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Why a piano goes out of tune?
Steinway Piano TuningA piano, by nature of its construction, is always under a varying amount of stress. The 232-odd strings are stretched at an average tension of one hundred fifty to two hundred pounds apiece, so that the iron plate and the heavy wooden frame carry a strain from eighteen to twenty tons. Since the steel wires are elastic, and the soundboard is a thin sheet of spruce wood, the stress is not constant. This elasticity of the soundboard is necessary in order to produce a pleasant tone from the piano.

Humidity seems to be the main culprit for causing variations in tuning. As the humidity increases, the wood of the soundbard swells outward causing the crown of the soundboard to rise, thus raising the pitch. During the colder months when the humidity is less, a drying out of the air occurs. The crown contracts, thus lowering the pitch. This 'rising and falling' of the soundboard usually results in a piano going flat. This is one of the reasons why pianos should be tuned & maintained continuously.

Rarely are pianos found to be sharp, or above the standard pitch. Standard pitch is A440. This means that the A at the 4th octave should vibrate at 440 cycles per second. Each note between the octaves are equally tempered by the piano tuner.
(Courtesy of Aubrey Willis School of Piano Technology)

There are other factors that can cause pianos to go out of tune such as: loose tuning pins, faulty bridges, loose stagger pins, and other factors.

Since there are seasonal variations in every part of the world, pianos, no matter how well they are constructed, need to be tuned. To not do so, is to neglect and possibly destroy a fine piece of craftsmanship. Since pianos are built to withstand a certain amount of tension, it follows that they should be maintained.

It is recommended that a piano be tuned at least once a year regardless of how much it is played. This will help to ensure that one gets accustomed to the correct pitch, and that maximum enjoyment can be derived from hearing a fine musical instrument.