The Perfect Music for a Wedding Ceremony

Five Things That Cause A Piano To Go Out Of Tune

8 September 2016 by Samantha Meyer

To keep a piano in tune and in optimal condition, it is typically recommended that tunings be scheduled twice per year. This will help counteract the numerous factors that put pressure on a piano's strings and tuning pins and cause the piano to go out of tune over time.

The following are five of the major factors involved in making a piano go out of tune between tunings:

Changes in temperature

Temperature changes naturally cause any material to expand and contract. Temperature changes cause slight movement and adjustments in the metal and wooden materials that make up a piano, which impacts a piano's tuning and slowly makes a piano go out of tune. 

Regulating the temperature of the room in which a piano is kept is therefore important in maximizing the effectiveness of a tuning. 

Humidity

Humidity is another climate factor that impacts a piano's tuning. Humidity in the air can cause the wood of a piano to absorb moisture. This can cause it to expand and contract or move slightly over time.

Humidity also impacts the tension of the strings of the piano. Changes in piano string tension can slightly change the sound the strings make when they are struck by the hammer.

Some piano owners purchase a humidifier/dehumidifier unit that regulates humidity levels in the piano and minimizes the impact humidity has on the piano's tuning. 

Pushing down with excessive force on the keys

If a piano player pushes down with excessive force, the hammer in the piano could slightly alter the positioning of the strings and cause tuning issues. As a result, pianos that are being played by especially young or inexperienced pianists may go out of tune faster than pianos that are being played by experts. 

Moving the piano

Tunings are generally necessary after a piano is moved. Any time a piano is moved, parts within the piano become jostled, and the tuning of the piano is compromised. In particular, the positioning of tuning pins within the pin block is likely to adjust slightly and cause tuning issues when a piano is moved to a new location.

Natural degrading of wooden and metal parts over time

Over the long term, a piano will go out of tune as its hardware weakens and as the wood and metal that make it up begin to degrade. As time goes on, the tuning pins in a piano are likely to become increasingly loose. Also, wood shrinkage can occur as the wood ages that will gradually shift the positioning of tuning strings and pins. 

For additional information on factors that can affect a piano's tuning, contact a piano tuner in your area.

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