4 Reasons Pianos Go Out Of Tune During A Move

While planning a move with your treasured piano, you might be focused on minimizing damage to the structure and finish by hiring skilled movers. Although this is an important consideration, you also need to hire movers who will go out of their way to protect your instrument from tuning disruptions. Pianos are sensitive pieces of equipment that go out of tune in response to slight movements and environmental changes. Using the right piano movers company will minimize these effects, so the tuning professional only needs to make small changes rather than large-scale adjustments. Here's what you need to know.

Flex

Pianos are made with wooden materials that bend and flex with each movement. Upright pianos have the most amount of flex since the majority of the weight is centered over the sensitive components. As the wooden soundboard, pinblock and bridge flex, the strings come loose bit by bit, which throws off pitch and tone. Movers may place cardboard squares beneath the piano legs to smoothly scoot it along the floor to minimize material flex as much as possible. While lifting, movers try to use manpower rather than a hand truck to further reduce flex.

Impact

Although movers go out of their way to lift up and set down pianos gently, small bumps and jostles while riding down the road in the back of the truck can still wreak havoc on the tune settings. Movers may strap down the piano in the back of the truck in an effort to reduce the amount of movement that slowly works the strings loose. Avoiding bumpy roads and taking turns slowly also goes a long way in protecting the piano from even the smallest of impacts. Unfortunately, no matter how careful your movers are, small tuning changes should be expected upon completion of the move.

Humidity

High humidity levels can cause the wooden materials inside the piano to swell and expand, loosening the strings up considerably. Low humidity on the other hand can cause contraction of the wood, which tightens up the strings too much. Fluctuating humidity levels often cause pianos to go out of tune on a regular basis. In fact, piano tuners may even suggest keeping an open container of water inside the piano to help regulate humidity.

While moving, there's not a lot you can do to mitigate humidity levels in the air. Movers will keep your piano wrapped up to prevent contact with standing water or rain during transport. Tuners will suggest scheduling a second visit after the initial tune at your new location to bring the pitch and tone back into spec once the materials have time to adjust to the new humidity conditions.   

Temperature

Temperature fluctuations also expand and contract the wood and metal materials used inside your piano. If you normally keep your home heated to a comfortable temperature, bringing your piano out into the elements for transport will often drastically change the tune. Keeping your piano wrapped will help a little bit with these changes by blocking cold drafts. For the best protection, consider investing in heated transport for your piano.

Creating A Tuning Schedule

Resist the urge to have your piano tuned just before the move. Tuning professionals tighten up the strings while tuning, which increases the risk of breakage while the equipment moves from place to place. Instead, have a tuning pro come down after you have the piano in its new home to make small adjustments. Schedule another tuning appointment for a month or two out to adjust for environmental differences at your new location. At that point, your piano tuner can suggest a schedule that takes temperature, humidity and usage into account. The piano maker and build also comes into play when creating a tuning schedule.