The weight required to make a key go down is referred to as the “touch.” On different pianos it might vary from 40 grams to 70 grams (26 grams make up one ounce). Differences in leverage, mass of various parts, and frictional resistance yield piano actions that play very differently.

But don’t think that a lighter touch is always better. In fact, most advanced musicians like to feel a touch that is anywhere from 52 to 58 grams. If a piano is too light, there’s no feedback from the piano back to the player. And if the touch is too heavy, arms and fingers tire easily and sensitive control is gone.

Some adjustments can be made to change a piano’s touchweight. If you’re interested, ask Brigham, 801-830-0011.

Content provided courtesy of the ptg.org tip of the day, a service for all Registered Piano Technicians.

Many of our clients contact Brigham for professional advice on how to select a new or used piano.  He welcomes these calls and is always happy to offer his technical advice.  Sometimes it’s helpful to have a professional opinion other than that of the commission paid salesman.  Feel free to call Brigham if you are in the market for a piano, new or used, 801-830-0011.  (whether you intend to buy from us or not, the advice is free!  We realize that we don’t always have in our warehouse what you might be looking for)

In addition, here’s an article form the PTG with specific tips on buying a new piano.

Q. What is the first step towards purchasing a
piano for my family?
A. Purchasing a piano for your family can create a
lifetime of enjoyment and intellectual stimulation.
Before you spend money for either a new or used
piano, a little preparation is helpful so that you
purchase a piano that is appropriate for your needs
and will insure your family’s musical success. The
first step in choosing a piano involves establishing
your musical and furniture needs to fulfill your
dreams. A piano will provide elegance,
sophistication and beauty to your home, so you
want an instrument that will play properly and
compliment your home’s décor. Musically, you
need to select a piano that has the key touch and
musical tone that you like. The best way to
accomplish this is to visit your local retail piano
dealer. Find a dealer that has a large selection of
new and used pianos at various prices. It is
important that you sample or have the salesperson
demonstrate a wide variety of pianos. When you
play each piano, discover which piano keyboard
has the touch most responsive to your fingers.
Listen to many pianos to discover which tone is
most appealing. You will also have an opportunity
to view different cabinet and finish styles so you
can select a piano that is attractive in your home.
Once you discover what you want to purchase, and
have an idea of the cost, you can either purchase a
new or used piano from the retail dealer or attempt
to locate a used piano privately.
Q. What are the differences between buying a
piano from a retail dealer or a private
individual?
A. When purchasing a new or used piano from a
retail dealer, you’ll find:
• new pianos usually come with a
manufacturers warranty, a complimentary
tuning, moving, and more cabinetry and finish
choices.
• used pianos are generally reconditioned, and
they usually come with a dealer warranty,
moving and complimentary tuning.
• many dealers have a trade up policy that will
give you the full purchased price of your
piano when you desire a higher quality piano.
• you can expect to pay a little more for the
manufacturers warranty, and the advantage
of selecting a piano from a wide variety of
new and used instruments.
To locate and purchase a piano privately, look in
the newspaper classified ads. The Internet also has
some opportunities for locating a piano. The best
way to locate a used piano is to find a Registered
Piano Technician (RPT) in your area. Often they
are aware of used pianos for sale, and more
importantly are aware of the piano’s condition. If
you are determined to locate a piano on your own,
you are at risk buying a piano without having an
RPT evaluate the condition and appraise the value
of the piano.
When purchasing a used piano privately, you’ll find:
• they are generally less expensive than retail,
assuming the seller has a realistic
understanding of the value and condition of
their piano.
• your search requires extra travel to several
homes to locate a suitable piano.
• there is no warranty.
• the moving cost is usually the responsibility
of buyer.
• less selection in furniture cabinetry and finish.
• that extra service is often required to restore
the piano’s touch and tone .
Despite the obvious drawbacks and hidden costs of
purchasing a used piano privately, you can still do
fine as long as you allow a Registered Piano
Technician (RPT) act as your guardian angel to
guide you through this potentially confusing
purchase. Although it is possible for a technician to
make some recommendations by telephone on site
evaluations are a good investment and can prevent
costly errors.

