DIY piano tuning / tune your own piano - part 1 of 2 - tools, tuning middle C - DIY Music

[@manifestgtr]

Dude, I can’t encourage you enough with this. I’m a professional guitar tech and I always tell people, you have to start somewhere. You don’t always *need* me for little things like a single string’s intonation or a minor truss rod tweak. Of course, I appreciate the business...this isn’t me “talking myself out of work”. It’s me helping you understand your instrument’s inner workings...trying to help you gain a deeper understanding and appreciation for the engineering and craftsmanship therein. Don’t be afraid to get in there and try it out. If you don’t like the result, just bring it to me and we’ll work on it. That’s why I’m here! Unless you’re a complete doofus and start making preposterous adjustments, you’re not going to hurt much. There just isn’t much in there to “hurt” unless you’re forceful, clumsy and/or impatient. Everyone has to start somewhere....

[@DIYMusic]

yes but your opinion is invalid, because the professional piano tuners say so! lol

[@rodneylee4026]

Yeah, but do you try to teach the world while you are still learning yourself?

[@manifestgtr]

@@DIYMusic LOL, I totally missed this at the time

[@zackeryhardy9504]

@@DIYMusic Piano tuner here. I agree with manifestgtr. Though Due to the high tension, you may want to be carful if your strings are heavily rusted. Ware safety glasses in that case. But for most cases you are fine. Just remember to protect your eyes. That wire will hurt you if it breaks and hits you, but nothing a bandaid cannot fix. your eyes are really the main thing you want to be carful with. If your strings are in good condition, you do not have much to worry about. Unless you are not paying attention and tuning the wrong pin and you just keep on going.

[@davidjenson4512]

@@DIYMusic Pro's understand what you are in for.

[@MikeJanes82]

Friendly tips from a professional: 1) Get yourself a mute strip 2) Angle the hammer on the pin so that's parallel, not perpendicular, to the strings. Harder on the arms, but your tunings will hold a lot longer 3) Tune slightly above the note, and then lower it to pitch 4) Hit the note with a good bit of force. It will then drop in pitch because you're not doing steps 1 - 3 5) Hire a professional. We could use the $80.

[@3vann5567]

No.

[@Jack-hy1zq]

Mike Janes friendly tip from another professional piano tuner - this gentleman has no idea at all how to tune pianos. absolutely clueless. I trained at Leeds College of Music for three years. after that I worked for a large piano dealer in Manchester, England, tuning five pianos every day for a further three years. then, and only then, could I say I could tune pianos. it's highly skilled work indeed,which requires an enormous amount of effort and practice on hundreds of pianos to master. period. ps at least 70% of the skill is the correct use of the tuning lever. the 'hearing' part is the 'easy' bit. this renders the most state of the art tuning devices completely useless because they can't teach you how to control the lever.

[@Jack-hy1zq]

Shirlohka Mike Janes knows exactly what he's talking about. fellow tuner. learn some humility.

[@3vann5567]

+damian guilfoyle I like how you assumed I don't know humility just from me saying "no". And how is that related to humility anyway? Humility is seeing and accepting your flaws.

[@Jack-hy1zq]

Shirlohka sorry. maybe I overstated the case. look, there are plenty of piano tuners on these sites to ask advice. why take advice from people who we tuners KNOW haven't a clue what they are doing. I WANT to help people. so feel free to ask. I realise many people can't afford a tuner.

[@danc.5859]

I've always been a fan of doing things myself; the idea being that if someone can learn to do something, why can't I? Of course, a person who does this for a living will have years of experience and the proper tools to do a great job. But where I live, in addition to the $150+ it would cost to have a professional tune a piano, considering I'm not in a major city, it would also cost several hundred dollars to just have the person come out. When considering all of this on a piano only worth a few hundred dollars, it just doesn't make sense, so tuning it yourself is a much better option than not having it done at all. I'm certainly an amateur, but I've tuned 3 pianos so far myself, never broken a thing, and while perhaps not as good as a professional could do, the results are orders of magnitude better than the pianos started out as. Pianos are relatively delicate, sure, but they're nowhere near as delicate as some would have you believe, if you're careful and work slowly and methodically. Don't be discouraged by the naysayers with the attitude that if you can't do it perfectly, there is no reason to try. Maybe the professionals are the right option for expensive pianos, but for inexpensive ones, why not start to learn a new skill? The only suggestions I'd make, none of which take away from the notion of doing it yourself: 1. Avoid a chromatic tuner - instead use something custom built for piano tuning specifically that takes into account things like stretched tuning to handle a string's inharmonicity. I use Entropy Piano Tuner (piano-tuner.org) - available for pretty much any mobile or laptop device, and free (open source) so what's not to like? :-) 2. Where possible, try and keep the tuning hammer parallel (not perpendicular) to the strings to reduce twisting and bending of the pins. But if it's too awkward, don't sweat it - you may have to tune a bit past the note you're going for so when the pin relaxes it hits your note, but that's relatively easy to do with practice. 3. The pins are pretty finicky where a very slight adjustment makes a big difference in pitch - especially in the higher registers. Sometimes if I'm having a hard time getting the string tensioned to the precise pitch, it's easier to go just a bit slightly sharp and then come down. Then, you're only fighting the friction in the pin block, not the tension in the string as well. 4. If your piano is quite out of tune (likely flat), the extra tension added by tightening the strings will lower the pitch of the strings you've already done. So I find it's a good idea to go over all the strings again when you're done; likely they have to be sharpened a bit. Usually this doesn't take as long, as they should be pretty close anyway. 5. I don't know why people have a problem with a cheaper tuning hammer. So what if the handle has some flex? It may take a bit longer, but it's not like anyone doing DIY tuning are going to do hundreds of pianos. And those pins are pretty solid; they have to be. I'd have a hard time believing a cheaper hammer would damage them, so long as a person is relatively careful as they should be anyway. Don't tell anyone, but I've even used a socket set and gotten good results, though a proper tuning hammer would definitely have been faster and as others have commented, less likely to damage the pins. I have a hard time with people warning of all the doom that will follow if you try to do things yourself. If a string breaks while tuning, so what? You get to learn a new skill of how to replace a string. It's not that you'll destroy anything irreparably. I'm not claiming, by any stretch, that an amateur could do a better job than a professional. But there are tons of old pianos out there, which, if we are honest, are likely never going to see a professional tuner. So, if one of those is near you, why not breathe a little life into them?

