Tuning a piano is the act of modifying the tension of its strings, consequently changing its pitch, or frequency of vibration, by twisting the tuning pins to which they are attached so that each string sounds pleasingly in harmony with every other string.
This harmony is produced by tuning the piano in accordance with recognized acoustical principles as well as aesthetic guidelines and conventions.
How Frequently Should a Piano Be Tuned?
This is the most often requested question by consumers.
The answer is determined first by the piano's intended usage.
Most Singapore home piano owners tune one to three times a year.
Four to six tunings per year, or possibly more, maybe acceptable for professional use or fussier owners.
In concert halls and other performance venues, the piano is tuned before each practice and performance, and the tuning is sometimes even touched up at intermission.
Why Piano Out of Tune?
1) Typical Use
Out-of-tune pianos are frequently an indication of quality.
How is that possible? Your piano is a sensitive instrument that responds differently to each touch.
Therefore, if it becomes out of tune, it might just indicate that you're playing the piano frequently, filling your home with cheerful music.
2) Humidity
Pianos are made of natural wood, which is subject to changes in humidity and temperature.
Wood absorbs moisture when the humidity level is high especially weather like Singapore.
This enlarges the instrument's case, altering the sound.
Piano Care in Singapore
If consistency of the temperature and humidity in the room the piano is well kept in, the piano has more stable condition.
Without proper humidity management, a well made instrument like a piano can simply go out of tune.
This is mostly due to the fact that the soundboard—the wooden plate that amplifies the sounds produced by the strings—is constructed of softwood spruce, which was chosen for its exceptional capacity to give better sound quality and good sustain.
In humid weather like Singapore, you may consider to place your piano in air condition room. Is ideal to utilize air conditioning to kept the temperature 21 to 25 degree and humidity between 30 and 50 percent.
However, because the soundboard is designed to have a very accurate form and crown, extreme humidity and temperature variations can cause the soundboard to distort or lose its structure.Piano Heater
A piano heater is a long, metal heating rod that is inserted beneath the keys of an upright piano or behind the keys of a grand piano.
The purpose of a piano heater is to protect your piano against shifting humidity levels, which can have a significant effect on the sound quality and lifetime of your piano.
Role of Piano Tuner
Rather than being scientifically right, role of a piano tuner is to provide the auditory sensation of being in sync.
When we move up to the top of the piano, we tend to hear things flat; when we move down, we tend to hear things sharp, because there is where we speak, we tend to draw everything towards the center frequencies.
So piano tuner need to extend the treble and bass further to make it sound right, and here is where the method or art of tuning comes in, as to how much a piano tuner stretch up or down to make it sound right.
A beginning note is required by the tuner in order to tune a piano.
The first note is A, which is tuned at 440 Hertz and may be played using a tuning fork or an app.
After that it will begin with interval tuning.
The first note is A, then move up to the fourth note, D, and listen for interference between the harmonics of the two notes when tuning on D.
Harmonics are the tones heard on top of the underlying note that give the music its character. You wouldn't be able to discern the difference between a violin and a trumpet if it weren't for the harmonics.Piano Tuning Cost in Singapore
The normal pricing range for upright pianos is SGD80 – SGD150, while the price range for grand pianos is SGD150– SGD400.
Basic tuning may be charged as a flat cost by some tuners.
If the piano has not been properly maintained, further work will be performed on it, as well as additional expenditures to cover pitch raising, replacement, and repair of piano parts.
The piano tuning cost will be determined by the general condition of your item as well as the degree of the repairs required.