First tuning

[nicolaievich]

How much time would take to tune a piano if I know the process but it would be the first time I do it?

[gfiore]

 Well, assuming that you can set a temperament, count beat rates, tune unisons beatless, and put the proper amount of stretch in the bass and high treble, 90 minutes is the industry average.
 If you've never tuned a piano before, it will take you the next ten years of your life. Tuning is an art form. Many tuners will tell you it takes your first 500 pianos to be a mediocre tuner, and your first 1000 to be considered  just okay.
 Here's some advice, don't try to tune your own, or anyone else's piano. Pay a tuner to do it right. You going to wind up paying one anyhow when you realize how very difficult tuning a piano really is.

[andyd]

Well put Curry. 

I thought much along the same lines as nicolaievich back in the late 1980's, even investigating a two/three year tuning course.  In the end I opted to use my time playing.

When the tuner comes round I sit and listen but still find it so difficult to hear never mind count beats, though I can usually get the unisons.  But then he fine tunes.  All I can say is a good tuner is worth it.
He's shown me the beats on the lower notes, and I asked him if he'd ever tuned an Imperial.  He reckons the extra low notes are almost impossible to get right.   Does this make sense?  Is is easier to tune the higher you go?

Andy

[gfiore]

 The Imperial is harder to tune in the bass. This is because the extended bass of the Imperial starts to approach the lower end of audible pitches that our human hearing can discern.

[nicolaievich]

Well, I agree with you gfiore. I know it's too difficult but the old man who came last time to tune my own piano was a complete dissaster. My piano was tuned before this but lower than 440Hz and it has been like that for a long time. So he decided to take it up to 440Hz and he came a second time to retouch, but he could not get the right tune, and now my piano sounds pretty horrible, specially at lower notes and higher notes. I saw how he did it, using a chromatic electronic tuner, and I think I would do it better, but probably spending much more time.

[gfiore]

 N, why don't you find another tuner. It's not that hard to find a good one.

[nicolaievich]

I don't have the money by the moment 

[quantum]

I acquired a junk piano a while ago and began experimenting tuning on that.  Beats were really hard to hear at the beginning.  I've read several books on the subject, just for knowledge sake.  Now, I'm confident enough to fix the odd sour note on my grand.  As my piano get's a fair amount of use, I may do this mabe once a week to keep it in check. 

You may wish just to start with fixing sour unisons in the middle of the piano and see how that goes.  This will probably fix most of the objectionable sounds and be good enough inbetween your turner's regular visits.  I still always have my tuner come in every six months. 

I would agree with the others and say, don't try to tune your whole piano just yet. 

[nicolaievich]

Yeah, I agree with you. I am afraid to touch my piano by the moment.
Would it be a good idea to start learning to hear beats and all that using a guitar for example? In that case I will have to pick up a book of this topic, I have an idea of vibrations and all that beacuse I study Physics, but I don't remember some things.

[pianopitchman]

HIRE A NEW PIANO TUNER.  I know you said that you don't have the money right now, but think of it this way: a decent tuning hammer will cost you at least $50.  The half dozen strings you break will cost you another chunk of change.  The psychiatrist to try to reassemble your sanity after attempting to tune your own piano will be quite pricey even with a good health plan.