How to Tune an Upright Piano

Tuning an upright piano

Tuning should be part of the regular care and maintenance for any piano, including grands, uprights or spinet-style instruments. Tuning a piano takes time and careful work, but can be done without extensive training by piano owners equipped with the correct tools.

Things You'll Need

• Mutes
• Tuning wrench
• Electronic tuner

Instructions

1. Clear the area around the upright piano and put all of your tools within easy reach. Open the top or front of the piano to expose the action, which consists of the hammers and strings.

2. 

   Find the strings that connect to middle C. Wedge the mutes under the two outside strings. Put the tuning wrench on the tuning pin for the center string.

3. 

   Strike the key repeatedly while watching the electronic tuner to see if it shows that the string is playing a perfect C. If the string is flat, or lower than a perfect C, turn the tuning wrench a little bit to the left to loosen and then gradually to the right to tighten and raise the string. If the string is sharp, or higher than a perfect C, turn the tuning wrench to the left to loosen and lower the pitch of the string. Always lower or loosen a string a small amount before tightening a string. Turn the tuning wrench very slowly and carefully. When the sound of the key striking the string causes the electronic tuner to show that the string is playing a perfect C, "set the pitch" by turning the tuning wrench very slightly to the right. When you remove the wrench, the string will set downwards in pitch a tiny amount to the correct pitch.

4. Remove the wrench carefully and slowly. Remove the mutes and place one on the outside string to the right. Strike the C key and listen for the beats---the "wah-wah" sounds---that come from the center and leftmost string being out of tune with one another. Place the tuning wrench on the pin for the leftmost string and slowly and carefully lower and then adjust it as needed until the two strings sound in unison and you don't hear the wavering of the beats any more.

5. Repeat for the third string of the note (when there is one) so that it is in unison with the two strings you've already tuned.

6. Repeat this process for each note in the middle octave. When the middle octave is tuned, tune the adjacent octaves, alternating between tuning the octaves above and below the middle octave.

Tips & Warnings

• Work in a quiet environment where you can hear the piano without any intrusions. Turn the tuning wrench slowly and carefully to avoid breaking strings. Always loosen a pin before tightening it. Listen carefully for the beats that indicate out-of-tuneness between strings. Strike the keys constantly while you turn the tuning pegs.

Resources

• An online electronic tuner for tuning pianos
• A source for buying piano tuning tools
• Training for those interested in becoming professional piano tuners