment of a piano's temperament and even how to deal with mechanical problems, a nice little book by J Cree Fischer called "Piano Tuning" can be found in most libraries. Originally published in 1907 and repub'd by Dover books, I believe. It explains how to tune by ear and what an "equal temperament" is and why some intervals must be slightly flat or sharp. The Fischer method is the most common by-ear method. Fascinating read for people who want to know more about their piano. Thanks again for your work!  EntryNo: 146  Date: Monday 07:31 04.13.2009 Jerri Hokna Merci beaucoup pour ces renseignements très utiles. Maintenant, je pourrai discuter un peu mieux avec l'accordeur, en attendant de faire des essais moi-même.  EntryNo: 145  Date: Sunday 15:18 04.12.2009 Ariel Ferrer I am a Mexican living in USA, my son just started to take piano lessons and someone gave us a 1968 piano yesterday. The information in your site is perfect since as you describe will like to learn to tune this piano not as a profesional but good for learning.  EntryNo: 144  Date: Thursday 02:32 03.26.2009 Begbie Just wanted to say thanks for the website. I was given an 1897 Estella & Bernareggi piano which didn't even play because the lead weights in the keys had oxidised, sticking the keys together. I filed the (white) oxidisation off and the action is now pretty much ok for most of the keys. As for tuning, all the shop assistants here in Spain just tut and shake their heads when you suggest doing it yourself. So it's really great to have a website that offers positive advice which lets people help themselves. I'm tuning in stages and things are going pretty well so far. The biggest problem was not being able to buy rubber wedges for muting here in Madrid. (it was very difficult to tune without them) I've ordered some from the only place in Spain that sells them www.partspiano.com in Barcelona. thanks  EntryNo: 143  Date: Wednesday 12:54 03.25.2009 Doug Badger very helpful at the level I'm interested in. I've got at Kohler & Campbell upright with a terrific tone and just a couple of detuned strings.  EntryNo: 142  Date: Sunday 09:13 03.22.2009 John I recently came across your website and found it extremely informative. I'd like to experiment tuning a Young Chang studio piano I have and you advice will certainly get me started. However, in a amusing anecdote, I took notice of your remarks concerning clearing the area of all distractions before tuning, as it requires the utmost concentration. My piano is located in my basement where I have decorated my walls with pictures of females ranging from Bettie Page to Rihanna. When I have the local professional come to tune my piano, I'm not sure he looks at the piano even once. I guess he does it by ear and not sight. But I do wish to say that I enjoy your website and look forward to your helpful tips in the future. Thanks, John  EntryNo: 141  Date: Thursday 15:33 03.19.2009 Hernan Mulet Thank you for your info on piano tuning.I have a much better understanding on what to do next. I have a Yamaha Baby Grand almost brand new and it needs to be tuned again since we just moved to Homestead Fl. I am a musician,trumpet player but also have been playing piano for a while.I know now where to get the tools. Thank you again! Comment:Thanks for the feedback. That sounds like a very nice piano. Remember that the technique on my page is for tinkering...it is NOT a replacement for professional tuning, and can damage the piano if not done very carefully. This is not a big deal on an older piano no longer in perfect shape, but a new baby grand is another story!  EntryNo: 140  Date: Thursday 02:01 03.19.2009 Ralph Morgan Thanks for your prompt reply to my question. Now can you help me get in touch with Piano Supplies? Their on line order form does not cover South Africa & I would like to ask them how I can order some items perhaps by Fax. Comment:Pianosupplies.com does not ship internationally, if I am not mistaken. For international orders, you might try a different company, International Piano Supply, http://www.pianosupply.com. Note that it is a similar, but different, URL.  EntryNo: 139  Date: Monday 19:48 03.16.2009 greg Thanks much for a great lesson. I used to tune some pianos but haven't done it in a while. I just bought a couple of pianos and I guess it is a total gamble to see if they will hold tune, but I hope everyone will wish me luck. Times are tough now. Without a job there is at least some time to play, but hardly any money for a piano and place to play it much less someone to tune it. BTW, it was awful moving those things. But I hope the experience of a real piano will be worth it, as a digital one indeed eliminates all the tuning, weather related troubles, and sheer weight and size. Thanks again for the great information.  EntryNo: 138  Date: Friday 22:13 03.13.2009 Bill Cornell Thanks for the website. I felt that I had a pretty good basis, but you reasssured me and pointed out some tidbits that I wasn't aware of.  EntryNo: 137  Date: Friday 09:40 03.13.2009 Ralph Morgan Thanks for a fascinating site. I have an old "Ernst Kapps" cc 1930 which was "tuned down below 440" in 1972.