Pianos also get out of "regulation" and there are some adjustments that are usually necessary. Tuning a piano has no effect whatsoever
on the way it plays, but latent defects may show up quicker during the tuning process as each note is played several times.Your ear can become accustomed to a piano out of tune. It may have a peculiar
sound and therefore might even sound strange to you when it has been tuned. Your ears are trained in playing the music as well as your fingers, therefore making it very important that they hear the proper sounds.
Buying a piano and not caring for it is like buying a car and only putting gas in it. You must give it regular maintenance by a Piano Technician that is trained to spot potential problems as well as
qualified to repair and regulate your piano for optimum performance. Much like a car, a piano is an investment and with the proper care, it can bring you and your family many years of enjoyment. Who knows? It may even
uncover latent talent and a love of music in someone who might never have discovered it otherwise.
There are more than 200 strings in most pianos and their total tension is better than eighteen tons. Each
string must be kept at the proper tension in order to stay at the proper pitch.
When a piano is completed at the factory, it is tuned several times depending on the cost and the time allowed on each piano.
For some time after a piano leaves the factory, the new strings stretch and the coils settle around the pins. Consequently, the pitch drops for several months. A new piano should be tuned two or three times
the first year, or at least twice and then once yearly will suffice for the average household. If this is not done, the piano will continue to drop, and can get one-half step or more below ideal pitch. Again, this will not disturb the average piano owner, but the piano will not play with another instrument of fixed pitch such as an organ. If this happens, it takes two or three tunings sometimes to get it back up to ideal pitch, and on older pianos, many strings will not stand the added tension and will break.
Your piano is a valuable instrument. Take proper care of it and have it tuned at least once a year.
*Humidity is the big factor in your piano going in and out of tune, the
temperature isn't except how it affects the humidity. We have systems now that go in the piano and will control the humidity all year round. Ask us for more information on this.
Your piano is a beautiful
piece of furniture and also the basic and most popular musical instrument. It needs and deserves the best care you can give it. The outside finish requires little care but it would be wise to consult your dealer or the
pamphlet that usually comes with the piano. The keys may be cleaned with a damp cloth and mild soapsuds. On older pianos, fine steel wool will take off most stain and imbedded dirt. Small bags of mothballs may be placed
inside the piano felts where moths might possible be present. Mice are also very destructive to many piano parts and should be guarded against. Mousetraps or poison may be placed in the top at each end away from the
action and in the bottom. The lower panel removes easily and is usually held in place by one or two brackets. Care should be taken in the use of traps and poisons where there is the possibility of children or pets
getting in the piano. The best remedy is to try to keep mice out of the house.
