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General Information about your Piano

  • Piano tuning is the process of adjusting the tension of all the strings. Manufacturer’s recommend that pianos should be tuned a minimum of twice a year. During this process, a quiet environment is greatly appreciated by your piano technician.
  • There are 88 keys on the piano: 52 white and 36 black, which cover a range of seven and one-third octaves. The 49th key from the bass end of the piano is called A-440 and has a frequency of 440 hertz. (cycles per second) which is the standard for all musical instruments (concert pitch). The lowest note A-1 vibrates at 27.5 Hz and note C-88 at the top vibrates at 4186 Hz.
  • The bass strings cross over the treble strings at an angle. This is called “over-stringing” and allows the bass strings to be longer and have a fuller tone.
  • There are over 220 strings on the average piano. A typical piano tuned to A-440, concert pitch, can easily have a cumulative string tension of 18 + tons of pull.
  • Each of the 88 keys has approximately 130 parts. When you run your fingers across the entire keyboard, you have made as many as 11,440 parts of the piano work for you. Adjusting the relationship of this multitude of components is known as regulation. Proper regulation is essential for any pianist to obtain the full potential of their instrument. Regulating the piano action is a separate function from piano tuning.
  • Do not place beverages, plants or candles on the piano. These items can cause serious damage to the instrument.
  • Extreme variations in temperature and humidity are harmful to the piano. Using a humidifier in winter reduces the drastic change that occurs from season to season.
  • Even when the piano is not being used, it still requires tuning in order to maintain the investment value of the instrument!