Use the same care in the selection of your piano technician as you would in selecting any other professional service. Securing the services of a registered craftsman member of the Ontario Guild of Piano Technicians Inc. is the best way of ensuring that the technician you choose is capable of performing the very highest quality of tuning, repairs or restoration.
Tuning
Pianos need regular tuning. A piano will go out of tune whether it is played or not, due mainly to the constant variations in heat and humidity in the home. Have your piano tuned as often as you feel necessary, but a minimum of twice yearly.
Humidity and Your Piano
As far as possible, try to maintain even temperature and humidity levels in the room in which the piano is kept. Failure to keep a reasonably uniform environment will necessitate more frequent tunings.
Too much humidity can result in such problems as sluggish action and keys, string and tuning-pin corrosion, plus pitch instability.
Excessive dryness can create problems even more serious in nature. Soundboard splits, loose tuning-pins, warpage, loss of action regulation and pitch drop are all conditions associated with lack of moisture.
These problems are, in most cases, completely unnecessary. It is imperative that the piano be kept away from sources of heat such as radiators, hot air registers, and sunlight. It is also important that the piano not be located adjacent to frequently opened windows or exterior doors.
If you are unable to provide the proper environment (approximately 40% to 45% relative humidity), ask your piano technician about humidity controls designed specifically for the piano. I like to put a jar of water inside the piano in the winter to increase humidity content.