[@thijs199]

Well, I've had a look at a piano that has been said to be lowered in pitch by a whole octave, so I'm pretty concerned about breaking a string, because replacing one will be a bad job, I mean if you have one new string, it's going to stand out. So then you rather replace all strings.

[@zackeryhardy9504]

​@@thijs199 Just raise the pich 100 cents at a time. let it settle. And come tune it again in 1 weeks time. Another 100 cents, and then come back until its at pitch. Then you are going to want to tune above a=440 (442 should be fine) and let it settle at a=440. A new string can be frustrating for the first few months since it has a lot of stretching to do, but just tune that note every so often to the rest of the piano. Its really not a massive problem. Just ensure you do a decent job at installing the string. Remember that you remove the tuning pin completely and then hammer it back in. Don't forget the tool to ensure you don't damage the tuning pin and keep your coils tight.

[@JamesDean-fi3zw]

Use of a socket set on piano tuning pins leads to slippage. Use a tuning lever/ hammer ONLY or pay $1000's to repin/ restring said Piano. The tuning pins are flared, ( ie. small top, wider at bottom). Tuning lL3vers/Hammers are build accordingly.

[@JamesDean-fi3zw]

I was trained not only to tune but also to Service regulate, rebuild, repair, restring, refelt, tune, and properly 'voice' a piano. Many so called 'tuners' do not possess these intricate skills.

[@mnnblackpoemology4661]

7.22.24: Should I start by tuning each individual string, or just the keys that seem flat?

[@tonyspade3447]

I work for a piano showroom, I just started tuning pianos and I have to say that it's way easier than most people would think. I have a acrosonic similar to the one in the video. I think it's helpful to know how to do it if you have a few keys that are off.

[@mighitman5449]

I am a Registered Piano Technician and I have to tell you that that is not how you tune a piano. For tuning an upright/spinet, you don't want to tune with the hammer at 3 o'clock. That puts way too much pressure on the pin and can potentially bend the pin or damage the pinblock. A damaged pinblock will make a piano unstable and is a very costly repair. Way more than the value of that Baldwin Acrosonic. Please, no one replicate this. When tuning an upright, you want to have your hammer as close to 10-12 o'clock as possible (if your right handed, left hand would be 12-2 o'clock), that will lead to a more stable tuning and will not put that kind of strain on the tuning pin. Also, a chromatic tuner like that will not tune the piano properly, tuning a piano requires a trained ear that takes a long time to develop. A chromatic tuner will not account for the octave stretch required for a properly tuned piano. Tuners like CyberTuner, Verituner, etc. are much better options for that purpose. A piano is tuned using harmonics and you have to be able to hear those harmonics when tuning. You start with A4 at 440hz, and then tune your temperament from there. Also, that unison you tuned is not a good unison, you can still hear the beat speed and it is going plenty faster than one beat per second. You want a clean, quiet unison. It takes ear training, but you will be able to get it if you practice. To really learn how to tune, it's very helpful to have another technician train you in person so that they can show you what you need to hear and learn proper hammer technique. Aural piano tuning is a trade skill and takes years to develop and perfect.

[@aaimginggraphics2411]

that is very good information....can u elaborate on octave stretches.... i am a music major however i dont have perfect pitch ...only good relative pitch....btw i have a baby grand...am thinking about tuning it myself.....its about .30- ....aggh i know it hasent been tuned in over 2 years

[@LiliumPetal]

@@aaimginggraphics2411 You can find free tuning programs these days for your phone or computer that actually take octave stretching into account and show you the suggested tuning to compensate for that. Entropy works great for android, Cybertuner or Tunelab for iOS are also really good, although I believe those might not be free. You can find a lot of pretty decent tutorials for all these kinds of applications here on youtube as well.

[@davidjenson4512]

@@aaimginggraphics2411 This video didn't even factor in a temperament. Without a basic tempered octave, octave stretching would be the least of your worries. This video was torture. An experienced tuner would have had that unison pitched, and tuned beatless in a matter of seconds.

[@llovebeats3749]

Are there any tuning programs that support baroque tuning? (A=420)?

[@bradleymiller437]

All I'm hearing is "people have discovered they don't need us anymore and we have to make them think they can't trust themselves."

[@rash870]

The funny thing is how he talks in C4

[@usbsnake1436]

Stop having perfect pitch

[@tRexTay]

This wouldn’t get passed tsa

[@TheCorrster]

The point of this video was if your low on money and need to get it close to perfect, this is a method to do so. It should go without saying a professional tuner will make the piano sound fantastic. For someone like me that has a garage sell baby grand that is so banged up the tuning most likely surpasses the piano's current value, this is an excellent reference.

[@shouldbedoingmyhomework3258]

100% agree. Good for the guy that made the video, wish some of those rude guys would stop. Peace

[@ashleyosgood2996]

No, not good for anyone. This video will never get any piano close to perfect. Or even close to terrible. What it will do is break strings, wear the pin block, and make a badly out of tune piano sound worse.

[@telecastermaster2]

Ashley Osgood How so?

[@ashleyosgood2996]

Telecastermaster, to scratch the surface of your question, a Tele has maybe 100 parts, including screws, and 6 strings and was first built in the late 1940's, I'm sure you know. I'm sure you also know that no matter how well you set the intonation and tune it perfectly, there are always some chords that sound imperfect. A piano has approximately 250 strings and 10,000 parts and has been built generally the same way for 300 years. You cannot simply tune a piano. You must understand a piano and the complexities of "scale stretching" and inharmonicity in western tuning. This is why you must be a piano technician and you must train to become one. There are piano technicians guilds around the world. Ask any professional technician. They'll tell you the same thing.

