Tune a Piano Yourself Blog
This piano tuning blog is a companion to our How to Tune a Piano Yourself tutorial. In this blog we expand on the tutorial with new information and perspectives on do-it-yourself piano tuning. If it is your first time here, visit the tutorial first.
Recommended Books on Piano Tuning
Our tuning tutorial presents an effective but very simplified approach to piano tuning; much more remains to be learned. As we say in our introduction, it's hard to find good explanations for the beginner; if you understand what I have presented first, you'll find these other sources easier to follow. Several piano tuning books that are among the most highly-regarded resources in the field include the following:
Continue reading | 05/14/12
When Unisons Are Not Tuned in Unison
A question that comes up from time to time in forums and from readers of this blog is whether the three strings in a unison should be tuned in absolute unison or otherwise. The assertion is that piano tuners do not tune unisons identically because it will give the piano a "dead" sound. My response has been that unisons should be tuned identically. This is the technique I have learned in my personal exploration of tuning. However, I found out recently that this is not always the case.
Continue reading | Comments (0) 05/05/12
The End of the Piano Tuner…or Not?
Piano tuning is a rather odd profession. It seems quaint, like a throwback to the old days before electronic keyboards. The piano tuner is regularly declared obsolete.Yet, the profession won't go away. The acoustic piano still remains loved and revered by many. These old analog instruments still grace our homes and concert halls.
The other assault on the profession is older, existing since the pianoforte was invented. That strategy is to replace the piano tuner with something better. Recently we reported on the self-tuning piano. However, a tuner was still required to set the initial tuning, which the self-tuner would reference.
The latest declaration of impending obsolesce against the piano tuner comes from a scientist who has
Continue reading | Comments (0) 03/30/12
Self-Tuning Piano
The self-tuning piano has been a holy grail item for pianists since the pianoforte was born. Piano owners all know the heartbreak of a piano going out of tune. It's inevitable, even for the lovingly maintained piano. The process of detuning begins the moment the piano tuner lifts his wrench from the pin.
The obvious method would be some sort of motor to turn the pins. But, apparently that's not so easy. How do we know? No one has done it, at least commercially.
Don Gilmore, inventor of a self-tuning piano, has a different idea.
Continue reading | Comments (2) 02/12/12
The Oldest Piano Shop in Paris
Meet Marc Manceaux, owner of the oldest piano shop in Paris. He sells piano parts, mostly scavenged from disassembled old pianos. He seems to live life on a different channel from most of us. Immersed in his sea of pianos (title of the film, ha!), he dreams of boats. As long as he has "water, a candle, a hardback book and an old piano," he knows he is still "alive." From a piano tuning perspective, I find it interesting that
Continue reading | Comments (0) 02/02/12
Stephen Foster's Piano
Recently we took a trip to the Stephen Foster Memorial on the University of Pittsburgh campus. The memorial is a rather impressive stone and stained glass building adjacent to the Cathedral of Learning. (It might be even more impressive if the massive cathedral were not there!) Within is a nice collection of Foster artifacts and memorabilia with well-done displays reviewing his life and career. (Admission is free, donations welcome.)
Among the items is Stephen Foster's piano (or so it is labeled.)
Continue reading | Comments (0) 01/30/12
Of View-Masters and Piano Tuners
Here's a quick one from the Famous Piano Tuner files. Or, more correctly, notable people who were also piano tuners. The inventor of the View-Master, those little stereo picture viewers with the images on a rotating wheel, was William Gruber. Turns out Mr. Gruber was a piano tuner by trade. However, it was his hobby, stereo photography, that he drew on to invent the View-Master in 1938. The viewers are still popular, with over a billion sold. The View-Master is celebrating 65 years of production this year.
Continue reading | Comments (0) 12/17/11
Piano Tuners: #1 in Customer Satisfaction
You can't please everybody all the time. But it appears piano tuners please most people most of the time! Angie's List, the online site for rating local services and businesses, has released its lists of the least- and most-complained-about companies. Piano tuners hold the coveted number one on the list receiving the least complaints! Angie's List founder Angie Hicks explains that those on the list "are personalized services in which the providers listen to their customers to determine what they want and then they find the best way to deliver that." Others on the best list include mailbox repairs and hauling services.
On the other end of the spectrum for the most complaints were home warranty companies, internet service providers and banks.
So, a shout-out to the piano tuning industry! Keep up the good work!
Comments (0) 12/10/11
To Tune or Not to Tune: Why you should/should not tune your own piano
Should I tune my own piano? That is the question. Let's look at the answers.
First, here's why a piano should be tuned regularly:
- Regularly-tuned pianos sound better. Obvious, but procrastination is powerful.
