Learn how to SAFELY tune your piano
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Piano Tuning How To
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From: Mario Bruneau's Studio
Hi,
I've been tuning pianos for more than 35 years.
I know how frustrating it could be to spend thousands of dollars on piano tuning formations and/or to find so called "specialists" that guarantee miracle results but fail to deliver.
Offers on the Internet abound but the fact remains: the glaring lack of seriousness and competence often encountered. Especially those that offer you to learn piano tuning with an eBook as sole support!
To hear and understand the different acoustic phenomena involved in piano tuning, it is imperative that the sound and recording of the tutorial be nothing less than perfect.
I've seen too many incompetent tuners in my career and with this tutorial, I want to contribute to unmask this incompetency.
The base on which piano tuning rely is the mastery of gestures associated with the practice. These gestures and movements are virtually impossible to demonstrate only in words. Even illustrations are sometimes insufficient.
This is the reason why many professionals agree that:
"The piano tuner profession can not be learned other than with a specialist who follows you step by step."
This is also my opinion and it is with this state of mind that I've created...
5 Videos
Each of the 5 videos contains well organized specific chapters. They share the 11 chapters total.
eBook Complete Transcript
This 150 pages eBook transcript is easy to print and carry with you anywhere even on your mobile device.
Audio MP3 Book
The complete MP3 audio transcript file you can listen anywhere or while driving your car for example.
BONUS
If you act NOW, you will get this “PIANO TUNING” book for FREE. A simple and accurate method for amateurs from J. Cree Fisher that will help you further.
I don’t believe at the approach of keeping silent the theoretical part in making you believe that piano tuning is easy and just technical. This attitude doesn’t service anyone. Neither you and certainly not the “expert” who delivers it.
There is an interesting theoretical knowledge that you must assimilate to eliminate any insecurity facing the piano tuner trade.
Rest assured, I am good at transmitting the knowledge. I am very curious by nature and science always fascinated me. You will see, I shall convey this passion to you and together, we will have fun!
So don’t be surprised if I teach you how to silently close a door as an example!
Although this tutorial is quite advanced, it is mainly geared towards the complete beginners.
Because I don't believe in "stripped off" teaching. Because I respect you, nothing is left unanswered.
Sorry you asked?
No but on the piano tuning tools page of this site, you will find the basic tools you need to start.
This training comes with 5 videos but it is also bundled with an easy to read eBook you can read while in a waiting room for example. It even comes with an MP3 audio file you can carry and listen to the complete tutorial while driving your car. Not to mention this other FREE bonus eBook on piano tuning by a famous technician.
INSTANT ACCESS! As soon your payment on secure server is completed, you will receive a confirmation with a link to the download page. Since the tutorial is downloaded to your machine, you will have 7/24 access so you can learn at your own pace.
I charge $105US but as an apprentice, you might want to lower your rates to something like $70US at the beginning. Once you reach a good understanding of the trade and your skills are up to standard then you can charge as much as I do. Don't forget to charge more if there the client is at an hour drive from your business. I don't believe you can honestly tune more than 4 pianos/day but figure it out by yourself, 4 X $70 = $280US/day is NOT bad!
This all depends on you abilities and talent. Generally in the first year, you WILL NOT charge anything to tune your friend's piano or the Church Hall piano. People are kind enough to let you "practice" on their beloved piano so charging them a fee on top make no sense. You can accept tips though!
I asked a question about hammer technique but the website removed it for some reason. I was asking if your course goes into greater detail than the youtube videos do?
Sorry for that. Keep in mind that whenever you leave a comment on any website, your comment needs to be approved manually. Hence the delay responding.
I watched the hammer technique videos on your youtube channel but I do not understand what is happening. It just looks like you are rubbing your palm against the ball of the hammer. I see no movements. Does your tuning course go into greater detail?
Hi Nick, the movement of the tuning lever is very small that is why you hardly see any.
This is just a small part from the complete tutorial which goes in greater details.
thank you. Last question. I have a carbon fiber tuning hammer. It was super expensive but it doesn’t have the ball end. Should I purchase one that does?
You write: “Last question” No problem here. You can ask as many questions you like. I am here to help people learn piano tuning.
