Nothing puts a damper on a beautiful piece of music quite like a note out of tune. You would think it would be audibly noticeable when you piano needs tuning, but that’s not always the case. How do you know when your piano is due for maintenance? Here are our tips for understanding if your Chicago piano needs tuning.

How does the piano sound?

If the piano sounds off, it probably is. As a piano player, you more than likely enjoy the instrument because of the clean and pure sounds of the notes. When a piano falls out of tune, the notes will sound, what many piano experts describe as tinny or twangy. If you find yourself playing all the notes right, and your ears aren’t pleased, it’s worth looking into a tuning.

In addition to the quality of the notes themselves, if you hear any out of place sounds such as squeaks, tuning may be in order. In order for us to properly diagnose, it’s a great benefit to be able to play or recreate the sound for us. Use your phone to record a video and make sure the suspicious sound is audible.

Has there been a change in environment?

Changes in environment, whether it be temperature or humidity level, are likely to cause your piano to go out of tune. There are 220 strings in a piano, and when you are moving a piano around a lot, there’s a good chance some of those strings will go slack, which is what leads to an out of tune piano. As with weather, temperature may cause strings to expand and retract leading to loose strings. And of course anytime you move a piano from one location to another, there is risk that the structure has changed and it’s a good idea to call us.

When was the last time the piano was tuned?

When all else fails, even if your piano sounds great, the weather’s been stable, and it hasn’t moved an inch, pianos should be tuned regularly. You will find that the average recommendation is at least once a year, if not twice, depending on the age and use.

While a tuning isn’t cheap, it’s a worthy investment and the cost of regular maintenance will ultimately be less than the cost of tuning a piano that has not been tuned in years.

At Chicago Piano Tuners, we know and appreciate the joy of hearing a beautiful piece played on a newly tuned piano, and we want to share that joy with you. Reach out today and we will help as best we can, to determine if your Chicago piano needs tuning.