How much does a piano tuning cost?

From $150, depending on the area. A pitch raise, if the piano needs one, is quoted with it. Repairs and voicing are estimated separately after I see the instrument.

How long does a piano tuning take?

About an hour and a half for a piano in reasonable condition. If it needs a pitch raise first, allow up to two and a half hours.

Why does my piano go out of tune if nobody plays it?

Because the wood moves. Humidity swells and shrinks the soundboard, which changes the tension on the strings. Playing has less effect than the weather does.

The international standard pitch: the A above middle C vibrates 440 times per second. Tuning to A440 means your piano will agree with any other instrument, recording or tuning app.

Does the tuning include an inspection?

Always. I check the action, strings, soundboard and pedals on every visit and tell you what I see.

My piano hasn’t been tuned in ten years. Is it too late?

Almost never. It will need a pitch raise and then a fine tuning, and possibly a follow-up a few months later. I will tell you honestly if the instrument has structural problems that make tuning a poor investment.

A440 · Tuning

Piano tuning

Tuning is the art of adjusting the tension of the piano’s strings so that the notes are at the correct pitch and sound good together.

I tune to A440 concert pitch by default, the standard used by orchestras and recording studios. If your instrument is very old or has been kept at a lower pitch for decades, I will tell you whether it is wise to bring it all the way up, and what the alternatives are.

The visit

What happens during a tuning

Before turning a tuning pin, I look inside the piano and check the hammers, dampers, strings, bridges, soundboard and pedals. Said inspection is part of the service, it is not an extra cost.

Then I set the temperament, tune each note and its unisons, and test the instrument by playing it. If a key sticks or a pedal squeaks, and if it takes a few minutes to fix it, I will fix it. Some minor repairs and adjustments are included with the tuning fee.

Every 6–12 months

How often should a piano be tuned?

Every six months to a year, even if nobody plays it. Strings drift with temperature and humidity whether the lid is open or closed. Pianos in schools, studios and churches, or in homes where someone practices daily, do best on a six-month schedule; a lightly played family piano is usually fine once a year.

Houston makes this matter more than most places. Our humidity moves the soundboard with every season, and the strings follow it. A piano that is tuned on a regular schedule holds its pitch better between visits than one that is only tuned when it sounds wrong.

Pitch raise

If a piano has gone several years without tuning, it has almost certainly gone flat. Tightening 220 strings back to pitch in one pass does not work: every string you raise changes the tension on the ones you already tuned.

So the job is done in two stages. First a pitch raise, a quick, deliberately rough pass that brings the whole instrument close to A440 and lets the plate and soundboard settle. Then the fine tuning. I do both on the same visit whenever the instrument allows it. A pitch raise is normal and nothing to worry about; it simply means that your piano had not been serviced in a very long time.

From $150

What a tuning costs

Piano tuning starts at $150 and varies by area. That covers the tuning, the interior inspection and the minor adjustments that take minutes rather than hours. If the piano needs a pitch raise first, I tell you before I start, and I quote repairs and voicing separately after looking at the instrument. Call me and let me know where you live and I will give you an estimate.

After the tuning

Expect a freshly raised piano to drift slightly in the first weeks as the structure settles; that is why I recommend a follow-up tuning within a few months after a large pitch raise. From then on, a regular schedule keeps it stable. Keep the piano away from exterior walls, vents and direct sun, and the piano will thank you.