Q: What will it cost to tune my piano?
A: The price varies. The typical fee for a piano tuning is $85-125.00 + tax, depending on how far out of tune the piano is and how long it takes to tune. Repairs are not part of the tuning process. If repairs are also needed, you will be quoted a price before any work proceeds.
Q: What payment methods can I use?
A: Feel free to use cash, personal checks, or a major credit card (Visa, Mastercard, Discover, or American Express).
Q: Do you have any customer reviews of your service that I can read before booking you?
A: Yes, I do! Click the link below to read them (page will open in a new tab).
Q: What should I expect when you come to tune?
A: Because your time is as important as mine, I plan on being punctual, and will let you know if I am running even a few minutes behind. I will be wearing an ID badge clearly identifying myself, and cloth shoe covers once inside your home. I will need to lift the lid and remove the front panel of vertical pianos, and in most cases do not need to pull them out from the wall. On grand pianos, I will need to remove the music rack. Once I start tuning, a reasonably quiet environment will help me tune your piano accurately and efficiently. I enjoy playing the piano when I’m done tuning so you can hear the finished result. If you have a favorite song, let me know!
Q: About how long will it take to tune my piano?
A: Tuning a piano is an art. There are roughly 230 strings that must be tuned so that each and every string is at its precise pitch. Also, all pianos are different; the correct tuning for your piano will be slightly different than the correct tuning for another piano. In order to tune accurately and precisely, it is important not to rush. You should expect the process to take anywhere between 1-2 hours.
Q: What is "A 440, and why should it matter to me?"
A: A 440 is the international frequency for the A above middle C on a piano. When at the proper pitch, the string vibrates at exactly 440 cycles per second. This pitch was accepted in the USA by the American Federation of Musicians in 1917 and adopted by the US government in 1920. If your piano is not tuned to this standard pitch, then it will not be in tune with other instruments.
Q: It's been years since my piano was tuned. Is that a problem?
A: Generally, no. However, if it has been years since your piano was tuned, then it is most likely well below the standard pitch of A 440 and will need to be raised. This takes more time and therefore is more expensive. Also, raising the piano’s pitch puts extra strain on the instrument since a great amount of tension is added to the piano’s frame. In extreme cases, your piano may need multiple tunings before it will be at A440. To keep your piano sounding its best and avoid unnecessary costs, it is recommended that your piano be tuned at least once or twice per year, depending on how well it holds its tune. Pianos in homes that have good humidity control generally stay in tune longer.
Q: Do I live in your service area?
A: I offer my services in the following areas of western Pennsylvania: Lawrence, Mercer, Butler, Beaver, Clarion, Venango, and Armstrong counties. I tune frequently in New Castle, Ellwood City, Hermitage, Sharon, Greenville, Grove City, Harmony, Zelienople, Mars, Valencia, Evans CIty, Cranberry, Wexford, Harrisville, Slippery Rock, Chicora, Karns City, East Brady, Knox, Shippenville, Clarion, New Bethlehem, Rimersburg, Eau Claire, Emlenton, and other cities in the surrounding areas. While these are the common areas I visit, I encourage you to contact me and discuss tuning even if you do not see your county, city, or township listed.
Q: Can you repair my piano also?
A: Absolutely! I cover a complete range of repairs including but not limited to: broken strings and hammers, keytop recovering, pedal repairs, hammer reshaping and voicing, and many other services.
Q: What is "voicing?"
A: Piano hammers are made of felt. When you play the piano, the felt hammers move forward and strike strings made of steel and copper. After years of playing, the hammer felt becomes compacted and hard, giving the piano an overly bright "tinny" sound. Conversely, sometimes hammers are too soft, giving the piano a “dark” or “muddy” tone. Voicing is the process of manipulating the hammer felt to restore proper tone.
Q: What is “regulating?”
A: The piano’s assembly of moving parts (referred to as the “action”) is a highly complex mechanism. A single key on a grand piano has over 35 points of adjustment! A single key on a vertical piano has over 25 points of adjustment. Multiply that by all 88 keys, and you see that a piano is not only a beautiful instrument, but a marvel of engineering as well. A piano’s performance is dependent on the correct relationship of all those moving parts. Regulating is the restoring of the parts to their proper positions and measurements, giving the piano the proper “touch.”
Q: Why did the chicken cross the road?
A: There is some controversy about this question. While it’s been generally accepted for many years that the chicken crossed the road to get to the other side, some now assert that that’s not the case. I’m still conducting research on this, but will post whatever I find out here.
Q: My question did not appear here. Can I contact you?
A: Absolutely! You can email me at loren@digiorgipiano.com .