Throughout most of the piano, every note has three strings, each attached at the top to its own tuning pin which can be turned slightly to tighten or loosen the string.  First, I mute the two outside strings of each note in the octave F to F around middle C and the C one octave above middle C.  Then, with a tuning hammer, I tune the middle string of the higher C to a tuning fork that vibrates at 523.25 cycles per second.  I most often use a "SAT III" electronic tuning device to set the temperament, as I describe below, but I do rely on my ears to guide me in making the fine tuning adjustments in the octaves and the unisons.

Next, I tune middle C to that C.  Then, I tune the interval of the fifth below middle C, an F, so that it is a little narrower than a perfect interval, sharp above perfect, at three beats in a five-second period.  I then proceed to tune the fourth, the G below middle C, a bit wider than perfect, at one beat per second flat below the perfect.  This process is called "setting the temperament."

Once the temperament is established, I proceed up and down the keyboard, tuning octaves to the notes in the temperament octave until all have been tuned.  Then, I check them to make sure they sound right and make any necessary final adjustments.

Many customers ask me, "How often should I have my piano tuned?"

There is no one answer that fits everybody.  Pianos that have tuning pins that are tight will generally hold their pitch better than pianos with somewhat loose tuning pins.  Tuning pins become loose with age, with frequent humidity changes, or if they are constructed of inferior materials.  Pianos that are played frequently or leavily will need tuning more often than those that are played infrequently or lightly.  A piano that is moved around a lot will generally need more frequent tuning than one that stays in the same place.  Pianos in a well controlled climatic environment will stay tuned longer than those in places where temperatures and humidity change often.

As a rule of thumb, it is recommended to customers whose pianos are played a couple of hours a week or less that a tuning once a year if generally sufficient, assuming the pins are fairly tight.  To those whose pianos are used more, twice a year is generally recommended.

I also highly recommend that a humidity controlled environment, if properly operating, could add another 30 years of life to a piano.
 

The piano cabinetry should be cared for as you would any fine furniture, using a good quality, non-wax, furniture polish.  However, be sure that you do not spray directly onto the piano, as some of the spray could get inside and corrode metal strings or other parts.

Generally speaking, a piano should remain closed, except when in use.  Avoid placing flower vases filled with water on your piano.  Not only is there a danger of water spilling and rusting the strings or other parts, but it may leave droplets in the piano action, causing strange noises - or even malfunction.  I always check for foreign objects when I open up the piano for tuning.

Even with the best of care, dust will eventually settle into the action and under the keys.  If your piano has not been vacuumed under the keys in the last 15 years, it will probably need to be done by your tuner.  Removing the keys and action, vacuuming the keybed, cleaning the keys, and replacing everything again will generally take over an hour.  Pianos that have come from storage, or from unknown sources, may even harbor cockroaches or mice.  Removing the keys of a piano for cleaning sometimes reveals some surprises.

Dust that settles into the copper windings of the bass strings will cause the strings to sound "dead."  There is really no satisfactory way to remove the dirt in the windings, unless they are removed.  Even then, only partial restoration of their original sound can be achieved.  If bass strings are too dead, they may need to be replaced.

I continually discover updates on various procedures for repair projects.  It is always interesting and informative to discuss repair problems and other aspects of piano technology with fellow technicians.

One particular area of repair concerns the bridge.

The bridge is a long curved piece of wood that is glued to the soundboard.  The strings pass over top of the bridge, guided by small pins.  It is this direct connection that allows the vibration of the strings to be transmitted to the soundboard, which amplifies the sound.

Sometimes, due to environmental causes, age, or poor construction, the cap on top of the bridge cracks, and the pins become loose.  This causes the sound of the strings to become indistinct, or "buzzy."  To correct this, the cap must be repaired or replaced, and the pins replaced, or glued and tightly re-glued.