How to tune your own piano
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- Опубликовано: 8 сен 2024
- This video will teach you how to tune your own piano. More information available at The Frugal Berry frugalberry.com... along with many other money saving tips for home, office, and small business.
I live a developing nation. No piano tuners here. I am going to go at my piano and hope for the best. I doubt I will make it worse. Now I need to learn to fix a sticky key. Thank you Karl!
I'm seeing a lot of criticisms here about the quality of piano tuning that is being done here. It is true that this piano tuning isn't up to concert pianist quality... but most of us aren't looking for concert pianist quality. "Mediocre at best" is a damn site better than my literally unplayable piano that hasn't been tuned for at least a decade before I acquired it. I have been trying to scrape the money together for a tuning (first tuning estimated at 200 dollars), but just can't, because like a lot of other people out there, I am REALLY FUCKING POOR. Less than concert pianist quality is just fine for someone like me who just wants a piano to play and doesn't have money to burn on professional tuning. I like this video, thanks for the information, and I will be trying this on my own instrument!
Agreed Jen! It will be good enough especially with the precise software. Some are upset because it's taking their jobs away, but hey people can change their own oil in their cars. Why shouldn't you be able to tune your own piano?
Bryan Herber
piano tuners have nothing to feel threatened about regarding "losing their jobs". tuners run a mile from the kind of pianos that the DIYers are talking about.
toothless toe
let a piano tuner be the judge of that. if you hire a piano tuner you will notice a HUGE difference.
Also depends on humidity & if you move it
Jen Glasser
calm down. piano tuners want nothing to do with this old unloved type of piano. it's not possible to tune some pianos. period. piano tuners here in the Republic of Ireland refer to this kind of piano as a PSO: Piano-Shaped Object. there are plenty of good and great pianos out there. there really are. what tuner in his right mind would even think of trying to tune these bargain-basement 'pianos'. the risk of damaging parts far outweighs any benefit gained trying to tune it. the good news: amongst these pianos, however, there are also many good,old pianos. (some old German pianos are still superb) I went to tune one last week. 110yrs old. it tuned like a dream. in technical terms the dream is having tight pins that turn smoothly.
A short message: Thank you for showing us "how you tune your own piano." Thank you for the time you put into making this video. I am a thankful and blessed person who will be tuning my "own piano." I will also say that I am saddened but not amazed at some of the comments. I feel that you may know to which comments I am referring. Again, thank you for your time and desire to help others. That is something that not too many are interested in these days. There are still kind people in the world. That is my new mantra... Be well...
Ten thumbs up. THANKYOU!!! I'm not a musician but my kids are. I had bought them a baby grand for $300 , three years ago and it had not been tuned in twenty years. I called a couple local tuners who wanted $125 & $150 but decided to wait on tuning till they got better with playing. Even un-tuned it sounded much better than the electronic keyboard. I searched all over to see how to tune it myself and found your video here. We spent about three hours doing the tune, my one son and I. Boy, it's like night and day the difference the way it sounds now, the notes are nice and crisp. It's funny, their piano playing is "good" having been playing for three years, but they sound even better now with it being in tune. It is easy to do, no wonder the "professional tuning guys" (delicate geniuses) whining on here are bitching. The jig is up, get over it. This is something my kids will never have to pay for, thank you again for taking the time to show us how to tune.
Im sorry to inform you, but your kid might have alredy screwd up his hearing by playing on out of tune piano..
During my early years i have had a piano "tuned" somewhat a semi-tone lower for few years.. Of course i didn't know better then but today, thanks to my flat piano, im struggling with resetting my hearing to a universe tonality.. 440 Hz for a4. It brings me a lot of difficulties.. still, now i can rarely get it right without a tuning fork.. Hopefully i will get better in a few years if ever..
Playing piano is not just about hitting keys.. it's about playing music. I can't say that your kid had a blast playing on that monster. Think about that. Would you be motivated if you were using a handicaped instrument? A disadvantage at its worst.
Just imagine hundreds of out of tune violinists trying to get an audition in the same orchestra.. R.I.P. ears.
Now i suggest him to spend more time on his solfeggio lessons and start making new foundations for his hearing.
Good luck!
I don't see that being a problem for them. They don't play just by ear, they read music and hit the key right key, it wouldn't matter if it sounded a car horn, it would still be following the music as written. Maybe if that was the only keyboard they played that might be an issue, but they have a theatre organ & an electronic piano keyboard at home that the three kids switch off of, plus they use the pro tuned pianos in church & school. They know the difference and it hasn't "hurt" their playing ability.
Warren Stenden do yourself a service by having a professional deal with it. piano tuners also can control the actions on the instrument and voice the hammer heads.
Warren Stenden if you learn to play on out of tune instrument you have to relearn much if you sit down on a tuned instrument. it is better having a digital piano, than an out of tune piano.