[@rickyshannon1520]

Yes!

[@CrimsonKarl]

You can tune a piano, but you can’t tunafish. However, fish do have scales. And you CAN tune a bass. 🐠

[@annv6781]

Noiccce hahahahah

[@dying101666]

that one went full circle.

[@highway20music]

Facts

[@pulsar9354]

For all those profesional tuners in the comments saying you cannot tune a piano yourself, you need a 3 years training and 3 more of experience, to begin to do it well and that this guy lacks of knowledge and is doing it all wrong bla bla bla . Do you also call a profesional chef to cook dinner in your house, or the eatable one you cook is good enough to satisfy your stomach? This is a tuning for his own piano at home, it sounds good enough for the purpose of entertaining himself with the piano . get over it

[@DickPoundlb]

I do my own dental work. What is it you do for a living so I can learn that skill? Oh that’s right grocery clerk isn’t a skill!

[@DickPoundlb]

Hahah his technique is laughable. Hahah

[@DickPoundlb]

Oh ya that sounds 👍 great perfect.

[@pulsar9354]

Dick# own dental? Mr Bean is it you?

[@kingsfriend8029]

My stomach can stomach things that my ears simply cannot. Tune it right.

[@WesleySmith1920]

I just bought the tuning kit, and it arrives tonight! I'm excited to both tune a very out of tune piano, as well as learn a little about notes (I'm tuning this for my wife).

[@alskoj]

After reading all of the comments, I've decided not to tune my piano, but to donate it to a church or school. Time to buy a digital piano.

[@alexandresadunishvili9394]

There is huuuuuuuuuuuuuge difference between digital and acoustic pianos, so just care more 😊

[@NagumaSardonicus]

Do not that Rotten Orange to your Friend! Junk It!

[@endingalaporte]

Looks pretty straight forward to do. Great explanations and camera angles ! Nice work thanks mate

[@thepubliceye263]

Tuning a piano in this way and being surprised that professional piano tuners disagree is like making a fried egg and expecting a professional chef to be impressed.

[@dreeemer]

Egg-cellent analogy!

[@markcerisano4268]

This is probably the best video on tuning I've seen by an amateur. You are correctly using the hammer at 3:00 raising pitch, but it won't work on all pianos. Different non-speaking lengths (the string from the tuning pin to where it becomes the vibrating string) are affected differently by the hammer. When you said "Put the iphone away for the unisons" I was cheering for you. You almost got a clean unison. Next time try 12:00, sharp, and gently nudge the pitch down. Compare the sound of two strings with that of one. They should sound exactly the same. Don't forget to whack the key three times and remeasure the string, to see if your hammer technique is producing good stability. If it is, you don't need to whack every key.

[@Jack-hy1zq]

Mark Cerisano you DO need to whack every key. this ensures that EVERY string has equal tension along its whole length. otherwise the piano will rapidly go out of tune when played. also, the lever should be as in line with the string as possible. this minimises twisting of the tuning pin. I'm a piano tuner..ask away!

[@redrbn4138]

Damian. I use mechanical engineering physics to produce stability. I am a registered piano technician and a mechanical engineer. Your understanding of stability is not uncommon but not what concert tuners understand. The simplest way to explain this is to imagine a string vibrating. Does it not show itself to vibrate in waves? Do these waves not show a curved line? Is not a curved line longer? Is not a longer string in higher tension? What this means is that a string with equal tensions across the v-bar can go flat on hard blows because the tension in the speaking length is higher during hard blows. The advanced method of stability is to try and leave the non-speaking length at a slightly higher tension. This can't be done with test blows. To be honest with you, I am weary of technicians like yourself who voice their opinion about how wrong I am, and yet they have little to no technical experience. For this reason I do not try to teach technicians like yourself who are convinced that their understanding of piano tuning is the absolute knowledge and are not interested in entertaining any other concepts.

[@Jack-hy1zq]

RED RBN I tune for the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland when they are in the west of Ireland (with concert pianist of course) also Limerick University Concert Hall where some of the world's best concert pianists come to play, the Bantry Chamber Music Festival, Cork City Jazz Festival...shall I go on? not a single complaint in twenty five years.

[@markcerisano4268]

Please don't.

[@Jack-hy1zq]

Mark Cerisano I too am a concert tuner you arrogant git.

[@alexinphx1411]

Love the opener. Thanks for putting this up!

[@j.vonhogen9650]

I agree! That was funny enough to immediately make me want to keep watching, which was probably the reason why he started the video with that, right? Anyway, great job, thanks!

[@ElectromagneDikk]

So I've been a guitarist for a little over 20 years and I played violin in school and cello, and I always swear that tuning a little flat and making sure that your last movement is sharpening into tune holds better than if you are going backwards as your last movement. And it's very funny that you said that that's the hardest part I think I'm specifically outcast even amongst guitarists because I don't think some of them even understand the theory behind that but since I played other stringed instruments I know what you're talking about and now I'm just so confident that I'm going to have no problem with this. I've also been playing piano since before any of that I've just never really practiced I just know how to play the piano I'm not very good at it physically, but I've never tuned one before and my friend got one so I'm going to do it and practice on his so I can charge other people to do it. This is probably the most helpful video I watched because your explanation was very easy to grasp. Good video dude

[@XwpisONOMA]

You are correct sir! All stringed instruments should be "tuned up" to pitch. Especially with peg tuners, tuning over the desired pitch and then going a little flat is guaranteed to result into a flat pitch once the string settles once you start playing.

[@bbb7452]

This is true for guitars and violins due to the crank but it's not the same for a piano.

[@Brewsterblock]

Always wondered. Sounds very doable. With COVID on I have to try this! Thanks

[@jeff3741]

Jesse! Small world. I have a free piano so there's no way I'm hiring a pro. Rebuilt my own transmission I think I can at least give this a try. A breaker bar and socket should do the trick. I can use the Casio for reference notes. Good seeing your mug again.

