[CAUT] Workload; was Position announcement

[tannertuner]

Hey Jeannie,
My thinking is that if Steinway is saying one tech to 40 pianos and PTG is saying one tech per 60 or 80 unless you're Julliard, Cincinnati Conservatory or Eastman, neither body has any credibility, so none of what either one of us says falls on open ears. But if we both are making similar recommendations, there must be something to it.
Jeff

--- On Tue, 7/20/10, Jeannie Grassi <jcgrassi at earthlink.net> wrote:


From: Jeannie Grassi <jcgrassi at earthlink.net>
Subject: Re: [CAUT] Workload; was Position announcement
To: caut at ptg.org
Date: Tuesday, July 20, 2010, 8:08 PM








Jeff,
I appreciate your sentiments, but even if PTG gets on board such recommendations probably will count for little when schools (or at least those who are doing the hiring) are so out of touch with what is needed and what is possible for one person to accomplish.  I’m afraid it will fall on deaf ears. 
 
I was also dismayed once again to see that no mention of PTG or RPT status was given as even a minimum requirement.  I think this is the 2nd or 3rd position advertised without such mention.  Are we making progress any progress?
 
jeannie
 




From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of tannertuner
Sent: Tuesday, July 20, 2010 7:13 AM
To: caut at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [CAUT] Workload; was Position announcement
 





I communicated until I was blue in the face. I wrote letters that were put on file. I talked to the faculty everytime I came in to service their piano. Funny, one day nobody remembered any of that. They just woke up and realized the pianos were going down hill. Pianos that were brand new "yesterday" were all of a sudden in need of transformation. Rooms were overscheduled and no time was available for tuning, much less pulling pianos out for hammer filing, regulation and voicing. Even if you could go from room to room, the body and mind just aren't cut out for that kind of work intensity long term. That's what whoever takes this job is going to get. After the first year, he'll start voicing his concerns to the faculty and they'll look at him like he's just making excuses, he's lucky to be getting paid so much to be able to pursue a hobby all day, and he just needs to start doing his job and shut up.

 

Problem is, people are accustomed to having their pianos tuned in their homes once or twice a year, or once every 3 to 5 years. They look at 144 pianos in a college and see a part time job at best, especially if the pianos are new. New stuff doesn't need fixing, right? We've even had one RPT comment on this list that he couldn't have imagined a school needing a full time tech for 80 pianos until he took a college job, and then a year in, he saw that there was no way possible for one tech to handle 80.

 

This situation needs 3 full time technicians. Newton said it. Steinway says it. 40 pianos for one technician. I appreciate what our PTG Guidelines goes into about condition and all, but new or old, 40 pianos in a school is a full time job for any piano technician. PTG needs to get on board with that recommendation.

 

Jeff

--- On Tue, 7/20/10 , Dennis Johnson <johnsond at stolaf.edu> wrote:


From: Dennis Johnson <johnsond at stolaf.edu>
Subject: Re: [CAUT] Position announcement, James Madison University
To: caut at ptg.org
Date: Tuesday, July 20, 2010 , 9:32 AM

This is a very possible scenario, but the way around that is communication.  We are looking at expansion ourselves next year which means buying a significant number at once. Some of the piano faculty are already concerned about this exact potential problem of everything wearing out the same time.   Not to take issue, but it's highly recommended that anyone considering this position talk about that in very precise terms.  Something like phasing in at least a part time assistant after 5 years would be perfect.  Of course talk is cheap, but I remember Newton telling us to never tire reminding them of reasonable staffing needs.  There is only so much we can do, but the solution comes from both sides. 

Dennis .
______________

On Tue, Jul 20, 2010 at 7:50 AM , tannertuner <tannertuner at bellsouth.net> wrote:
The Steinway verticals aren't the problem. One technician versus all these NEW pianos and what it will look like in 8 to 10 years is. First few years it will look like a cakewalk, until one day you wake up and everything needs new hammers, strings start breaking nothing will stay in tune. The students and faculty will start complaining that the tech used to do a good job but overnight he appears to not be doing his job anymore.

Jeff

--- On Mon, 7/19/10 , Ron Nossaman <rnossaman at cox.net> wrote:

> From: Ron Nossaman <rnossaman at cox.net>

> Subject: Re: [CAUT] Position announcement, James Madison University
> To: caut at ptg.org
> Date: Monday, July 19, 2010 , 3:30 PM


> tannertuner wrote:
> > Wouldn't wish this job on my worst enemy!
>
>
> But a hundred of these pianos are new Steinway verticals.
> Your worst enemy is the ideal recommendation!
>
> Is the previous tech AWOL or just heavily sedated?
> Ron N
>
 
 
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