Hi all,

I thought I would start this topic here in the GMF, as more of you seem to look at the threads here than in the 'Viva Piano' forum.

Anyway, I am desperately in need of advice! When I got my piano tuned, the tuner said before she left, that I was to put one or more (as many as I could fit in, actually) large milk cartons (with the tops cut open) filled with water, into the bottom of my upright piano, as she said that quite a lot of heat comes through from our conservatory, and this could make the tuning slip.
My brother says this will encourage damp, but the lady is a professional piano tuner, and so knows what she's talking about. The thing is, now I don't know what to do or think! Should I put water in, or not?

Thanks in advance - I think I'll get all sorts of different opinions, but hopefully you'll be able to help!

I can't advise, but it reminds me of the time I had a hamster in my piano. Naughty thing chewed through the wood of the sustain pedal.

I'd say water is preferable to a hamster.

I always have a small bowlful of water at the bottom of each of my pianos, and top them up every couple of weeks or so when they dry out. Milk-cartons full of water sounds rather a lot, but I suppose it depends on the circumstances!

My gut reaction is that if the professional says this is what's needed, then you should go ahead with it.

I've never heard of this before. I have recently had problems with my new piano I had it tuned last week, and now when I play a G, the Fsharp plays with it. I'm so frustrated with it, as I've only had it just over a month. The man at the shop said it could just be the weather. Any ideas?

Ive just had my piano tuned and it is a really good idea to keep water in the piano! it will stop your tuning from slipping and i heard that it can improve the tone.

We keep a bowl of water in our piano! Always have done....as long as I can remember.

I always leave water in my piano, as does everybody I know

Ouch!! how did that happen?!

My piano tuner also advises a bowl of water in the bottom of the piano to keep the humidity up.




If it were my piano (assuming it is brand new) I would be making a nuisance of myself. Are you going to accept two notes playing together whenever it is hot? I think not. Don't stand for any nonsense. Maybe there is something that needs adjusting, but I would reject it if they can't (won't) sort it out.

Not sure. He managed to escape from his cage and we only discovered him when we heard sounds of destruction emenating from said musical instrument...

Sorry it's new in the sense, that I've only just got it, but it's actually second hand from a music shop. I have called the piano tuner, so fingers crossed she'll get back soon. Someone said that one of the keys might need shaving - not sure I like the sound of that, but whatever has to be, has to be.

Have a look at this website http://www.krpianos.co.uk/ if you click on product gallery and then accessories you'll see they make humidifier's especially for this purpose, however, I just put a mug of water in the bottom of mine

Ah! (snaps fingers). .Now I remember where I left the smoked salmon. No wonder there was a bit of a whiff around the piano...

As I heard it, Handel composed his Water Music because his harpsichord kept going out of tune and the strange combination of notes in that music humidified it. Well, so my friends tell me...

My piano tuner insists that water is put inside the piano. I have two large jars. But then he tells me off each time he comes because it's all evaporated and I've forgotten to refill them.
His other advice is to encourage spiders in the piano as they will eat the moths which otherwise will eat the felt . . .

I had to do that with my old piano. When I got my new one and asked about it The comment was something like 'yes, well you would have needed to before...'.

Also wwith the piano being in the kitchen I have to watch the humidity and have a humidity dial and de humidifier to keep it from getting too damp.

Where are you supposed to put the water if you have a grand piano?

Just pour it in?
Water in pianos sounds like a recipie for disaster to me, but hey if that's what the pro said!

Don't you mean minor second hand

I've always wondered - is an 'augmented unison' actually a sensible interval?

We've always put water in ours, and it does slip out of tune if we forget to fill it up. Obviously if you're going to move the piano about, you'd take it out! Jam jars work quite well for this and the water does indeed keep the humidity up, a conservatory especially would need this due to the temperature changes. Plus regular tuning (twice a year, I do mine in May and November just as weather starts changing) will help keep it in good nick. If you don't tune often, the piano will slip so far it will be very difficult if not impossible to get back to concert pitch without breaking strings. Mine's slipped and it's a right nuisance!

haha!



Indeed, when I read this article, it seemed entirely strange to think of it...but now it seems to make sense...

A tub of water was added to our piano during its last tuning. I thought it bizarre at the time, but it appears to be common practice.

Worse still, we have a hosepipe ban here so it'll just have to go out of tune...

I've had 2 different tuners in the past, and they've both recommended a jam jar of water in the piano.

My tuner has always advised me to keep a jam jar of water at the TOP end.!

My piano is near the Kitchen so it gets the humidity from there.

My piano tuner also says keep water in the piano. I just use a small bowl

Do you think this might be the problem with my piano too? I am getting it looked at later this week, but maybe having the fluid might help?

My upright piano is quite old, and my tuner also gave me that advice - although it's just a single jam jar with water in it - it's to help the humidity and to stop the wood from drying out and cracking especially as my teching room is a south facing room which can get quite warm - I usually try to leave the shutters closed or partially closed unless I'm actually teaching just to try to keep the temperature down a bit.

My hamster did that, she had a bed and food store and everything in there. I was very funny when random sounds started. Not sure mouldy plums did the piano much good though.