Frequently Asked Questions
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1. "I just got a new piano. Once it's in its new location, how long should I wait before I have it tuned?"

If the piano has been moved between locations in the same city or from an area with a similar climate, it usually only needs a few days to a week before it will be ready for servicing.  The reason for the hiatus between moving and service is that the moisture content of the wood within the piano will likely change slightly because of the differences in humidity between its old location and its new home, and this in turn will cause changes in the pitch.  If a piano has been moved from a place where the climate is vastly different it may need a longer period of time to "settle in."

2. "Does moving a piano within the same room or from one room to another in the same house affect the tuning?"

Not usually, unless there are pronounced differences in the humidity within the room or between rooms.  That said, if the piano has to be tipped on to its side or put through some significant structural stress during the move, the tuning might be affected somewhat.  Avoid jarring the piano over tiled flooring - the vibrations can affect the tuning stability.

3. "What can I do to help my piano stay better in tune?"

  1. ​Your best defence against de-tuning is to invest in a Dampp-Chaser humidity control system, a dedicated humidifier/de-humidifier assembly which is designed specifically to create a micro-climate within the piano itself.  High humidity changes between seasons affect the moisture content of the wood inside your piano, which in turn alters the pitch.  The Dampp-Chaser system maintains a consistent humidity level inside your piano year-round, which improves tuning stability and extends the life of the instrument.
  2. Try to keep the humidity levels in your home as consistent as possible; many newer furnaces have some form of humidity control built-in, and this goes a long way toward keeping your piano in good shape.  Most piano manufacturers recommend a relative humidity of about 40% as the ideal, but keeping the humidity level consistent is ultimately more important than keeping it at a certain percentage.
  3. If you have a humidifier in the same room as the piano, place it as far from the piano as possible to prevent any condensation from building up in or around the cabinetry of the piano.
  4. Place your piano against an inside wall if at all possible; the temperature shifts will be less pronounced there (although with modern housing and insulation this is much less of a concern than in the past).  It's always best to leave some space between the wall and the back of the piano to improve sound projection and also to make it easier to open up for servicing (and there isn't as much concern about damaging the wall with open panels).
  5. The two piano-placements to be most cautious about are on top of vents and directly in front of windows.  Cold-air Returns are not a concern with regard to tuning stability, though it is best to keep these unobstructed as much as possible.
  6. If you must place your piano over a vent, it's best to close the vent and/or place a "baffle" (usually a thin piece of fibreboard, styrofoam or cardboard) over the vent to diffuse the air so it's not blowing directly onto the piano.​
  7. If you must place your piano in front of a window, keep the curtains or shades drawn as much as possible.  If the piano is exposed to direct sunlight it can cause the finish to fade over time and can also knock it out of tune as it absorbs heat from the sun and/or ambient cold coming through the window.

4. "Does placing an open bowl of water on the inside of the piano help it to stay better in tune?"

There is no hard evidence that this has any effect on tuning stability, and there is always the danger of the water spilling on the inside of the piano, which can cause severe (and often irreparable or expensive) damage to the interior mechanics and strings (so be careful if you have any potted plants on the top lid!).  The presence of water close to copper and steel can also produce rust, particularly in the strings and tuning pins.

5. "How long can I expect a tuning to last?"

This depends on a number of factors: relative humidity, piano age, condition and placement, quality of manufacturing and materials, time of year, how often (or how aggressively) the instrument is played, and so on.  Because a piano is built mostly of wood, it is in a constant state of flux due to environmental factors, which can of course shift drastically from one day to the next.  If your piano has been reasonably well-maintained and has held up well after servicing in the past, it should hold its pitch for at least a few weeks before some of the strings may start to "creep" out of tune.  Generally speaking, a newer piano will hold its pitch better than an older piano, but this does not mean than an older piano cannot stay in tune for long periods of time.

6. "I just bought a used piano. Can you recommend any good movers?"

Dorcy's Piano Moving

Precision Piano Moving and Storage


7. "When / how often should I have my piano tuned?"

  1. How often: About every six months is the most optimal, but at least once a year is a good rule of thumb, since humidity changes are what affect the tuning stability of a piano more than any other factor, but this is certainly not a hard-and-fast rule.  It's helpful to have your piano serviced and tuned at least once every two or three years at the minimum to prevent smaller problems from becoming larger issues over time.  In many ways a piano is a lot like a car: the longer it goes without any maintenance, the more likely it is that a little problem can turn into a bigger problem over time.
  2. When: Modern houses have much better climate-controls than in the past, and thus time-of-year is not as big a factor as it once was.  Many clients have their pianos tuned in the late Spring or early Summer and/or mid-Winter, but it is entirely a matter of when it is most convenient for you.
  3. How to tell when it's tuning-time again:  If you're happy with how it sounds, all is well!  If the sound that your piano is producing is making your skin crawl, it's time to have it tuned again.

8. "What's the best way to determine the age and value of my piano?"