(in actual fact a quarter tone!) After reading your site I am determined to try and take it down a complete semitone so I can accompany other instruments (will need to learn to transpose!) My question is, are all tuning pins the same size? (ie does the tuning hammer fit all pins) I intend to order the equipment from PianoSupplies.com Comment:Yes, all the pins should be the same size. Good luck!  EntryNo: 136  Date: Wednesday 15:24 03.04.2009 Glenn Adamson Thanks for teaching me how to tune my piano. I was quite successful. I am forever indebted. I also enjoyed your article on Sagan. Most refreshing. I miss Carl.  EntryNo: 135  Date: Tuesday 05:17 03.03.2009 Janet Williams Thanks, Scott. I've been tuning a harpsichord for years but have shied away from tuning my piano for some reason. I bought a tuning hammer a number of years ago but just felt uncomfortable "fiddling" in there (pun intended!). Thanks for giving me the confidence to try it for real!  EntryNo: 134  Date: Saturday 17:53 02.28.2009 Jon This is a nice resource for those wanting to keep pianos relatively in tune between professional tunings. I have been professionally tuning pianos for 30 years and not once in those 30 years have I ever used an electronic tuner. But for the novice, or even professional musician wanting to keep their pianos in tune, they should be ok. But, I never wanted to get used to them.(If they are plug in and the electricity fails...or batteries die...hmmm?) I use the standard A440 fork to get started and then away I go...starting with the mid section, actually mid F (below mid C) to F above mid C. That is the octave that I refer to as the temperament. Once thing that I did notice and would correct is this: "Pianos generally go out of tune to the flat, not the sharp, so you'll be a little ahead of the game, plus you'll get a "brighter" sound." This is generally true for the colder, dryer months when the heat is on, but in the summer, when the climate is generally more humid, the piano will most likely go sharp. (This is normal). And that is another good reason to always start by turning the pin counterclockwise when in doubt. Good luck and happy tuning. Comment:Thanks for writing. I appreciate your insight on tuning a shade sharp vs flat depending on weather. I'll work on revising that section.  EntryNo: 133  Date: Monday 10:08 02.23.2009 Ed Yes. Thank you. Your website seems to be filling a void. The free and cheap pianos in the world mostly end up in households not quite ready to pay for regular professional tunings. These insrtuments will get much more use if they are in tune.  EntryNo: 132  Date: Thursday 04:53 02.19.2009 Zach I want to thank you for putting out this information. There is a site out there that is offering an e-book on how to tune a piano for 21.95 if anyone needs more detailed instructions. I also know of a free tuning software that I am using. The basic version is free anyway it can also be upgraded if you pay. It is called audio tuner and if anyone wants a free tuning software rather than going out and buying one you can Google it as Audio Tuner. It is number two on the list for now and it is given out by Super Nifty. I have used it and it seems to work well.  EntryNo: 131  Date: Tuesday 12:26 02.10.2009 Lena Just writing to say thank you for putting the time into the research as well as the posting of this information. It is very helpful and very detailed. Thank you!  EntryNo: 130  Date: Sunday 04:43 01.18.2009 phil how nice to share this information Thanks I paid to have an old piano proffesionlly tuned and it has quickly gone badly out. Someone suggested lowering the pitch to ease the tension on the strings. Is that a good idea? by how much? many thanks Phil Comment:I am not a professional, but I would guess that those slipping pins are going to slip, because even tuned flat they are under considerable tension. What you may really need is a professional pitch [i]raise[/i], which is a multi-pass process to bring a seriously out of tune piano back into stability. There is also the chance that the piano has been been neglected too long, and it will never hold tune, and sadly may need to be scrapped. I would consult with several professionals to see if they have any advice, or ask your question at the pianoworld.com forums.  EntryNo: 129  Date: Saturday 14:14 01.17.2009 patricia kroczynski Hi there, I have budding musicians in the family and we need a tuned piano nearly all the time so I took on the task of trying to tune the notes that are slightly out of tune with a twang inbetween tunings. So far so good. Any idea why the lower register is sharper than the middle one. Was it tuned sharp because it is really sharp. Maybe we dont play it as much, who knows. Should I not disturbe the tuners work if this is the case. Thanks so much for all your info that gave me the confidence to give it a try. Comment:Hard to say. If it has been a long time since it was tuned, anything could happen. I would tune it using my method to see how it turns out. If you can't get good sound, then consult a professional.  