Warren Stenden
I'm a professional tuning guy. piano tuners have absolutely nothing AT ALL to fear from DIYers. we are not "whining"; we just happen to understand that it takes at least FIVE YEARS training on literally hundreds of pianos to be able to tune a piano. fact. the piano you, ahem, 'tuned' sounds dreadful to a tuner. I know this because you couldn't possibly learn how to 'set the scale' to Equal Temperament IN A DAY!!! you are displaying breathtaking ignorance. youtube 'Equal Temperament on piano'. that's where to start. if you're happy with a third rate tuning (at best) so be it.
I enjoyed watching this video, and actually it was the first of such which I watched, some time ago, on the subject of DIY piano tuning. Since then I have seen dozens of others including some from professional tuners and vendors of other electronic tuning devices.
This guy has a big smile on his face and is obviously enjoying his new hobby which he says he had been engaged with for 2 months on his cheap piano.
By what I have learned myself, piano tuning is a seriously complex process, and as an art form it is not necessary to understand the science and mathematics behind it, although it then becomes much more interesting.
There are a couple points which the author may not have yet known which I find are critical to success in doing a piano tune up.
The first, with APT tuner, is a capability to do what all technicians do by ear and that is to "stretch the octaves". I don't think he had set this function into operation, and it is important to do so in order to overcome the inharmonicity (big word!) of each instrument and get a nice end result.
The second aspect is that a stable tuning of a piano depends on the right technique when turning the pins with the lever, wrench or hammer (whatever you want to call it!).
The pins do not physically screw in or out of the wood and there is an acquired skill to turning them in a way so that they hold still where they are put and don't quickly loosen especially if the piano is played with vigour.
Nevertheless the guy is brave to tackle the subject and thank you for putting it on.
Thank you for this video!!! Professional tuners here in Alaska cost a fortune so my piano has been collecting dust. Now I know I can try to tune it myself and though it might not be to the standard of someone who went to “piano tuning school” it will sound better and I’ll actually be willing to play it! Cheers.
This is great! I've been tuning pianos for almost 40 years and I'm Steinway trained (all 5 week long seminars) as well as 5 other weeklong seminars with other companies. About $20,000.00 spent. Wow. Incredible! The positive comments are awe inspiring as well. "Incompetence is bliss...". Being "inside" the business I see why this is wrong on so many levels, but hey, God bless America! I once watched someone deliver a baby on TV, I think I'll change careers and try that. Come on trolls! Bring it on! Anyone who masters a skill and sees someone put out this kind of video would probably have the same kind of reaction. What if a string broke? What would this fellow do? What about the regulation? Oh, you probably don't know what that is. Piano tuners do much more than tune. They regulate (touch) voice (tone) repair, and rebuild or refurbish the 9,000 parts as they get worn. Such videos, while a slap in the face of professionals, actually give us job security. He's almost guaranteed to break something soon. Not trolling, just amazed that this video was ever shot.
Poor baby, out of a job?
Nathan Winters Nope. This “poor baby” is always full, and I turn down business all the time. Besides just trolling me I guess you missed my whole point. These wannabe tuners know just enough to damage pianos. Like any craft, people don’t know what they don’t know. Anyone watching these types of videos need to know the other side on the story. They can really do harm, and a piano is an expensive investment.
The piano tuning course I was on was a 3 year full time course. But your video give a good quick fix to get a piano tuned. Good video.
Quite agreed. This lack of proper technique might explain the other video by the poster showing one how to improperly replace loose tuning pins.
Look, we all have to start somewhere. ...with all the information you have given about what he's doing wrong, blah blah blah, now one has more knowledge than before and with some practice, WILL BE JUST AS GOOD AS YOU SO-CALLED PROFESSIONALS ONE DAY! ...Who's to say that this man won't find a passion for tuning piano and take it a step further by going to school and getting professionally trained! Remember, "Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day; show him how to catch fish, and you feed him for a lifetime." ...Teach and stop taking advantage of ones ignorance! Share the knowledge! THANK YOU IN ADVANCE! KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK "karlboer"!!!!!
Willie Mitchell
when he goes to school he'll realise he's made an error of judgement in posting this garbage
Piano man your triggered? Get your disrespectful ass out of here.
Yes, Wiily, but we must remember: "You can tune a piano, but you can't tuna fish."
Lucas Kirby Hi. I appreciate your serious love of the art and I myself would love to be a professional tuner. I play the piano in nursing homes that sound so aweful, I have to go up and down octaves just to hear some keys which have gone dead an octave down. All of the pianos but one that I have played on are off. Most sound horrible. The residents hold hands and sing "in the garden" warbling like the off piano. I just want ot get some dead keys working so I can play for my people. I think it's people like me ( and the old folks) who benefit from this tutorial. Thanks for commenting
I taught myself with some input from another tuner and it took years. The computer helps solve the mystery of the pitch, but the technique is more important than the "ears".
J Hall
you've got it!
Thanks so much for posting this video! I move often, and I usually move to remote areas where I can't find a piano tuner (my piano sounds like it belongs it a saloon). I need to learn how to tune it myself, and this video was a good place to start
Amber Hall
this is a very bad place to start. checkout Equal Temperament. this man is clueless. tuner.
Amber Hall
no, a really good place to start is the youtube video entitled (something like) 'Equal Temperament on piano'. this is the true foundation of piano tuning.
codemiesterbeats
5 year's training - "pretty simple" hahaaaaa.
