4 Reasons Why Piano Tuners Are Important

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By Blake Cooper

Although a piano tuning is not a quick process and can sometimes seem like an inconvenience, it’s important that piano owners recognize how important it is to have their instrument(s) professionally serviced by piano tuners. It’s true that there are online tutorials that can supposedly help an average Joe tune his piano on his own, however, without professional training, this is not a wise endeavor. Much like you wouldn’t try to pull your own tooth to avoid the time and costs associated with the dentist, you should never attempt to do the work of expert piano tuners. Piano tuners are trained to handle your specific instrument so that you get the most out of your tuning. Here are four reasons why choosing quality piano tuners is a must.

1. Regularly conducted professional piano tunings can prevent serious damage

Your piano is a complex instrument and every piece works together to create the overall playing and sound quality. Think of your instrument like a strand of Christmas lights; if one bulb goes out, the whole string goes out with it. Irregular or poor tuning can lead to an out-of-tune string (or strings) which can ultimately result in damage to your piano. Professional piano tuners are able to quickly pinpoint any trouble spots and correct them so that your piano will have the correct and constant string tension that it needs in order to remain healthy and prevent damage to any neighboring pieces.

2. Piano tuners can alert you to problems in the early stages

Even if your piano sounds fine to you, there are some problems that may not always be detectable unless a professional is looking for them. When you stay true to a regular schedule of piano tuning, you can enjoy the peace of mind that an expert is looking inside of your instrument frequently and as such, will notice any problems before they are able to cause serious and costly damage.

3. Piano tuners can offer you advice

Your piano’s tune can be affected by the weather, by being moved, or the simple passage of time. Although some of these factors cannot be avoided, a true professional will be able to offer you some helpful hints and advice for helping your instrument to stay in tune longer. Perhaps your piano is situated in an area of your home where it receives a lot of exposure to the outdoors from windows or doors. In this case, higher humidity levels may be causing your piano to go out of tune more often than it would if you were to move it into another room, or even against an opposite wall where it would be shielded from airflow from your door. If you are required to regularly transport your instrument between home and concert venues, professional piano tuners can also offer you suggestions for moving the instrument in such a way that the strings will not be so susceptible to going out of whack.

4. Frequent professional piano tunings can actually save you money

Regardless of how often you play your piano, regular piano tunings are an absolute must. Even if your piano is a family heirloom and you do not use it for musical purposes, the value of your instrument will significantly depreciate if it is poorly maintained.  Although you may think that you will save money by neglecting to have your piano tuned at least several times a year, the truth is that if your instrument has gone even two years (or more) without being touched by piano tuners, there’s a chance that it could require corrective treatments. These treatments  (which could include pitch raising or double tuning) can add a lot of money onto your bill!

Ultimately, regular piano tunings are much more convenient and cost-efficient than letting your instrument become damaged by a lack of service. Are you willing to give your piano the TLC it deserves?