Tuning: How Often?

Humidity changes are the main reason pianos go out of tune. Here in Massachusetts, summers are extremely humid, while in winter the air gets very dry. As a result, pianos tend to go sharp in the summer and flat in the winter. Typically, pianos in homes should be tuned at least twice a year to keep sounding their best.

What do piano manufacturers say?

"Your Steinway piano has been designed and built so that in normal use and under normal conditions it should need only periodic tuning. We recommend that your tuner be called at least 3 or 4 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 3 or 4 times each week as a matter of course."

"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."

"During the first year Yamaha recommends that your piano should receive four (4) tunings/service visits. Afterwards, Yamaha recommends a minimum of two (2) tunings/service visits each year."

"All pianos need to be tuned regularly. The amount of time between tunings for a fine instrument depends on many factors, especially the stability of the temperature and humidity and the amount of use the piano receives. In general, Kawai recommends 2 to 4 tunings per year. However, your piano technician can best recommend the appropriate interval for your specific environmental conditions and use."