Guys, it's a $25 piano. Stop with the purist technical demands. It will sound just fine to most ears. He'll get better at hearing the beats and will learn to keep it in tune without spending $100 a pop. Been doing mine for 25 years now.
kositchek
it's one thing to have a go at tuning your own piano but quite another to share that 'knowledge' and try to pass it off as a valid tuning method. he's completely clueless.
@Camden Maronen
who are you talking to?
I've been tuning pianos for twenty five years. concert piano tuner.
I’m a piano technician. Tuning for more than 15 years. Still haven’t nailed it. My goal is getting higher and higher. I understand more about the tuning which means I can get more precise. That’s why tuners are freaking out of videos like this. We have a different aim, then someone who just started. I’m okay with people try to tune their pianos. As long as there are still some who can appreciate a more stable and precise tuning.
Quite correct. It is not rocket science, but to be done properly and avoid damaging the instrument requires a good ear, and a great deal of experience with the tools and feel for how the instrument will respond, to say nothing of a certain knowledge of of piano technology. Tuning a piano acceptably is not like changing the oil in your car.
You would benefit from undertaking some professional training, I'm currently doing a 3 year degree in tuning maintenance and repair. I had no idea it was difficult to correctly tune a piano to equal temperament.
@Kyle Hartman Music yes learning to tune a piano to a professional level takes many years of training
@Kyle Hartman Music Kyle, we are at a junction of worlds colliding. The old school of putting in time and having a piece of paper showing your commitment and training. The new..."hey, with technology and ingenuity, I can figure this out quickly (most can't) and so I'm ready in 10 days." Sadly those tied to the old way will never accept that there is a faster track for some with technology. When I worked at Yamaha you could tell who put in the hours so they were "qualified" and those who GOT IT, and really didn't need to log all the months and months of what some committee felt was the requirement to be certified. Give me 5 NO 3 minutes at a 7 foot concert Grand and I'll tell you the passion of the tuner.
i recently tuned a piano (poorly) in open D, by the way. (open D as in the guitar tuning repeated several times over several strings) we've got it up against a wall in the studio, it's mic-ed up as a kind of natural room ambience/reverb effect. sounds great, and even though it is surely "wrong" it resonates much better than it would have in standard tuning.
I tuned my piano just like this and then I saw a professional do it at the piano store. There is way more to the process and its a skill just like piano playing itself. He charged about a $100 or so but its worth it. But only if you have a quality piano or want the best quality out of your own piano, if you have a craigslist piano like mine then this method is perfect.
The unison (individual strings) that were "tuned" still have audible beats that probably would be only marginally acceptable in the Piano Technicians tuning exam. To do a good, stable tuning, the string must be within plus or minus 5 cents. The overall pitch throughout the entire scale, must also be very even which is almost never the case. Most competent piano technicians who do good work would probably have gone through the entire piano at least once before tuning. Unless the software used requires sampling of a number of notes in different areas of the scale the results may not be satisfactory. Different size pianos have different inharmonicity curves which may not be interchangeable. The hammer technique is also poor as it's at the 3 and 4 o'clock position. The proper technique should be between 10 and 12 o'clock for a left handed tuner and 12 and 2 o'clock for a right handed tuner. I suppose what is shown is better than nothing, but it doesn't match a skilled Registered Piano Technician's tuning
Very informative. I'm going to give it a try!!! I would of liked to see a "close UP" picture of the strings and black wedges.
Thank you.
Very helpful thank you very much
You can't just pull the string up and leave it because it won't stay. You must learn proper Hammer Technique in order to render the strings across several pressure points in the piano. You must also learn how to set the tuning pin. The three strings must be tuned evenly and leave no beats. You must start in the middle and tune both ways with either A-440 or C-523 and set the temperament (bearing) with a round of Fourths and Fifths. The Temperament is not tuned pure, you must know what to listen for in order to set the Temperament (bearing). I am a retired piano Tuner-Technician. If you really want to tune pianos, I recommend you get some proper training. I trained under a staff technician at a College. It took a few years before I felt that I was going a good job.
You sound knowledgeable and patient. You should do a RUclips series on tuning pianos, by a professional. Since you're retired, you no longer have the Cognitive Dissonance of one whose income is based on the knowledge.
Jerry Wilkins z
Damn. Jerry here sounds a little bitter about this video... Thanks for sharing, Karl. PRO PIANO TUNERS HATE HIM!
No, PK Jones, I am not bitter about this video, and I do not hate him. My intention was to give a few pointers from my experience. I am from the old school where we learned to tune by ear using a tuning fork as a reference to start. I apologize if I sounded bitter. It is alright with me if people want to learn piano tuning on their own piano.
