Why Do Piano Strings Break?

There are several contributing factors as to why piano strings break. Over time they lose their elasticity and become hard and brittle. The strings pass over several bearing points, adding both friction and pressure to the strings. The strings eventually can start to dig into these bearing points, which in turn can lead to breaking strings.

Rust on the strings can also be a significant factor in loss of flexibility and strength. This can cause strings to break during playing, tuning, or even to just snap when nobody is playing! Strings can also become rusted into place.

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A piano that isn't properly regulated can also contribute to string breakage. The piano action is designed so the hammer bounces off the strings. This is called let off. It allows the hammer to travel only by inertia for the last 1/16 inch or so before striking the strings. If this let off isn't set early enough, the hammer will hit the strings with the full force and weight of the pianist's fingers (and hand and arm) and will stay there, pushing against the strings (and muting the sound). This extra force can easily break strings, not to mention other parts in the piano.

Occasionally a piano string can have a defect. This can cause it to have false beats or even to break for seemingly no reason.