Pianos should be tuned every 6 months (twice a year). This is recommended by most manufacturers & the Piano Technicians Guild to handle seasonal humidity & temperature shifts.

Music venues, churches, schools, & recording studios typically require more frequent tuning & attention.

A piano’s structure & soundboard are both made of wood, which expand & contract with changes in humidity & temperature. When the air is humid, wood swells & creates tension on the strings, making the pitch sharp. When the air is dry, wood shrinks, lowering string tension & making the pitch flat.

Placing a piano near air vents, fireplaces, or in direct sunlight can cause localized stress on the wood.

Transporting a piano exposes it to physical bumps & environmental changes, shifting internal components.

Regularly tuning your piano is important to maintain structural balance, preserve sound quality, & protect the instrument’s overall lifespan.

Piano strings hold a combined tension of 18 to 30 tons; a massive amount of pressure. Regular tuning keeps this load of pressure balanced evenly across the wooden soundboard & frame. Waiting too long can cause structural strain & requires a pitch adjustment or “pitch raise” before a standard tuning can be done.

The duration of this process varies depending on the condition of the piano. A standard tuning typically takes about 90-120 minutes. However, this estimated time would increase if the piano requires further attention such as a pitch raise, repairs, or an internal cleaning.