What is tuning after all? Each of the 88 notes on a piano has one, two or three strings. (Some pianos have more or fewer than 88 notes.) Over time, the piano will go out of tune due to changes in relative humidity.  Changes in humidity expand and contract the wood of the piano, thereby altering the tension of the strings which affects the pitch of each string. In addition to changes in humidity, piano strings stretch with time, causing the piano to drop in pitch. This is especially true of new pianos or pianos with new strings. Tuning is the process of readjusting the tension of each string to bring the pitch of the piano back into harmony. How often do I need my piano tuned? Most Piano Technicians recommend twice a year for a piano that is in the home however more often, say three to four times a year, is better if your budget allows. (Performance pianos are often tuned several times a week or sometimes more than once a day.) Although many of our customers have friends who tell them that once a year for tuning is sufficient, we believe that interval to be too long. The more often a piano is tuned, the more stable the tuning. In times of hardship, once a year will be adequate. Waiting longer than a year between tunings may result in needing extra work, such as a pitch raise. If you own a new piano or your piano has been restrung, the new strings will stretch more readily, and so keeping to the twice a year schedule, at least for the first few years, will help keep the piano from dropping too far in pitch. When should I have my piano tuned? A good rule of thumb is to have your piano tuned about a month after you turn on the heat and about a month after you turn on your air conditioning. If you have your piano tuned four times a year, then timing isn't as important. Your piano will also need to be tuned after it has moved locations. If you plan to have your piano tuned during the Fall and early winter, schedule further ahead of time with your technician in order to be sure to meet your own deadline (such as a holiday party or school performance). This is especially important if you wish to have your piano tuned in December, which is a technician's busiest month. Why does my technician say I need a pitch raise? When a piano drops (or raises) in pitch more than 5% of a tone (5 cents), then a regular tuning won't be stable. This is because the piano and strings go through shifts and changes as each subsequent string is tuned, thereby affecting the overall tuning. It is our policy to charge an additional pitch raise fee when the piano has shifted more than 15% of a tone. Have your piano tuned at least every other year to prevent this additional cost. (A piano that has shifted more than 50% will be more than the standard pitch raise fee.) Let your technician know how long it has been since the last tuning so that they can assess whether or not to budget the extra time needed for a pitch raise. What caused my piano to drop in pitch so much? The most common reasons for a piano to drop in pitch significantly are time and age. If your piano hasn't been tuned in a couple of years, strings can stretch lower than A-440. On the other hand, if your piano's pins are loose, this can also cause the pitch to drop, even if you have your piano tuned regularly. The most common problem we see associated with pianos is the need for a pitch raise because the piano hadn't been tuned regularly. What are loose pins? The strings of a piano are stretched between the tuning pin and the hitch pin. The tuning pins are what the tuner turns clockwise or counterclockwise to change the tension of the string, therefore changing the pitch. The tuning pins are held in place by the pin block. (Imagine a nail being hammered halfway into a block of wood.) Changes in humidity cause the pin block to expand and contract. Over time, these changes can cause the pins to become loose. What do I do about loose pins? Your technician can sometimes improve the tightness of the pins by hammering them deeper into the pin block or increasing tension using pin tightening solution or glue. These are fairly simple procedures. If neither of these techniques works, you can replace the pins with larger pins, therefore increasing the tension in the pin block. However, when this is done, the strings are also replaced. This is a major operation and is usually only recommended for valuable pianos. If the piano isn't in use anymore, why bother keeping it in tune? Pianos that are neglected can accumulate problems, potentially causing the instrument to loose value or, in dire cases, become worthless. If you would like to eventually sell your piano or pass it along to someone else, have it serviced at least every two years. (It won't be a stable tuning and isn't recommended for pianos that are actually played; only for pianos that aren't played but are being maintained for another time.) Keep in mind that some warranties are only honored if the piano has had regular maintenance. And we have serviced many pianos that people wanted ready for a certain event (holiday party or in-laws coming to town) that could only be brought up to a minimum standard because there wasn't time to attend to all that it needed before the event. Is there any other way to decrease the need for tunings? If you keep your piano in a stable environment, it will help to keep the instrument in tune.  We recommend the following: Keep the piano out of direct sunlight.  Sunlight will not only alter the pitch of the piano, it will also affect the finish and interior mechanisms of the piano over time. Make sure vents do not blow air directly on the piano. Keep the piano away from an outside wall if you live in an old home with little insulation. Stabilize the humidity in and around the piano.  