Piano tuner and technician in Geneva

Tuning a piano in Geneva

I tune upright and grand pianos in the city of Geneva and in the communes around it: Carouge, Lancy, Onex, Vernier, Meyrin, Versoix, Cologny, Chêne-Bougeries, Thônex and Bernex, among others. The visit takes place at your home, and a tuning usually lasts one to two hours depending on the condition of the instrument.

Each string is brought to pitch, the unisons are balanced so that the two or three strings of a note sound as one, and the stability of the tuning is checked before I leave. The reference is 440 Hz unless you ask for something else.

A piano that has travelled

Many pianos in Geneva have made a long journey: an international move, a furnished rental, an instrument bought abroad. A journey by container leaves its mark. The wood has spent weeks in a very different climate, the action can drift out of adjustment, and the tuning is rarely stable at first.

Give the piano one to two months in its new room before the first tuning. Tuning too early means paying twice. If the instrument arrives from overseas, I will also check whether it needs regulation, meaning the adjustment of the keys, hammers and pedals, so that the touch feels even.

Pitch is another point that comes up often in Geneva. Some pianos were set to 440 Hz, others to 442 or 443 Hz. If you play with other musicians or an ensemble, tell me in advance: the reference can be chosen, but changing it puts a new load on the whole structure, and a second visit may be needed to keep the tuning steady.

Apartments and villas

Most pianos in the city live in apartments, often against a shared wall. This is not a problem in itself, provided the instrument stands away from radiators and from windows exposed to full sun. When you book, please tell me about floors, lifts and parking: a visitor space or a delivery access saves a quarter of an hour for everyone.

In villas around the lake and on the left bank, the challenge is different. Large rooms, hard floors and high ceilings make a piano sound brighter. If the sound has become hard or harsh, the answer is usually voicing, which is the work on the hammer felts, rather than a change of room. My page on voicing (in French) explains the principle.

Central heating dries the air in winter, and a stable humidity between 40 % and 60 % keeps a piano in tune for longer. I wrote a guide on humidity and heating (in French).

Teachers, families and schools

Families, teachers and music schools with several pianos can arrange an annual maintenance visit, so that every instrument is looked at on the same day. Please describe your situation when you contact me: number of pianos, age, and how much they are played.

A family piano is normally tuned once a year. An instrument played many hours a day, in a studio or a school, needs two tunings a year and a regular check of the action. I do not name my clients, and I treat every instrument with the same care, whether it is an old upright or a concert grand.

Repairs and restoration

Small repairs are done at your home: a sticking key, a loose hammer, a squeaking pedal, a broken string. Larger work, such as restringing or work on the soundboard and the bridge, is carried out at my workshop in Le Vaud, above Nyon, about forty minutes from Geneva. I organise and carry out the transport myself, on quote, and I return the piano regulated and tuned. Every quote follows an inspection at your home and is given without obligation.

Areas around Geneva

I serve the whole canton of Geneva. If your commune is not listed above, the price is the same. I also work in the canton of Vaud, from Nyon and Coppet to Lausanne and Montreux, and in Fribourg, Neuchâtel and French-speaking Valais.

Prices

Tuning, upright or grand pianoIncludes the visit at your home.

CHF 210.–

Pitch raiseFor a piano that has not been tuned for a long time.

+ CHF 50.–

Regulation, voicing, repairQuote after inspection.

On quote

No VAT is added. Payment by TWINT, bank transfer or cash. My full price list is available in French.

Booking

Choose a time slot in the online booking calendar, or call me on 076 221 40 89. You can also write to contact@atelierpianoleman.ch. The booking form is in French, but I am happy to deal with you in English.

Also available: Accordeur de piano à Genève (français), and my other English pages around Lake Geneva.