Piano Tuning: The 6-Month Rule

Out Of Sight Out Of Mind

Perhaps a chief reason a huge number of pianos do not get the care they need is because the components that need the attention are not seen. It's rather sad that the average homeowner with a piano in the home views that piano more as a piece of furniture than as a musical instrument. One could argue that the same is true for a car or any vehicle but it's a known fact that if that hood isn't lifted at least once in a while, that car isn't going to take you far.

How Often Should You Tune Your Piano?

That leads us to the fact that the amount of care a piano gets is in direct proportion to how seriously its "health" is taken. You don't need your piano to get you back and forth to work or the grocery store every day. So, if you're not a musician who really understands the importance of piano maintenance, chances are great that you're going to underestimate the need for regular tunings and regulations (piano tunings are performed much more frequently than full regulations).

Let's face it. If you're willing to invest some serious dollars in a piano of your own and you're not going to perform the necessary maintenance, you're not gaining the most value from your investment and, truthfully, that piano is going to lose its value pretty quickly.

Sure, it stands to reason that if you're a professional pianist, piano student, or piano teacher, your desire to have that piano sounding its best is more likely than if you're a novice who just plays that piano occasionally or has it sitting in the living room as a conversation piece. Whatever your reason for having a piano, maintenance is a necessity. 

So, if you're that professional performer, student, or teacher, it would be reasonable for you to opt to have that piano tuned about four times a year on average. After all, the more experience you have, the more sensitive you will be to hearing an instrument that is out of tune.

How Your Piano Sounds Is Only Part Of It

On the other hand, if your situation is on the lighter side and you are not at a musical skill level where your ears are most discriminating, then you are more likely to not see tuning your piano four times a year as a necessity. Remember, even if you're not all that concerned about how in tune your piano is, maintaining its structural integrity is still a must. 

Since you may not feel the need to have a piano that is perfectly in tune, you may choose to settle for two tunings a year. Many people in this category feel that tuning their piano once a year is plenty. It's actually not quite enough and one piano tuning per year ought to be considered an absolute minimum while two is preferred.

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