How to tell if your piano tuner is good (The Process)

1. Cross-checks between different notes.

2. How careful is the person tuning the bass notes?

3. How good is he at tuning the treble?

4. Retouching after a whole tuning?

5. knocking the keys hard?

For a Good Tuning, It Consists of Three Things:

1. Equal Temperament
2. Harmonize the whole piano
3. Unisons

Equal temperament: Equal temperament is a modern music theory that supports changing keys freely.

This tuning method makes whatever you play on the piano sound harmonized.

Historically, different tuning systems were used, but they would only sound good in certain keys. Equal temperament involves evenly separating the 12 keys within an octave, ensuring no single note is more important than others.

This leads to the most harmonized result for any combination of notes.

For tuners, achieving the right temperament is crucial in the tuning process, as it sets the reference for the rest of the piano.

A skilled tuner will use different intervals to check if the temperament has been well established.

Harmonize the whole piano

The piano possesses an incredible range that is nearly unmatched by any other instrument. However, tuning a piano is not just a matter of adjusting the strings to their theoretical frequencies.

A string on a piano can produce more than one sound. The additional sound, known as overtone, contributes to what is often referred to as the "color" of the instrument.

For those familiar with guitars, the concept of overtones can be understood through the technique of playing harmonics on a guitar, which is achieved by muting the fundamental sound. Similarly, a piano string can produce its theoretical vibration through tension, much like a thread, as well as through elasticity, akin to a stick. This elasticity can lead to inharmonicity.

Inharmonicity occurs when a string's overtones are higher than its theoretical frequency, causing them to clash with the higher notes.

This unique characteristic of piano strings adds a layer of complexity to the tuning process, requiring a tuner to account for these subtle variations in sound.

Cross-checks between different notes?

Whether a piano tuner uses a tuning device or relies on pure ear tuning, extensive cross-checking is a key indicator of quality.

This approach signifies that the tuner is focused on evaluating various combinations of harmonics to ensure they sound correct together, rather than just being individually precise.

The belief in the superiority of ear tuning stems from this emphasis on the overall sound harmony. Good tuning is not solely about the accuracy of each note but more about the interplay and relationship between multiple notes.

Even when using a perfect electronic device, a minor discrepancy between two notes can result in an inharmonious sound.

Addressing such discrepancies often involves more than just adjusting the two affected notes.

A skilled tuner must consider the impact of changes on the piano's overall sound, requiring a deep understanding of how different notes and their harmonics interact.

This complex task highlights the importance of ear tuning and the tuner's experience and skill in achieving a harmonious and balanced sound.

How careful is the person tuning the bass notes?

For a novice, tuning the bass section of a piano might seem easier because there are fewer strings, and a small effort can make them sound acceptable. However, in reality, tuning the bass can be one of the most challenging parts. The quality and value of a piano are often significantly influenced by its bass strings, which are usually the longest and sometimes covered with brass. The bass sounds are considered the soul of a piano.

The lower the bass string, the more overtones it can produce, making accurate tuning more complex. Bass notes have a wide range within which they can sound okay, but achieving true harmonization with the rest of the piano, including all the overtones a bass string can produce, requires careful and precise tuning. This attention to detail in the bass is where less skilled tuners might cut corners.

In contrast, the treble notes present a different challenge. Regardless of the quality of the piano or the skill of the tuner, achieving perfect tuning in the trebles is virtually impossible. This is partly because even the smallest tuning movement (as minute as 0.01%) can create noticeable discrepancies. The highest treble notes exceed the theoretical frequency of 4186.0091 Hz, so a 0.01% deviation results in a beat frequency of around 0.4186 Hz. This could produce a perceptible beat every two seconds, which is considered a good result for treble tuning. However, such beats are undesirable in other parts of the piano.

Thus, the complexities of tuning both the bass and treble sections of the piano highlight the need for an experienced and meticulous tuner, who understands and can skillfully manage these nuances.

Now,

How good is he at tuning the treble?

If you notice that the treble sounds exceptionally pure after the tuner has finished their work, it's a good sign that they are meticulous and committed to achieving the best possible tuning for your piano.

Retouching After a Whole Tuning? The treble section of a piano is prone to going out of tune quickly. As previously mentioned, even a 0.01% deviation can result in noticeable beating. Moreover, the minor movements of the piano's soundboard or frame during tuning can lead to the treble notes becoming out of tune by the end of the session.

Therefore, a good tuner will often retouch or retune the treble section after completing the initial tuning process.

Here comes the least important part for tuners, but the most noticeable for users:

Unisons: The task of tuning unisons, which involves making two or three strings per note sound exactly the same, might seem straightforward to a novice. However, achieving a pure unison, where there are no fluctuations or changes for at least a second, is quite challenging. It's not just about making the strings sound similar; they need to sound identically.

Knocking the Key Hard?

A crucial aspect of ensuring a piano's tuning stability is the action of knocking the keys hard. This is not about creating loud sounds for the sake of it; rather, it's a deliberate technique to "set" the tuning. When tuning a piano, the torque applied to the tuning pins is significantly greater than in other instruments. This high tension means that any contact with the string can cause substantial friction. Knocking the keys hard helps to balance all this friction, ensuring that the strings stay in place and maintain their tuning when played.

Overall, determining if your piano tuner is skilled involves observing a combination of technical expertise and careful attention to detail. This includes the tuner's ability to handle the complexities of equal temperament, their meticulousness in tuning both the bass and treble sections, and the precision required for achieving pure unisons. A good tuner demonstrates their proficiency not only through the accuracy of each individual note but also in how well they balance the interplay of harmonics across the entire range of the piano. The subtle retouching of notes, especially in the treble section, and the deliberate action of knocking the keys hard to ensure stability, are also indicative of a tuner's dedication to their craft. In essence, a good piano tuner possesses a deep understanding of the instrument's intricate mechanics and acoustics, coupled with an acute ear for the nuances of sound, ensuring your piano not only sounds harmonious but also maintains its tuning over time.