The number one reason: humidity changes. Your piano’s soundboard (and many parts!) are made of wood that will grow or shrink depending on the air moisture. Here in New England, that means pianos will go sharp in the summer (more moist) and flat in the winter (more dry). We can provide advice on how to help minimize these affects.

Ideally, a piano should be tuned twice a year to keep up with humidity changes. However, most people are served well with an annual tuning as long as they realize the piano will be slightly out of tune in the off season. If too much time goes by between tunings, a pitch correction may be needed in addition to a fine tuning. The ideal time for a tuning is 3 to 4 weeks after a seasonal change.

There are several reasons why a key can stick: tight key bushings, hammers misaligned and rubbing together, extra friction in the flange center pins, the action needs regulation, excess humidity, etc. Some of these are quick fixes that can be done at the time of a tuning. Others require more extensive work. A qualified technician will be able to diagnose the problem and suggest a solution.

Most people know that a piano needs to be tuned. However, there are two other areas a technician can help with. One area is VOICING. A technician can alter the tone of a piano or even individual notes to make them more bright or mellow to bring evenness of tone throughout the instrument. The other area is REGULATION. A technician can adjust the mechanical aspects of a piano to adjust for wear and tear so that your instrument responds well to your touch. More information can be found here:

The Piano Technicians Guild has excellent resources on their website.