First Piano Tuning evaluation video

[willemvdr12]

Aren´t you turning the pins a bit much? I would think that's not good for the grip of the tuning pins in the tuning block, and will cause a faster ''getting false'' of the strings? (Don't know how to say it right in english)

[RastaGirl331]

I thought on pianos that havent been tuned in 2+ years (and this is so awfully out of tune lol) that they have to have a "Pitch Raise", because if you bring it up too quickly is can stress the plate. Is this what you're doing? - Also, Great vid, Cheers!

[coninbrigia]

very good I like you

[GenMata]

How far into the course was it before this evaluation?

Are you getting lots of tuning jobs now?

[Drumdok89]

ive been thinking about getting some piano tuning tools, is it worth it?

[poultryenthusiast]

@Drumdok89 Well it would take a while to start making money at it if that is what you are going for, and without an electronic tuner it would prolly take quite a while before you could give a piano a decent tuning by ear, but it is a good thing to know how to do if you are an active musician. Also if you are ever recording a piano and one or 2 notes are off it prolly wouldn't take long for you to get good enough to tweak those few notes that are off so the recording isn't terrible.

[datacadman]

@poultryenthusiast Well if you can't afford one of those really good electronic tuners but have an electronic keyboard. You can tune by ear off of that. Wiping rusty strings with some solvent like Hopps No. 9 from a gun shop or I've seen some use kerosene might liven up the strings but the action might be slightly out of alignment as well.

I'm trying to learn how to do this too and you do need that tuning hammer and those dampers which you could make yourself but not the tuning hammer.

[alejandrocolorado]

what is the name of the music on the background?

[puolitauko]

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EI OSAA ..

[dogsbody49]

It sounds if the dampers are not lifting off the strings in the base.

[mikeye9]

Wow, it was really out of tune.

[DICACIO1]

maybe lacquer or some other product was used to brighten up the piano at the low end felt hammers. its possible using a 'voicing fork' to pick & fluff out the hammer felt may make the low strings sound better...

if not, time for new strings

[MikeNvS]

You just saved me $120 a year

[jstrong1979]

the string and tune, if this does not do the trick, its most likely shot.  The next step would be to restring the bass section, which would require you to repin the block, also mabye doing some work with the bass bridge and sound board at this time if needed. good luck.

[jstrong1979]

Ok, I have repaired many pianos, that have bass strings that sound this way... First off, there is a reason the church had it out for free, Simply, the bass string are shot, as in DEAD. Many old bass strings will get to sounding this way after many years of use. There isnt much you cand to to fix it, other than to loosen the string, and give it a half turn or so in the direction of the windings, then replace

[HaleyC1231]

The boingy song sounds like the string is too tight. And pounding on the piano doesn't help it tune

[HaleyC1231]

The boingy song sounds like the string is too tight

[Featureman]

Great video. I am still trying to figure how to remove the wood boards that cover the keys.

[TheScriabin]

Hi. I'm think about training. Is it important to have perfect pitch?

[HarrisonWoodMusic]

@TheScriabin I'll answer this one...Not at all! As long as you can hear all the notes, from the lowest pitch to the highest, you'll be fine. Although having a tuner in your head wouldn't hurt.

[Flame0213]

hey i just got a new piano, and have been thinking about tunning it my self, but when i see the inside of the piano, you got two strings for one note, how you know which one you have to move?

[poultryenthusiast]

@Flame0213 Both have to be moved and on the mid to high notes you should have 3 strings, in which case all 3 must be moved.

[KATIE8700000]

My family payed a man from our church to come & tune our piano every year. Instead, 1 year we decided to go with an add from the yellow pages (sounded promising); the man from this add said something like "your piano sounds like it hasn't been tuned in 20 years." He had this kinda small digital pocket electronic device, which seemed to grade the tone of individual keys. After working for several hours he played Chopin... playing all piano songs after that, sounded very different lol.

[doneaster]

In my experience spinet piano's are harder to tune because the short length of the strings causes a lot of false beats and inharmonicity. Larger piano's are much easier to tune.

[pianorecyclenyc]

Great Job!

Im going to direct all my used piano customers here to check out and learn how to tune their piano.

Here in New York City we professionally remove, dispose of and recycle all working, non working and junk pianos. Fair rates starting at $149.00 WE RECYCLE NYC Tom Ryan 646 717 7558 direct.

[viautoff]

the strange sound of bass strings: the bridge in not attached to the soundboard. Try pressing on the bridge toward the sound board and see if 'mute' sound disappears...

[KayBullTVonCD]

all we need now is some keystone beer and girls jumping on trampolines.

[hinnersorgans]

Good luck on your tuning. If the action was not aligned properly, then the bass notes( others too for that matter) would not sound as they should. This looks to be an old piano; perhaps the bass windings have dirt in them? If that is the case, time for new strings there. Rust is not a good thing on piano strings. Have fun and good luck on you becoming a piano technician.

[RagtimeIrvin]

that is the worst brand of pianos ewww

[Carlm2]

I always wanted to be a piano tuner. I was going to do a course at college,, but it was too far away from from me. I wished I'd kept my old piano just to try it out. I want to know where I can get one from really cheap. My piano tuner was great, he'd been doing for 30 years!

