How Often and When to Tune Your Piano

How Often and When Should I Have My Piano Tuned?

Have your piano tuned as often as you feel necessary, but a minimum of twice a year is the rule of thumb.

Just remember: when you turn on the heat in the winter, and when you turn it off in spring, you're about 2 weeks away from needing a tuning. These are the times of year when the humidity change starts to shrink or swell the wooden structure of the piano, and it starts to drift out of tune. So wait until the room your piano is in gets used to the climate change, then tune your piano!

WHAT THE MANUFACTURERS HAVE TO SAY:

Steinway & Sons

"...no matter how expertly a piano is tuned, atmospheric variations and the nature of the piano's construction constantly conspire to bring it off pitch"

Yamaha Pianos

"...a piano should be tuned at least twice a year."

" Complete piano service should include periodic regulation and voicing in addition to tuning."

Baldwin Piano Company

" After the first year a piano should be tuned at least twice each year."

Keep in mind that every piano is subject to one or more factors that will make it go out of tune, including:
     - Humidity changes
     - Temperature changes
     - Stretching of strings
     - Slipping tuning pins
     - Hard use

How often you should tune your piano depends on its condition, the environment in which it is located, and the musical demands of the owner.
A piano used mainly as a furniture piece probably won't "need" to be tuned more than once a year. A piano that is played regularly and is in good condition would be better off with 2 tunings per year, each time the seasonal humidity changes. A piano given a daily workout by a professional or serious student might need to be tuned more frequently, maybe 4 times a year or more. At this level of use, it's really up to the individual and at what point the tuning starts to bother them.