IS MY PIANO IN TUNE?

If you were to take an A440 tuning fork (to hear a "perfect" pitch) and then play an "A" on your piano at the same time, you might hear a pattern of repeating "beats." If so, your piano is out of tune! If the "A" note on your piano sounds like a completely different note, your piano may need more than a tuning, it may need a pitch-raise. Contact The Piano Mover of Suffolk County for a free consultation with a piano tuner or technician or to schedule an appointment for a piano tuning. We are Located in Bohemia.

HOW OFTEN SHOULD A PIANO BE TUNED?

Normally, it is recommended that you tune your piano twice a year. The reason for tuning is seasonal climate change. The climate of New York and the tri-state area is constantly changing. During a typical year the climate moves from warm and humid in the summer to very dry in the winter. Pianos, being mostly wood, respond to changes in humidity and temperature. If you’ve ever noticed how drawers and doors stick in the summer and free up in the winter, you have seen how wood can “breathe” - which is expand in the summer and contract in the winter. Pianos breathe also, and that movement of the wood is enough to affect the tuning on the piano. Having the piano tuned twice a year is usually sufficient, in most cases, to keep the piano sounding proper and to provide minimum maintenance.

PIANO ENVIRONMENT

The life blood of fine wood is its moisture content. The dissipation of moisture over time results in the wood weakening as it shrinks, causing problems with tuning, mechanics, and overall piano sound quality. The drier the piano's environment, the faster the process. If your piano is in a dry area and cannot be moved, consider using a humidifier for the room during dry New York winter months. Pianos like 40-45% relative humidity - just like people do.

Pianos in humid conditions, such as basements, or houses near water, are susceptible to excessive moisture. Excess moisture around your piano will tarnish or rust metal parts including its strings, resulting in an out of tune piano and worse, broken strings. Mildew and mold can grow on felt and cushions. If you live on the north or south shore of Long Island NY you may of experienced this. If your piano is subject to excessive humidity, dehumidification is the answer.

If the piano is located near an often used door, the blast of hot (summer) or cold (winter) air that hits it each and every time the door opens will affect the piano's tuning stability. A piano located near an air conditioning or heating vent will affect the piano in a similar fashion. Dry heat can cause long-term damage to pianos. Furthermore, a piano placed next to a poorly insulated window will not only suffer similar effects, but the direct sunlight will affect the piano's rich finish and cause discoloration of the piano keys.

The ideal location for your piano is away from outside doors, next to an inside wall, and out of direct line of any vents or heaters, and especially away from fireplaces and indoor stoves.