How Often Should You Tune a Piano?
“How do I tune my Yamaha?” is a common question, and the honest answer is that tuning a piano is a skilled job best left to a professional. Here is how often it needs doing, why, and what to expect.
How often
For most homes, once or twice a year is right, even if the piano is not played much. A piano drifts out of tune with the seasons, as temperature and humidity change, whether or not you play it. A piano in heavy use, or one that is new or newly moved, may need tuning more often at first.
Why not do it yourself
A piano has over 200 strings under enormous tension, and tuning them evenly takes a trained ear, the right tools and years of experience. A DIY attempt can leave the piano sounding worse, or damage the tuning pins. It is a false economy, so leave it to a qualified piano tuner.
After a move
A piano that has just been delivered should be left a couple of weeks to settle into its new room, then tuned. Moving and a change of environment always unsettle the tuning a little. See how to move a Yamaha piano.