@@jerrywilkins2846 Thank You! I will never allow anyone tune my piano if they use an instrument that detects a pitch. I prefer a tuner that uses A 440 tuning fork. When I was in College I used to tune the harpsichord I used an electronic tuning fork. It had 3 octaves of equal temperament pitches I only used one octave and tuned from that standard. Harpsichords need tuning every day and during a concert I tuned it twice. One before the performance and the second during the intermission. The choir director did not start part II until I was done tuning it took me 15 to 20 minutes. A piano has many more strings than a one manual harpsichord. I also tuned my piano teachers harpsichord that had 2 manuals and more strings and it took me about an hour and maybe two hours I wanted to do it right and in tune. Take the advice from the retired tuner he is right about setting pins and other techniques required in tuning pianos. You can destroy a good old piano if it is not tuned properly. My mom had a woman piano tuner to raised a slipped string and she ruined the piano when our regular piano tuner came back to tune the piano. He could not bring the piano up to A 440 he had to tune it A 435. I am not against woman piano tuners but the one my mom called she didn't know how to tune period.
This video was very straight forward. Exactly what I needed! Thanks so much!
rhandros
straightforward. but useless as a guide to tuning pianos.
I recently picked up a free Wurlitzer off of Craigslist and will definitely have someone come and tune it. There are a few comments mentioning that spending money to tune it is ridiculous if it cost equal to or more than the piano itself e.g. buying it for $100 and then having to spend another $100 just to tune it.
I think it's so beautiful and amazing to be able to play a tuned acoustic piano for $200. There may be reoccurring costs for a real piano, but it's worth the price if you enjoy playing it.
It does feel awkward when the service call is more than the instrument. Digital pianos have made the value of old verticals just crater.
If you are a player of any ability playing an out of tune piano is simply not an option.
I compare it to putting gas in a car that isn’t worth anything. If the car still runs that tank of gas might be more than the value of the car. Doesn’t do you any good to refuse to fuel up because of that.
Of course the professional piano tuners are pissed.....they don't want to lose business!! Thank you Karl for posting this. My piano has not been tuned professionally in probably 13 years and needs a bit of a tune up. I am unemployed right now, so instead of hiring a professional, I think I will attempt it myself. I have been playing the piano, guitar and bass for most of my life and mostly play by ear, so I hope that will assist me. Once again, thank you, and pay no mind to the pros who do not want us to learn their secrets!
Enjoy your tunning. Maybe it's worth it.
musicgirrl3
hahahaha there ARE no secrets. I'm a piano tuner. if u need advice, JUST ASK.
hi, karlboer you do it well, i'm now ready to try all so.
just in the next days.
I tune pianos across the whole country. I'll be tuning in Denton Texas, Nashville Tennessee and Alaska this year. Next year I'll be tuning in Hawaii
Good video, Karl. My craigslist piano special should be arriving tomorrow. Your video will come in handy.
the first note you tuned the unison is out ,between first string and second there is still far for been tuned as unison,its ok if you like to play a piano not perfectly tuned,but if you like to play in a tuned piano call a aural tuner !!!!
As a hobbyist and DIYer who just wants her super old piano to not sound like crap without spending $100 on a pro tuner, $400 on a software, or taking an entire freakin course, I find this video very useful. Thank you!
Thanks for the Love!
There seem to be more snobs in the piano technician world than any other field by reading these comments. I am pretty sure that Karl has made this piano sound better than when he bought it so you guys need to chill. Even if the inharmonicity isn't compensated for, even though the unisons have beats, even though the pins aren't set well it is still better than when he bought it AND probably better than most pianos sitting in homes collecting dust and NEVER being tuned. Karl, I think there is probably some cheap and maybe even free tuning software on the web that will help with the stretch you need. I'll look around and see what I can find.
you are an idiot. That's like me trying to send men to Mars because I like fireworks. Or a knee replacement because I enjoy running.
That's a little harsh isn't it?
Your comment has further lessened my respect for piano tuners. It is not polite to call people idiots.
I'd say in this particular situation, it's not the same. In your examples, one person is dead and the other can't walk. In this scenario, your piano's not in tune.
Dude, it's not rocket science... When I tune my drums I don't hire a proffesional either... I learn it myself (maybe I break the heads, omfg).....
Awesome that you recommend paying for the tuner! People put a lot of work into software like that and though they don't expect to get rich off of it, it's nice to get something of a reward even if it's only a little
You are holding the tuning lever in the wrong position, it should be upright so you lift the pin then once on the note you take the twist out of the pin and set it. There is a lot of stress involved on the piano, by starting at C40 you will not increase the stress on the instrument. You are listening for beats between two strings, and once the beat is gone then the two strings are in harmony. A440 is the normal concert standard, you did not mention that you laptop programme was set at A440. Amateur tuners can do damage to the tuning pins if the tuning lever is not snug on the pin, I would advise you get a tuning lever with three different heads that will give you the best fit. I will stop now, but all you untrained potential tuners be very careful what you do.
It isn't frugal to invest that many hours trying to do something as difficult as tuning a piano. It took me two years of dedicated practice to get my tunings up to any quality that I could charge even a small amount. What he doesn't understand is his tunings will not last more than a few days. I don't blame him for trying, we all thought we could learn it in a few days. We were all wrong. I'm a full time technician for 20 yrs. it didn't come easy. It is fun though!
Why won't his tuning last for more that a couple of days?