No need to get another tuning lever. The carbon fiber tuning levers usually do have a “pear” type of handle at the top of the tuning lever.
So with your carbon fiber tuning lever, you will be able to experiment both tuning lever manipulation techniques that is: the “Inertia” standard technique almost all piano tuners use and the “Impact” technique that I recommend.
Do the 5 lessons come on cds or cd video or are all five by internet for computer?
Hi Francis,
All the content is delivered from Cloud to your computer.
5 videos covering the 5 chapters
1 pdf eBook file with all the same content you can print
1 audio mp3 file with all the same content you can listen in your car or elsewhere.
1 BONUS eBook of Piano Tuning
You also have the option to get them delivered to your home by regular mail on USB media for $257 USD.
regards
Dear Mario,
I just come up with an idea about if different tuning procedures would affect tuning stability.
For example.
1. We play the key first, then, like listening/waiting for 0.5 second, then we start to pull or push the tuning hammer.
Or
2. We play the key and pull/push the tuning hammer simultaneously.
It seems these two different procedures would result in variation of string vibration.
In my opinion, the first procedure means the string is already vibrating before tuning hammer starts to move.
And in the second procedure, the tuning hammer moves when the string is silent/still, no vibration.
Which might yield better tuning ability?
Please kindly share your thoughts with me.
Thank you in advance.
Best regards,
Kuo-Cheng
Hi Kuo,
The tuning stability comes with mastering the tuning lever manipulation, not with the two situations you describe here.
In both situations you describe here, you start manipulating the tuning lever immediately.
For #1 situation, in the tutorial I explain that whether or not you’re manipulating the tuning lever, it is after 5 seconds that your hearing will be more accurate and precise. At the very beginning after playing the note, you change pitch broadly and towards the 5th seconds, your range of going up or down the desired pitch will narrow and you will be more precise. Usually when you finish tuning the string at the 5th or more seconds, you know that the tuning is PERFECT and you have no doubt about it because you heard the difference so much better than for the 4 first seconds of the process.
No, you start manipulating the tuning lever right away.
Yes but if you finish placing the string after the 5 first seconds, you will be more accurate. But also, you will find it easyer to tune after 5 seconds because your ears will hear more precisely than at the beginning after playing the note.
Absolutely not. Never you move the tuning hammer when the string is not into vibration. Too dangerous to break a string.
#1 situation yields better results. But you will sometimes achieve tuning the string in the first 5 seconds. This rule of “after 5 seconds” is just a basic tip not really a “rule” or a method. Just a tip to use like when you are having a hard time tuning a specific string. At one point in your tuning experience, you will notice that and it will be obvious then and you will understand it better.
Hello Mario, I have always wanted to learn the proper aural tuning theory and method. I have successfully been tuning with tunelab for many years. Recently I want to learn the professional way of tuning not Fischer’s method which I also used before. I think I understand how to get the temperament using the aural 4th and 5th interval method but I want to be able to master it at ease. Also I think I understand how to set A to 440 tuning fork by using tuning octave above the tuning fork A and using the rule of same number of beats between M3 and Major 10. It was on youtube. Anyway to make my story short, I am interested in learning the complete aural tuning tricks of the trade with just the A tuning fork and not Fischer’s setting the temperament of octaves covering middle C with the C tuning fork and using the dampened 5th to tune. I want to learn the proper way of tuning using internals and how to use internals to double check my tunings as well. Do your videos cover these aural techniques in depth. I am not interested in learning how to use Petersen tuning machine, i.e. I already am using the best visual tuning app, tunelab and want to tune like in the RPT exam. However, I am too old and retired already and not interested in pursuing something like what the piano technician academey offers to become a successful professional piano tuner. I am just interested in able to tune with the proper aural methods.
Hi Joel,
My tutorial targets beginners and it does not cover the aural setting of the temperament in practice but all the theory pertaining to the equal temperament is covered in deep.
You will have a better understanding of what to listen to and what harmonics are involved in setting the equal temperament by ear.
Plus, your general knowledge of the piano will be highly improved as well. Both the physics involved and the historic elements to better understand the piano’s evolution.
But, you won’t see me tune the equal temperament by ear on this tutorial.
regards
can I upload your course on my chrome goggle computer?
