Frequently Asked Questions About Piano Tuning in Sydney

How much does it cost to tune a piano in Sydney?

At Magico Piano Tuning, our standard tuning fee is $240, and this is for common modern upright and grand pianos. We do charge $300 for tuning old antique pianos because they are more difficult to service. Pitch Raise is also more expensive than standard tuning service. At $300 Pitch Raise service will restore concert pitch and then fine tuning. We strongly believe a good piano tuning service should be reasonably priced. Magico Piano Tuning will never simply compete on price and race the service quality to the bottom. How much piano tuning service costs in general also reflect piano technician’s experience and quality of work. Too low a price can only mean cutting corners somewhere.

Tuning by ear or by using an electronic tuning device(ETD)?

In this digital era, almost everything has been digitised, including piano tuning. Such softwares have enabled many new piano tuners get into business much quicker. Many professionally designed software are just precise and easy to use. However, here comes the catch. While it can make a person quickly become a piano tuner without years of training, it is in reality limiting a piano tuners ability to really precisely tune your piano. Think this way, tuning a piano using an ETD is just like driving following a GPS. Most of time when following a GPS you don’t know where you are and have no idea what to do if you make a mistake or GPS signal suddenly lost. You see each piano is different, you have to adapt to its unique design when tuning to achieve the most pleasing result. An ETD surely can get it close enough but very often it is still a bit off from perfect unless you overwrite manually based on what your hear.

How often should my piano be cleaned?

For exterior surface a weekly cleaning should be enough. Of course this depends on how dusty your room is. You can take 5 minutes a day to wipe the surface easily. For interior, it is necessary to have a deep cleaning every 3 years in a household environment. During the process, dust and any foreign object falling into your piano can be cleaned out, any pest and their waste will also be cleaned. This can prevent long term damage from pest or dust. For a piano that is not being used or in a storage setting, a full internal clean and inspection is recommended every 12 months. This is absolutely important to prevent pest residing in your piano and causing costly damage. This is a photo of a piano coming out of storage and what was found inside was shocking. 5 dead mice were located under the keyboard. There was also a nest under keyboard built from material from parts of that piano. For more details please see piano care page.

How Often Should I Have My Piano Tuned to Maintain Optimal Sound Quality?

Most pianos should be tuned at least once every 6 to 12 months to maintain stable pitch, consistent sound quality, and reliable performance. Regular tuning keeps the strings close to the correct tension and helps the instrument respond smoothly during practice and lessons.

Pianos that are used frequently — such as those in homes with students, teachers, or daily practice — often benefit from tuning every 6 months. This is especially important when preparing for music exams, performances, or regular teaching schedules, where consistent sound quality is essential.

Certain situations may require more frequent tuning, including:

• After moving the piano to a new home

• Following significant seasonal weather changes

• When the piano is played heavily every day

• If the instrument has not been tuned for several years

• In environments with noticeable temperature or humidity fluctuations

Regular maintenance not only improves sound quality but also helps protect the piano from long-term instability and reduces the likelihood of more complex adjustments in the future.

How to properly maintain a piano?

Maintain a stable temperature and humidity level (ideally between 35–50% relative humidity) to reduce tuning instability. Avoid direct sunlight. Keep the piano away from windows, radiators, and air vents to prevent environmental stress. If possible place your piano against internal walls. Schedule tuning sessions in advance, ideally around the same time each year, to ensure consistent maintenance. Regular cleaning is also a good tip.

What can be done if my piano doesn’t hold pitch for long?

It could be the problem of loose tuning pins. If a tuning pin is loose, the string under tension will slip on that tuning pin which means that string cannot be tuned.There are many ways to fix this and you might already heard from piano technician their methods: driving tuning pin further into pin block by using a hammer; replacing that tuning pin with a larger one; inserting a metal jacket into the tuning pin hole etc. Those methods can work to some extend but not without risk of further damaging tuning pin block. At Magico Piano, we use much more gentle way to fix this and certainly can avoid more damage. Contact us to find out more.

Which area do your services cover?

We come to you! That means wherever your piano is we will go there. Our piano services cover large areas in Greater Sydney including Eastern suburbs, Southern Sydney, Northern Sydney, Hills district, Western suburbs and more. We are happy to travel to your place. On time, on quote and professional services are what we proud of ourselves.