  1. Value: A piano's value is as a musical instrument and not as a piece of furniture, which is why its worth doesn't increase with age as components wear out and its performance degrades.  A quick way to determine the relative value is to perform an Internet search for pianos of similar style and age. 
  2. Age: In some cases you might find the manufacturing date scribbled on the back of a key or somewhere on the iron plate or wood around the tuning pins (though these can sometimes be tuning or servicing dates, especially if there is a name accompanying the annotation, but then you can at least infer that the piano is as old as the service date).  The manufacturing date can also sometimes be found stamped or written on the back of the 'Action' (the wood and metal "rack" that holds all of the hammers in place), especially for many pianos built in Canada.  If you can find a serial number stamped or written somewhere on the inside of the piano, you can perform an Internet search and see if there is any information available on-line, but be aware that for some pianos there may not be any much - if any - information to be found.  The Pierce Piano Atlas, which many piano technicians will have (or at least have access to), lists manufacturing dates for many North American and European pianos, so sometimes a quick phone call or email can help you find out when your piano was built.  Also, be careful not to mistake patent dates (which are often stamped or cast into the plate on the piano's interior) for manufacturing dates.
A qualified piano technician or piano dealer can also help you to determine the approximate age, condition and resale value of a used piano.

9. "How much would it cost to have my piano rebuilt or refurbished?"

A new set of hammers costs about $1000 to install; a new set of tuning pins and strings costs $2000 to install.  The cost of those two services alone would buy a new entry-level piano, so if you're thinking of having major repair work done on your piano, be sure that you're willing to invest the time and money it will take to rebuild it.  The cost of a complete rebuild can run into five-figures and take weeks of work, which is often only worth the investment if the piano has significant sentimental value.

10. "I'm shopping for a used piano - what should I look for?"

Quality of sound, workmanship, how the piano "feels" to play and overall condition are perhaps larger factors to consider than in looking for a particular brand.  Here are a few things that you can check when shopping for a good used piano:
  1. Open up the top lid on an upright or remove the music desk on a grand and have a look for rust around the tuning pins and the strings; this can often indicate that the piano has been exposed to extreme moisture conditions and may have internal water damage.  The piano will likely be difficult or impossible to tune without string breakage and it may not hold its tune well.
  2. Check the hammers and look for deep string grooves (>2 mm); if the hammers have been re-shaped previously and there are deep grooves, the piano will likely need to have a new set of hammers installed.
  3. Check the bridges - the wooden "rails" attached to the soundboard over which the strings cross towards the back (grand) or bottom (upright) of a piano.  If there are cracks in the bridges where the pins that hold the strings enter the wood, it's unlikely that the piano will stay in tune for very long, and bridge repairs can be very costly.
  4. How uniform is the pitch?  As you play up and down the piano do the pitches ascend and descend evenly, or do they sound like a random series of notes?  This will give you a rough idea of pitch stability, especially if the piano hasn't been tuned in a while.
A qualified piano dealer or piano technician can also provide a second opinion if you find a likely candidate.

11. "What can I do to prevent mice from taking up residence in my piano?"

The old adage "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" is very much applicable to vermin infestation in a piano.  You can place mouse traps or warfarin tablets in the following locations:
  1. Behind the bottom panel (just above the pedals) beside the pedal hardware;
  2. Behind the music desk (front panel, just above the keys) in any available space as long as it doesn't interfere with any of the moving parts;
  3. Behind the piano, either between the floor and the wall or on top of the bottom joists of the cabinet.
With any of these placements, be sure that young children cannot reach them.  Don't forget to check the traps frequently if you suspect an infestation; finding a mouse skeleton in the bottom of your piano is not a pleasant experience.

12. "Where is the best place to buy a new or used piano?"


St. John's Music

10452 Mayfield Road, Edmonton

(780) 452-4810


Amadeus Music

17503 Stony Plain Rd NW, Edmonton

(780) 489-0289

Piano Centre

10460 - 170 St, Edmonton

(780) 484-3170

13. "Can you recommend any piano or music teachers?"


Caroline Lenk (Piano)

Music for Young Children

clenk555@gmail.com

(Edmonton Southwest)



Catie Clements (Piano)

catieclements7@gmail.com

(780) 710-4879

(Edmonton South)



Peter's Music School (Piano/Theory)

armusicschool@gmail.com

(403) 402-5864

(Edmonton Southeast)



Tim Wilson (Piano/Drums)

backbeatdrumlessons@gmail.com

(780) 887-3992

(Edmonton Northwest/Sherwood Park)



Yen Ngan (Piano)

pandasticdesigns@gmail.com

(780) 885-5289

(Edmonton Southwest)

Carrie-Ann Hubbard (Voice)

Hubbard Voice Studio

carannhubbard@gmail.com

(Edmonton Central)



Music by Jenn (Piano/Voice/Theory)

Music by Jenn

(780) 710-4879

(Edmonton Southwest)



Mary Derkson (Piano)

maryderkson@gmail.com

(587) 990-2052

(Edmonton Southeast)



Wayne Zuo (Piano)

wzuo@live.ca

(780) 990-8506

(Edmonton Southwest)

14. "Who can you recommend for cabinet refinishing and touch-up work?"


Jon Anderson

Anderson Piano Sales & Service

(780) 361-7922

jsa99@telus.net



15. "Who can you recommend for organ or electronic keyboard repairs?"


Harmony Repair

Murray Schneider

(780) 432-7673



16. "What's the difference between an 'upright' piano and a 'cabinet grand' piano?"

They are, in fact, one and the same.  The terms 'upright grand' or 'cabinet grand' were largely marketing gimmicks used by salespeople in past years to convey the idea that upright pianos (also called 'vertical pianos') were not of any lesser quality or value than their larger and more expensive counterparts.