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Your piano is a dynamic instrument. Even if you allow it to sit untouched
this next year, do not think that it is not doing anything. The seasonal changes, with the warming, cooling, humid and dry
periods bring about changes to the internal parts, structures and mechanisms of your instrument.
What are some of the concerns? Here are some answers to commonly asked
questions.
How often should my piano be tuned?
A minimum of two times per year is recommended. A new piano would need more
tunings. Most piano manufacturers recommend a new piano be tuned four times in the first year. The strings on a new piano
stretch more than any other time in a piano's life and require these additional tunings to compensate. A piano that has dropped
in pitch will need at least two tunings within a short time span to bring it back up to where it should be. After that it
will need a minimum of two tunings per year.
What causes a piano to go out of tune?
Extreme changes in temperature and humidty are the common villians.
These can be damaging not only to the tuning but also to the internal structures, parts and mechanisms.
You may have a related question as to where to place the piano in
the home. You may place your piano anywhere that is not a source of changes in temperature or humidy. For example putting
your piano next to a heat or air conditioning vent would not be the best. Placing your piano in front of a large window that
allows in a lot of sunlight may look nice, but remember that this creates change in temperature. Repeated exposure to sunlight
can also affect the finish of your fine instrument.
There is a lot to be said about the often shared wisdom of putting
your piano on an inside wall away from sources of changes in temperature and humidy.
The final cause of pianos not holding their tune is not having it
tuned regularly. The piano's ability to hold its tune decreases with age when not tuned consistently.
How soon should the piano be tuned after moving into a new home?
A piano also goes through an adjustment to a new environment. This
adjustment period is three to six weeks.
Additional information on piano care is available from The Piano
Technician's Guild web site. Their address is www.ptg.org. Look under the resources section of their web site.
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