Tuning a piano is a challenging task, and it is more complex than tuning a guitar. You need incredible patience and skill to tune a piano. If you don’t have any experience in tuning a piano, you should turn to a professional tuner. Tuning each pin is a very intricate task, and needs the experience to work on it. The article will share 8 important tips to help you tune a piano.
The tools needed to tune a piano
1. Tuning lever:
The tuning lever is the most essential tool you need to tune each pin of your piano individually. It is a small tapered wrench called a hammer wrench, tuning wrench, or tuning key. It is an irreplaceable tool to tune your piano. Replacing it with any other tools can damage the piano pins.
2. Mutes:
Mutes are nothing but inexpensive rubber wedges that you place on the strings to dampen the sound of specific strings and isolate a single string to perfectly tune it.
3. Electronic Chromatic tuner:
It is a device that helps you identify what note the key plays currently and how far is from the targeted note. An electronic chromatic tuner is the most common tool to tune a piano. Avoid simple guitar tuners, which are inappropriate for a piano.
4. Screwdriver:
It is needed to open grand pianos. It is one of the much-needed tools that you need in your toolbox to tune your piano.
5. Light:
Light is to see each part clearer and better.
6. A soft dust cloth:
You need a soft dust cloth to clean the keys and pins as dirty pins affect the sound produced by a piano.
8 steps to follow to tune a piano
1.Set-Up:
Before you tune your piano, you must have those tools ready with you and ensure that you have cleaned the place properly before starting tuning your piano so that the external dust cannot get inside the piano. Then, remove any cabinet door to the piano strings, gently dust off the strings, set up a light to see them and inspect if there is any damage. If the piano has any significant issues, consult a professional tuner.
2.Identify the middle C string:
Identify the strings that play the middle C. Most pianos have three strings for middle C. However, older ones have only two for the C note. Use your rubber mute to mute the outer strings (if the piano has three strings for middle C). If your piano has two strings, mute the left one.
3.Tune one string of the middle C:
You now bring out the electronic tuner, play the middle C(C4) and mute the other C. Then, you firmly listen to the only unmated string and see what note the tuner picks up. A piano will go out of tune wrongly and become flat as the tension on the string weakens. Identify the pin of the string that is wound around and gently place the head of the tuning tool over the pin. Thereafter, gently turn the lever anti-clockwise to loosen the pin, and then gently turn it clockwise to tighten up to a true middle C. You need to maintain firmness while working with the pin, as the process is complex and needs your firmness to prevent any further damage.
4. Set the pin:
The professional tuners follow a process called setting to finish tightening a pin which makes the string holds its tune for longer. Although it varies from the tuner to tuner, they use one final tightening technique to make the tune go slightly above the pitch and then, a gentle loosening motion to achieve the exact correct pitch.
5. Tune the other notes in the octave:
Once your center C string is in tune then follow the same process for each string in the notes from C4 to C5.
6. Tune the first unison string:
Now the middle strings for every note are in tune, so it is time to tune the unisons. You have to mute the tuned center string to tune the fist in unison. At this stage, you can put away the electronic tuner and rely more on your ears. Listen to the sound closely and try to find out the disharmony or wah-wah-wah sound called “beat”, and then gently work the new two strings ring out clearly in unison.
7. Tune the other unisons in the octave:
After tuning the first unison strings, repeat the same for the C4 to C5 strings.
8. Tune each octave to the temperament:
Now begin tuning a new octave (like C5 and C6) by comparing each note with the tuned ones in your temperament. You must focus on tuning one tune at a time. After that, you again listen carefully to the harmonious sound of the piano rather than using any tuner. Professionals use some techniques and theories at this stage which is not the play of beginners, such as temperament model inharmonicity, hand-stretching octaves, and others.
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