Q. How much money is required to purchase a
piano for my family?

A. Pianos are like anything else, you get what you
pay for! If your goal is to have music provide a
lifetime of enjoyment and intellectual stimulation for
your children, you need to seriously consider
making a reasonable investment in their future.
What most people do not realize is that young
children actually require a piano with keys that are
very touch sensitive. With their small fingers, if the
piano keyboard mechanism is not adjusted
properly, the children will have great difficulty
achieving success. Purchasing a quality piano will
substantially increase your child’s success. When
students play on a quality piano with touch
sensitivity and good tone, they are not just playing
musical notes. They can “feel” the music and have
the music penetrate deep into their hearts and
minds.
Parents that successfully incorporate musical
training into their children’s educational curriculum
generally purchase a high quality new or used
piano. They recognize the more resources and
parental guidance they provide for their children’s
education, the more successful and well adjusted
they will be as adults. Also, intuitive parents
understand that children do not always listen to
their advice and instructions. But they understand
that their children pay close attention to their
actions . When you purchase a quality new or used
piano, they truly understand that musical training is
an important part of their education. Purchasing a
quality piano demonstrates through actions the
value you place on their education and wellbeing.
Q. How can I tell if a used piano is in good
condition?
A. Often problems that don’t seem that big are
major problems and vice versa. Keys that don’t
play are usually not a big problem. Often
something has broken or come unglued which is
easily fixed. There are a few older pianos with old
plastic action parts that are problematic.
Look for notes that sound terribly out of tune when
played by themselves. Most of the piano has three
strings per note. The strings wrap around a steel
tuning pin which is set into a wooden pinblock.
When the pinblock goes bad it can’t hold the tuning
pins tightly and a tuning pin will slip. This leaves
one of the three strings very flat to the others. This
is not just an out of tune honky-tonk sound, but it
will sound like you are playing two distinct notes. A
bad pinblock may very well be the end of that piano
if it is not a good enough piano to warrant
rebuilding. On a high quality piano such as a
Steinway, Baldwin, or Mason & Hamlin it may be
worth doing a major rebuilding and replace the
pinblock, but these pianos are considerably more
expensive if purchased new and would therefore
warrant the work.
Another serious problem is the presence of strange
rattles or buzzes. The soundboard, which is the
large wooden board you can see from the back of
an upright piano or from underneath a grand, has
ribs glued on it to strengthen it. Sometimes when
the soundboard gets cracks in it the ribs come
unglued from it in places. This can allow the
soundboard to rattle against the loose rib as it
vibrates. This can sound like a speaker distorting
when it is played too loudly. Pianos have a wooden
bridge which is attached to the soundboard and has
the strings running over it. The bridges have two
pins for each string to hold the strings in place.
Because there are so many pins very close
together, sometimes the bridges split and allow the
pins to become loose. This allows the strings to
rattle against the loose pins. Bridges are often
made in sections that can come unglued from each
other also causing buzzes and rattles.
Look at the hammers for deep grooves cause by
the strings. Layers of felt can be removed to
restore the rounded shape to the hammer but
eventually there in not enough felt left above the
wooden molding to get a good tone. The high
treble has the least amount of felt and you can
sometimes see that the felt is all the way worn
through and that the wood molding is actually
striking the strings. Hammer replacement is fairly
expensive and the piano needs to be good quality
to warrant this work. You can’t just replace the felt
on the hammers. The felt is put on the moldings in
special presses under tons of pressure.
The most important thing is to call a Registered
Piano Technician to look at a piano before you buy
it. You should look at the piano first and be sure it
is something you are interested in. “Free or
“cheap” pianos can actually be the most expensive
if the condition of the instrument will require
complete rebuilding in order to be a playable
instrument. Ask your RPT to check out the
structural condition of the piano. An investment of
a service call before buying it can keep you from
buying and moving a piano that won’t be playable
much less an instrument you can be proud to play
and own. To find an RPT near you, use our “Find a
Technician” service at www.ptg.org.
Find out how to care for your piano at www.ptg.org.
The Piano Technicians Guild, the organization of the
Registered Piano Technician (RPT), is the world’s
premier source of piano service expertise. It
promotes the highest possible standards of piano
service by providing opportunities for professional
development, by recognizing technical competence
through examinations and by advancing the interests
of its more than 4,000 members.
© 2009 Piano Technicians Guild

