Central Coast Piano
Tuning · Ear Playing · Monterey to the Bay
The Work
Piano tuning and ear-playing instruction might seem like different worlds, but they share the same root: a deep listening. Whether coaxing a string into tune or unlocking a chord by feel, the ear is always the guide. You already have one — we just develop it together.
The Tuner
Tuning is a meditative act. The moment a piano moves from discordance into resonance is genuinely joyful — and that joy is present in every appointment. There's also the quiet delight of sitting down to play an instrument freshly brought to life, especially one never played before.
The Teacher
Learning to play by ear is one of the most liberating things a musician can do. The approach connects especially well with kids — there's something natural about learning to trust what you hear before you read what you see. But this path is open to anyone at any age.
Where We Are
Service runs from Monterey up through the Bay — Fremont, San Mateo, Gilroy, and everywhere in between. If you have a piano that needs care, or a student who is ready to unlock their ear, the drive is worth it. Reach out and let's make it happen.
"Every piano is waiting to be heard properly — and every player has music inside them that hasn't found its way out yet. Both of those things can change."
A well-tuned piano doesn't just sound better — it feels different to play. The resonance between strings, the way chords bloom and sustain, the confidence a player feels when the instrument responds truly. Tuning is the foundation everything else is built on.
For pianos that are tuned regularly or are only slightly out of pitch. A thorough tuning that brings the instrument into its full resonance. Usually about two hours, done with care and genuine enjoyment. There is real satisfaction in handing a piano back to its owner in a state of harmony.
When a piano has been out of tune for a long time or significantly below pitch, it needs to be raised to tension before a fine tuning can hold. This is a two-pass process — bring the strings up, then tune them true. It takes more time, more skill, and rewards you with a piano that stays in tune much longer.
One of the quiet pleasures of this work is sitting down at the end of a session and playing the piano — especially one played for the first time. A freshly tuned piano has a kind of aliveness to it. You'll hear it too, the first time you play after a tuning. That difference is real, and it matters.
Most pianos benefit from tuning twice a year — once in fall when heating systems come on and the air dries, and once in spring. Pianos that are played frequently, that live in variable climates, or that support a student in lessons may benefit from more. When in doubt, it's probably time.
Ear playing is different from reading music — it starts from the inside. You learn to recognize what you hear, trust your instincts, and let your hands find what your ears already know is there. The curriculum builds from the ground up, and the progress is deeply satisfying.
We begin with the building blocks — major, minor, dominant, and beyond. Then we explore inversions: the same chord in different voices, opening up the whole keyboard and teaching the ear to recognize harmony in any position. You'll be surprised how quickly this starts to click.
Scales aren't just exercises — they're the grammar of music. We learn them not as drills but as landscapes, feeling the emotional character of each mode and key. Understanding scales by ear transforms them from obligation into vocabulary. You start to hear the music you want to play.
This is where it gets exciting. We take songs you love — any genre, any era — and figure them out together. Learning to identify chord progressions by ear, to find the root, to hear the movement of a melody. This skill compounds quickly, and every song you crack open teaches you something that applies to the next one.
Targeted, musical drills weave everything together — chord transitions, arpeggios, rhythmic patterns that make your hands fluent and your ear quicker. These are never busywork; they're always in service of a musical goal you can already imagine. The real aim is that you surprise yourself, regularly.
There's something about the ear-playing approach that connects naturally with kids — it meets them where music already lives in their bodies, before notation adds complexity. But adults thrive here too. If you've always wanted to "just play" without needing sheet music, this is your path. You're more ready than you think.
Whether you have a piano that needs tuning or a student ready to start playing by ear — reach out. The Central Coast is covered from Monterey to Fremont, San Mateo, Gilroy, and beyond. Every note of this work is a pleasure, and it starts with a conversation.
"Thank you — I'll be in touch soon. Something good is coming."
Service Area
Monterey · Pacific Grove · Carmel · Salinas · Santa Cruz · Gilroy · Morgan Hill · San Jose · Fremont · San Mateo · and the roads between
Tuning Rates
Standard Tune-Up · $150
Pitch Raise + Tuning · $250
Each appointment is an unhurried, joyful session. The piano gets the time it deserves.
Lesson Rates
Ear Playing Instruction · $60 / hr
All ages and levels welcome. Especially resonates with kids, but the ear has no age limit. You are more musical than you know.
A Note
This work is done with genuine love. Every tuning is a small act of restoration. Every lesson is an invitation to trust what you already hear. The best way to begin is simply to reach out.