Stretch Tuning

In acoustic pianos, professional piano-tuners have long used a special ‘stretch’ tuning that sharpens high notes and flattens low notes in such a way that to the ear, the piano sounds more ‘in-tune’. A general consensus has long since been agreed upon as to the exact amount of stretching, and a piano so tuned creates the impression of great tonal brilliance. Generally speaking, the precise raising or lowering the pitches are by one or a few cents.