When Should a Brand-New Piano Get Its First Tuning

Published: 9/30/2026 12:44:57 AM   Clicked: 7

Many buyers assume a new piano leaves the factory already tuned and won't need attention for a while — in fact, it's the opposite. The strings and wooden structure of a new piano are still settling in, and the first year is when pitch is least stable.

New strings stretch noticeably during their first months, and the wooden soundboard and pinblock continue to expand and contract slightly with the surrounding humidity. As a result, pitch tends to drop faster than most owners expect in those early months. Most manufacturers and tuners recommend a first tuning about a month after delivery, followed by three to four more sessions across the first year, so the piano can settle into a stable state.

From the second year onward, if humidity is reasonably well controlled, tuning frequency can usually drop to around twice a year. Skipping the intensive first-year schedule might seem to save a few tuning fees, but it lets the piano settle while still unstable — and pulling it back to proper pitch later usually takes more time and effort, not less.