This means either using a room humidifier/dehumidifier that can be set to about 42% humidity level, or having a qualified piano technician install a piano climate control system. You can monitor the humidity using a hygrometer. The ideal range is between 35% and 55% humidity. My technician says that my piano needs to be regulated. What the heck is that? Although most piano owners know that their piano needs to be tuned regularly, many are unaware of the other aspects of maintaining their instrument, such as regulating. Action Regulation means adjusting all of the mechanical parts of the piano back to factory specification (similar to a tune up for your car). Action Regulation affects the touch and responsiveness of your piano or, put another way, the movement between your fingers touching the keys and the hammers hitting the strings. The action consists of more than 9,000 parts. How often a piano needs regulating depends on the use of your piano (unlike tuning which isn't affected by use) and the quality of your piano (for example, some brand new pianos need regulating). As a rough measure, pianos may need to be regulated every five to ten years, depending on use. Some of the adjustments that are made when a piano is regulated are: the height and level of the keys the depth of a key when depressed the distance between the hammers and strings at rest the distance between the hammers and strings when the key is depressed and so on Some things you may notice yourself that indicate that your piano may need to be regulated are if the hammers 'double-strike' the strings when played or the hammer doesn't strike the strings at all. Even after tuning, my piano just doesn't sound quite right. Do I need a new piano? Not necessarily. If desired, you can have your piano's tone modified with a procedure called voicing. The original design of your piano establishes the basic character of your piano's tone, but voicing can modify it to better suit your taste or restore its original tone if it has deteriorated with age. Other than that, your piano may need voicing if it varies radically from note to note, you cannot achieve a range of tone (mellow to bright) at different volumes, or the piano can no longer play softly. The 'best' tone for your piano depends on what your preference is and what type of music is played on that piano. For example, a bright, lively tone might be best for jazz, whereas you might prefer a rich and dark sound for Beethoven's music. In  addition to voicing, which affects the hammers, the tone can be affected by the age of the piano's strings and structure of the piano, the acoustics of the room the piano is in, and whether or not the lid of the piano is open. If you see grooves in the hammers where they hit the strings, the voice will be improved by having the hammers reshaped. Are there any special care instructions for a Disklavier? A Disklavier is a conventional Yamaha piano with an electro/mechanical device that records and plays back music on your piano. It can be thought of as a 'player piano' with 21st Century technology. The term is coined from the words "disk" (from the computer technology involved) and "klavier", the traditional European term for keyboard. If you own a Disklavier, you will find it to be very reliable and rewarding, however it is recommended that you have it adjusted and calibrated annually to keep it operating at its best. It is important that you have your Disklavier serviced by someone who has been specially trained by Yamaha to do so, which of course we have been. What do I need to do to prepare for my tuner's visit? Tell your technician about any other services or repairs that you would like done at the time of the visit so that they can schedule adequate time and bring the appropriate tools. Take notes on what the issues are because you and your technician may not be able to find the problem at the time of the visit. (How many times has that happened when you took your car to the shop?) You can identify specific keys by counting from the very lowest bass key as A0, A#0, B0, C1, C#1, and so on. Or count C1, C2, C3 and all notes between that C and the next highest B will have the same number. Your technician will most likely appreciate lots of light. Clearing off the top of the piano will eliminate the possibility of your technician accidentally mishandling something. If you live in a new development and you think that your street may not be listed yet on a map, mention that to your technician. Otherwise, they most likely won't need directions. Your technician will likely be sitting or even laying on your floor. Therefore, a clean floor is always appreciated. How do I go about buying a new or used piano? Read The Piano Book : Buying and Owning a New or Used Piano by Larry Fine. If this is more than you ever could have possibly wanted to know about pianos, you can hire a technician to find a piano that suits your needs or to look over a piano that you have found yourself. Beware of the free piano! We have seen many 'free' pianos that were in need of costly repairs and others that were way beyond their lifespan. Can I learn how to tune my own piano? You could, but you have to tune about 500 pianos before you're any good. And then there are the repairs. If you've got the time for that, then by all means, more power to you! How do I learn more about becoming a Piano Technician? Visit the Piano Technician's Guild website, attend local chapter meetings, and check out books on Piano Technology from your library. That's a start.