How to tell if you need piano tuning

You have taken the plunge to learn to play the piano, and you have gone and bought a piano to use at home. Let us say the piano you bought is second hand and although a good piano, you may feel like you want to give it a bit of extra attention before you start to make use of it. What would you need to do? Checking the tuning is the first step you would want to take to make sure that your piano is in good playing order, and here is how you do it:

Checking the piano

To check for any signs that your piano might be playing out of tune, you do not need to call the professionals for assistance. There are a few ways that the untrained ear can check to see if a service needs to be done.

  • The piano’s pitch needs to vibrate at 440 times per second, and you can check this by pressing the “A” above the “Middle C” note. There should be a steady vibration at 440/second.
  • The string shouldn’t compete with one another when you press the notes at the same time. If the sound is out of tune and uncomfortable to listen to, then the strings are wavering and need tuning.
  • The octaves need to blend, and how you would check this is the octave one up and one below theA-440. If the A-880 and A-220 together sound unbalanced and unharmonious, then the strings are wavering or loose and will need to be tuned by a professional. There should be a slight oscillation to the sound, and if you hear an indifferent sound, it needs a tweak.
  • You want the tuner to be in a concert pitch for the sound to come out harmoniously, and even if the piano drops a pitch because of the wood shrinking, the sound should still be pleasant. Check if the age of your piano could be affecting the sound.
  • Be mindful of the time of the year that you have your piano tuned. Warmer weather can make the wood expand, sharpening the sound of the pitch. When you head back into winter, the pitch might drop even lower because the wood would shrink, changing the pitch again.

Purchasing a brand new piano can cost a small fortune. The exorbitant cost leaves many first time players to go to showrooms or warehouses to search for more affordable instruments. There are many affordable Kawai pianos for sale for this very reason. It is common for schools or parents of more minor children to do because it wouldn’t make a significant difference if they start. One could compare the sale of a second-hand piano to that of a second-hand car because minor details could leave you with ghastly expenses. If you are looking at purchasing a previously owned piano, and you are uncertain if it works correctly.

Even though you will be able to use the tips to check if the piano is out of tune, you will still need to get a professional to look at the piano. Be sure about the sounds you are hearing and get to the problem as soon as possible. The longer you wait to have it repaired, the more expensive it can become.

Buddy Iahn
Buddy Iahn

Buddy Iahn founded The Music Universe when he decided to juxtapose his love of web design and music. As a lifelong drummer, he decided to take a hiatus from playing music to report it. The website began as a fun project in 2013 to one of the top independent news sites. Email: info@themusicuniverse.com