THE STRESSFUL LIFE OF A PIANO

Pianos are subject to many negative forces over their useful life.  There is high internal stress from the combined string tension.  A nine foot grand bears about 30 tons of pressure from its 230 strings.  Piano parts can break or come loose when the keys are struck firmly.  In the piano's "action," hammers and dampers become hardened with age, and pivot pins rust and break.  The keyboard is subject to wear, chipping and breakage.  The steel strings under their high tension will also occasionally break.  


                                               PIANO TUNING  

                                                       Pianos go out of tune regularly as do all stringed instruments.  Movements in the
                                                       frame structure, slippage of tuning pins, and string stretching are all
contributing factors.  Most of the problems that occur can be recognized by a qualified piano technician and repaired on site.  In some situations the piano's "action" may need to be taken to the shop for repair.  In this case, the technician should be able to give an estimate of the time and cost of the repairs. 

The number one cause for pianos going out of tune is humidity variation.  High humidity swells the soundboard, stretches strings and raises the pitch.  Low humidity does the opposite.  Seasonal humidity extremes are the major cause of pianos going out of tune, so controlling the humidity is a good idea.  Use a humidifier in winter and a dehumidifying system in summer.  Keep your piano on an inside wall and away from registers. Humidity control systems are of help in climates with excessive humidity variations.  Keep your piano away from sunlight, which can bleach it, warp the keys, and even crack the soundboard on a grand. 

Have your piano tuned at regular intervals to keep it sounding good.  Some pianos need to be tuned once a year or every six months.  Others may go two years or longer before they are noticeably out of tune, but once a year is a good rule of thumb.  Pianos that have not been tuned for ten years or more have probably dropped severely in pitch, because steel wire under high tension stretches with time.  In this case a "pitch raise" may be needed.  This costs extra money and runs an added risk of strings breaking.   Hence, regular tunings are highly recommended.

When problems such as sticking keys, strange sounding notes, or inoperative pedals do occur with your piano, it can be a source of aggravation to anyone who plays it.  It's always best to get these problems fixed as soon as possible.  That way the piano continues to be a source of enjoyment.