[@DIYMusic]

ha hi man... yeah for free pianos where you don’t wanna pay a pro, this can at least improve things somewhat. if the piano’s WAY out, then it might be best to just tune to itself to improve the really bad strings instead of trying for the same notes as your casio-many pianos that have been left out of tune too long can never be returned to the correct pitches for the keys, so it’s best to just make it agree with itself

[@zackeryhardy9504]

@@DIYMusic That is a bit of a myth to be honest. I have seen pianos get tuned up 300 cents that are over 130 years old. You have to do it carefully and gradually, but its doable. You will probably develop some more cracks in the sound board, but they are only an issue if they are buzzing. Cracks can be fixed. Its expensive, but if you are a decent wood worker or just have something that isn't worth anything, then its usually worth it. I mean a cracked soundboard piano will sound better than an out of tune piano. I would be heasitant if the piano is of good quality, but for those dime a dozen junkers its most likely going to be fine.

[@ekanata]

If I have a $50 piano, I’m not paying someone $80 to tune it. If I own a $1000 car, I’m performing maintenance myself to justify doing it at all. This changes when we’re talking about cars and pianos with significant resale value potential.

[@justinbronzan7544]

yeah i just got quoted 375$ to tune my daughters Mason & Rische. 375$!!!!!! NOPE

[@cryangallegos]

Lol, I'm here because we picked up an early 70s Westbrook piano literally for free (and literally rolled it home on furniture dollies). It was surprisingly not THAT out of tune up to about C5. Of course the piano as a whole is flat, but chords and such sound fairly good. My biggest fear is chasing my tail between all the keys, but C5 and C6 are almost a 1/4 step off from the lower octaves, and that is really hard to get passed

[@olddoug8945]

🤣

[@MechInvent]

I really enjoyed this video. It was deeply relatable to us with $100 pianos

[@amadeusvii5993]

Great video, thanks a lot

[@IshActive1115]

I bought a piano for a $100 recently I cannot pay someone to come fix it up for me especially where I live. This is video is gonna help me so much in the future thank you!!!

[@SteveStockmalMusic]

Watch a BUNCH more videos before you start. This guy is enthusiastic, but not very accurate, in many of his teachings !!

[@timmeekahill7236]

my goodness the comments you would think this man was giving people advice on how to do open heart surgery on a family member because you dont have the funds to pay for a professional it should be quite evident that those who are trying this method do not have a Steinway Alma Tadema or the THE KUHN BOSENDORFER GRAND PIANO how does one become a piano tuner in the first place do you need some advance degree in physics and Engineering i googled how to become a piano tuner and from what i gathered it involves an apprenticeship of some kind but with who stop making life difficult its a piano dont get upset about mistakes they are their to help you, you make 400 mistakes, now you know 400 things you should not do

[@mathildewesendonck7225]

Timmeeka Hill haha, so true 😉😂

[@TheGozalus]

@@mathildewesendonck7225 So we're supposed to be *grateful* that a know-nothing has uploaded a video demonstrating incorrect technique and downright laughable methods? Posting a video about incorrectly doing something doesn't benefit anyone. Hell the whole point of watching DIY videos to do something yourself is so that you can actually do the job yourself *correctly* so that you don't *have* to hire a professional in the first place! >>>> "how does one become a piano tuner in the first place do you need some advance degree in physics and Engineering..." So if a licensed plumber, electrician or auto mechanic offered you shoddy service, you would pay for it and look the other way simply because their trade did not require them to have an advanced degree??? What is a degree? It is a credential/qualification given to a student after he or she completes a prescribed course of study. A TQ ticket, CDL or business/contractor license is no different. >>> " dont get upset about mistakes they are their to help you, you make 400 mistakes, now you know 400 things you should not do" Please keep your mental retardation out of your arguments. Aside from the fact that you don't know how to use a period in a sentence or know the difference between "there," "their," and "they're," you lack the intelligence and the rationality to acknowledge the fact that people don't want to waste time going through trial and error in a DIY video. All of that time one needlessly spends to make 400 mistakes that could have been avoided if a video was presented by a *competent* uploader could be put to better use by learning the correct techniques and practices the *first* time from someone who actually knows what he or she is doing.

[@TheGozalus]

@ Timmeeka Hill: So we're supposed to be grateful that a know-nothing has uploaded a video demonstrating incorrect technique and downright laughable methods? Posting a video about incorrectly doing something doesn't benefit anyone. Hell the whole point of watching DIY videos to do something yourself is so that you can actually do the job yourself correctly so that you don't have to hire a professional in the first place! >>>> "how does one become a piano tuner in the first place do you need some advance degree in physics and Engineering..." So if a licensed plumber, electrician or auto mechanic offered you shoddy service, you would pay for it and look the other way simply because their trade did not require them to have an advanced degree??? What is a degree? It is a credential/qualification given to a student after he or she completes a prescribed course of study. A TQ ticket, CDL or business/contractor license is no different. >>> " dont get upset about mistakes they are their to help you, you make 400 mistakes, now you know 400 things you should not do" Please keep your mental retardation out of your arguments. Aside from the fact that you don't know how to use a period in a sentence or know the difference between "there," "their," and "they're," you lack the intelligence and the rationality to acknowledge the fact that people don't want to waste time going through trial and error in a DIY video. All of that time one needlessly spends to make 400 mistakes that could have been avoided if a video was presented by a competent uploader could be put to better use by learning the correct techniques and practices the first time from someone who actually knows what he or she is doing.

[@laphenixlife]

Yassss so salty for sure 😂😂😂 best comment

[@laphenixlife]

It is a open heart... A piano one

[@annv6781]

Thank you Mr Bond! May you rise above the Skyfall!