The tuning pins are far more flexible than you think and how you leave the pin is more important than any beginner could have known. The "touch" that gives stability takes time to master.
Kevin15047 Never mind, other comments answered my question. Honestly, I think you tuners are somewhat threatened by this sort of thing. I'm not saying that you could learn in a weekend, but I don't think anything is beyond self-teaching. At least one person in history had to teach himself to tune the piano.
"The touch" a deliberately vague response condemning any non professional who tries to do it themselves... You guys are dicks.
Great teaching lesson ….Thank you so much !!
Hi, I have exactly the same tuning hammer and thinking of buying a better one for the same reason. I think the tuning hammer must be placed vertically to avoid putting much stress on the tuning pins and the pin block. Also if you want the string to hold the tuning you have to go first a little higher and then loosening it slowly until you get the desired pitch.
The warble is called a beat frequency and I was told that when you tune a note, the tick is to get it to sound soft.
There is no need to buy any software. Simply download on your phone the free app called PANO TUNER ( not piano ). It is very easy to use and quite accurate.
You should tune the strings a tiny fraction higher and bring it down to exact pitch by striking the string with full force repeatedly. This way the piano will remain in tune for a longer period.
After tuning play arpeggios and chords in all the keys to check that they sound acceptable to the ears
good stuff, nice program...
Thanks Karl. Easy and clear.
I can't see where you put the "mute" between the strings. Which string correspond to the especific local you put on and bring the hammer in?
Maurício Goulart
Mauricio, to get started you need - a tuning hammer, a muting strip, two Pap's wedges, and a rubber wedge(for the bass strings).
there is a youtube clip showing how to 'set the scale' to Equal Temperament. THIS is the foundation of a tuning. it takes a LOT of practice so you need to be very patient.
I can't see it either. He said he put the wedge in so just the middle string would sound? Where could you possibly put a wedge in the hear just the middle string? And it looks like he is, indeed, working on the middle peg. I'll see if I can pick up where he's putting the mute.
It's notable that in this and similar do-it-yourself tuning videos, we don't get to hear anything being played at the end, to demonstrate the in-tune piano! I've nothing at all against people trying to learn how to tune thier own piano. In the process, they will find that it's not easy.
I’ve always wondered why they call the tuning tool a “hammer,” when it’s clearly a wrench. Hammer implies hitting stuff, like the piano’s hammers hitting the strings. The tuning “hammer” is turning stuff (the tuning pins) just like a wrench turning nuts and bolts.
Educate yourself. Historically the "lever" IS properly called a hammer. A large majority of professional technicians refer to this tool as a "hammer"
I saved a fortune on dentistry bills by using a pair of pliers and a large bottle of Whisky
I Googled this, because I was thinking of having my sister's piano tuned. I called a tech. and he wanted $120-$170. So, I was wondering how difficult the art is. That brought me here. As I see it, there are two major drawbacks to a novice tuning a piano; setting the pins correctly and tuning using the "stretched" tuning. Do I understand that to set the pins correctly, the tuner must raise the pitch slightly and then, come down to the proper pitch? And, is there a published frequency chart so that a beginner like myself could actually tune a piano (simply using an electronic tuner) using a sophisticated "stretched tuning"?
When using a cheap tuning hammer, you run a big risk of falling off the peg, and calling on all the hammers. Tuning should be done above the pins, with your arm bent, and your tricept resting on the top of the piano. You can get a lot of leverage this way, and you won't bend or break pins this way. Also tunelab is a better program to try. Cheers, from an apprentice tuner, with 15 years experience.
I really appreciate that you took the time to show novices looking to tune their own pianos out there. I recently acquired a Kurtzmann upright from 1921 and I see alot of similarities from the harp and pins to the board, is yours a Kurtzmann as well?
I'm not familiar with the CA-30. Give it a try and let us know how it turns out!
The Frugal Berry
you've got some balls. no training AT ALL and suddenly you're a piano tuner. then to add insult to injury you spread this garbage on the internet. which sends people in the wrong direction. well done you idiot.
Fine, unless you want to play something that doesn't sound as though it belongs in a saloon, and doesn't drop out of tune after a day. Otherwise you may want to get somebody who knows what they're doing. There's a reason that people train for years to become piano tuners.
As far as I'm aware, ragtime always used equal temperament, they just detuned the unisons. Unfortunately, take pretty much any style other than ragtime and this detuning will make it sound horrible. Still, up to you I suppose.
Thanks. I was looking for that.
Such a helpful video! Thanks so much :)
I was wondering if that program for tuning is PC only or can Mac's run it too? Also any videos for "How to move a 120 y/o piano?" or "How to change a hammer head/dowel?" Thank you for this video. very helpful.
Karl, That was a great lesson enjoyed it much. But in all reality For myself i have to
stick with my Piano Tuner every man to his trade. My guy is just a great fellow
no muss no fuss and a pleasure to spend time with a fellow artist. But if i pick up
a clunker I will give it a go. But so far do not feel like experimenting. I did enjoy
your video cool stuff.