Hi Francis,
Yes sure. The videos are compatible in all machines. Same for the pdf and the audio files.
Thanks for dropping by.
Hi Mario, could I receive a completion certificate of your courses?
Best regards
I. George
Hi George,
We have no record here about you purchasing the Piano Tuning Tutorial.
I don’t send completion certificate either.
regards
Hi Mario,
thank you for your profund work. Teaching the impact tuning method seems to me the best, the one and only way to handle the pins in the pinblock.
I didn’t watch every minute of your videos until now, but I miss more detailed practical exercise instruction video how to push the lever with my hand/palm/fingers, not only for upright piano but for grand piano too.
I am a bit disappointed for there is no more instruction for that in your videos than in your free youtube video which is to me really the essence of your work. But I realized you do it with a free wrist and an all over good posture – very convincing. I am also a teacher of F.M. Alexander technique so I estimate good use of myself and the tools.
I am a violinist in Hamburg Germany playing with Kent Nagano who is in Montreal too. I like tuning our upright Hoffmann and our Steinway B myself since nearly 30 years with ETD, with better and better results. From beginning I was aware of never bending but only turning the pins, but my turning was too slow. I realized late but not too late how valuable for best sound totally pure unisons are. I used Tunelab and Entropy tuner but now prefer Easy Piano Tuner, (Android) which is simple and gives very good results.
I can really recommend Easy Piano Tuner for anybody who does not completely tune aurally.
The Peterson IStroboSoft you recommend doesn’t calculate any inharmonycity or stretch, right?
Some weeks ago I bought Jahn carbon tuning hammer with extra extension and Mahagony ball, working much easier than my standard tools before.
Can’t stop playing one Haydn sonata after the other in the night, enjoying the sound, really excited after tuning 🙂
The pure impact tuning method is still quite new for me but totally convincing, pure unisons and permanent.
I would like to thank you for you emphasizing, making better known and teaching this method.
Jens
Hi Jens,
Thanks for your kind words and input to my piano tuning tutorial.
I started tuning pianos with the inertia method like everybody but soon shifted to the impact method without being totally conscious of the switch at first. The switch from inertia to impact method came naturally.
It is only in Vienna when I did my training that Sibin Slatzkovick presented me with a ball handle tuning lever upon noticing my impact type tuning lever manipulation.
Yes indeed, unisons can be tuned but can also be perfectly tuned. There is a big difference. Tuning beatless is NOT the only goal a piano tuner should aim at. You have to take into consideration the timbre change that occur when a unison is PERFECT and nothing less thant PERFECT! I am glad you did grasp this notion.
You write:
You’re right, iStroboSoft from Peterson does NOT calculate inharmonycity or stretch but you don’t need this feature. This is all done by ear! The stretch will occur naturally if you do TUNE OCTAVES BEATLESS.
Carbon tuning hammers are the best for precision and comfort.
I wish you the best of fun tuning pianos with the impact method.
best regards
Mario Bruneau
Hi Mario,
thank you.
Few days ago I came to tune a friend’s old Danish upright piano. My experience was that nearly every pin was unusually loose, I never had a piano like that before. All my intentions were to maintain the pure impact method. But especially in the treble even the tiniest impacts to tune down were too much, and I’ve always overstepped the exact point. In this situation, I felt forced to return to the inertia method.
I feel we all have to learn what is really working in a new situation. What are you doing when handling with very loose pins? Any advice?
Best wishes
Jens
Hi Jens,
My take on this matter is that if the impact method don’t work on a situation of too loose pins, you need to address the tightness of the pins.
You have to check if there is enough space between the plate and the string coil around the pin.
If there is enough space, you can punch the pin further inside the pinblock to tighten the pin.
regards
Mario Bruneau
Hi, can you send me a link to the download page, it say fail 404 no file, when i try
Thanks
Hi Lars,
Thank you for your payment.
Sorry about the inconvenient.
We’ve just completed an overall configuration change in both the website and server, hence this error message.
Welcome to PianoTuningHowTo.
Mario Bruneau
Volevo chiedere quanto costa il corso completo in EURO.
GRAZIE
Ciao, grazie per il tuo commento. Il corso completo è di 205 €, ma nota che è disponibile in inglese e in francese troppo.