[@michaelatcheson4816]

A serious question... I have been told by my piano tuner, and learned through vicarious anecdotes from friends who have pianos (these friends are NOT experienced musicians), that there is "some problem" that may require a re-build, or that "there is a problem that may not be able to be resolved because etc etc etc" A piano string is held on a peg that is turned, this peg increases or decreases tension, this tension affects the note that the string will produce. I get the impression from these piano tuners that if the string snaps, there is no turning back, and that the piano is as good as scrap. Please explain, because it makes ZERO sense,

[@ct1216]

I was just about to pay 6000 dollars for a used kawai from a piano store. But my friend suggested me to get something cheap and decent looking upright from kijiji,. I bought a weber piano for 1000 dollars online including delivery. Me and friend tuned the piano in 3 hours together. Now I have an amazing weber piano just for 1000 dollars. be smart don't get screwed. This is not rocket science.

[@LuckyMan-zr6nu]

From the invention of the piano, for hundreds of years all piano techs were tuning pianos just having one referral sound A-3 from the TUNING FORK (440Hz.). There is exact method how to establish a temperament setting and after that you can tune rest of the piano, and tune it by ear only. That why there is piano tuner/ techs classes.

[@mathien1985]

man when you those 2 strings fall in tune at 5:27 it released endorphines

[@danproctor7678]

Thank you, I will hire this out! OMG. By the way - excellent work!

[@TerryHill-h4o]

Thank you, that was so helpful. You are very articulàte, i am grateful.

[@tae3426]

so quick u make it look easy😩 ordering a tuning kit rn

[@hlegler]

Hey Jesse! Thank you so much for posting this video! I woke up this morning and got the thought "I'm going to tune our piano." Your video was inspiring, informative, and detailed. Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge!

[@Thiago-px9ev]

How was it? Did you tune your piano?

[@hlegler]

@@Thiago-px9ev yes! We have a small spinet that is 66 keys (i think). The lower register had one string and the upper had only two strings. It took about two hours. The entire piano was off by about a half step when i started due to it being in our barn for a year. I'm going to retune it in a couple weeks to make sure everything is right on and hasn't drifted. 😁

[@harelraz5068]

You help me so much thanks 😊

[@ivydotexe]

lmao im thriving for this toxic piano tuner community rn

[@DIYMusic]

it's really something, isn't it?

[@TempestPhaedra]

I was sooo certain nothing could beat the level of toxicity I've seen in the woodworking community. piano tuners took the crown and smashed it. odd groups.

[@mjphoto45]

Piano tuning is an art and science. I saw the school in Boston. Very good school

[@halkennedy6353]

Can't thank you enough. I have, oh, I don't know, maybe 10? piano technicians and tuners who never return calls or texts. I now have the confidence to move beyond all that....

[@ltyr-mr2if]

Good video! I still think it's worth getting a professional tuner. They also know about the entire machine and can give advice and treatment for stuff like problems with action, and hard hammers. BUT, this is good to know!!! Also, I wonder about just vs. equal temperament. That's something that always was a mystery to me before computer tuners.

[@gustandberg7553]

Pianos will always be tuned to equal temperament. Just intonation is for solo instruments or ensembles like orchestras that can adjust turning on the fly, as the proper frequency for the notes played varies by key. Pianos don't have this luxury, and so to play in multiple keys they must be tuned to equal temperament.

[@imy0urpapa]

Thanks for the video. Helped me a bunch. I bought a $15 kit on ebay and tuned it and it sounds GREAT!

[@hippyhebrewhomestead8593]

I really like your way of tuning, just like tuning the drones on my bagpipes, this takes a lot of the guess work out haha

[@ageshero]

Months of searching for the right video, and finally someone EXPLAINS IT, uuughhhh, hahahaha. thank you.

[@simonjones7315]

After reading all the comments I'd just like to thank the pros for allowing their egos to inadvertently give me a training manual on how to do it right! Of course no-one mentioned the important part about getting the correct software that records every note and accounts for the octave stretches! but thanks to this video and many others out there.. oh and I do agree with the pros.... it certainly does help to have an 'ear' for music...some people never have this, others train it and a tiny proportion of the population are born with it!!! if you were born with it then go ahead and tune your own piano...if not...hire someone!

[@BillBarber1957]

Great video for keeping us professional tuners in business.

[@jeremiahvalenzuela2235]

Hello!! Thank you for this wonderful lesson! ❤ I just have something to ask. My piano is a semi-tone lower. Can i tune it a semi tone higher than original key?

[@Adrian-yz7oe]

Just place a capo on the 1st fret and you are good to go! :D

[@zackeryhardy9504]

yes. You will actually see a lot of tuners tune a piano sharp if they know the person does not tune their piano often. So they will tune to a=442 or sometimes even 445 instead of 440. If you are playing bach at period pitch, you tune at o a=415 and with some russian music you tune a to 460. Pitch is relative. So long as you tune the other strings so that they sound good with each other it doesn't matter if you are flat or sharp. What matters is when the notes are out of tune with each other.

[@mnnblackpoemology4661]

I had purchased an upright, semi-brand new, reheasal piano from Lincoln Center, in 2020, while under quarantine, as a result of Covid-19. I had paid $5000 for it. Since, then I had it tuned each year for $200. But, I am going over the math in my mind's-eye, and soon I will be paying move for TUNING, then, I had originally paid for the piano . . . four years ago. I found this information useful.

[@NightOwlGames]

id have to DIY it, my piano is super heavy!!! i cant just put it in the car and take it to a music shop. i can bareley move it around my house it litterally weighs a tonne!

[@Thelionatays]

Awesome video !!

[@futuristiccavemanofficial]

as much as I'd love to tour with an upright... I can't possibly imagine A, having to tune the piano every single show or B, having to commission a piano tuner for every single show... not to mention C, actually having to load and unload it 3-4 times a week lol.

[@dekelsey1]

Great video! This can be done. You need to be sensitive in your hearing and a bit on the strong side to turn these tuners.

[@davidjenson4512]

This looks like a good way to tune a wobbly unison that's not part of any temperament structure. That unison was really yowling at the end of his work. A piano full of unisons like that would be pretty unpleasant to put it mildly. What's difficult to convey to DIYers and beginning tuners is the learning commitment and time needed to learn how to get a decent tuning.