Here’s the short answer:

Every 3 months for musically sensitive: studios, professional musicians, etc.

Four times in the first year for a brand new piano.

Every 6 months for families with children in lessons or regularly played pianos.

Every year for maintaining a playable quality instrument.

Here’s a longer answer provided by the Piano Technician’s Guild.

Your piano is an investment in your future. It can bring you and your family a lifetime of music, adding immeasurable joy and beauty to your home. Since it is also such a large investment, it should be maintained with the utmost care. Regular servicing by a qualified technician will preserve your instrument and help you avoid costly repairs in the future.

Because your piano contains materials such as wood and felt, it is subject to change with climatic conditions. Extreme swings from hot to cold or dry to wet cause its materials to swell and contract, affecting tone, pitch, and action response or touch. You can reduce the severity of these effects by placing your piano near a wall away from windows or doors that are opened frequently. Avoid heating and air conditioning vents, fireplaces and areas which receive direct sunlight. Your piano will perform best under consistent conditions neither too wet nor dry, optimally at a temperature of 68 degrees F and 42 percent relative humidity.

While pianos generally fall into vertical and grand model categories, each manufacturer selects its own materials and utilizes its own unique scale and furniture designs. Every piano requires a different level of maintenance, depending upon the quality of materials used and the design and level of craftsmanship. Manufacturers can provide general advice on tuning frequency but your technician can give specific recommendations based upon your usage and locale. Here’s what some of the major piano manufacturers recommend:

Baldwin Piano Company

(also Chickering, Wurlitzer)

Professional service is the key. In the first year, the National Piano Manufacturers Association recommends that you have your piano tuned four times. This is a period of environmental adjustment for a new instrument, and proper attention is important.

After the first year, the piano should be tuned at least twice each year, depending upon the frequency of use and atmospheric conditions. Contact the Piano Technicians Guild for a list of qualified technicians to perform this service.

Kawai Piano Company

Quality pianos demand quality care. Fine pianos require regular maintenance in three areas: tuning, action regulation and voicing. Tuning is usually required more often than the other service areas, but all three should be a part of any fine piano’s maintenance.

Due to string stretching, settling, and the effects of climate, a new piano should receive at least four tunings in the first year. After that, the type of use and the location of the piano will dictate the number of tunings required, but Kawai recommends two tunings per year as a minimum.

Pearl River

Changes in temperature and humidity, the amount and type of use it gets, and the musical requirements of the owner will determine how often your Pearl River piano will need service.

In general, Pearl River recommends that your new piano be serviced four times the first year and twice a year by a qualified piano technician.

Samick

(also Knabe, Kohler & Campbell, Conover Cable, Bechstein & Sohmer)

The careful selection and installation of the highest quality tuning pins, string, and pinblock materials assures excellent stability. Regular service by a qualified technician will assure the continuing pleasure that comes only from a properly tuned and regulated piano.

We recommend two to three tunings the first year and a minimum of two tunings per year thereafter. Avoid placing your piano where it will be exposed to extreme heat or cold, moisture, or direct sunlight, all of which can cause unstable tuning, warpage, and finish damage.

Schimmel

Your Schimmel piano should be tuned and serviced only by qualified professionals. Questions regarding tuning can best be answered by your local piano technician.

