Piano Tuning & Service near Chicago

Get Your Piano Back to 100%

Our technicians are experts in making pianos sound, feel and look their best. Whether your piano needs tuning or a full refurbishing, we can help!

Piano Tuners & Technicians near Chicago

Servicing Chicagoland

Family Piano’s team of techs does in-home service calls between the northern Chicago and southern Milwaukee area.

Midwest's Largest Team

We have the largest team of technicians in the entire Midwest, and we tune and service 1,000+ pianos every year.

Honest Help, Expert Advice

We’re happy to come service your piano, regardless of its condition. And we won’t ever pressure you into buying a new one from us!

Digital Piano Repair

Electronics Tech Also Available

Paul Durand is one of the best digital piano and keyboard repair techs in the Chicagoland area. He’s been a musician his whole life, and he has decades of experience working on a wide range of electronics.

Services We Don’t Do

We do have friends in the Chicagoland area we’d love to refer you to for any of these services. Reach out to us, and we’ll make recommendations based on your needs and situation!

Major Rebuilding & Refinishing

We only do in-home calls, and we don’t have the space to take in pianos for major part replacing.

Piano Moving

We work exclusively with Kevin’s Piano Movers, and we recommend them to everyone!

Anything with Organs

Despite both having a keyboard, organs are very different instruments from pianos.

Andrew Warden, Piano Technician & Service Manager at Family Piano Co

Meet Andrew Warden, your Service Manager

Andrew is your go-to contact whenever you need any piano service.

As an experienced piano technician and tuner himself, he can diagnose complex issues and communicate well with customers and fellow techs alike.

He’s also a dedicated member of the Piano Technicians Guild!

(847) 574-2626
[email protected]

Tuning & Voicing for a Better Sounding Piano

Every year, 1,000+ homes have their annual piano tunings done by Family Piano!

Piano Tuning with Pitch Adjustment

$210
  • If your piano is very out of tune, it will require an additional tuning pass.
  • If you’re unsure and it turns out this isn’t needed, you won’t be charged.
  • Due to the large adjustment, we’ll also recommend a follow-up tuning within 3-6.

Regulation for a Better Feeling Piano

With over 20,000 moving parts, a piano’s action needs to be perfectly aligned to play its best.

Common Service Work

Fixing Sticky Keys

Cleaning & Vacuuming

Replacing Broken Strings

Case Scratches & Dents

Adjusting Pedals

Keytop Replacement

Shaping Hammers

Setting Blow Distance

Leveling Key Height

Adjusting Lost Motion

Adjusting Key Dip

Bench Repair

Cosmetic Repairs for a Better Looking Piano

We can’t promise miracles, but we can promise substantial improvements at reasonable rates!

Note that all services are billed hourly. Contact us for a more accurate quote on bigger repairs.

Piano Benches

We work with Benchworld and CPS Imports to find you the best matching piano bench at wholesale prices.

Piano Lamps

We’re a certified House of Troy vendor, and offer competitive pricing on piano lamps of all types and tastes.

Slow Close Fallboards & Lids for Grands

Easy closing up without the chance of loud slams, crushed fingers or case damage.

Top Rated Piano Tuners in Chicago

Ways to Get More from Your Piano

Dampp-Chaser Humidity System

Their Piano Life Saver is the industry standard humidity control system built specifically for pianos.

It helps tuning stability drastically, especially in atypical climates.

Player Piano Systems

Self playing pianos give you live performances by professional pianists at the touch of a button.

There are a few player systems you could choose from — QRS, PianoDisc, Yamaha Disklavier, Steinway Spirio — but we can match you with the one that best suits your needs.

Silent Piano Systems

Systems like the PianoDisc QuietTime allow you to play an acoustic piano silently with headphones!

There are also models with speakers that effectively give your acoustic piano the features of a digital.

Felt Quieting Kits for Uprights

For much less than a silent system (about $250 for parts and labor), we can install a switch to flip out a piece of felt between the hammers and the strings, reducing the volume by about 50%.