My piano keys are too heavy for me to play, can you make it lighter?

Absolutely. In fact, if you feel your piano is difficult to play, a full regulation is often the best solution. However if you don’t want to do that it can also be done by some adjustment to the piano mechanism(Actions). Once a customer asked me to make his piano’s bass keys lighter because his left hand was weak. It was done fairly quickly after tuning. So key touch can be adjusted to be lighter or heavier. Talk to us to find out how it is done.

My piano has broken keytops, can you replace them?

Yes if they are just plastic keytops. We will measure your keys and get the replacement keytops to best match the original. A full set of white key replacement can also be done. If your piano has old ivory keytops unfortunately we won’t be able to replace them unless using plastic keytops. We all love elephant.

Can you replace broken strings?

Yes we can. In fact when on the job we always carry some piano wires just in case some old strings snapped and need replacement. In a piano, there are a lot of plain steel wires which are easy to be replaced and can often be done straightway. There a also a lot of copper winding bass strings. If one of these are broken, we will need to take measurement of original string and order a new one to be custom made. So just remember if you have broken bass strings, please give us a call to arrange a time for us to come and take measurement. Otherwise we can replace steel piano wire on the day of service.

Why my piano is making tapping/buzzing noises?

This is a really difficult one. Tapping noise can come from many different places inside your piano and they are caused by different things. It often very tricky to diagnose. Based on our experience the causes could be loose piano parts, broken hammers, loose keytops, missing parts and the list can go on from there. Most of the cases can be successfully diagnosed and fixed quickly. There are some odd ones that can be a pain for everyone to fix especially those buzzing noises that are not caused by your piano but something else from surroundings. It could be a painting hanging on the wall, a music box on the shelf or the pencil holder on your desk. There are a lot of stuff around can make noises when piano is being played.

How long does it take to tune a piano?

For an experienced piano tuner it typically takes between 1 to 1.5 hours. If a piano is a good condition this normally can be done within 1 hour. New inexperienced piano technicians tend to take longer and stretch to 2 hours or more. No 2 pianos are the same even from the same brand and model. Some pianos are always easier than others to be tuned. But within 1 hour should still be a good benchmark.

Should my piano be tuned after moving?

Yes—your piano should almost always be tuned after being moved. Moving can slightly shift the frame or pinblock, causing the strings to lose or gain tension. Even minor vibrations or tilting during a move can subtly affect the action and alignment of the strings. Pianos are sensitive to environmental changes. Moving from one room or location to another can expose it to different humidity and temperature levels, causing the wood and felt to expand or contract. We recommend to have your piano tuned a few days after it was moved.

Can an old piano still be tuned?

Most old pianos can be tuned at least partially, and often fully if the structure is sound. However, the older the piano, the more likely it will need extra work to maintain tuning stability and quality tone especially if it wasn’t regularly serviced in the past. A professional piano tuner should inspect the piano to see if it can safely be tuned. For very old or neglected pianos, multiple tuning sessions over weeks may be required to bring it up to concert pitch.

What is Pitch Raise

If a piano hasn’t been tuned for a long time, the strings lose tension and the overall pitch drops (often way below standard “A440”). If you try to tune it directly to the correct pitch, the huge change in tension will cause other notes to slip out of tune immediately. So, our piano tuner first does a pitch raise—a quick, rough tuning that brings all notes up closer to the right tension. Then they do the fine tuning for accuracy. It’s like inflating a soft basketball in two stages—first pump it up roughly to shape, then add the exact air pressure. After pitch raise your piano may need a period to adjust to this new level of tension and become stable. A follow up fine tuning after 3 months is highly recommended.

What is Concert Pitch?

Today, it means A above middle C vibrates at 440 Hz. It’s the reference note orchestras, bands, and tuners use so everyone plays in tune together. 

Before the 20th century, there was no universal pitch—each city, court, or organ builder set their own standard. One orchestra’s “A” might be 415 Hz (low, warm), another’s could be 452 Hz (bright, piercing). This caused chaos—traveling musicians had to constantly retune, and instruments couldn’t always adjust.