As a rule, a brand new piano should, depending on its location and climatic conditions, be tuned two to three times in the first year or two. An instrument played often and intensively could require additional tunings.

Steinway & Sons

(also Boston & Essex)

Your Steinway piano was tuned many times before it left our factory. It was tuned to and should be maintained at A440 pitch. This is the internationally accepted standard and the standard for which all Steinway pianos are engineered.

Unfortunately, no matter how expertly a piano is tuned, atmospheric variations and the nature of the piano’s construction constantly conspire to bring it off pitch.

Your Steinway has been designed and built so that in normal use and under normal conditions it should need only periodic tuning. We recommend that your technician be called at least three or four times a year. You, however, are the final judge and should have the piano tuned as often as you think necessary. To put the matter of tuning into perspective, remember that a concert piano is tuned before every performance, and a piano in a professional recording studio, where it is in constant use, is tuned three or four times each week as a matter of course.

Tuning is an art practiced by skilled professionals and under no circumstances should anyone other than a professional be allowed to tune your Steinway piano.

Yamaha Pianos

New pianos should be tuned a minimum of four times the first year to compensate for the normal settling that takes place. Subsequently, as a matter of standard maintenance, a piano should be tuned at least twice a year.

Of course, some musicians will choose to have their own piano tuned more often to satisfy their own personal musical requirements.

When your piano needs tuning, consult your authorized Yamaha piano dealer or call a skilled qualified specialist such as a Piano Technicians Guild Registered Piano Technician (RPT).

Young Chang America, Inc.

(also Pramberger & Bergmann)

Piano owners will receive optimum performance from their piano if it is properly serviced during its lifetime to compensate for the effects of environmental conditions and use.

Due to the natural elasticity in new piano strings, we recommend that your instrument be tuned two to four times the first year, twice the second year and a minimum of once per year thereafter. Of course, you may choose to have your piano tuned more or less often to satisfy your own personal requirements.

Ask your piano technician to also inspect the action and mechanical parts of your instrument along with regular tunings. Registered Piano Technicians have proven themselves qualified to give advice on the needs of a piano in its specific environment.

Your piano, like those in homes and on stages throughout the world, is an instrument of extraordinary promise which can bring you and your family a lifetime of enjoyment.

To ensure its performance over that lifetime, it is important to have your piano serviced regularly by a qualified professional. Complete piano service should include periodic regulation and voicing in addition to tuning.

Your technician can consult with you to recommend a maintenance schedule customized for your instrument. (call Brigham at 801.830.0011)

The preceding article is a reprint of a Technical Bulletin published by the Piano Technicians Guild, Inc. It is provided on the Internet as a service to piano owners. Piano Technicians Guild is an international organization of piano technicians. Registered Piano Technicians (RPTs) are those members of PTG who have passed a series of examinations on the maintenance, repair, and tuning of pianos. (Brigham is an RPT!)

©1993 Piano Technicians Guild

Sorry folks… no!  Brigham is just an “acoustic-piano-man”!  He gigs and plays on plenty of digital and electric keyboards, but work on them he does not.  Above is a quick snap shot I captured of him entertaining a crowd at Comedy Sports recently when we attended a birthday party there.

As a conscientious piano owner, you probably have your piano tuned regularly by a qualified technician. You may, however, notice a deterioration of its performance despite regular tuning. It’s important to note that tuning is only the adjustment of the system of strings and pins that determines the pitch of each string. Your piano also requires a periodic servicing called regulation, which attends to the mechanical parts which cause strings to sound when keys are played and affect the sound through use of the pedals.

What is regulation and how does it affect my piano’s performance?

Regulation is the adjustment of the mechanical aspects of the pianos to compensate for the effects of wear, the compacting and settling of cloth, felt, and buckskin, as well as dimensional changes in wood and wool parts due to changes in humidity. 

