A piano is much more than an instrument: it’s a playmate, an investment, sometimes even a family heirloom. To ensure optimal sound, longevity and constant playing comfort, it’s essential to perform regular maintenance, includingtuning, which should be carried out by a professional. In this article, find out when and how to tune your piano, what the signs of an out-of-tune instrument are, and how to prolong the life of your piano with simple but essential gestures.
Maintenance & tuning
The most important thing is tuning. For a new piano ( < 4 years old ), or for a small piano, it is recommended in our latitudes to tune twice a year, just after the change of season. For good stability, it is essential to maintain the right balance of the enormous tension of the Strings, over ten tons for a small piano, and up to over twenty tons for a concert grand!
The ear quickly becomes accustomed to small changes that only a qualified tuner will be able to correct, which is why you shouldn’t wait until your piano is out of tune before calling in a specialist, but rather tune it regularly to keep it in tune
Every four to five years, the action and intonation of the Hammers need to be checked, as the felts will have worn down or settled, depending on how often and how you play. You will therefore need to correct the play left by settling and wear by re-tuning and harmonizing, or replace worn parts if necessary
Strings
A set of Strings lasts at least fifteen years. The Harmonics, which make up the richness of the sound, tend to disappear gradually over time, due to wear and oxidation. This wear will be more pronounced for Bass Strings due to their steel nature with a spun winding, usually in copper. It will therefore be necessary to change them as soon as the sound loses clarity. But a good-quality piano can keep its strings for up to 50 years, depending on the quality of the strings, humidity conditions and the way you play. For a concert piano, it’s essential to have perfect Strings, with perfect Hammers, so renew them regularly
Where to install your Piano?
Choose a furnished room with satisfactory acoustic conditions: the sound of the piano should come directly to you, and be fairly matt; it should not resonate or rotate throughout the room, as this would greatly reduce precision. Far from any source of heat, and sheltered from climatic variations and solar rays: for these reasons, we prefer to place an Upright piano about ten centimeters from an interior wall. This allows the air to circulate and the sound to diffuse. For a grand piano, the floor surface plays an important role: with a hard floor, the sound will bounce, loud and clear. You can dampen the sound with a carpet. The best material for sound is wood, of course
Humidifier
The fewer changes in temperature and humidity an acoustic piano undergoes, the better it will perform. We recommend a temperature of between 19 and 23°c, with a humidity level of between 45 and 55%. (ideally 21°c at 49% humidity). We strongly recommend the presence of a humidifier in the room where your piano is located, or the installation by one of our technicians of a piano-specific self-regulating humidity system: Damp-Chaser. Ultraviolet rays affect all finishes. If a piano is exposed to sunlight, it will not stay in tune, and its color will fade. And all this damage is not covered by the warranty
High humidity
If the humidity level is too high, over 70%, the action of the action may initially jam. Then, the curvature of the soundboard will quickly become accentuated, increasing string tension and unbalancing the tuning: midrange notes will be tuned higher than basses and trebles. Secondly, premature oxidation of metal parts such as strings, pegs and winding pins is observed, followed by the appearance of mildew
Low humidity
A humidity level below 40% is dangerous for your Piano. The Soundboard will dry out to the point of cracking, with disastrous consequences for tone. First, the Soundboard’s curvature will collapse, reducing string tension. The piano will then find itself tuned too low, a sign to which you need to react quickly by raising the humidity level in the room – your health will benefit too
Conclusion
Regular piano playing also contributes to good health! lnerted for too long, strings and soundboards lose their vibratory capacity, and therefore their musical qualities. In short: play regularly, have your piano tuned at least once a year, and don’t hesitate to make an appointment with our workshop