[@MrWizardjr9]

theres software to help with that

[@davidjenson4512]

@@MrWizardjr9 If you're talking about tuning unisons, No ... there's no software that handles unisons. That has to be done by ear.

[@frk75]

Thanks for the tutorial, I was about to try it on my cp70 electric grand. Thank God it's only a 73note and no triple string, shouldn't be too long to do, waiting for my tuning kit from amazon

[@nonh8nsk8r]

I have an old eavestaff pianette. I would assume that I want to dampen all of the strings to eliminate overtones. Also, I would guess that not every pin is going to cooperate, so a good quality tool is necessary to avoid stripping the tool or the occasional pesky pin.

[@rogergroot6641]

Jessee.Don`t you set a temperament?

[@sharonmetzer]

you were the 2nd of "how to tune Pianos" videos.............Yours was so much more understandable. Thank you

[@kira_flight]

This is fabulous. Thank you 😊Just started tuning pianos! There are no training courses in the area, do you do online course training?

[@howardturner4382]

Really good Tks

[@carlus6432]

When putting the rubber muting thingy is it 2 between 2 strings or 1

[@carlus6432]

So there is 3 strings do i put 1 or 2

[@cindik5421]

Could you give instruction on how to use the phone application?

[@bronco6]

the app on the phone will not hear the low and high sounds 

[@bernadettemccarthyflahive5357]

To all those who say tuning a piano is simply a scientific process and that anyone can do it...well, you could try. But strings can break, things can go wrong if you don’t have the training, especially if it’s a historic instrument. Not only that but going by the tuning advice isn’t enough. How all the notes relate to each other is also important for the overall temperament. I guess if you don’t have money or access to a tuner then it does make sense but otherwise I think a good tuner is worth it. There are bad tuners out there too.

[@MaryofCupcakke]

Yep but not everyone need a perfect tuning. Like I'm a student short for money that plays piano only in my free time to have fun, if I had 80$ I'll definitely use them for other reasons. I guess if you study it at a serious level or are whealthy then it's fine

[@hennyvv]

Very cool, thank you!

[@caithlin]

This is actual simple.. I'm tuning my piano now. Just taking a break to see what he said about the difficult to mute notes. But it's actually going well ?!

[@SteveStockmalMusic]

Cool Just make sure you read the comment here in, there are some really good points by some actual professional tuners. But I agree with you, I am doing my own, I have been for quite some time now, and I’m getting better at it !!

[@brianbauer7560]

You totally Rock bro 💯, and I totally have all kinds of junk on top of my piano LMAO 😂.. Though I'm not like most people.. I had to sub. Thanks again

[@lizmcneil5617]

Do you use the felt ribbon at all?

[@DIYMusic]

I have once, but personally, not really. I don’t like it that much

[@MaryofCupcakke]

Isn't it weird how half of the comment are from processional tuners? Like, why would so many professional tuners be watching this video?😅

[@DIYMusic]

they feel threatened

[@izaekranazelimproglasitiyoutub]

Coll video

[@astroNexx]

the professional tuners in the comment section remind me of 13th century guilds, where the pros just keep all their knowledge to themselves. Correct the man but dont be so sneidy guys... he isnt your conpetition. Its youtube, this is entertainment and/or basic knowledge for those with old pianos who perhaps dont even play professionaly

[@willcrump]

How do you get to the strings if they start to go behind the hammers/mechanism as you go higher up the keys and eventually unreachable?

[@gracisutterfield]

this is hilarious but I learned so much

[@pjdahmen]

Great tutorial

[@MikeMcCarty6453]

Good video one of the best to understand thanks

[@Jack-hy1zq]

Mike McCarty please don't listen to him. I'm a professional tuner, feel free to ask anything about tuning. I'm more than happy to give you good advice.

[@bronco6]

I also confirm that the idea of ​​tuning a piano by yourself is very bad. I have been a tuner for thirty years.

[@DIYMusic]

yes, Raul, most definitely... This iphone app is, in fact, more accurate than any standalone tuner I've ever used, because of its studio mode

[@markcerisano4268]

+DIY Music I can understand, but the octaves won't be clean because the tuner doesn't have stretch. When you can get a unison to sound like a single string, then try to get an octave to sound like a unison. Measure the two notes and you'll find they are more than 2x apart. For example: A3A4 = 219.8 and 440 (Just for illustration. Not actual frequencies)

[@DIYMusic]

+Mark Cerisano I do the octaves by ear--I only tune the core octave around middle c with the tuner... watch part 2 of my tutorial to see my process

[@markcerisano4268]

DIY Music Right. But the notes within that core octave won't be stretched unless you have an ETD with stretch.

[@christianwouters6764]

If this gentleman follows his method tuning will last a whole day at the least. And that costs more than 80 $

[@vegasvalleypianotuningrepa9088]

I was a professional pianist for over 30 years. I spent about 8 hours a day either practicing or performing for almost all of my adult life. I thought I knew the piano pretty well - and I DID - as a player. But when I got into the Tuning & Tech trade, I was honestly shocked at what I didn't know or understand about tuning a piano. Seriously, it was almost like I'd never even touched one of these things before. So, let me tell you; Yes, you can do what Jesse does here - but this is not even remotely a "Professional" job. It's not even a "good" job of tuning the piano. Is it "good enough for your needs?" Fine - then DIY. Got a beater piano that you want to play around with? Go for it! But the folks here who have spent time learning about tuning, and temperament, and beats, and pin setting, etc can easily see how this can go very wrong, and they're trying to help everyone understand. What a strange world we live in where people assume that Knowledge and Experience equal elitism. It's not true. I also know a bit a about medicine, but I wouldn't give my sick friend a checkup with a kit I bought on Amazon, and call it "professional". Wanna take care of your piano? Call a pro.

