Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Piano Tuner-Technicians Forum I imagine if it was easy...

...everyone would be doing their own tuning. I momentarily toyed with the idea of learning how to tune my own piano. Is this something can be taken up successfully by a hobbyist? I have a career and am not looking for a second one, just would like to feel a little more knowledgable about what's going on in that big wooden box and feel confident to attempt my own troubleshooting.

No, it is not easy. Among other things, it takes the patience to do things 88 times over, or more exactly, about 230 times over. So if you would like to learn how to do it, start by reading 88 (or 230) previous topics about learning to tune. There is a lot of information here, some of it good, some of it not so good, but if you have an aptitude for it, you should be able to pick up which is which.

Another problem is the cost of tools to complete a tuning, which will be more expensive than actually paying for a tuning. Then if one finds it is too involved the tools sit idle.

I think the odds of me repeating any task 230 times are somewhere between slim and none. Thanks for the reality check! I'll settle for peering in the open lid in wonder.

This is a good classic about DIY piano tuning. It has been posted before, but everyone should view it once....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjZIwxrY3Ss

...and that right there is exactly how it would play out at my house.

Once you get inside the note for tuning, you can't get out. Listening to piano music will never be the same because you now have an additional avenue for critique. Learning to tune is a whole new career. Your first tuning will probably take 8 hours and you won't like the way it sounds. If you want to dabble, get a second piano and enjoy a professional tuning on your main piano.

After about five years of practice on the other piano you might be ready to tackle your main piano.

$120 to have my delightful tuner come out and work his magic is starting to look like a real bargain. I did just scuff up the hammers on my Frankenpiano, but there endeth my foray into maintenance.

It cannot hurt to spend some time to learn a bit more about how the piano works.

Many times, DIYers are discouraged on this forum, which may be a good thing; if you can be discouraged, then you don't have what it takes and you've saved yourself a ton of money and hassles.

Having said that, learning about piano tuning, repair, and regulation in a light and hobbyist way, is extemely valuable and useful if the following guidelines are followed:

Never actually touch the instrument except to play it. I'm not trying to be facetious. Knowing about tuning, repair, and regulation, one can make huge assessments of the condition of the tuning and regulation, and make conclusions about the repairs needed, simply by playing the piano and knowing what to look and listen for. Many students who take introductory courses, never go on to work as technicians, or even tune another piano, but after the course, they retain the knowledge and gain a new understanding of how tuning and the piano work.

If one wishes to actually work and practice their skills on real pianos, they must make sure not to over represent themselves. Most early activity will be on neglected pianos where the owners won't mind if there is some damage done.

I hadn't seen this before. OMG...