The three systems involved in regulation are the action trapwork and damper system. The action is the mechanical part of the piano that transfers the motion of the fingers on the keys to the hammers that strike the strings. It is comprised of over 9,000 parts which require adjustment to critical tolerances to be able to respond to a pianist’s every command. The trapwork is the assemblage of levers, dowels and springs that connects the pedals to the action affecting sustain and dynamics. The damper system is the mechanical part of the piano that stops the vibration of the string when you release the key and is controlled by the key and pedal systems.

If I have my piano tuned regularly, why do I need to have it regulated?

While tuning corrects the pitch of your piano, it is only one component of a complete maintenance program. Regulation attends to the touch and uniform responsiveness of your action, all vital to making each performance pleasurable. In addition, regulation ensures that your instrument is capable of producing a wide dynamic range — a critical factor, particularly in pianissimo passages.

Music is one of the most complex vehicles for expression. Its beauty is reliant upon personal dynamics and tempi. These changes require extremely fine adjustments to respond to the pianist’s nuances and subtle shadings. A smooth, even response throughout the entire range of the keyboard and an extremely quick action capable of playing rapid passages and repeated notes evenly is essential. Outstanding response is essential for a pianist to create an outstanding performance.

Do all pianos need to be regulated?

All upright and grand pianos need periodic regulation to perform their best. Frequency of regulation is dependent upon amount of use, exposure to climatic changes, and the instrument’s quality, age and condition. New pianos may require regulation in their first year because settling and compacting of parts sometimes necessitates adjustment.

How often is regulation needed?

Only you and your technician together should decide how frequently your piano needs regulation. Several factors can contribute to this. The intensity and number of hours your instrument is played, and climatic conditions are all determinants. A piano kept in relatively consistent conditions which are neither too wet nor dry, optimally at a temperature of 68 degrees Fahrenheit and 42 percent relative humidity, will require less adjustment.

The quality of the instrument itself also can affect frequency of regulation. Some manufacturers decrease costs by not going over the regulation and voicing processes in the factory as much as needed. Reputable retailers sometimes do the necessary regulation themselves prior to selling the pianos, but others do not.

Also, performance instruments may require some regulation before each use, due to the higher demands placed on them.

What are the signs that my piano needs regulation?

If you instrument displays a lack of sensitivity or a decreased dynamic ranges, it’s a candidate for regulation. If you notice that the keys are not level (some higher or lower than the rest), the touch is uneven or that the keys are sticking, the need for regulation is indicated. However, a sluggish action or deep grooves in the hammers indicate the need for reconditioning or repair. Ask your technicians to show you what needs adjustment on your piano.

No amount of practice can compensate for a poorly maintained action. Poor legato touch, chord playing where all notes of the chord don’t speak clearly, a gradual loss of subtlety in phrasing and an inability to execute quick passages or note repetitions evenly may be the fault of the piano — not the player.

Why is reconditioning or rebuilding of the mechanical systems sometimes necessary prior to regulation?

Prior to regulation, your technician will assess the condition of your instrument. If it has badly worn parts or if there has been corrosion or moth damage, the piano may not be able to be properly regulated without some repair or replacement of parts.

Reconditioning is the process of putting your piano back in good condition by cleaning, repairing, and adjusting your instrument for maximum performance with replacement parts only where specifically indicated. If you piano has deteriorated beyond simple reconditioning, it may need to be rebuilt.

Rebuilding involves complete disassembly, inspection and repair as necessary with replacement of all worn or deteriorated parts. The piano is then reassembled, tested and adjusted to the same or similar tolerance and performance as when it was new.

Your piano is a major investment which deserves to be protected through regular servicing by a qualified technician. Properly maintained, your piano will sound its best and give you and your family a lifetime of enjoyment.