[@rjh1226]

Long Island , in one day I found 20 Free Pianos… a Steinway Baby Grand was one of the Freebies. If you can move them, I’ll help you obtain them.

[@meyefratsinaga6885]

I'm a little difficult, to get the piano tuning key. Is this the same as the drum key?

[@DIYMusic]

no a piano tuning lever is very different from a drum key

[@meyefratsinaga6885]

@@DIYMusic thanks .... 😘😘😘😘

[@rodriguesamoye2034]

where can i find the tool using to tune the piano

[@elsapadilla2897]

Amazon

[@ricaramurica2260]

What apllication you use to tune the piano?

[@DIYMusic]

this is ultratuner, but any chromatic tuner will work

[@ricaramurica2260]

@@DIYMusic , you know an application for PC, i don't like ENROPY, DIRK and AL TUNER. You know other apllications ? For A0-B3 don't work very well

[@zackeryhardy9504]

@@ricaramurica2260 the best one for you to get is an actual piano tuner. Pianos are not tuned chromatically. They use equil temperament and have unique tunings as a result of the compromises that are required to build the instrament. You cannot make a chromatic tuner without making the piano 32 feet long. I would recommend tunelab as its free with some wait times, but if you are slow which you likely will be starting off it doesn't matter. If you have no problem throwing around money, there are aps like verituner, cyber-tuner, and full on standalone devices like the Sanderson acu-tuner which produce fantastic tunings. They also cost 1600 bucks and are ultimately a tool for a professional. I do not recomend you start with those tools and I have known many piano technicians who use tunelab professionally including CTEs who are the individuals who give out the tuning exam. Literally the best of the best use tunelab. The best of the best also use the other tuners I mentioned as well as others just using their ears. Ultimatly producing a good tuning is all about practice as the machine will always just get you close and doesn't have a bearing on how good of a tuner you are. A chromatic tuner will however lead you astray for everything but A4. every other note will be wrong.

[@spokeskeys6238]

Hey I also have a Baldwin Acrosonic! In my opinion it is probably the easiest piano to tune.

[@mark5862]

Great piano. I head one of these in a small church and thought it sounded better than any Yamaha I've heard, and it was a spinet!!

[@Speuh0]

I can only find the ultra tuner for an Android? Is that right? You also work with an iPhone, right? I am using the Ipgone 8. Greetings henk

[@DIYMusic]

yea I’m on iPhone, and while it’s still on my phone and working, I can’t find it on the app store-I guess they discontinued it

[@thomaslongnecker8060]

I'm a retired Registered Piano Tech. You'd be much better off hiring an experience AURAL TECHNICIAN and watch them knock out a tuning in 45min that will take YOU hours to do the way you're going about it. However, I DO admire your courage and willingness to try.

[@DIYMusic]

I'm all about that fine line between bravery and stupidity, but then again... failure is my preferred learning style! lol

[@rita1654]

I had some real good laughs reading through every comment, bless you all

[@erlindadaileg7283]

can u fix my keyboard, 5 keys r not playing .

[@yinan-piano-tuning]

我曾经修复过一架因为自己动手调音断了钢丝的钢琴，还好没有太大的问题…

[@coolfactsaboutsharks]

"I'll do it my self!" Now hold up little johnny

[@hywelgriffiths1871]

cool thanks. I'm tuning my mum's piano. I thought tuning a 12 string Ricky was hard enough!! a piano has a million strings!!

[@JoanKSX]

230 strings, I guess.

[@max2292]

How can i adjust the hammer to get a more mellow sound

[@zackeryhardy9504]

What you are referring to is voicing. Something that is very tricky. And this one is actually very tricky. Not all piano technicians can voice very well and it ultimately takes years of practice on thousands of hammers to do right. What you do is you use needles and you push them into the felt to make it less dense which makes the sound more dark and mellow. You put hammer hardener to get the hammers harder to make it sound bright. but remember. TRY THIS AT YOUR OWN RISK. I DO NOT TAKE ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR DAMAGE DONE TO YOUR PIANO AS A RESULT OF THIS. I highly recommend you stay away from voicing unless you are getting trained by a technician. or you are on a garbage piano, or your hammers are done anyway and you already are about to replace them. That is actually where a lot of people learn. They learn on the hammers that are going to be replaced just in case they destroy them. While tuning a piano yourself may result in a broken string or just a bad sounding instrument which really isn't much of an issue. Voicing may destroy parts that are very expensive to replace. I highly recommend you simply pay someone to voice your piano if its of quality. And I would make sure they are reputable. There are technicians that will voice your hammers, but also destroy them because they are just bad at it and charge you anyway for the "work."

[@call_me_iori]

Seeing that phone makes me realize how poor I am. That's the phone I use till now

[@DIYMusic]

no shame in that game… we all use what we’ve got

[@henyoScarlet]

I still dont get how to mute the other two strings. Somebody please explain it to me.

[@waynebyarlay8421]

just jam that foam wedge between the 2 other strings. If you're tuning the middle one, jam the foam wedge between the 2 outer strings and the ones next to them.

[@misamama2093]

How many strings per key? Note???

[@DIYMusic]

how many strings per note varies depending on the octave you're working on. lowest keys are one string per note, then it's two strings per note for a while, and the top half of the piano is 3 strings per note

[@audunjemtland8287]

How do you set a key? I notice if I tune it dead center, it falls back when I play.

[@zackeryhardy9504]

So that can be a couple of different things and most likely a combination of all of them. There is friction between the string and the parts where it touches medal. When you turn the pin you are stretching the string behind that cutoff point until it slips and then you hear the pitch change. If there is still a difference in tension, when you bang the note hard, it vibrates the string so that it slips and the tension equalizes setting it out of tune. You also have the problem of as you put more tension on the strings, the metal plate and wood bends and that decreases that actually lowers the tension on every single string in the piano that isn't the string you just tuned. So you got to tune it about 20% sharper than it was flat. So you look at how many cents flat it is, say its 10 cents flat. well you need to tune it 2 cents sharp. You do this for the entire piano and it should fall so that it is very close. So when you are making those changes, that 20% goes from being 2 cents off to .2 cents. You generally have to tune the piano 2 or 3 times if its really far out of pitch. The term for this is called a pitch raise. Do also know that the 20% rule is not exact. Its just a rough way of figuring it out so that you can get your piano close before you tune it finely. The first time you go through it you are just getting it close. Do not worry about getting it exact, because the pitch will change and it all that work you did to get it exact will be rendered pointless. Once its close then you can start making fine adjustments and the amount that the pitch changes will be so small that it doesn't matter.

