Piano tempering is, in short, the procedure of tuning a piano in the right way. So as to ensure an even spacing of notes on the musical scale. It is the most practical solution, allowing the piano to be used universally and versatile in a variety of musical styles.
Tempering – what is it?
Tempering is about establishing the correct consonance of individual intervals (an interval is the distance between notes). The piano can be tuned using different intervals: fifths and octaves, fifths and fourths, thirds and sixths, and thirds, fourths and fifths. Tempering is carried out in the tempering zone – twelve notes, usually within the octave A0, A1. Then, the established distances between notes are duplicated over the remaining octaves.
Nowadays, the system mainly used is the equal temperament – the division of an octave into 12 equal sections in an octave measure, which is accepted in European music. One such section, is equal to 1/12th of an octave, and called a semitone.
Does my piano need setting a temperament?
As a piano is used and operated, it can become out of tune, which is why regular tuning is so important to maintain sound quality. The tempering procedure itself requires precision and is usually carried out by an experienced piano tuner or service technician. Tempering is important because it allows for harmony and correctness of tone throughout the instrument, enabling the player to play in different keys and chords without falsification.
Before tuning, the tuner sets the pitch of the starting tone – A1. Since 1939 its standard frequency is 440 Hz. Before that, the Parisian standard was 435 Hz. If the instrument is old, it is sometimes better to leave it at the same pitch, without trying to raise its tuning by force. In this way you can avoid the danger of the strings quickly becoming out of tune again and breaking. Nowadays we can also meet with giving the A1 sound the pitch of 442 Hz. The sound of such a tuned instrument is clearer, more expressive. Musicians playing on wind and string instruments find it easier to play in a higher tuning, so to improve the cooperation of the orchestra, grand pianos are also sometimes tuned higher.
A different situation is tuning during repairs like the replacement of strings, tuning pegs or the soundboard. In case of new tuning pegs, the tuning is done by finger plucking and listening to the sound of strings. Then you tune each note half a tone higher.