- Regularly-tuned pianos stay in tune better between tunings.
- Regularly-tuned pianos last longer. A regularly-tuned piano will last generations. A piano neglected can require expensive service, or become practically un-tunable.
Second, here's why you should tune your own piano:
Continue reading | Comments (1) 11/05/11
Tuning with Korg OT-120
I used the Korg OT-120 Wide 8 Octave Chromatic Orchestral Tuner
I found the Korg OT-120 to have three distinct advantages:
Continue reading | Comments (0) 10/27/11
Splicing a Piano String: First Attempt
A common issue in old pianos is a broken string. Splicing strings rather than replacing strings may be preferable because the new string will unavoidably have a different timbre from the remaining, older strings. Simply put, new steel does not respond to a strike the same way an older used string. In single strings above the bass this difference is not as noticeable and may not present a significant problem as long as the new string diameter or gauge matches the old. But the problem is significant and compounded in bass strings. Bass strings are double-wound; you can see the difference: they look like coiled springs. It is very difficult to match the timbre due to the difference in the age of the metal and the uniqueness of how double strings are wound. Universal bass strings are available, and are satisfactory for non-performance pianos. However, for performance or high-value instruments, universal strings may not work. They will need to be replaced with custom-wound strings at considerable expense.
All this can be avoided by splicing a string. This will only work if the break is in the non-speaking part of the string, that is, the area between the bridge and the pin. Splices in the speaking area can be done, but it will significantly affect the quality of the sound.
I had a broken string. It was the very highest note on the piano, and thus prime for experimentation. The break close enough to the non-speaking area that I felt I could unwind enough extra from the tuning pin to put the splice outside of the speaking section. If my splice failed, replacement would be a viable alternative.
Here's what I learned.
Continue reading | 10/15/11
Eleven Tips from Owen Jorgensen for Piano Tuning Stability
Information for this entry is from a post at PianoWorld on tuning stability. It is based on the tuning tips from Owen Jorgensen. I presume it is from his The equal-beating temperaments: A handbook for tuning harpsichords and fortepianos, with tuning techniques and tables of fifteen historical temperaments, but the author of the post did not give the title. The books are hard to find, so I do not have a copy yet; I'm relying on this secondary source. If you know more leave a comment below or contact me.
Continue reading | Comments (0) 07/17/11
Pop-up Piano Tuner
I am not aware of very many, if any, paintings or other art of piano tuners. Despite their importance, these artisans remain behind the scenes while the piano players and composers get all the glory. Yet, here we have not just a painting of a piano tuner, but a painting of a piano tuner painted ON the piano! More photos after the break.
Continue reading | Comments (0) 06/15/11
Tuning Gershwin's Piano
From the "Curious Piano Tuning Stories" file: A piano tuner is called to tune (what he is told) George Gershwin's piano, many years after Gerswin's death. Inside, he finds a wadded paper. He inadvertently kept the paper, but did not know it. Years later, he finds the paper, but did not immediately recall its origin. He discovers that the wadded paper has a few notes of a melody written on it. He writes a tune based on those notes, and adds lyrics. Only later does it dawn on him where that paper came from. The question is, who does the tune "belong" to--Gershwin, or the tuner? Now that's not an easy question! He can't prove the tune is Gershwin's. He no longer has the paper, and the Gershwin family trust turned everything Gershwin over to the Library of Congress. His offers to turn over the copyright have gone unacknowledged! What would you do?
Continue reading | Comments (1) 05/29/11
Why is it called a tuning "hammer?"
A great mystery of the piano tuning world for me has been why the tuning lever or wrench is so commonly referred to as a tuning hammer. The answer seems to be simply that the tool looks like a hammer, with its long handle and heavy end. It certainly is never used as a hammer to strike the pin. Pins do get hammered, though.
Continue reading | Comments (1) 05/22/11
Impact Tuning Levers
Reyburn CyberHammer
Piano tuning depends on its tools. The tuning lever or hammer in particular is the most important tool of the piano tuner. As in any industry or art that depends on its tools, the search for the best tool never ends. Among piano tuning levers, impact tuning levers are the most advanced. Impact tuning levers have a counterweight in the handle at the far end from the head. The lever is turned in tiny increments with a flick of the wrist.
Continue reading | Comments (0) 05/15/11
T-handle Piano Tuning Levers
Piano tuning, repair and restoration has many unique tools associated with it. One rather curious tool is the T-handle piano tuning lever. It is a standard tuning tip on a straight t-handle. Its primary purpose is for the initial stringing of the pins in a new piano. A regular piano tuning lever with its long handle and angled head is very awkward for the many 360' turns required to wind the string onto the head of the tuning pin. The t-handle makes this much easier. From time to time the T-handle is useful to the tuner in the field as well.
