Piano Care

You get the gist of how piano tuning works. You play the note, hear that it's wrong, then adjust the tension on the string until it matches the pitch source. But wait. Where do you get the pitch source? Do you use a tuning fork, an electronic frequency finder device, or just do it by ear? Do you even need a reference pitch at all? It's a matter of personal preference, really, but in our humble(ish) opinion, some sources are better than others. Here's how we think they stack up. 4. Tuning by ear  We’d probably rank this one higher if...

Ahh, fall. Time to snuggle up in a cozy blanket with a pumpkin spice latte and breathe in that fresh, crisp air. We're well into the spooky season, and you know what that means... That's right! Time for routine piano maintenance! Healthy pianos like to be tuned twice a year, and respond best to tuning in the spring and the fall, just as the seasons change.  Here's why. 1. Humidity is shifting Even with climate control systems, pianos are very sensitive to humidity fluctuations. In the summer, humidity can be high. Temperatures are up, they stay up, and there's generally a fair...

Humidity is bad. Water is worse. If your piano gets wet, is it totaled? How much damage is too much, and can the instrument be salvaged? What happens when a piano gets wet? It's been said time and time again: moisture is bad for pianos. Pianos are mostly made of wood, and wood doesn't like water. It swells when it becomes moist, then contracts when it dries. Worse, it doesn't always expand and contract exactly the same way. A piece of wood that's gotten wet and dried out just isn't the same as a piece that never got wet in the...

The inside of your piano is the perfect place to raise a family. It's dark, quiet, and has plenty of nooks and crannies. Pianos are climate-controlled and there are plenty of wooden components to gnaw, too. Might not sound like a great place for you to live, but for a mouse? It's heaven!  Yep. Mice in pianos. Yikes, right? If a piano is kept in quiet storage and not maintained, it can attract attention from tiny non-musical creatures. There's plenty of space for them to sneak into the instrument, and more than enough for them to set up a cozy home. ...

Download your FREE all-in one Dampp-Chaser guide here!  Your piano is an investment, so take good care of it! Pianos go out of tune for many reasons, but humidity is the main culprit. Pianos are mostly made of wood, which expands and contracts as the weather and humidity changes. Not only does this affect the sound of your piano, but the wood itself can become weakened over time. There are thousands of moving parts inside your piano, each finely tuned and adjusted, and they can become damaged by humidity fluctuations, too. Dampp-Chaser Piano Life Save System to the rescue! What is the Dampp-Chaser Piano Life Saver...