Very good and informative video. I had to take out a small loan to get my piano tuned recently and he left one key warbling. Now he won't return my phone call?... So, I need to learn how to tweak my piano tuning personally. This video helped BUT you did not show where you placed your computer, or microphone, to pick up the pitch of the strings.
ty brother
Here, here! Thanks for the vote Magnus!
Great vid, thanks.
question for a professional piano tuner: I got a free craigslist piano that's in pretty good shape. The tone and action is probably at the minimum you would want for it to be considered viable for piano lessons. When I put my smartphone app tuner on top of the piano and hit the keys everything is perfectly in tune, at 440hz all the notes that show up on the tuner actually correspond with the keys I am hitting, but the actual sound is muddy in some places and sound totally out of tune in others. If the notes on the tuner are correct though then should I not bother tuning anything?
Mike M
you have to learn about Equal Temperament first. there is no way around that problem.
but does the tuning program used here use just intonation or well/equal temperament? or does anyone know of any programs that use equal temperament?
+Calvin W. All the programs and tuner devices I have seen to date, except the professional tuning strobes, are set to Equal Temperament. These professional tuning devices may give several other choices as well. None of them will be Just intonation. Just intonation requires that the performer can make changes on-the-fly which is not possible with an instrument like pianos, organs, lyres, etc.
It is sad that we are led to believe that Equal Temperament is "in tune". Using E.T. has been an unfortunate set-back for musical enjoyment, sonority and expression. Someday technicians may give it up and finally become "tuners".
I agree. That's why fretless stringed instruments are a big "fuck you" to the 12 tone equal tempered western imposed system.
Calvin W
there's a youtube clip showing a piano tuner setting the piano to Equal Temperament. THIS is where you start. the above video is wrong in sooo many ways.
Dennis Dougherty
if you don't use E.T. the piano sounds like shit.
Hello Frugal, great lecture. I have a question. When you use the AP Tuner in the laptop, do you need an exterior mic, or simply the build-in mic is sufficiently good enough to do the job? Thank you.
Built in mike is fine.
The Frugal Berry
how can you put this I'll-informed rubbish out there. you quite clearly haven't a clue what you are doing. shame on you.
Hhaha dude thats was amazing. I can do that the only thing i need is the tools the rest is fine thanks for this i can tune my piano
If you have absolute perfect pitch should it be easier because I want to try to tune???
thank you
Thanks!
I would recommend that you use your LEFT arm to tune and PUSH the pins rather than pull them down. You stand up and have the tuning lever upright rather than down or horizontal. Ergonomically the human body can push easier and better than pull.
TUNE THATPIANO. did you go to CSPT??
No.
I got a very cheap piano to learn. I can hardly play decent music and I feel bad paying $100 (which is the same I paid for the piano itself) to tune the piano. So, thank you. I will try to tune it by myself and learn about it during the process.
I would like to know what settings you used on AP tuner?
brilliant
So I was thinking of buying a Piano off ebay for 50$ it looks to be in amazing quality they said they need to get if off theyre hands because they're moving. Problem is, it is out of tune. Would it be better for me as a begging player to just buy a digital piano. Please reply.
I know what you mean, when i'm at school and foolin around with the grand piano in class it feels amazing. Unfortunately the Piano they're selling is not a grand piano, not even 88 keys. I also did research on the piano itself, it was made in the 1950's as more of a novelty rather than a family upright piano. I completely agree with you on the feeling of a real piano but I think i'm going to stick to buying a digital piano unless I can find a piano thats in my price range hehe.
Nice
Thanks for the video, I never discourage my clients from attempting their own piano tuning. They appreciate me all the more afterwards or they pick up a useful skill. Many folks will realize that after they spend money on a good tuning hammer and spend a loooooong time in attempting to tune; that hiring a tuner isn't an unreasonable option. Good luck to everyone who gives this a shot, if your attempt doesn't go so well and you live within a days drive of Cincinnati OH contact me and I'll get you squared away at a reasonable price. I also won't be a jerk about it. For more interesting stuff about piano and the arts follow @tickledkeys on Twitter
what software do you use to tune your piano? I must have missed it.
Very helpful. I can tune up my guitar and my violin by ear. Why not my piano?
Thanks. No more paying $50 every time there's a flat note bugging me.
I agree, if you have an ear for music you can tune a piano. Although this video didn't turn me in to a professional piano tuner in 13 minutes, it did what it said on the tin. Of course I checked (quite a lot of) other sources as well but I managed to bring my piano up nearly a full step without breaking a string. Now, I regularly fine tune it and have developed a 'feel' for it which speeds up the whole process.
Dazzlerby
you need no 'ear' AT ALL to learn to tune pianos. pro.
damian guilfoyle your comment doesn't make any sense. Go back to sleep.
Volnei Silva
well, for a start a piano has at least 200 strings. all have to be tuned IN RELATION to each other.
damian guilfoyle Correct, and your point is?
you need to set the pin,,,,,and not milk the pins....or it wont stay in tune .,,,,and hear all the intervals to get the scale right
+piano des. Good points, but then DYI amateurs are not professionals are they?
