Tuning

To tune your piano, the tension of each string must be adjusted so that it vibrates at the correct pitch and sounds in harmony when musical intervals are played. There are over 200 strings in a piano with the combined pull of all strings equaling between eighteen and thirty tons. This high tension means that the tuning pins the strings wrap around have to be set very tightly in a strong wooden block, requiring a special wrench to turn them up or down.

I start with one string in the middle of the piano and get its correct pitch from a tuning fork. Then I set about 12 notes right in the same area (a chromatic scale). For keys that have two or three strings, I must block off the outside strings with a strip of felt so only one string will sound at a time for each note.

After I get enough notes tuned in the middle, I work in both directions by listening to octaves that go with the notes already set. The final step is to pull out the strip of felt and tune the outside strings of each note to the middle one.
After discussing service needs it may be wise to consider having further work beyond basic tuning such as action regulation and reconditioning. Of course I can take care of repairs and maintenance work that arise during the life of a piano. I work on all modern (since the early 1900’s) makes and models of piano. I love to tune, and concentrate my studies on those areas affecting touch and tone, including action regulation and voicing. For pianos requiring substantial rework, I may refer you to local rebuilders whose focus on restoration would be appropriate for the situation.