When you have your piano tuned it can be really interesting to understand what they are actually doing and how they are doing it! A barrier to this is understanding the basic terms that piano tuners use in relation to their craft. Read this short blog to understand the basics of some of the more common piano tuning terms.
Temperament
The temperament is the first tuning process which a piano tuner will follow and involves tuning the "scale" between an octave - for example F3 to F4 - so that all of the notes sound sweet in relation to each other. The rest of the piano can not be tuned until this process is complete and the rest of the tuning will be based on this temperament.
2. Fourths and Fifths
The temperament is usually tuned with Fourths and Fifths. This means that the piano tuner having used a tuning fork/app to make the first note correct - usually A3 but sometimes C4 - will then tune out from this point using the note a fourth away and then a fifth. As an example, if the first note was A3, the next note tuned would be directly a major 4th away, thus a D4. From here a fifth would be tuned, a G3, then a fourth, a C4, and lastly a fifth, an F3.
3. Checks
At this point a piano tuner will listen to other checks - or intervals - to ensure that they have tuned the fourths and fifths correctly up to this point. In the example above a check would be to play the third F3 to A3 which should "beat" at 6.9. Therefore the "wobble" that is heard between the two notes is 6.9 wobbles per second.
4. Octaves
Once the temperament is complete a piano tuner will tune outwards using octaves. This means that the piano tuner using the correctly tuned temperament note for example F3, will tune one of the F4 strings above it by using the F3 as a reference point.
5. Unisons
Once the octave single string is correct, the piano tuner will tune the other strings of that octave - remembering that most treble notes have three strings - in to a unison. This means that the other strings will be tuned to exactly the same as the octave string.
6. Double Octaves
As the piano tuner continues to tune the octaves and unisons they might require more checks to ensure they are still correct. One of these is a double octave. Theoretically if the piano has been tuned correctly the double octave - that is F3 to F5 for example - should sound just as pure, with no "beats" or wobbles, as the octave below F3 to F4.
7. Treble and Bass
As the piano tuner continues outwards of the temperament, they will tune up towards the right, in to the treble - higher notes - of the piano, or down towards the left bass - lower notes - of the piano.
8. Muting Strip
A piano tuner will often tune using a muting strip whether just for the temperament or for more of the piano. This muting strip is a strip of felt which is woven in and out of the piano strings to ensure that only one string per note is sounding. These single notes can be tuned effectively until the piano tuner decides to remove the strip and tune the outside unisons to the middle.
9. Paps and/or Wedge
A paps and a wedge are both used similarly to a muting stip. However instead of muting a whole sections a paps wedge, or just a wedge is used to mute just one or two strings. A paps is a little like chop sticks and can mute two strings at the same time, whereas a soft wedge is usually used just to mute one string. That being said they are both quite versatile.
10. Tuning Lever/Hammer
A Tuning Lever/Hammer is what the piano tuner uses to tune the piano. It is usually a wooden handle with an L shaped metal attachment on the end which goes over the piano pins. There are many differnet shapes and base materials used which changes the feel, weight, geometry and look of a piano lever. A piano tuner will choose the style which works best for them and their tuning technique.
We hope you have enjoyed this short blog Piano Tuning Series: Understanding Piano Tuning Terms and it has helped you to understand some of the more commonly used piano tuning terms. We hope that you appreciate this blog is aimed at the masses and generalistic terms and is not intended as a tutorial or a detailed instruction on piano tuning.
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