[@audunjemtland8287]

@@zackeryhardy9504 That was an immensely thorough post. That tells it all and gives inspiration to tune more and better. Thank you so so much. Appreciate it SO much. Would love to get any tutorial material from you if you do have it. I love how you said this in a more layman way.

[@zackeryhardy9504]

@@audunjemtland8287 Honestly, tutorials aren't really where you get the bulk of your knowledge. I mean I can shoot a video and show you, but the issue is that every piano is different. 90% of what you need to learn is feel and hearing. The hardest part for me was hearing beat rates. An electronic tuner will get you close, but aural skills are necessary to get better. You don't necessarily need to learn how to tune an entire piano these days by ear, but you do need to be able to know when your machine has made a mistake. To that end the hard part is first to hear the beat rates. That is also something that is very hard to shoot a video of because the overtone beating often times requiring you to literally move your head to find the sound. The best resource unfortunately does require payment, but there is a tool produced by Tremaine Parsons. Just look up pscale and you will fine his website goptools. It basically plays audio in a way that lets you hear the beats very well. Now it sounds horrible and not very pleasant to listen to the notes, but that is intentional so that you can hear the beating notes. You can basically practice tuning on your computer for getting the aural skills and you can rely on the app to get your hammer technique down. If you are confused you can just send him an email and he will get back to you. If you ever meet him in real life know that he is a very nice guy and will gladly answer any questions you have. Do not be afraid to experiment with tuning techniques. A lot of stuff is about learning things that work for you. Just remember the cardinal rule which is "Do not keep tuning a string if the sound does not change." because 1 of 2 things will happen when you are doing that. you will either realize you are on the wrong note. or the string will brake. The other resources that I recommend is getting a book called Piano servicing, tuning, and rebuilding and it is by Arthur A. Reblitz. It is a super comprehensive book that goes over everything involving a piano. If you happen to brake something minor, this book will tell you how to fix it. It will also tell you how to get your piano working way better. Tuning is only 1 part. I think the most important part for playing is regulation as you want the keys consistent. You don't want to have one key soft and the key right next to it hard. Also you don't want keys pressing against each other or all other kinds of issues you can have. It also has a chapter on tuning which to be honest really didn't cut it for me understanding wise, but it may work for you. Anyway good luck.

[@audunjemtland8287]

@@zackeryhardy9504 Thank you so so much!!!! So nice in depth information. Unbeliavebly grateful

[@SagothBaal]

If it were 80$ were i live i would tune every 2 or 3 months.. last time i tuned i payed 400€

[@TeaSizzle]

Technical advice is always appreciated from a professional, however I enjoy this video because it brings additional information in the comments. Recently bought a $60 piano and, after moving it, I'd rather chop it up and throw it in my fire pit than pay someone to tune it. It doesn't need to be perfectly in tune. I'm not a pro. And it's a worthless piano. I've heard some amazing feeling come from out of tune instruments.

[@morgantcowell]

as a piano technician, this was a bit painful to watch. I understand not having the money, but pianos are delicate instruments and strings can break with just a bit of negligence.

[@jessebondmusic]

hey Morgan, I've tuned 3 different pianos a half-dozen times using this method, and I've never broken a string doing it... Also, that sound in my intro is from a early 1900s Beckwith piano I disassembled and abused with every instrument of torture I could find to get fun sound recordings--and even then, I never had a string break--so maybe they're not as delicate as you think they are! :^)

[@markcerisano4268]

+Jesse Bond +1

[@waynebyarlay8421]

If such is the case, then pianos and strings need to be re-engineered to fit with modern times. Better yet, I'll just buy a digital one next time.

[@Ja-cob1243]

I’ve been tuning pianos for 234 years pal. I started when I just 0 years old, in fact I tuned Beethovens piano once or twice before. I can tell you buddy that ain’t how you tune a piano. P.S you got soft hands brother.

[@Ja-cob1243]

And soft lips ;) call me

[@BigBoiSharkk]

@@Ja-cob1243 cap

[@jjjjquest9999]

Anyone can give advice. But let's please not assume that Jesse Bond knows anything about tuning a piano properly. You can watch a proper piano technician do it ... just once ... and then you can immediately see that almost everything that Jesse does is plain WRONG. I think it's shameful to put up a misleading video that might seem useful to someone uninitiated on this (or any) subject. If you don't know how to do something, don't show it the world.

[@davidjenson4512]

Wrong and misleading videos are a common thing on YooToob.

[@olddoug8945]

It does take a while to find a YT expert who actually knows what they are talking about.🤣

[@drnotes630]

In this thread: -Lots of actual piano tuners making valid points -lots of laymen making bad comparisons and useless anecdotes to discredit said actual information. It's no wonder people think onions draw toxins out your feet and oils can kill cancer. What do experts know! Bah, humbug.

[@duck_fx]

i tunned my own piano considerations: its not that good but its ok to the first try(all the notes sound good like 8/10 ) just try,and make smooth moviments with the hammer!

[@Drebolaskan]

I'm no musician by a long shot and was curious how tuning a piano could become a career for some people, consider it sated

[@stemart1641]

Jesse teaches you how to tune your own piano for a one-time investment of about $30 USD. .....That's a really bold statement. You've gotta learn before you can teach, Jesse. I suggest you go and watch some videos on youtube....start at howard piano industries, maybe.

[@veronica7751]

Interesting

[@buddyg2852]

Pretty helpful Thanks