Continue reading | 04/09/11
A Tale of Two Levers
I've seen a lot of attention paid to tuning lever quality in my research on piano tuning. The tuning lever I bought when I decided to tune my own piano the first time was, shall we say, economical. It was not the cheapest, but nor was it priced like a professional tool. I have heard some negative comments about that lever from pro tuners viewing my site. Naturally, I feel a little defensive. I was proud to have spent what seemed like a nice chunk of change at the time on a dedicated tool. How bad is my piano tuning lever? I have decided to do some first-hand comparisons with a "better" lever.
Continue reading | 01/31/11
Tuning Unisons Video
Piano Technician's Guild has a very instructive video demonstrating tuning unisons. Tuning unisons is the process of making all the two or three strings in a single note match. It sounds easy, but getting these strings to match perfectly with no beats is the skill that a piano tuner works his entire career perfecting. In addition to hearing what a beatless unison should sound like, two other aspects of tuning technique can be observed.
Continue reading | Comments (3) 01/26/11
Using an External Mic with iPhone
The iPhone, iPod touch, iPad and Android have apps useful for tuning a piano or other musical instruments. Many of these devices have internal mics, some do not. However, even in models with a built-in mic, an external mic is a great advantage for electronic tuners of any kind, including these apps. External mics are also useful for movies or serious sound recording with iPod. In either case, the closer one can get the mic to the source of the sound, the better. Ideal mic placement can be poor placement for seeing the display on these devices. An external mic solves this problem. But getting an external mic to work with iPhone is not as straightforward as it first appears. We recommend the following solution.
Continue reading | Comments (4) 01/20/11
Chromatic Tuner Guide
We rely on an electronic chromatic tuner to set the temperament in our Tune a Piano Yourself Tuning Tutorial. Chromatic tuners are a topic to themselves. They include everything from small hand-held models to dedicated piano tuning consoles and simple tuning apps to full software packages. The display styles vary as well, from needles to strobes to specialized displays for piano technicians.
There's too much, in fact, to go into within our piano tuning tutorial. We have constructed a separate site dedicated to the chromatic tuner. Check out our Chromatic Tuner Guide at TunerChromatic.com
01/13/11
On Piano Tuning and Wikipedia
If you came here from wikipedia, you may have noticed a rather peculiar page on this website, a text-only version of our main How to Tune Your Piano tutorial, with a "Welcome Wikipedia" message at the top. The reason why it is here is an interesting commentary on both Wikipedia and Piano Tuning.
Continue reading | 01/02/11
Piano Tuning Lever Quality
A recent thread at PianoWorld.com forums refers to our Piano Tuning Tutorial. In it, one of the professional tuners mentions two things he does not like about our tutorial: the lever we use and the electronic tuner we use. Let's talk about piano tuning lever quality; more about the tuner in another blog post.
Continue reading | Comments (1) 01/01/11
Fischer Method of Piano Tuning
The book, Piano Tuning - A Simple and Accurate Method for Amateurs
Continue reading | Comments (4) 01/01/11
DIY Piano Tuning thread at Piano World
Currently there's an active, long thread at Piano World about DIY tuning: Piano World that was started by someone (not me) linking to our piano tuning tutorial. It's a pretty level-headed discussion of the pros and cons by people in both camps.
01/01/11
Hello (Piano) World!
From time to time, this site gets referenced at the Piano World forums or other places. Reviews, as always, are mixed. Some people there like this site, others express concern.
Piano World is simply the best piano-focused forum out there, especially for technicians and tuners. As a rule, though, I avoid posting at Piano World, even in my defense. I am not a professional tuner. I do not want to appear self-promoting. I browse the forums to learn, not to lead. I save responses for my own website. Even so, I welcome the visitors who may arrive here from any external link. Feel free to comment; I am always looking for ways to improve this site. Short of deleting it, of course.
On the other hand, I respectfully ask that visitors please read the whole piano tuning tutorial. Don't just look a picture or read a paragraph. This site has been up for quite a while, and chances are that somewhere I have addressed many concerns that are commonly raised even by professionals. If I have missed something, then let me know.
12/30/10
Welcome to the DIY Piano Tuning Blog
Welcome to the DIY Piano Tuning Blog!
Since 2003 this website has been providing information for those interested in tuning their own pianos. You can read all about that on the main site, beginning with the home page How to Tune Your Piano.
I have been expanding and clarifying the main site for seven years now. I have reached a point, though, where it's getting a bit unwieldy. Piano tuning is simple on the face, but the closer you look the more complicated it gets. It is getting more difficult to cover the details while still meeting the original goal to provide a simple starting place.
Continue reading | 12/30/10
