Piano FAQ — Your Questions Answered

We recommend tuning your piano twice a year in Singapore — once before the South-West monsoon season (March–April) and once before the North-East monsoon (September–October). Singapore's high year-round humidity (70–90%) causes the soundboard to expand and contract significantly, affecting tuning stability more rapidly than in temperate countries. Pianos used daily for teaching or performance benefit from tuning every 3–4 months.

Piano tuning in Singapore costs S$100–S$180 per visit with Singapore Piano Shop, depending on the condition of the instrument and whether a pitch raise is required. If the piano has not been tuned for several years and is significantly below concert pitch (A440), a pitch raise is needed first — this adds S$50–S$80 to the visit cost. We always provide a clear price before beginning work.

Standard piano tuning takes 60–90 minutes for a piano in good condition. If the piano requires a pitch raise first, the total visit time may be 2–2.5 hours as a complete pass through all 220+ strings is required before the final fine-tuning pass.

Concert pitch A440 means the note A above middle C vibrates at exactly 440 Hz (cycles per second). This is the internationally agreed standard for musical instruments and is specified by ISO 16:1975. All professional performances and recordings use A440 as the reference pitch. Tuning your piano to A440 ensures it plays correctly with other instruments, digital keyboards and recorded music.

A piano that has not been tuned for several years will drop significantly below concert pitch. In Singapore's climate, this can happen faster than in temperate countries. Once a piano drops more than approximately 25 cents below A440, a standard tuning is no longer sufficient — the piano requires a pitch raise (a rough tuning pass) before it can be finely tuned. If left untuned for many years, the string tension imbalance can also cause structural stress. We recommend never leaving a piano untuned for more than 18 months.

Yes. Singapore's tropical climate — with relative humidity averaging 70–90% year-round and pronounced monsoon seasons — causes the wooden soundboard to expand and contract more dramatically than in temperate countries. This movement directly affects string tension and causes pianos to go out of tune faster. This is why we recommend twice-yearly tuning as a minimum in Singapore, compared to once-yearly in some European countries.

Sticky piano keys in Singapore are most commonly caused by humidity. When relative humidity rises, the felt key bushings inside the key frame absorb moisture and swell, causing keys to bind against the balance and front rail guide pins. Other common causes include debris trapped under the keys (pencils, coins, hair clips), warped wooden key sticks, broken key springs, or damaged action components. Contact us for a professional assessment — do not force stuck keys as this can cause additional damage.

Piano repair costs vary significantly by the type and extent of the fault. A minor repair such as a single stuck key may cost from S$80–120. Broken string replacement ranges from S$120–200 depending on the string type. Hammer replacement or action repairs vary more widely. We always inspect the piano first and provide a clear written quote before starting any work — there are no hidden charges.

A dead or muffled note has several possible causes: a broken hammer shank (the shank connecting the hammer to its knuckle snaps), a broken hammer return spring, a split hammer flange, a broken string, or a damper that is resting on the strings and preventing them from vibrating freely. Our technician will identify the specific cause during a repair visit and fix it on the same day in most cases.

Buzzing sounds can be caused by many things: a loose string touching a foreign object, a loose tuning pin, a loose screw or component inside the piano cabinet, a crack in the soundboard, or even a vibrating external object near the piano (a vase, picture frame, or window glass). Our technician systematically diagnoses the cause during a repair visit.

It depends on the brand, construction quality, and the nature of the fault. A quality vintage piano by Yamaha, Kawai, Steinway, Bechstein, Blüthner or other reputable manufacturers is generally worth repairing. The well-seasoned woods in older instruments often produce superior tone to modern entry-level pianos. We provide honest assessments and will tell you clearly if we believe a piano is not worth the cost of repair.

We service the entire island of Singapore including all HDB estates, private condominiums, landed properties, schools, churches, hotels and commercial venues. This includes Tampines, Ang Mo Kio, Jurong West, Woodlands, Bukit Timah, Novena, Toa Payoh, Bishan, Clementi, Queenstown, Bedok, Pasir Ris, Punggol, Sengkang, Yishun, Choa Chu Kang and Sentosa.

Yes. Singapore Piano Shop services all piano brands including Yamaha, Kawai, Steinway & Sons, Boston, Essex, Bechstein, Blüthner, Bösendorfer, Fazioli, Schimmel, Petrof, Pearl River, Ritmüller, Samick, Young Chang, Hailun, Baldwin, Weber and Kohler & Campbell.

The easiest way to book is via WhatsApp at +65 9871 5256 — simply send us a message with your piano brand, your location, and your preferred date. You can also call us or use the contact form on our website. We typically confirm appointments within a few hours during business hours (Monday–Sunday, 9am–8pm).

We accept Cash, PayNow and Bank Transfer. Payment is made after the service is completed. We do not currently accept credit card payments.

We operate Monday to Sunday, 9am to 8pm. For urgent matters, you may reach us via WhatsApp and we will respond as quickly as possible.

Singapore Piano Shop has over 20 years of professional piano servicing experience in Singapore. Our principal technician has worked on pianos in hundreds of homes, music schools, churches, hotels and performance venues across the island.

Singapore's tropical humidity (averaging 70–90% relative humidity year-round) significantly affects piano tuning stability, key action, and the long-term condition of wooden components. The soundboard — a large sheet of spruce wood — expands when humidity rises and contracts when it falls. This movement changes the crown (curvature) of the soundboard, which directly affects string tension and causes the piano to go out of tune. Over many years, repeated expansion and contraction can cause soundboard cracking. Read our complete humidity guide for detailed advice.

Place your piano against an interior wall (not an exterior wall that receives direct sunlight), away from windows, air-conditioning vents, and areas of heavy air flow. Avoid placing it in rooms that are frequently opened to outdoor air or rooms without air conditioning. A room maintained at 22–25°C with moderate air conditioning provides a reasonably stable environment. See our Piano Care Guide for full placement advice.

A Dampp-Chaser Piano Life Saver System (or similar humidity control system installed inside the piano) can significantly improve tuning stability and protect the piano in Singapore's climate. These systems regulate the humidity inside the piano cabinet to a stable 45–50%, regardless of the external humidity. We install and recommend Piano Life Saver systems for pianos in Singapore. Ask us about this when booking your next tuning appointment.