DYI? Do your itself? lol
Could I use a chromatic guitar tuner or a tuning fork for this? (I have a Korg CA-30).
The blind teaching the blind...
There are so many things wrong with this video I don't know where to start: that is a very poor tuning program (use Cybertuner or Accu-Tuner). Hold hammer at 12:00 so you have more strength and control. Don't teach what you don't know. I hear lots of beating in your perfectly tuned notes (including single beating strings). Tuning is a carefully learned skill, not something anyone can learn in an afternoon video...
lamorlayefrance
they just don't get it. I keep trying to explain the complexities of tuning but some people see this as evidence that I'm somehow feeling 'threatened'. they'll find out the hard way.
I thought this looked easy till I looked inside my piano and it seems to have way more in it than this piano. eek.
am looking forward to your do it yourself heart surgery video
How do you set a key? I notice if I tune it dead center, it falls back when I play.
it is called decay. my buddy who tunes pianos told me you want to aim for a little sharp right when the hammer hits so that it decays into pitch. also depending on how hard you hit it will effect the tune also.
If I wanted to make a business out of getting pianos cheap or for free and cleaning them up like the dust and maybe whatever little fixing I can do and some tuning.Could I make good money from this?
+Michael Lebert i dont see why you couldnt, i see free pianos on second hand sites all the time. If you had an easy means of picking up and transferring them then i don't see the problem. they arent the lightest of instruments... lol
I was thinking about it for awhile only because i would actually want to learn piano in high school last year i learned some that was 10th grade.I'm now would be in 11th but left school.I wouldn't mind doing a piano business tho
Like I said... It's heavy business but anything is possible :)
no
Thanks Karl. There are a lot of videos on this subject, but they do not explain anything, while you do. I do not have Windows, but only Linux, since I am frugal in software as well :-) I think I will use fmit (github.com/gillesdegottex/fmit) instead of AP Tuner. Or can I just buy a hardware cromatic tuner and use that? I need one to tune other instruments as well.
why not use two wedges and tune each string independently, according to the software's pitch measurement? I could still hear some chorus for that first tuned note. regardless, thanks for the video, for giving us this grand idea! I have a 1911-ish John Broadwood & Sons, it will need some T.L.C. in the not-too-far future.!
You basically want to do relative tuning... this video is not a very technical way to tune the piano but it will probably get you close enough for it to at least sound ok. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stretched_tuning I am a novice myself but I been reading on it lately and I am about to tune my upright.
hey, thanks!
what equipment are you using? Let me know how you get on!!
Ciaran55
broadwood pianos are notoriously difficult to tune even for a trained tuner. try tuning it at your peril..and especially an old one!
hahah thanks for the advice. I didn't try it so far; my piano isn't as out of tune as I thought :D
Ciaran55
I feel relieved for your piano:-)
Didn't have a tuning hammer so tried to turn the heads with a radiator key which fits directly over them. The heads wouldn't budge, even using a pliers to turn it I ended up breaking the radiator key! My question is, are they stuck like that forever or do I just need the extra leverage of the tuning hammer? (It's a pretty old piano, was tuned in the 1940s)
You need the proper tuning lever. A socket wrench with a small socket doesn't cut it either. You need the proper tuning lever. And once you;ve got it, you need to acquire the skill of using it!
simple physics.. you could lift the Earth using a board long enough.
You probably need leverage but be careful since the pins are tough to turn, it could be corroded since it is so old.
You need a piano tuning lever. They can be bought on Ebay. You wll also need tuning mutes. The piano was last tuned WHEN? The 1940s? They need tuning twice a year, so if last tuned in 1945, you need to catch up on a hundred and forty missed tunings. It is no easy thing to tune a piano, even a regularly maintained one.
komodosp
must use hammer.
At 6:04, that F is most definitely not in tune - there's an audible beat of about 1 beat per second. For the people asking about using guitar tuners, they won't work for pianos due to the phenomenon of inharmonicity in the piano strings.
Where can i buy this software?
Take this information with a grain of salt. According to standard tuning practices, what he is dong is incorrect. He is not setting the temperament. You can't just tune the strings in order. He is not setting the pins correctly with the hammer, so they are just going to slide back. DIY is fine if you do it correctly. You get what you pay for.
how do you set the pins properly?
you need to turn the hammer on the pin slightly past where it needs to go (sharp) and then back while wiggling it very slightly until it gets to the note. There are other videos on here where they do it correctly.
link to other videos?
Several steps are missing here. There's a need to clean the piano, correct for pitch, establish equal temperament, set the pins, and tune the fifths and octaves relative to each other.
Dan Webster
....and thirds, fourths, sixths. then tenths then double octaves.
hi, Karl!! thanks 4 the video!. Can you repeat the name of the tuning software you use for this? thank you again!♪♫♥
berenice raffaelli You could rewind the video you know...
