Topic: How to tune a piano

Hiya fellow Chordians!
I was unsure where this topic would fit so I posted it in the chat corner.
Now on to the matter at hand, I've just started writing songs, and a piano would fit into most arrangements.
I was offered my mother's old piano but it is really out of tune. I don't know how to go about tuning it or even if it would be possible to tune it.

So any suggestions how I should tune it/get it tuned would be greatly appreciated!

And by the way, thank you all for making this into a wonderful community!

Re: How to tune a piano

call a professional piano tuner dont mess with it

"Growing old is not for sissies"

Re: How to tune a piano

Hi Najshan & welcome to chordie!

I agree with Russell Harding - a professional piano tuner is what you need.  Chances are, your piano is badly in need of both tuning AND regulating.  Regulating is when the action (all the mechanical bits between the keys and the strings) gets adjusted.

Old pianos can be made to sound and play like new again with a little attention from a professional.  Many piano tuners also deal in used instruments. 

Each note on a piano has 3 strings that must be in unison.  The piano's tuning must be 'tempered' - meaning that the notes are slightly 'off' so that the tuning sounds correct across the entire range of the keyboard.  A piano tuner has special tools and special skills.

A piano is a marvelous thing to have - but if it is out of tune or unplayable then it is just a very large and very heavy piece of junk.  If you are going to move the instrument, you can rent special wheels that strap on and make it easy to roll.

Yes, all this will cost money . . . but it is worth the investment if the piano is tunable.

"That darn Pythagorean Comma thing keeps messing me up!"
[url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pythagorean_comma[/url]

Re: How to tune a piano

I agree, go get a pro. Call a local music store and see if they recommend anyone, that's what my family does.

I'm a musician; I can [color=blue]Handel[/color] it!

Re: How to tune a piano

Professional piano tuner.  I think we paid $150 to get a piano we got in much the same circumstances as you did tuned up and ready. 

- Zurf

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