FAQs
How often do I need to tune my piano?
1
A piano should be tuned at least once a year. Like going to the doctor, you may not notice anything is wrong, but regular maintenance keeps your piano playing and feeling its best while catching issues before they become costly or irreversible. At Slim Tunings, we recommend most pianos be tuned twice a year. This dramatically improves tuning stability and allows our technicians to spend less time simply bringing the piano back to pitch and more time refining the tuning to the unique idiosyncrasies of your instrument.
What are the most important factors to tuning stability?
2
The most important factors for tuning stability in order are humidity, piano age, piano usage and temperature fluctuations. Humidity is by far the most influential factor that can be controlled which is why we recommend monitoring humidity and regularly install humidity control systems that help with tuning stability as well as extend the life of your instrument.
How long does a piano tuning take?
3
A standard tuning takes between 50-80 minutes. If the piano needs pitch correction expect the tuning to take 90-120 minutes.
Can any piano be tuned back to pitch?
4
Most pianos can be brought back to concert pitch with the proper care and a series of tuning sessions. However, some instruments may have underlying issues such as pinblock failure, which prevents the piano from holding its tuning, or aging, corroded strings that may not safely tolerate the tension increase. This is why we strongly recommend having any used piano professionally assessed before purchasing.
Are pianos tunings less stable in NYC?
5
In general, NYC is one of hardest places in the country to maintain a solid tuning. The coastal northeast, the southeast are both difficult because they experience very dramatic humidity changes with homes often swing to 70% plus during the summer and 20% or below in the winter. This is exacerbated by old heating systems that tend to dry out homes during the winter.
What is piano regulation?
6
Piano regulation is the precise adjustment of the many moving parts within the action to restore ideal function, improve sensitivity and consistency, and unlock the instrument’s full expressive potential. While some pianos may only need specific action adjustments, a complete regulation involves at least 440 individual adjustments. A full regulation typically requires 6+ hours of work and can exceed 20 hours for high-level concert grand pianos.
Can I get felt sound on my piano?
7
Piano felting or muffling is a speciality here at Slim Tunings. Piano felting has become popular not only as a noise reduction tool but as a way to access unique timbres. We offer a number of custom made options and are happy to help you unlock these possibilities in your piano.