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“It isn't the jarring of the piano that puts it out of tune – it's the change in environment, humidity and temperature which has an adverse effect,” says Al Oliver.
Pianos are designed to produce the highest quality sound when tuned at the proper pitch level. Delaying of tuning makes it difficult to bring the overall tension of the wires back to the proper pitch.
Therefore, problems that need attention will be much more noticeable once the piano is finally serviced by a qualified technician. These problems include loose parts, squeaking, sticking keys and rusting, among other factors.
“Pianos have approximately 250 wires of varying tension and, when those wires are sounded, they produce a particular pitch,” says Joe Kovac. “While keys have between 1-3 strings, those of the same note must produce an identical sound, otherwise it will appear to the ear that more than one key at a time is being played.”
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Furthermore, the 12 notes, which repeat the same sequence at a higher pitch, must be equally spaced in order to produce the correct tone and to assure that other musical instruments and quality sound recordings can be matched identically.
The age of a piano will often determine the ideal frequency of tunings. For example, a piano that is less than about 5 years old, will suffer string-stretching far more rapidly than an older piano, causing it to go out-of-tune quickly. Therefore, it is crucial to have tunings performed about twice a year, during the first 5 years. The same rule applies if there are substantial humidity and temperature fluctuations where the piano is being housed.
“A common complaint is the sticking of keys,” says Oliver. “Excessive humidity and broken or rubbing action parts are often the cause. Sticking is usually a minor problem, which can be easily corrected by a skilled technician.”
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Following a move, it is suggested that one wait about a month before having a piano tuned.
“The reason is that lacquer or varnish on the soundboard, which acts as a seal, takes about that long to penetrate and equalize to climate and humidity levels,” says Kovac. “When the soundboard absorbs moisture it may cause the pitch to rise. “
Finally, one must keep in mind the style in which a piano is played. Jerry Lee Lewis was probably visited often by his piano tuner. But, whichever manner of playing or type of tunes, a piano is a delicate instrument which requires regular care in order to keep it making beautiful music for years to come.
To schedule a house call to have your piano tuned, click here.
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