EntryNo: 128  Date: Thursday 10:27 01.15.2009 John In this section about temperament: "Today, there is one that is most popular and used by most tuners on most pianos, but you could say there is no one single right way to tune a piano!" Could you please clarify which temperament is most popular? Comment:For the history of temperaments and alternative temperaments, try the following links: [url=http://www.uk-piano.org /edfoote/][/url] and [url=http://www.rollingball. com][/url]  EntryNo: 127  Date: Tuesday 01:09 01.13.2009 Terry I have been tuning my own pianos for over 40 years. It started when I took to restoring orchestrions and reproducing pianos. I found that professional technician/tuners were nervous of touching these old instruments and I had to learn piano tuning and repair out of necessity. Your site is good but I would like to make a couple of points. 1. Octave stretching occurs automatically if you tune the octaves beatless, because the second partial of the lower note - which is sharp due to imperfections in the string - will then be in tune with the first partial of the upper note. A sharpened octave should never beat - this sounds ugly. 2. In the bit about setting the string you say, "To set the pin your final tuning movement should be in the tightening/clockwise direction". I would contest this. You should pull slightly above the tone required, and then ease off to relieve the torsional stress that you have just placed on the pin. 3. The amateur may think she has done a good job but, as the ear becomes more sensitive to imperfections, she must be prepared to refine her technique to satisfy it. 4. Nothing is more conducive to a beautiful tone than well-tuned unisons. Once you realise that, you will be tuning once a week. It may be better not to know.  EntryNo: 126  Date: Tuesday 06:34 01.06.2009 Lauren Great site. Tried tuning a piano way back in high school and totally messed it up. Did a paper on tuning in college, but haven't tried tuning since. Now that I have one of my own, I'll give it a try. On tuning by ear. "Natural" or "just" tuning uses the overtones of one note as a reference for the next note (5ths are typical). Tuning for no "beats" sounds very pure, but it only works in a few closely related keys. As different keys are used that are less related to the natural key, the tuning gets worse. "Equal" or "well" tuning divides the octave equally (for chromatic flexibility), but the results are actually slightly out of tune with the natural harmonics. It's a compromise. The best would be 12 pianos each tuned naturally for each key, but that's not practical. Excellent article on the physics of tuning at http://www.precisionstrobe.c om/apps/pianotemp/temper.htm l.  EntryNo: 125  Date: Saturday 05:37 01.03.2009 Jeremy I agree that this is a great website. I did a brief apprenticeship with a great tuner years ago and been interested in tuning ever since. For those interested in rolling up their sleeves and starting to learn how to tune a piano, this is a great resource. Scott, thanks for taking the time to answer questions and for the thousands I will save on paying for tuning by doing it myself!!!  EntryNo: 124  Date: Monday 11:34 12.29.2008 Lloyd Wetherbee Very interesting. Thanks.  EntryNo: 123  Date: Sunday 06:54 12.28.2008 Alain De Myttenaere Excellent website. Congratulations. I tune pianos as an amateur for years and I agree with everything that is written. Of course sometimes you need a professional tuner to adjust mechanisms and hammers. But tuning your own piano helps you appreciating your instrument even more, and tuning the piano of some of your friends strengthens the relationship.  EntryNo: 122  Date: Tuesday 19:03 12.23.2008 John Rush I just received my tuning lever and on my first attempt, I was pretty pleased with myself on making that horendous key sound beautiful again. But when I tried to take the lever off the pin, it wouldn't budge. I could only remove it when I lowered the tone of the string to it's original (or worse) position. I've tried about 5 more times with the same result. Is this because the tuning lever is of poor quality or am I just doing something wrong? Thanks for your help AND this great site!! Comment:Sounds like a damaged pin or damaged or poorly made tool. Does it happen on other pins, or just one? Is the offending pin damaged in anyway? Sometimes the metal of the pin itself will twist if torqued too hard. Physically damaged pins must be replaced. If it happens on other pins, is the tuning lever head properly sized, or is it irregular/out of round in any way? Perhaps it is slipping just enough to bind when you put it under pressure to rotate the pin. A poorly made tool might be the explanation. Here's one work-around: put just a very tiny, tiny bit of dry graphite lubricant into the socket of the lever. Be very careful here...do NOT get any lubricant onto base of the pin or the soundboard where the pin enters...this may make the pin slip and unable to hold tune. Perhaps this tiny bit of lubrication will allow it to release when you need it too. If this does not work, I'd consider getting a different lever. For more ideas, you could ask at the piano technician's discussion board at pianoworld.com, but be prepared to be scolded for attempting to tune a piano yourself! :)  EntryNo: 121  Date: Tuesday 15:18 12.16.2008 TOS Hey, thanks for the good tips and getting people to realize they can do some thing for themselves. I tune my piano, learned like you did. However, one paragraph you have written is completely off, please research and rewrite, or else I would suggest removing it entirely. The text follows: "Tuning a piano entirely to an outside standard, with perfectly equal distances between notes, is called "equal temperament." But, as explained above, that does not sound right to us. To stretch the octaves results in "well temperament," where the math is not as perfect, but the sound is." Comment:I have revised this paragraph. Thanks.  