Top 5 Reasons Your Piano Won’t Stay in Tune (Texas Edition)

When a piano in Texas goes out of tune faster than expected, there’s almost always more than meets the ear. Here are the top five culprits I've seen in Hunt, Kaufman, Dallas, and Rockwall counties—and what you can do about them.

1. 🌡️ Humidity and Temperature Swings

Texas weather isn’t just hot—it’s moist. Wood components like the soundboard and pinblock expand with humidity and contract in dryness, putting pressure on the strings and tuning pins. That means your piano can go sharp in summer and flat in winter 

Fix: Keep the room around 40–50% RH, use a hygrometer, and install a Dampp-Chaser system if possible.

2. Aging Tuning Pins & Pinblock

Over time, tuning pins can loosen or slip, especially as the pinblock shrinks or swells. This reduces the piano’s ability to hold a stable pitch .

Fix: A pitch‑raise or pin‐tightening job during a tuning service can re‑secure them and help it stay tuned longer.

3. Soundboard Crown Changes

The curved "crown" of the soundboard helps give your piano resonance—but it's highly sensitive to moisture. When RH spikes, the crown flattens, increasing string tension and raising pitch; when it drops, the opposite happens 

Fix: Regular tuning twice a year helps adjust for soundboard changes—and humidity control keeps the crown healthy.

4. Heavy Playing & String Tension Drift

More than people realize, playing puts stress on strings. Each hammer strike stretches the string just enough to shift its tension over time. In Texas, that combines with climate stress and can knock your piano out of tune faster 

Fix: Tune at least twice a year—more if your piano gets heavy use or you're preparing for performances.

5. Placement Near HVAC, Sunlight & Doors

Placing a piano next to an HVAC vent, exterior wall, window, or door can expose it to rapid temperature and airflow changes, causing micro-fluctuations in humidity and temperature—and in pitch 

Fix: Keep it away from vents, doors, and direct sun. A stable environment is key.

🧰 Bonus Strategy: Act on These Five

1. Monitor Humidity & Temp — even a basic hygrometer goes a long way.

2. Install Humidity Control — Dampp-Chaser or standalone units.

3. Regular Tunings — aim for spring & fall, more if needed.

4. Smart Placement — central room, away from walls or vents.

5. Check Pins & Pinblock during each visit.

🎯 Why a Professional Technician Matters

As the pros at Moonlight Piano Tuning, we do more than just adjust strings:

• Spot humidity-induced damage early

• Tighten pins for long-lasting tuning

• Regulate soundboard pressure

• Assess your piano’s overall health—not just pitch

Let’s get your piano stable and singing again—on schedule, every time. Whether you're in Dallas, Hunt, Kaufman, Collin, or Rockwall County, we're just a call away!