More Information

The safety of ZORP Piano Tuning's clientele and staff is of utmost importance. For this reason, some COVID-19 safety precautions will remain in place during appointments. 

Piano tuner Mike Pavlis has been fully vaccinated since June 2021. In addition to the keys being disinfected after the job (per standard procedure), a mask will be worn upon request.

Every 6-12 Months

Pianos mainly go out of tune due to changes in humidity. Most reputable piano manufacturers recomend getting your piano tuned twice a year, but many newer models can last a year. It is not recomended to wait longer than a year to avoid needing a pitch raise in the future. 

When pianos do not get tuned within a few years, they may require a pitch raise rather than a standard tuning. All this means is that it will take multiple visits to get the piano to normal pitch (A 440 Hz). We measure the distance between each note in cents. There are 100 cents between each note. Prior to every tuning, measurements of notes A1-A5 are taken, and that will accurately tell me whether or not I can tune the instrument to the normal A 440 pitch. If these measurements are 50+ cents off, I'll usually have to do a pitch raise.

Pitch raises aren't a bad thing, in fact, they're quite normal for pianos that have been untouched by a tuner for a while. The primary reason we do a pitch raise over a few tunings is to reduce the risk of breaking strings. For older pianos, the less stress we put on the pin block and the sound board the better. Replacing strings is not impossible on older pianos, but it is best for the instrument if we can avoid breaking strings. Another reason to do a pitch raise rather than going all the way to A 440 is to preserve the longevity of the tuning. Let's say a piano is 200 cents flat (as in the C4 key would play the pitch of a tuned Bb3 key). If I were to bring it all the way up in one go, the tuning could fall flat again within a matter of hours. Only bringing it up 25-50 cents will allow the piano to remain in tune for a few months. 

It is important to remember that if I pitch raise a piano to 50 cents flat, the instrument will be in tune with itself. In fact, I've worked with families who prefer to keep their piano at 50 cents flat because the sound is much more full in their home. Because the piano is in tune with itself, it will still sound good when you play some songs. However, you would be able to tell the difference of your flat piano after a pitch raise if you try to play along to a song on your phone. This will certainly make it difficult to learn and play by ear, so I'd recommend booking another tuning appointment 4-6 months after the first one.

 Clients will be asked for payment immediately after the job is finished. In some cases, such as a school or institution, payment can be made up to fifteen (15) days after the appointment date. Due to company policy, late payments may incur an additional fee. An invoice with the payment status (paid, open, or overdue) will be sent to the client's primary email address as the appointment is completed. 

The following forms of payment are acceptable (in order of preference):

• Zelle

• Check (made out to Mike Pavlis)

• Cash

• Venmo

Credit Card payment is currently in the works, but not yet operational. 

ZORP Piano Tuning operates in Corpus Christi and the sourrounding area. Cities include (but are not limited to):

• Portland, Texas

• Rockport, Texas

• Aransas Pass, Texas

• Port Aransas, Texas

• Ingleside, Texas

• Robstown, Texas

• Sinton, Texas

• Kingsville, Texas

• Beeville, Texas

• Nueces County

• San Patricio County

• Aransas County

• Refugio County

• Bee County

• Jim Wells County

• Kleberg County

Sometimes, an address entered in our scheduling software may be declined service because it is out of our operating area. If this occurs, please contact us at 630-423-1695 or at zorp.piano@gmail.com. An additional travel fee may be required.