For technical drawings of a Vertical and Grand Piano action click below:

Vertical
Grand

The preceding article is a reprint of a Technical Bulletin published by the Piano Technicians Guild, Inc. It is provided with permission to Registered Piano Technicians as a service to piano owners. Piano Technicians Guild is an international organization of piano technicians. Registered Piano Technicians (RPTs) are those members of PTG who have passed a series of examinations on the maintenance, repair, and tuning of pianos.  Brigham is an RPT!

The field of Piano technology is an unregulated trade. Therefore the Piano Technicians Guild has set its own standards of quality for piano technicians. The Guild has two types of members: Registered Piano Technicians (Brigham) and Associates. Associate membership is open to anyone with a “professional or avocational interest in piano technology.” On the other hand, the title of “Registered Piano Technician” must be earned by passing a series of examinations.

To attain the RPT classification, a PTG members must pass three examinations. A written exam tests basic knowledge of piano design, tuning theory, repair techniques and various other topics relevant to piano technology. Two separate practical, hands-on exams test tuning and technical skills. The practical exams are administered by panels of  RPTs under the leadership of examiners trained and certified in standardized exam procedures. Exam procedures are designed to comply with standards of objectivity mandated by US anti-trust legislation, thus assuring that exams are fair and equivalent regardless of where or by whom they are administered. On the tuning exam the candidate must match as closely as possible a “master tuning” created by a panel of examiners who have agreed – after painstaking experimentation and analysis – on an optimal tuning for the test piano. The exam is scored by  using extremely sensitive electronic equipment to measure the deviation of the candidate’s tuning from the standard thus established. Candidates who use electronic tuning devices in their work must nevertheless demonstrate their ability to tune by ear, unaided by electronics. The technical exam requires the candidate to demonstrate professional-level skills in assembling a grand and a vertical piano action (the mechanical component of the piano) and in making all the complicated adjustments (called “regulation”) so that they function properly. The candidate must also demonstrate facility in various common repairs involving wood, cloth, felt, piano wire and other materials commonly used in pianos. All the procedures on these exams must be completed in prescribed time periods – thus demonstrating the fluency required of a professional.

The rating of RPT is not meant to be a rating for a rebuilder; it is meant to show that the technician is ready to handle normal piano service and repair. The Piano Technicians Guild has put a lot of time and effort into its examinations to establish a good set of standardized tests which will help insure quality service. The written test takes about 1 hour. The tuning and technical tests take about 4 hours each.

Only Registered Piano Technicians can advertise with that title. The Piano Technicians Guild does allow Associate members to advertise as “Associate” members, but these members have not yet passed the exams. They are encouraged to take advantage of PTG’s educational offerings. When you are looking for service on your piano, look for a Registered Piano Technician. The logo above designates that the member is an RPT. Note the words Registered Piano Technician in the logo itself.

Here are our official descriptions of these categories :

A Registered Piano Technician (RPT) has passed a series of rigorous examinations on the maintenance, repair, and tuning of pianos.  Only RPTs are authorized by The Piano Technicians Guild to display the logo containing the words “Registered Piano Technician”.

An Associate is a member who has not passed the RPT examinations.  Associates may be studying piano technology and working toward RPT status, or may be piano retailers, rebuilders, refinishers or other specialists.

Brigham is a Registered Piano Technician, servicing pianos since 1995.

The above article used with permission from ptg.org.

Your piano is designed to sound its best when tuned to A-440 (A above middle C vibrates at 440 cycles per second), the international pitch standard. At this pitch, power and tonal range are optimum and your piano will match the pitch of other instruments. When your piano varies from A-440, pitch adjustments are required to bring it back to standard. By always maintaining your piano at standard pitch, you create long-term tuning stability because the strings and structure stay in equilibrium. You also ensure proper ear training because you always hear your music in the correct key.

Why does a piano’s pitch change?

Piano strings change pitch for two primary reasons: the initial stretching and settling of strings when the piano is new, and soundboard movement due to humidity variation. In the case of new pianos, the pitch drops quickly for the first couple of years as the new strings stretch and wood parts settle. It’s very important to maintain any new piano at the proper pitch during this period, so the string tension and piano structure can reach a stable equilibrium. (Most piano manufacturers recommend three to four tunings the first year, and at least two per year after that.)