EntryNo: 120  Date: Sunday 17:04 12.14.2008 John Rush I just bought an old piano for $150 because it is so far out of tune. I figured (this was before I found your website) for this price I'd try my hand at tuning. I bought a tuning hammer (not here yet), but thanks to your website I realize it's going to take a little more to avoid complete frustration. So my next purchase will be the mutes (I already have a chromatic tuner). So thanks for posting this for guys like me who were going to try this regardless of what the professionals say. Hey, what would life be like if people didnt take chances? And, on the life scale, this is a very small chance.  EntryNo: 119  Date: Saturday 17:58 12.13.2008 Lord William Great site guys. Ready to start my first tuning job on a kimball baby grand. Are there any specific tips for different types of pianos, or do they all tune pretty much the same? Wish me luck. Comment:They all have similar pins and strings, not much difference in that regard. One difference is that in larger pianos, such as grands, where the strings are longer, the octaves do not have to be stretched as much to give the "right" sound. See the reference in my article.  EntryNo: 118  Date: Saturday 14:01 12.06.2008 Psb Hi-- I am a Young Chang grand piano owner. My tuner charges $110.00 to come and tune my instrument. To me, that is a lot of money, as I am a part time church secretary. So, I am interested in learning to tune my own piano. I have been having my instrument tuned once a year because of the price. I am happy to have read your web page. It has given me a renewed appreiation of the skill my tuner has, and I now realize he doesn't charge exorbitantly, and it is definitely worth it, considering all it involves. Unfortunately, $100 is still a lot of money! And perhaps I will attempt to learn tuning for in-betweens--at 2 or 3 months after my tuner has come. But I will definitely still have him come tune once a year. Thanks for your information!  EntryNo: 117  Date: Monday 15:25 12.01.2008 Ed McMorrow I am a professional piano technician and I hope you can communicate to your web-viewers that what makes a really great tuner is not the ear but arm control and how it is coordinated with the ear. This skill is only mastered through careful practice. Skill with the tuning hammer enables one to get the entire piano in tune in two or so hours so it will stay in tune for a fairly long time depending on how even the humidity is maintained. Also there are lots of things to damage by improper contact with various piano parts. I do know of some pianists who learn to do some work on their piano but they are the very few exception. You need to have a high level of mechanical aptitude and experience to take to the work like a natural. Good luck to all though! Comment:Thank you for your comments. I try to be very clear about the limitations of this simplified method. You make an excellent point that should be emphasized.  EntryNo: 116  Date: Monday 09:03 12.01.2008 Rev Janet Corlett Thanks for the great site. I am working on a small island off the Caribbean coast of Honduras. Piano tuners are not available! A tourist helped with our church piano and brought us the electronic tuner and wrench -but no wedges. He tuned the middle three octaves but left us with the rest out of tune. Can you tell me how we might improvise the wedges? Is it basically just a rubber wedge with handle? Can you think of anything we could use instead? Thanks Comment:Yes, it's just a wedge of soft rubber. A new rubber eraser cut to shape would be about right. You might also try a small strip of heavy cloth or felt, folded a few times as needed, and gently wedged between the string and the soundboard, or between strings. Use a screwdriver to push it into place. This is similar to how a temperament strip works (see the description on my tuning page, toward the bottom), just on a small scale.  EntryNo: 115  Date: Thursday 02:23 11.27.2008 Julian Thanks for the tips. I just had a question : Can a string break and hurt you ? Or are there any dangers ? Comment:Piano strings are under a good bit of tension, but actually being injured would be highly unlikely. There's a lot of piano framing and cabinetry between you and the string. The bigger danger is to your pocketbook, as replacing a string is an additional expense. Other than the lid falling on your knuckles, I can't think of any other real dangers.  EntryNo: 114  Date: Tuesday 04:57 11.25.2008 jerry moors there is a tuner that Tune-Lab puts out for about $300. any good? Comment:I am not familiar with that product. I have used a software tuner for Macintosh, http://katsurashareware.com/ piano/piano.html. It has more features than I know how to use, but I would definitely consider it for the future. It's $99.  EntryNo: 113  Date: Sunday 13:14 11.23.2008 Ryan/Shaun That was awesome. My best friend and I just tuned a free Apollo grand piano in my living room that was just moved there yesterday. We have always been told it was impossible and to have a professional tune it. Much easier than I'd ever imagined. « previous page next page »