Feeling apprehensive about calling a piano tuner?

Guilt. Shame. Embarrassment.

These are often the very first words I hear from a new customer. It breaks my heart that so many people feel this way about their piano, when they should be feeling excited to get it tuned and get playing again!

The more pianos I tune, the more I get to know their players. We are young and old; we have different homes, jobs, families, politics, and different relationships with the piano. But despite all our differences, it seems to me that we have something in common - a shared understanding of the magic a piano brings to our homes.

So when our piano is neglected, we feel guilty. The piano practically eyeballs us as we walk into the room (along with the exercise bike, the sewing machine and the pile of 'one day I'll get round to reading these' books).

Now I am not saying a piano is the same as an exercise bike. Clearly the piano is a far more intricate machine made up of thousands of pieces of wood and felt and craftsmanship. The piano feels like a living, breathing piece of art. But its worth remembering that most pianos were/are made for domestic and community settings, and made to be used well. Back in the 1920's, when the UK piano-making industry was at its busiest, pianos were found in far more homes than they are now - homes with no central heating and no digital humidity meters. Some pianos were designed with school assembly halls in mind, with a sound that carried and a case that could withstand the prying fingers of curious school children. And many pianos have met their end in piano smashing competitions (yes, really!) So the reality is, that you have probably not neglected your piano as much as you think, and you are in a far better position to look after your piano now than you were 100 years ago.

Whilst talking to new customers, I've noticed that alongside the guilt, shame and embarrassment, comes fear. Fear that their piano might be deemed unsalvageable, but mostly fear of the piano tuner themselves... as if I might come over to your home and reprimand you for not taking better care of your piano!

In case you were wondering - no, I do not reprimand my customers! Perhaps life got busy and priorities shifted - whatever your reason for stepping away from the piano, it is not my place to judge.

Of course, its important to manage your expectations: A piano that has not been serviced in 10 or 20 or 30 years will likely require several tuning sessions to recover, and maybe some repair work. You will likely need to invest money and time into bringing your piano back to life, and it is possible that, if kept in an unsuitable environment, your piano can deteriorate. But it does not mean your piano is beyond hope. I believe that every player deserves a piano that is in tune, whatever its value or history. And if today is the day that you are ready to step back towards your piano, then I want to help you get there, by passing on some kindness, a bit of piano tuning wisdom, and some TLC for your beloved instrument.