Aside from this initial settling, climate change is the main cause of pitch change. That’s because the piano’s main acoustical structure — the soundboard — is made of wood. While wooden soundboards produce a wonderful sound, they also react constantly to climate changes. As the relative humidity goes up, the soundboard swells, increasing its crowned shape and stretching the piano’s strings to a higher pitch. Then during dry times the soundboard flattens out, lowering tension on the strings and causing the pitch to drop. The drop in the dry season tends to exceed the rise during humid times, so the net result is a drop in pitch each year that the piano isn’t serviced.

Won’t tuning restore my piano’s pitch to A- 440?

If a piano has gone without tuning for an extended period, its pitch may have dropped far below A- 440. This means that each of its approximately 220 strings needs to be tightened considerably, adding tremendous additional tension to the piano’s structure. The problem is that as each string is tightened, the additional load causes the pitch of previously adjusted strings to change. Thus it is impossible to make a substantial change in pitch and end up with a fine, accurate tuning in one step. Instead, a process called “pitch raising” must first be done, in which all strings are raised to their correct average tension levels. (Likewise, when a piano’s pitch is higher than standard, a pitch lowering procedure must be done to reduce string tensions to approximately correct levels.) Only then can the piano be accurately tuned. In other words, accurate tuning is only possible when all strings are so close to their proper tension that only small further changes are needed during tuning. These small changes then do not disturb the tuning of other strings.

How far from standard pitch must a piano be before a pitch raise is necessary?

Just when a pitch raise or lowering is necessary depends upon how accurate the final tuning must be, and the size and quality of the piano. Any net change in a piano’s string tension during tuning will distort the final result and reduce stability. Realistically, a pitch difference of a few percent can usually be accommodated successfully during tuning. For average situations, when a piano’s pitch is noticeably different from that of other standard pitched instruments, a pitch correction procedure is necessary before tuning. Whenever exact pitch level is critical, such as in concert or recording instruments, any pitch deviation must be corrected before tuning.

How long does a pitch raise take?

A pitch raise is essentially a special tuning procedure designed to leave the piano approximately in tune. For moderate pitch corrections the procedure takes about the same time as a tuning, or less. Extreme pitch changes may require two separate pitch adjustments.

The pitch adjustment and subsequent tuning may be done in one visit, or the tuning may be scheduled for a short time later depending upon how far the pitch had to be changed. In general, the longer a piano has gone without regular service, the more tunings will be required to reestablish tuning stability.

Like your car, your piano is a major investment which deserves regular servicing to keep it working well and preserve its value. Most importantly, the well-maintained piano sounds better, plays better, and gives you and your family a wealth of musical pleasure.

The preceding article is a reprint of a Technical Bulletin published by the Piano Technicians Guild, Inc. It is provided on the Internet as a service to piano owners. Piano Technicians Guild is an international organization of piano technicians. Registered Piano Technicians (RPTs) are those members of PTG who have passed a series of examinations on the maintenance, repair, and tuning of pianos. © 1992 & 1994 The Piano Technicians Guild, Inc.

Sound occurs when air is set into motion rapidly. Humans can hear sound if those cycles of compression and uncompression occur anywhere from twenty times each second to about twenty thousand times each second.

When a piano string is set into motion, it vibrates up and down repeatedly. If the note A above middle C is properly tuned, that string will vibrate up and down 440 times in one second. That’s what A-440 means.

Every note on a piano is tuned using A-440 as the starting point. A-440 has been accepted as the universal standard for most of the century. Before that, it varied as much as a semi-tone higher or lower.

And even further back in time, there was no standard at all. Every village used a prominent local instrument, such as a church organ, as the standard for tuning its musical instruments. Pity the wandering minstrel!