Before standardisation for example in Baroque times, “A” could range from about 390 Hz to 470 Hz depending on location and purpose. Chamber pitch (lower) was gentler on singers. Church pitch (often higher) sounded brighter in large spaces. Even within the same city, the opera house might use one pitch and the church another.

In 1939, an international conference agreed on A = 440 Hz as the reference. Later, ISO (International Organization for Standardization) formally adopted it in 1955 (ISO 16).

It’s a bit like railway tracks—before standard gauge rails, every region had different widths and trains couldn’t travel freely. Concert pitch was music’s version of agreeing on the same “track width” for notes.

My piano is in good condition why it goes out of tune so quickly?

Humidity and temperature changes are the main factors. Piano strings are wrapped around a wooden soundboard. Wood expands in high humidity (pushing the bridge up and stretching the strings sharp) and shrinks in low humidity (loosening the strings and making them flat). Even a daily swing from air-conditioning during the day to warm nights can throw the tuning off in weeks. In Sydney, for example, can have quite large seasonal humidity shifts — summer storms one week, dry heat the next. Try manage your room’s climate as best as you can with air condition, heater or dehumidifier. You might need to combine all of those method to manage a stable climate for your piano.

Fine Tuning vs. Pitch Raise — What’s the Difference?

If you’re looking for a perfect piano sound, it’s important to understand the difference between a pitch raise and fine tuning.

• Pitch Raise: When a piano hasn’t been tuned for a long time, the strings lose tension and the overall pitch drops. A pitch raise is the process of carefully restoring correct string tension and setting the tuning pins back to the proper level. This step is essential before accurate tuning can be done, otherwise the piano won’t stay stable.

• Fine Tuning: Once the strings and pins have settled after a pitch raise, a fine tuning session ensures every note is precisely adjusted. This process refines the final pitch, balances the temperament, and delivers the clarity and resonance that makes your instrument truly sing.

Whether your piano needs a pitch raise to restore stability or just a fine tuning to perfect the tone, our expert Sydney piano tuner provides reliable service with aural precision.

Book your professional piano tuning in Sydney today and bring back the brilliance of your piano.

What Are the Signs That My Piano Needs Voicing or Regulation Services?

Pianos naturally change over time as internal components wear and respond to regular use. When this happens, the instrument may still be in tune but feel or sound different to play. Voicing and regulation services help restore proper tone and touch so the piano performs comfortably and consistently.

You may notice the need for voicing when the piano’s sound quality changes. Common signs include:

• The tone sounds too bright, harsh, or metallic

• The piano sounds dull or lacks clarity

• Some notes sound noticeably louder or softer than others

• The sound feels tiring or unpleasant during longer practice sessions

• The tone has changed after many years of regular playing

You may notice the need for regulation when the piano’s touch or responsiveness changes. Typical signs include:

• Some keys feel heavier or lighter than others

• Keys do not repeat quickly or consistently

• Playing softly becomes difficult to control

• The keyboard feels uneven or less responsive than before

• The piano feels harder to play than it used to

These changes often develop gradually and are especially common in pianos used regularly for lessons, teaching, or daily practice. Addressing voicing or regulation early helps maintain consistent performance, improves playing comfort, and supports long-term reliability of the instrument.

Can a Piano Be Tuned After 20 Years?

Yes — in most cases, a piano can still be tuned even after 20 years without maintenance. Many pianos across Sydney sit unused for long periods in homes, schools, or storage, yet remain structurally sound and capable of producing good musical tone once properly serviced.

When a piano has been neglected for many years, the strings usually fall well below the correct pitch. In these situations, the piano cannot simply be tuned in a single step. Instead, the pitch must be raised carefully before the final tuning is completed. This controlled process protects the strings and internal structure while restoring the piano to a stable, playable condition.

The most important factor is not the age of the piano, but its overall condition. Well-built instruments often respond surprisingly well to professional tuning, even after long periods of inactivity. With proper care and regular maintenance afterward, many neglected pianos can return to reliable performance and continue serving families and students for many years.

If you are unsure whether your piano can be tuned after a long time without servicing, a professional assessment is the best first step. In many cases, the instrument simply needs careful attention to bring it back to life.