Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Does tuning take long duration such as 1.5–2 hours to be considered “better”?

No. Tuning duration depends on:

• Piano condition

• Previous maintenance history

• Whether pitch correction is required

• Technician skill and experience

According to international standards, for a regularly maintained piano:

• Upright: typically 30–50 minutes

• Grand: typically 40–60 minutes

Longer time does not automatically mean higher quality. An experienced professional can tune efficiently because:

• Pin-setting technique is refined

• Instability is identified immediately

• Harmonic relationships are understood by heart

• Workflow is optimized

Quality is measured by knowledge, experience, stability and musical balance — not by a stopwatch.

An experienced professional piano technician, with refined technique and a trained ear,can usually bring a single string into tune with 3-5 hammer strikes, sometimes even fewer. In contrast, beginners or hobbyist tuners--due to limited experience and less developed touch and technique--may need 15-20 strikes or even more to tune just one string, this is why the timing would be quite difference and a long duration would not means "better"!

2. Do professional piano tuners use electronic tuning meters just like how we tune simple string instruments such as violin or guitar?

Yes — as a professional reference tool — but only as a reference. A piano has two to three strings to one semitone that works together to create a sound, as compared to adjusting a single string for more than five tones in instruments such as violin or guitar. Here is when Unison Purity Control comes into play, where even pressure has to be applied to all 230-236 strings in a typical piano for overall harmony, which would require professional fine-tuning skills and harmonic theory knowledge. This is highly different from tuning a violin or guitar simply by following the meter each time we play the instrument, as we require our regularly maintained piano to stay mostly in tune after at least 6 to 12 months of playing. 

In reality, internationally recognized professional training emphasizes that:

• Electronic tuning devices (ETDs) assist precision. But:

• Aural verification (listening by ear) is the proper method that ensures musical temperament and harmonic balance.

• A piano cannot be tuned purely to numerical readings which can be greatly affected by meter quality, noise or sound frequency.

Professional tuning integrates:

• Precision measurement

• Refined listening skill

• Interval balancing

• Unison purity control

Sole reliance on visual meter readings without trained listening does not represent professional practice and may harm the piano if left without professional intervention.

3. Does experience really matter in piano tuning?

Absolutely. Piano technology is a skilled trade that typically requires:

• 2–3 years of formal technical study

• Proper apprenticeship training

• Thousands of service hours

• Continuous field refinement

Experience directly affects:

• Tuning stability

• Pin torque control

• Speed and efficiency

• Diagnostic capability

• Long-term piano health planning (Yes. Each piano is a unique complex system just like a human and require professional maintenance and condition checks!)

Tuning stability depends on technique, not just pitch reading according to the meter — something simple enough to be done by any individual even without professional training if simply given enough time to adjust to and fro.

Skill in piano tuning and maintenance is cumulative and developed over years, not acquired overnight nor through self-experimentation, and we do not experiment using you, our customer's valued piano.

4. How often should a piano be tuned?

Most pianos in Singapore should be tuned at least once every 6 to 12 months, depending on:

• Frequency of use

• Player’s performance level

• Pitch level

• Environmental stability (temperature & humidity)

• Piano age and condition

Professional or institutional pianos may require more frequent tuning. 

5. Why is regular tuning important?

Many new piano owners mistakenly believe that tuning frequently may damage the instrument. Real-world technical experience shows the opposite. Regular tuning ensures:

• Accurate pitch stability

• Balanced string tension

• Proper stress distribution within the frame and soundboard

• Consistent tone quality

• Extends the piano’s overall service life

When a piano is left untuned for extended periods, the following issues may occur:

• Loss of Musical Interest (Especially for Beginners)

• Even if a piano is not played, it gradually goes out of tune due to constant string tension and environmental influence. 

• Reduces tonal clarity and musical expressiveness

• Distorts pitch perception, negatively affects long-term ear training

• Neglecting tuning for long periods can lead to increased instability and higher restoration costs.

• Reduced Lifespan

Do you know? A piano carries approximately 15–20 tonnes of combined string tension, with each string stretched at roughly 80–90kg of tension. Thus, without regular tuning, internal stress distribution becomes uneven with increased risk of breakage especially due to corrosion in humid climates such as Singapore. Moreover, pitch may drift drastically, requiring large correction. Overall, string replacement is costly and may sometimes affect tonal uniformity. Hence, regular tuning protects your piano’s sound, value, and long-term reliability.

6. Why does a piano go out of tune?

• A piano is under constant mechanical stress.

• Approximately 230+ strings

• Each under 80–90kg of tension

• Total structural tension of 15–20 tonnes

Because of this immense pressure:

• The piano begins to drift from pitch immediately after tuning

• Environmental humidity and temperature changes affect the soundboard

• Moisture causes expansion and contraction of wooden components

• Changes in soundboard crown affect string tension

In humid climates like Singapore, there is:

• Higher moisture content in the soundboard

• Slight reduction in string tension

• Gradual pitch fluctuation

Moving a piano accelerates pitch instability due to vibration, but pianos naturally go out of tune even without movement. This is why professional concert pianos are tuned before every performance.

调琴小提示 (Tuning Tips)

许多朋友，特别是刚接触钢琴的朋友，往往会忽视家里钢琴的定期调律，总认为经常调律会缩短钢琴的使用寿命。其实恰恰相反—定期调律可以延长钢琴使用寿命，并保持钢琴长期处于良好状态。

如果长期不调音，可能带来以下问题：

1. 影响音准与学习兴趣

• 钢琴调律后，无论是否使用，都会逐渐产生走音现象。

• 音准偏差会降低音色表现力, 影响演奏者的音准判断能力, 误导初学者的听觉训练, 甚至使学生降低学习兴趣。

2. 降低钢琴使用寿命

• 长期不调律会使内部张力分布失衡，影响钢琴整体结构稳定性。

3. 增加断弦风险与维修成本

• 一年以上未调律的钢琴更容易断弦，维修费用较高，更换琴弦后可能出现音色不统一。

综上所述，钢琴非常有必要定期调音。调律周期应根据：

• 使用频率

• 演奏级别

• 音高要求

• 钢琴状态

• 环境条件

如果超过合理调律周期，导致大幅度走音，调律难度与工作量会增加，相应费用也会提高。因此，为了保持钢琴价值与良好状态，我们十分推荐重视钢琴调律与日常保养。