DIY solutions are also available, as seen in this video!

New and Used Pianos for Sale

Thinking About a Newer Piano?

Acoustic Upright Pianos

A piano you’ll never want to replace, and that fits in your space.

Digital Pianos & Keyboards

New with a weighted-and-graded action for as low as $599. 

Better-Than-Free Acoustics

Student-level refurbished upright pianos starting at $799.

Sell or Donate Your Piano

Don’t Want Your Piano Anymore?

While we hope this isn’t the case, we can sometimes accept certain pianos if you’re looking to rehome yours.

Piano Tuning & Repair FAQ

How can I book a piano tuner in the northern Chicago area?

If you’re in the northern Chicagoland area, Family Piano Co’s team of technicians — the largest team of piano tuners in the Midwest — are happy to schedule a time to come out to your home and tune or repair your piano!

You can book your next piano tuning or service appointment now through our online Gazelle auto-booker. Just punch in some information, pick the service you need and select a time that fits your schedule. We’ll reach out if we have any questions or confirm the appointment within 48 hours!

In the case you’re just outside of our service area, want a quote for more specific repair, experience any technical difficulties, or just prefer talking to someone directly: you can also email our service manager, Andrew, at [email protected] or call him at (847) 574-2626. 

What is your typical piano tuning and service area?

We tune all over the northern Chicago area ie. as far north as southern Milwaukee, WI; as south as Logan Square or Lake View in Chicago, IL; and as west as Woodstock, IL.

Online booking may not work for the extreme ends of our service area. Issues can also arrise if you request a specific technician who doesn’t tend to service your area.

In these cases, please reach out to our service manager, Andrew, at [email protected] or (847) 574-2626. 

We happily cover most of the Chicagoland area while charging consistent “suburb” pricing  — we just ask those in the farthest areas (or slightly beyond) to give us at least 3 weeks in advance! Depending on circumstances and preferences, we can discuss either a modest distance surcharge and/or find other appointments in your area.

How long does it take to tune a piano?

A piano tuning appointment typically lasts 1.5 to 2.5 hours, depending on how out of tune the piano is.

Here at Family Piano, our techs will also include up to an extra 30 minutes to make any minor adjustments necessary — at no extra cost!

During a tuning, the technician will correct the pitch of each of the piano’s ~230 strings.

It’s a tedious process that’s, frankly, a bit annoying to listen to. We recommend putting on some noise-cancelling headphones or waiting in a different room.

Just be mindful of making noise during the appointment since the technician will need to listen to the notes carefully!

How often to tune a piano?

Pianos should ideally be tuned at least once a year.

That said, you may need to have it tuned more based on factors such as climate, usage, and personal preference.

Moreover, new pianos certainly benefit from tunings every 6 months for the first few years.

Does the pianist need to be present during an appointment?

For the large majority of appointments, a piano technician can tune or service a piano without its player’s presence. As long as the tech is let in and shown to the piano, there’s no need to call off work or miss school!

Of course, it could be preferable for the pianist to be around. We can make sure the service is to their complete satisfaction, and they may enjoy understanding the cause of a problem and its solution!

In rare cases, very advanced pianists with a more subtle or intermittent problem should consider sticking around in the unlikely case we can’t identify or reproduce the problem ourselves. But this is an incredibly rare circumstance.

Finally, in the case someone wants to watch the piano technician work, we can do our best to accommodate that request. Although particularly for a piano tuning — a 2-hour process during which each of the ~230 strings are being adjusted – some techs may require complete focus (and we imagine you’ll want to be away from the noise anyway).

How much does it cost to tune a piano?

A piano tuning costs $100 to $200 on average.

Exact charges will of course depend on your local area’s rates.

Here at Family Piano Co, near Chicago, we charge $150 or $210 for a tuning, depending on the experience of the technician and if a pitch adjustment is needed.

We have a wide service area, and offer our customers the highest-quality work with “suburb pricing” rather than up-charging more affluent zip codes.