(It's AP Tuner btw, www.aptuner.com/ftp/apmain/APTunerInstall308.exe )
Lane Shearer OF COURSE I know I can rewind it, Mr man (thanx for "THE" advice!!! °_° ) Don't you realize? the point is I couldn´t understand the name although I rewinded it several times. I'm from Argentina and English is not my born language--Let's say English is not my mother tongue...QUERIDO AMIGO♥
I thought that. Was just having fun. :)
Lane Shearer hey! thanx for understanding :$ hehehe...I love that blue HOUSE se an icon!!! Cheers from Buenos Aires!!!♥♪♫
Let's be realistic: if you can't hear the difference between "perfection" and "good enough" then there's nothing wrong with this method. And, unless you have a very good piano -- 6' bass strings minimum -- all you can expect from the bass is mud. And and, the damn things go out of tune fast anyway -- you're lucky if it's perfect for a day; they'll touch up concert pianos during an intermission. For a $25 Craig's List piano, have fun!!!
PS: always finish a string in the "tightening" direction.
1) get the materials
2) have a tuner come to your house pay him and leave
Why would you leave your house?
@@johnrubensaragi4125 I don't even remember posting this comment
Can this software tune to 432 hz?
Thanks
Try 415.3, much better sounding. Get a Peterson Strobe Stomp Box. It can do every tuning.
More proof that ANYONE can write a book, give advice, or make a youtube video. No requirements that you know what you're doing.
hello every one.. where i can download the piano tunner?
Sorry... I'm not downloadable yet.
Hello. Its nice you say how to tune but just hearing the notes you say are perfect tuned then i am sorry to say but its not tuned it is 70% tuned, you dont hear the litle diferences that some people can hear, I tune pianos since i was 14 years old and i have 20 years tuning pianos and reparing them too. You need a few years to learn to destinguish the sounds and hear them clearly. Nicely done
I can hear that the old hammers have developed some grooves in them
I am a piano technician with over 25 years of experience in the field. My honest opinion is the following; I am not against people tuning their own piano. If you have time to sit down on YOUR PIANO and go through the process of learning on your own and do not mind playing a piano that will not sound good (at least until you finally achieve the proper tuning results) then I sincerely wish you the best. But if you are a serious player and or a person that cares about their piano, and if you don't have time to spend learning and old world craft like piano tuning and REPAIR, then I recommend you hire an experienced piano technician. Don't mean to sound cliche but time is money; the first complete tuning I performed while receiving training at the North Bennet Street school in Boston took me 5 hours. Currently, I am able to perform a concert quality tuning in 1 1/2 hours, only if the piano does not require a pitch raise (which is something this video does not address among other significant processes). For a person who has time on their hands, hours spent learning how to PROPERLY tune a piano is nothing. But for a professional person that has a carrier other then trying to learn piano tuning and who perhaps finds their time to be more valuable doing other things, hiring a professional piano technician is the way to go. Again, If you want to experiment on your own piano then by all means, but please try to resist the urge of attempting to practice on other pianos besides your own. My recommendation is that if you are looking to make a carrier out of tuning pianos, get the proper training as this video misses a lot of major necessary details in the area of piano tuning alone. Piano tuning is more then just moving a couple of pins. But again, best of luck, sincerely.
bearguy20 i know right? they dont even bother to explain what it is more to it, just esoteric "you need the feel" bullshit
They're just rightfully defending their profession. As like playing piano is not about just hitting the keys.. tuning piano is not just about setting pins and turning the hammer around.
Agrumin the only way to be a competent piano technician is to start on your own piano and move to others, no one is saying tuning a piano is so simple, just some of these people are acting like it's not something anyone can pick up. Also if you are really a good piano technician you don't rely only on tuning, you do repairs and regulation other maintenance for piano.
Kane.....
a breath of fresh air! thankyou so much. a pro.
hmmm... well perhaps you perceive it that way. My view (after tuning pianos for 35 years), is that I don't care who you get to tune your piano, it doesn't have to be ME.....just get it tuned.
It really does make a difference, though, to get some real training. Compare it to house repairs, k? if all is well in your house, it's no prob to hire a young handyman to install a window for you...or do it yourself. No big deal. BUT what if you open u the wall and find termites? ...or dry rot?... or mold? anything off from the norm will be hard to handle. Similar thing. What if your battery dies in your machine, halfway thru the tuning? OOPS..... what if you drop a mute into the action...and don't know how to remove & replace an action without breaking more parts? OOOPS.... As one Commenter said, please do the experimentation and learning on your OWN piano. hen when you know what you're doing, then work on other peoples' pianos. It's basic ethics.
How do you use the mute if there's only two strings?
if u use the thicker triangle one it will wedge under the wires of the adjacent set of strings (on the next/ previous key)
you can always mute a single string with your finger.
Hi how much you bought the piano for ?
Thanks
How much the piano brought for....
Michael Sreepuram I think he said $25... which is funny because he said the tools were like $35 combined.
But I wouldn't do that because that piano is really dirty and will take much more than tuning to get into a reasonable condition
Okay steven...thanks for your message..
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when there's 2 strings, how do you mute one?
Just put the wedge between the rightmost string of the key you tune and the next string to the right of it. I I < I I . So this mutes the right string of the current key, and the left string of the next key.
buy a metric socket wrench, way cheaper and youre sure it will fit