Up to a 60-minute drive
Professional Piano Tuning
Professional piano tuning done by ear for homes, schools, churches, and performance venues around Harrisburg. I tune to Standard Pitch A=440, unless requested otherwise.
- Tuning by ear
- Insured piano & organ moving
- One technician, start to finish
- Serving Harrisburg, Hershey, Carlisle, Halifax, and greater Central PA
A piano goes out of tune due to humidity changes or playing with high volume. Dry air causes the wooden soundboard to contract. This reduces the strings' tension and makes the pitch go flat. High humidity can make the strings go sharp. Modern pianos have around twenty tons of tension on the approximately two hundred and twenty strings. A piano should be tuned twice a year according to most piano manufacturers and piano tuners.
A tuning visit is also an inspection. The tuning lever will be used to determine if the tuning pins are tight enough. Scott will play the piano to find any sticking keys, buzzing dampers and other noises, and check for lost motion, which greatly affects the touch, power, and control. Scott will also check the pedals and make a simple adjustment to the sustain pedal (right pedal) if needed at no charge. Customers appreciate not having to press the pedal all the way to the floor before the dampers respond.
The need for repairs or adjustments is discussed with the pianist, along with the cost, before any work is performed. Many times, a sticking key is a repair that costs less than twenty dollars.
Please have the piano cleared off and ready for me to open. It is not necessary for the piano to be pulled away from the wall. I do my best work in a well lit area and a quiet environment. Thank you!
Who calls for this
- Families whose piano has not been touched in several years and now sounds flat against a recording or a second instrument.
- Churches and schools with an instrument that gets played hard, in a room whose heating swings hard with it.
- Performers and venues who need the piano true for a specific date, including stage work around Harrisburg.
Up to a 60-minute drive
Ask a questionHow it goes
From the first phone call to a piano you can enjoy
Tell me about the piano
Tell me as much as you can about your piano including when it was last tuned. A piano that has gone without tuning for a decade may need a pitch raise first, and it is fairer to say that on the phone than to discover it in your living room.
The tuning itself
The temperament is set by ear, then carried octave by octave across the instrument. Most pianos take an hour-and-one-half to tune. The ones that have drifted a long way take longer or need a second pass.
What comes after
Anything found along the way is explained plainly: a keytop that needs replacing, an action that wants adjusting, a humidity problem worth solving with a Dampp-Chaser. Nothing is done that you have not agreed to.
What helps on the day
- I need quiet to do my best work.
- I need clear access to the piano, so remove objects from it.
- Good lighting is helpful.
On stage
Tuned for hundreds of concerts
Scott has tuned for hundreds of pop, jazz, opera, holiday and big band concerts in the Harrisburg and Central PA area, including those of:
- Tony Bennett
- Marvin Hamlisch
- The Duke Ellington Orchestra
- Lynyrd Skynyrd
- Aerosmith
- Rick James
- Take 6
- Jimmy Wood
- Kat Edmonson
- Buddy Rich
- Tito Pointe
- Michel Petrucciani
- Eliane Elias
- Huey Lewis and The News
- Petula Clark ("Downtown")
- Kenny Barron
- Steve Rudolph
- McCoy Tyner
- Cyrus Chesnut
- Pancho Sanchez
- Jimmy Webb
- Ronnie Waters
- Reuben Brown
- Michael Brecker
- Wynton Marsalis
Questions people ask
Tuning is booked up to a 60-minute drive from Harrisburg. If you sit just outside that, call and ask.
See the full service area+What makes a piano go out of tune?
Humidity changes are the number one cause of a piano going up and down in pitch. Stable humidity and environment are desirable. I recommend a humidity control system for many pianos, and I can install one. The number two cause of a piano going out of tune is a lot of playing, or playing with a lot of force.
+How often should I tune my piano?
Piano manufacturers and piano tuners recommend tuning twice a year. Steinway recommends four times a year. If you wait more than a year, your piano might need a preparatory tuning called a Pitch Raise before it can be tuned to the standard pitch A=440.
+How do you determine to what pitch a piano should be tuned?
I use a tuning fork that matches the standard pitch A=440. Sometimes I use an electronic strobe tuner. I prefer tuning by ear. Not all pianos can be tuned to standard pitch, but most can.
+What is a "Pitch Raise?"
A pitch raise increases string tension and flexes the crown (arch) of the soundboard to match standard pitch. This allows the piano to be tuned to standard pitch.
+Can I tune my piano the same day it is moved?
You can, but I recommend waiting a few days, or even two weeks, before tuning it.
Also offered
Piano & Organ Moving
Insured piano and organ moving, including grands, uprights, and player pianos, with the equipment and crew needed for success. 1000s moved.
Piano & Organ MovingPiano Repairs
From sticking keys to broken strings, from simple adjustments to worn out action parts; the problem is diagnosed in your home and discussed before any work begins. Prices are very reasonable.
Piano RepairsAdditional Services
Everything else a piano owner needs, from appraisals and cleaning to Dampp-Chaser installation, used piano sales, piano disposal, and stage dollies for grands.
Additional ServicesBook professional piano tuning
Call or text me and we'll set up an appointment. Appointments available Monday through Saturday.