Can you tune a piano yourself?

No, you shouldn’t tune your own piano, and we don’t recommend you try.

Tuning a piano isn’t like tuning a guitar. It’s a very complicated process, and you work with literally tons of string tension.

At best, you’ll have a piano that’s tuned just okay. At worst, you can break a string (or worse) and rack up a bigger repair bill.

For honesty’s sake, there are videos and DIY tutorials for how to tune a piano. But many use old pianos they don’t care for.

How to become a piano tuner?

Many people become piano tuners and technicians by finding an apprenticeship with a local tech or at a piano store.

If you’re very committed to learning, consider browsing the PTG’s list of training programs for aspiring piano techs.

Do mind that learning how to tune and/or repair a piano can take multiple years and thousands of dollars!

Do pianos need to be tuned after moving?

No, you don’t necessarily need to tune a piano immediately after moving.

It’s true that the wood in a piano will contract/expand if moved across different climates, causing the piano to go out of tune.

However, how drastic the acclimation is depends on how much the climates differ. This generally isn’t the case if the piano has only been moved a few cities over. Moreover, it can be negated with proper humidity control measures ie. a Dampp-Chaser system.

In any case, we simply recommend tuning your piano within 6mo after moving.

How to tune a piano?

Please keep in mind that learning how to tune a piano requires a lot of training. It’s best to hire a professional piano tuner for the task.

If you’re curious about the process of tuning a piano, here’s a very simplified overview:

Necessary Tools: You’ll need a tuning lever, tuning mutes, a tuning fork, and a good ear for pitch. It’s standard to additionally use a special tuning software of choice as well.

Adjust Pitch: Pluck each string and compare it to the tuning fork. Use the tuning lever to adjust the tension of the string until it’s close to the desired pitch (typically A440).

Fine-Tuning: Once all ~230 strings are pretty close to the desired pitch, fine-tune each string so its perfectly in-tune.

Check and Recheck: After the necessary amount of passes, play a few chords and scales to ensure everything’s just right. Make sure the piano is tuned to itself as well, and that octaves sound perfect.

Why does my keyboard sound out of tune?

Keyboards, digital pianos, and electric pianos all do not need to be tuned.

If your digital piano sounds out of tune, it’s likely a setting or a technical issue.

To fix the issue, search manual to see if you can adjust its tuning, try a factory reset, or call a digital piano technician.

Do you tip piano tuners?

While it’d certainly be appreciated, tipping piano tuners isn’t a very common practice.

It’s more common to establish a good working relationship with your piano tuner and call them back for regular tunings and maintenance.

How much does it cost to restring a piano?

Restringing a piano is typically done when many strings need to be replaced, when the tone has worn out significantly, and when a complete restoration is being done.

A single piano string replacement is much more common, and that can cost roughly $50-$200. 

Completely restringing an upright or grand piano can run anywhere from $500 – $4,000+.

The exact cost to restring a piano will vary based on the type of piano, its size, the string’s size and the labor. 

When is a piano beyond repair?

A piano is beyond repair when the cost and effort to fix it exceeds its potential value or playability.

The plain truth is that not every piano can be fixed easily or affordably. If most of its parts are old, it was neglected for too long, and/or if it suffered extensive structural damage, it probably can’t be serviced.

In cases like this, and particularly when the piano has historical significance or sentimental value, the owner can instead have it rebuilt for $2,500 – $15,000+.

The more common solution to an unrepairable piano is simply upgrading! We do encourage families to have the best quality piano practical for them. It greatly encourages the enjoyment and success of their students. Sometimes a person “bonds” with a lower priced piano — and that’s fine too!

If this is your case, we do have 2 stores full of new and used (fully refurbished and warrantied) pianos for you to choose from. We even offer rent to own pianos on some of our fully-refurbished trade-ins.

Show Your Piano Some Love

Tell us a little about the issues you’re having, and we’ll get you the service you need.

You can also directly call our service manager, Andrew Warden, at (847) 574-2626, or email him at [email protected]