Tuning Services
Our tuning services department offers tuning appointments at competitive rates in most UK locations. Our service is not limited to Steinway pianos alone – we will undertake to tune any make of piano.
All of our tuning technicians are Steinway-trained and tune regularly for rehearsals, concerts, recording sessions, festivals, churches, music colleges and in private homes across most of the Country. We are confident therefore that we can provide the best quality technicians to attend to both the tuning of your piano and to the minor technical work that your piano may require from time to time.
- Piano Tuning
- Pitch Raises
- Minor Technical Repairs
- String Breakages
- Toning
- Regulation
- Examinations for Valuation or for Repair
- Cleaning
Piano Tuning
What is piano tuning?
Tuning is the adjustment of the strings to the exact point at which they will vibrate at the proper pitch. This is very skilled work also requiring the correct tools.
Why does a piano require regular tuning?
A piano is built largely out of wood. Slight changes in temperature and humidity can affect a wooden structure considerably because wood absorbs moisture and swells. When this occurs, the relationship of steel wire strings to the bridges and sounding board of your instrument is changed. As a result, the piano goes slightly out of tune. This is entirely normal – it is not a fault in your instrument. Excessive exposure of your piano to rapid changes in temperature and humidity can have serious affect and damage the piano.
What are the ideal conditions in which to keep my piano?
The best location for a piano within your home would be away from outside walls, radiators, open fires or open windows. Extreme heat and dryness can be as much of a problem as extreme cold or humidity. In the winter when central heating causes a dry atmosphere, an open dish of water near the radiator is recommended. You should aim for a humidity level of between 45% and 60%. You can buy a hygrometer to measure the humidity for under £10. Room temperature is best between 17C and 20C (60F - 65F). There are products on the market which will tackle dampness for you such as ‘Damp-Chaser’.
How often should a piano be tuned?
We usually recommend our customers at least 2 or 3 tunings per year for a piano getting average use in the home. Ideally 4 tunings spaced through the year to cover the seasonal changes would be best. A new piano settling into a new environment may need more regular tuning for the first year or two. These suggestions only apply to pianos in the average home. Pianos in music schools and teacher’s pianos should be tuned more frequently as they receive heavy use. Studio and concert pianos are tuned before every concert or recording.
Pitch Raises
If the pitch of your piano has slipped below that of concert pitch (A440) you may wish to consider having the pitch raised. This may happen if you have not had your instrument tuned regularly or in conditions of extreme temperature or humidity. It is particularly recommended to keep your piano at concert pitch if you are using it for chamber music (ie. with any other instruments or singers). A pitch raise can be carried out by a tuner, and constitutes a very rough overall tuning to pull the piano up to pitch. It would then be necessary to have another fine-tuning at the new pitch to obtain an even and stable tuning. If the pitch has to be changed considerably it may be necessary to have another tuning fairly shortly afterwards.
Minor Technical Repairs
Our tuning technicians are also qualified to undertake minor technical repairs or maintenance such as broken strings, removal of foreign objects such as pencils from the action, minor toning or regulation work and internal cleaning. For major repairs and maintenance you should contact our Park Royal Service Centre.
String Breakages
If your piano has broken strings, please mention this when you book your piano tuning. The thin wire strings in the treble (the upper end) are easily replaceable. Our tuners carry reels of this wire in varying gauges with them. The copper-wound strings in the bass (the lower end) have to be specially made to order and will therefore take longer to replace. These are thicker and are less likely to break than those in the treble.
Toning
Many people mistake tuning and toning for one and the same process. The tonal quality of your piano is determined by the character of the felt covering of the hammers which strike the strings. With use, this felt becomes packed hard and the strings cut into the surface. The resulting tonal quality will be quite harsh. The operation to attend to this problem is called voicing. Our tuners can undertake some voicing at the same time as tuning, by prior arrangement.
Regulation
This refers to the regulation of the action of your piano. The mechanism that transmits the pressure of your finger on the key to the hammer which strikes the string is called the action. This is a very sensitive mechanism which needs regulating to maintain the proper relation of each part with the other. A tuning technician can undertake minor regulation work, such as individual sticking or stiff notes, at the time of tuning, again by prior arrangement.
Examinations for Valuation or for Repair
If you wish to have your piano valued for insurance or probate purposes we can send a tuner to carry out the examination. Please note that we are unable to advise you on the spot. The examination report is sent to our Service Centre who will then contact you in writing. If you would like a quote for major servicing work carried out to your Steinway piano, we can send a technician to fill out a report upon which our service centre will base their written quote to you for the work necessary. The charge for carrying out this examination will be refunded to you when the work goes ahead.
Cleaning
From time to time dust may build up inside your piano. You may also occasionally experience problems with pests such as moth or silverfish. Our technicians can advise you about this. We are happy to carry out the cleaning of the inside of your piano for you by prior arrangement. The process takes from approximately half to one hour.
Charges
Our charges vary depending on the travel distance from our two tuning centres of London and Liverpool. We also operate a contract system whereby signing a contract for 2 or more tunings per year will gain you a discount on each piano tuning. We also offer a discount for tuning multiple pianos at one address. Please contact the tuning department for further information about our prices and contract system.
Contact Information
Tuning Services Manager: Liz Errington
020 7535 5118 or lerrington@steinway.co.uk
Philip Cardwell
020 7535 5114 or pcardwell@steinway.co.uk