Frequently Asked Questions

We recommend tuning your piano at least once per year, ideally twice annually—once in the fall after your heating system turns on (which dries out the air) and again in spring. Pianos in professional use, recording studios, or concert halls may require more frequent attention, sometimes quarterly.

New pianos that have just been delivered or moved should be tuned 2-4 times during their first year as the strings stretch and the instrument settles into its new environment. Colorado's dramatic altitude and humidity changes mean your piano may benefit from more frequent tuning than pianos in more stable climates.

Pianos go out of tune primarily due to changes in humidity and temperature. The approximately 230 strings in a piano are under tremendous tension—totaling around 20,000 pounds of pressure. When humidity rises, the wood in the soundboard absorbs moisture and expands, increasing tension on the strings and raising pitch. When humidity drops, the opposite occurs.

Other factors include regular playing (especially forceful playing), the natural elasticity of the tuning pins, and settling of the strings in new pianos. In Colorado, our dramatic altitude changes and dry mountain air create particularly challenging conditions that accelerate pitch drift.

A standard tuning typically takes 1.5 to 2 hours, depending on the piano's condition and whether any additional adjustments are needed. If your piano has not been tuned in several years and requires significant pitch raising (bringing all strings back to proper pitch), plan for 2-3 hours as this may require multiple tuning passes.

We always recommend allowing extra time in your schedule, as we take our time to ensure the job is done right. We won't rush through a tuning just to meet a schedule—we want your piano sounding its absolute best.

Yes! While we're based in Vail, we regularly service clients throughout Colorado including Aspen, Snowmass, Carbondale, Glenwood Springs, Eagle, Edwards, Frisco, Breckenridge, Boulder, and the greater Denver metro area. We also serve clients in Summit County and along the Front Range.

For locations outside our regular service routes, we may require a travel fee or minimum service commitment. Contact us with your location and needs, and we'll be happy to let you know how we can help.

Absolutely! We frequently work on pianos that haven't been tuned in 5, 10, even 20+ years. However, these instruments typically require "pitch raising"—a process where we gradually bring the piano back to A440 (concert pitch) over multiple tuning sessions to avoid stressing the soundboard, bridges, and pinblock.

We'll assess your piano's condition during our first visit and recommend the appropriate approach. In some rare cases, if a piano has been severely neglected, we may discover damage that requires repair before tuning can proceed safely.

Voicing is the process of adjusting the tone quality of a piano by manipulating the hammer felts. While tuning ensures each string is at the correct pitch, voicing ensures the overall tonal character is balanced and pleasing to your ear.

You may benefit from voicing if your piano sounds too bright or harsh, too mellow or dull, or if different registers don't blend well together. Voicing is especially valuable for concert artists or recording situations where specific tonal characteristics are desired. Many clients discover they love the improvement voicing makes to their piano's sound.

Our standard piano tuning starts at $150. This includes the service call and tuning of your piano at your location within our regular service area. Additional services such as pitch raising ($75+), voicing adjustments ($50+), and minor repairs are priced separately.

We provide upfront pricing before beginning any work, and you'll never be surprised by hidden fees. For grand pianos or pianos requiring extensive pitch raising, pricing may be higher. Contact us for a quote specific to your situation.

Action regulation is the process of adjusting the mechanical components of the piano action to factory specifications (or optimized settings). The action is the mechanism that translates your keypresses into hammer strikes on the strings, and it has dozens of critical measurements that must work in harmony.

Over time and with use, components compress, wear, and shift slightly. This can result in inconsistent touch, uneven response, or keys that feel "off." Regulation restores the precise relationships between components, giving you consistent touch and optimal playability. We recommend regulation every 5-10 years for most pianos.

Preparing for your tuning appointment helps us work efficiently:

• Clear the area around the piano so we can access all sides comfortably
• Remove any items from the top of the piano
• Ensure someone is available to provide access (especially for homes with locked gates or buildings with security)
• Let us know in advance if there are any specific concerns with your piano
• Keep pets secured in another room during the appointment

For grand pianos, we may need space to open the lid fully. The room should be at normal living temperature if possible.

The fundamental difference is the orientation of the strings and soundboard. In an upright piano, these run vertically behind the keyboard, while in a grand piano they run horizontally, parallel to the keyboard. This design difference affects sound projection, tonal quality, touch response, and maintenance requirements.

Grand pianos generally produce a richer, more complex tone with better sustain and dynamic range. The action mechanism in grands is also more responsive and offers greater expressiveness. Uprights are more compact and generally less expensive to maintain, but can still provide excellent musical experiences when properly maintained.