[rbushey4]

I'm sure you've figured out the bass "thud" issue by now, but I agree the it's probably the hammers are blocking. You likely bumped the backchecks while putting the action back in. That will cause them to not rebound back and catching far enough from the strings, and it can also cause it to bounce right back into the string immediately after being played. I would always check action alignment, backchecks, then letoff to see if the hammers were responding properly. Rule out easy stuff first.

[poultryenthusiast]

It takes a lifetime I guess.lol you never stop learning, but I think if you put your mind to it 6 months or so and you could be giving pianos a decent tuning job. The Verituner makes it easy.

[freezazoid]

@poultryenthusiast haha... nice plug for your product. I could tune a piano with a tuning fork and a freaking wrench!!! although I use a boss tuner and a piano tuning wrench.

[hargohargo2]

how long does it take to become a professional tuner?

[Mr6sess]

That "boingy" sound is by the vibration of the string being unevenly obstucted.

[CharmedQuarkZ99]

Never heard of a temperament unison? I use a C fork and tune aurally

[willemvdr12]

I think the hammers of the bass strings that sound weird stay too close to the strings,

maybe if you push hard they'll even touch the strings, so they can't vibrate (well).

Try push the sustainpedal and play the weird bass notes staccato (I don't know if they call it the same in america, but give the key just a little tick and remove your finger quickly, with the sustain pedal pushed) , if they don't sound weird anymore when you do that, then that's the problem.

[c0string]

40, right string, too much back n forth, bad for pinblock.

[marimbaman89]

Oh ok I just use my eyes but I can see why you would do that.

[marimbaman89]

I have a question...why did you touch the hammer to the string each time you went to tune a string before you placed the hammer on the pin? Is this supposed to remove rust or something? Thanks

[Honken]

@marimbaman89

He's just sliding the hammer along the string to find out which pin it belongs to.

[haloexpert96]

i have a piano that needs new shanks and hammers and is way out tune i wil be tuning it soon. I have the same preoblem with the weird sound when you get in the lower octaves. does anyone know what this problem is because i think it has to do with weathering on the action.

[uknget]

i am starting confuse, there are 3 string in each not but he only tune 2 strings in each not. what happaned ?

i think one of 3 strings in each not is already in tuned, he only adjust 2 string more in each not. i feel he can't tune the correct not only by hear. it's not tuning but only adjusting..

[a1r1o1n1]

you need new bass strings!!

[praestant8]

Hmm, yes if there's an action alignment problem that will of course cause damped strings. I would check the damper to be sure it is clearing evenly and is properly aligned. Anything after that is going to be more serious from hammer felt to structural or string problems. A fair job getting the unisons but not perfection. That's more a matter of practice and technique getting used to the tuning hammer and learning the quirks of each piano.

[praestant8]

@cody1800212 No it's probably $2,000 to restring the entire piano, which for a piano of that age is not unreasonable. A single string replacement for custom bass strings should be less than $150. With some work a rebuilt old upright (upright grand) can be a very fine instrument. They don't make them like they used too!

[patsaxon]

It has something to do to the hammers as that is what is causing the problem. You should use a Strobe tuber to accurately tune to A-440 and also make it faster than use your ear. I use a Conn Strobo Tuner as it is most popular for piano tuners and musicians.

[Raventothemax]

@patsaxon you shouldn't use a electronic tuner at all. The ear gives a better tune to the piano than electronics ever will. Every piano is different, every player is different. Its a remarkable skill. An electronic tuner just gives you a crutch, anyone could tune the piano with it, takes skill to set the F and A to 7 beats a second.......just my opinion

[DrIntrebec]

also his first b looks like it is very low action and it'll take nothing to play that string. also the reason why the notes sound that way is that those strings are probably over 55 years old and if not changed within 55 years its like a guitar after 6 months. the strings will age and get weathered and also rusty. so chap you gotta get new strings. unless you keep these suckers. its like a stratocaster. use the whammy too much they go out of tune. same as if you keep playing this piano. welcome.

[Pianotec]

Hi, I hope you learned not to bend the tuning pins as you do there, this is very bad for pin blocks. I made a few videos on correct pin settling - just the most basic way to settle to the max by untwisting motion of the pin and "charging" of the system. First you may learn to feel the move in parallel with the piano, then you can learn how much you are pushing on the pin one direction or the other.

keeping the ankle on a firm place is necessary at last to learn. play softer...

[Hakan625]

Why do you tune down to the right pitch? I thought that the tension on the strings would stay more stable if it were tuned up? Or does this not apply for the piano?

[caladbolge]

this is scary because i broke my sisters guitar string carelessly and ever since ive been afraid of tuning strings :(.

[titinice06]

about the basses there is no problem withe the let off nor withe the bridge. strings are dead. u should try to turn them if u see what i'm talking about. there is one chance unpon two to restore a correct sound. good luck

[szimanka]

Do dupy z takim strojeniem! To leszcz jakiś jest i wypłosz! Chyba nawet głuchy jest!

