Playing on a badly tuned piano.

[chopinlover96]

Is it bad for a pianist to play on a badly tuned piano. Whenever i go and see my Gran i have to put up with playing on the worstly tuned piano ever!

[49410enrique]

i refused a few times in the past, then relented to people's pleas, then regretted it. i refuse completely from now on. never again! think about it like this, the out of tune notes are 'wrong' notes, if the whole instrument sounds awefuly you didn't play a single thing right. insist they tune it if they want it played.

[jimbo320]

Don't ever play an out of tune piano. Part of learning is ear training which would suffer if not in tune...

[quantum]

I'd play on one for doing certain styles of improvisation.  It can be quite fun when playing along with properly tuned instruments.  I remember a harpsichord at the university which only had the bottom manual tuned, the top manual was 1/4 tone flat or more.  That was so cool to play, two tunings on one instrument.  

On the other hand, for mostly all other music I do insist on a properly tuned and maintained instrument.  On my own piano I'll very frequently pull out the tuning hammer to correct the slightest out of tune unison.  

[indianajo]

If you're related to the owner of the vile piano, tune it.  I just tuned my Sister-in-law's piano for Christmas.  We had a happy Christmas, Took a day and a half.  I played a few carols and arrangements for Christmas. She thanked me. It still needs a good pro tuning, but he won't have to start 1/2 tone flat.  I had to tune my Steinway seven times (not tuned since 1966), and finally use the Hammond H100 organ as referance to get the top octave perfect.  
I improvised the tuning key out of a 5/16" quarter drive socket, and a long arm 5/16" allen wrench.  I  pluck the strings with my fingers, don't need damper sticks. I hold the two octaves in reference damper off with rolls of coins, and used a guitar tuning fork on G.   I warned her a string could break beforehand, but luckily it didn't.  Wear safety glasses, a broken string can throw metal fragments.