Many people assume that if a piano can make a sound, then it's good to go – Thornton Pianos, however, have stressed that players of all levels should understand the importance of Concert Pitch, and ensuring that their piano is at the correct standard.

To ensure your piano meets this standard, Thornton Pianos note that it must be tuned to A440, also known as A4 or the Stuttgart pitch.

A440 is the A note above middle C, and serves as a general tuning standard for musical pitch – and as such, allows other instruments and vocalists to be in harmony more easily when playing together.

In 1936, the American Standards Association recommended that the A above middle C should be tuned to 440 Hz. This standard was ultimately taken up by the International Organisation fo Standardisation in 1955, and reaffirmed by them in 1975, as ISO 16.

For people who use their pianos to teach, it's also of crucial importance that the piano is at this standard. If the piano is a half tone flat, the D note, for example, will be heard as as D flat/C sharp – meaning the player is developing while getting the wrong impression of pitch. As Thornton Pianos notes, this could cause difficulty for a young player when they try to play their pieces on a piano that is tuned correctly.

Thornton Pianos stress that you should always ask your tuner to tune your piano to A440.

Thornton Pianos is an Irish family-run business that has been supplying new and reconditioned pianos nationwide for over 50 years. Renowned for their attention to detail, and ensuring that every piano they work on in-house meets the highest standards, Thornton Pianos are delighted to bring the excellence of Ritmüller pianos to their showroom and stages across the country.

For more online advice from Thornton Pianos, visit thorntonpianos.ie.