[Sheckywoo]

Yeah.. I'm sure you figured it out -- it is blocking in the bass -- I would say adjust letoff but since you removed the action you probably have a loose rail(or something) that moved when you put the action back in, it's an easy fix(if it weren't spinet... bah) - I'm sure you knew that but maybe it will help someone else -- hope you finished your course ... I didn't :)

[ChucklesKeys]

it sounds like the bass strings are DEAD. That happens with old pianos over time. Since it had been exposed to the elements, moisture and such causes rust to form below the copper and steel on wound strings, and then there is dirt. Replacement is the best option. Usually not cost effective in a spinet piano, but good practice for a learning tech.

[tropix89]

the unison of all 5 notes wasn't perfect when you ran over each note toward the end... make sure you listen for beating harmonic overtones, and when you tune make sure you hear none of that for unison notes. it was most obvious on your D and F.

And when you tune a note, always fine-tune it FROM BELOW the actual pitch, because that way you fight against the piano's natural tendency to go flat, and the tuning will be more stable over time, and with hard, fortissimo playing. Good effort overall.

[mundusvultdicipi]

so is he tuning it in unison to another note, like the middle string or something?

[eltonjohnfan100]

the piano was still out of tune i would like to talk more about this.

[erodthevrod]

Hey I am taking Randy's course too. Maybe your bass bridge is busted. That could be it with the wierd bass notes. I have had that a few times when helping friends. Not enough down bearing...

[KarlPeeler]

I just tuned my piano for the first time. I watched your video and heard that noise. When tuning my own piano, I noticed that that sound was present when all the strings were not perfectly pitched to one another. I would tweak it just a little until I got the perfect pitch of the note on all the strings. I just keep listening until the wobble went away. I just watched a couple of videos and went to work. I only broke two wires (lol). Good luck!

[RidleySS18]

looks like your hammers are blocking in the bass, but I'm sure you figured that out a year ago, haha

[divawalking]

Are you tuning the left and right strings to the middle string? Thanks.

[RFawakhiri92]

Well I noticed that when you would kind of mess up and go over pitch, then you would tune it back down to pitch. I'm pretty sure if you go over pitch, then you should tune the string lower that the original pitch then go back up to pitch.

[vibes22]

nope.

[RFawakhiri92]

I'm not really sure about that on piano, but I play guitar and it's always recommended that if I go over pitch, then I would have to do that whole process.

[youllregretit]

piano and guitar strings with completely different technologies. on guitar you go lower then higher so the gear head locks. on piano you want to go down in tension so the ending position is not the most tense part of the tuning for then its tendency would be to flatten.

[tnmtemerity]

Well, your so cute you make watchig a piano being tuned fun.

[ChucklesKeys]

Try easing up the pressure on the hammer when the beat rate is slowing down while continuing to strike the key. Hammer position should be leaning more towards the 1 o'clock position. Try to brace you arm against the top of the piano instead of having your elbow up in the air. You can steady your hammer in your hand by placing fingers on the top of the wrest plank (pin block) while pushing slightly towards the pure point (from sharp to pure)with soft part of hand between thumb and first finger.

[tunemypiano88]

Yes it's possible to tell you MAY have installed the action incorrectly. Have you checked out the soundboard? Do you see cracks? Cracks in the bridge? Chances are likely there are cracks developed in the soundboard, causing the natural crown to flatten. The bridges, in essence, are following the soundboard where the downbearing is now affected.

Just a thought

[anopendoorpost]

Someone told me when I was just starting, to learn to tune verticals with the left hand and grands with the right. Good advice for me. Why? It all has to do with the hammer postion. In the vid, the hammer was 11:00 and using the right hand, arkward and not good. As already suggested 1:00 is much better with the right hand as you are PULLING the pin. Try sitting 180, and hammer at 11:00 and push-bumping the pin in small increments with your Left hand. Again, MOVE the PIN in small increments.

[vidjo08]

ok it sounds like the action on your lower octave is off a little thats all

the same thing happened to the higher octave on mine

also another suggestion, dont do it in your laundry room

or atleast when theres laundry on

it needs to be COMPLETELY quiet in the house when you tune

it can throw you off a little

and on a piano, that little bit can be the difference

good job for a first time!

-JOe

[poultryenthusiast]

Thanks for the advice. I'll give it a go.

[Turkeydoodlers]

Hi, you didnt put the action back in right, its in a bit off on the bass side, thats whay it sounds that way, pull it out re alighn it

[poultryenthusiast]

thanks for the info. I'll give it a try.

[poultryenthusiast]

which way does it need to be adjusted? toward the strings? away from the strings? up or down?

[catchmus]

Hi there, thanks for putting the video up. Have you tried to get Randy to view it? I emailed it to him hopeing to send it that way. I don't have a way to burn a CD or DVD and thought this might be a way around that. But so far I've not heard anything from Randy one way or another. Let me know if you do. Good luck with the course.

Alan

[poultryenthusiast]

hey Alan, I thought I would ask him if he wouldn't mind watching them on here but I haven't yet. I'll let you know what I find out. Did you just start this year too? hope things are going well for you. Lets keep in touch stick to this course until it is done eh? =D Keep up the good work.