Master Piano Tuner

[Billbrpt]

In a message dated 5/20/98 5:12:06 PM Central Daylight Time,
rootfamily@erols.com writes:

<< I have followed many tuners in the field during my career and have come to
believe that maybe half the 'professionals' have no idea how to set a
temperament.   (yes, you can tell).>>
  
<< Work history does not guarantee anything.  Neither does a certificate from
a school.  I'm not knocking schools.  Only that they should be viewed only as
an introduction to the craft, no more.  Many graduates of these schools have
not passed RPT exams on their  the first attempt. >>
 
 > >> I do not use the MPT designation after my name on this list simply out
of
 > >> courtesy since this is a PTG list.
 
 <<Many MPT members use it their advertising, however.  Any implication of
certification must be backed up by examination or it is bogus.  I wonder how
many on this list would hire a professional service person who represented
himself in this way?  >>
 
  <>  
 
 <<I'm ready for the flames.>>  .
 
 Carl
 
<< I've enjoyed the recent peace on this list.  Keep it civil. :-)  >>

You'll get no flames from me, Carl.  I agree with each and every point you
have made and could not have made them as well, myself.  While there may be
well-qualified individuals in the MPT organization, there is nothing to
prevent anyone who belongs to no organization whatsoever and who has no
particular skill at tuning a piano from calling him/her self "Master Piano
Technician" or anything else that may be concocted.  The only restriction
there is, exists with PTG.  

While it may be true to a point that poor workmanship will be the limiting
factor in anyone's success as a piano technician, virtually every city and
town I've ever visited has it's share of people who have rendered very poor
service to pianos yet people have trusted them.  It's not unlike the success
of medical quackery.

Your statement about "half the professionals" not knowing how to set a
temperament perhaps is a bit exaggerated but I am inclined to agree with your
observation.  When I entered this List, I made a point of how many people I
had observed could not really tune an Equal Temperament.  With all due respect
to him, Kent Swafford RPT (who is also a PTG Certified Tuning Examiner) took
issue with that statement.  Although I did not argue with him about it, I
privately wondered which world he was living in.  He was one of my trainers as
a CTE and has been at that task much longer than I have and hes seen many more
people's attempt at passing the RPT Tuning Exam than I have.  

I believe the current statistic is that about 50% of those who attempt this
Exam fail the first time.  If these people cannot produce this minimum level
of professional skill, how can their temperaments be considered to be Equal?
Do we dare even think about all those who will not take the Exam because they
know privately that they could not pass?  I know of a Yellow pages listing of
a person who identifies himself as "Concert Piano Technician" and it is not a
misrepresentation.  He does do lots of concert tunings.  In my opinion
however, if he wanted to take and pass the RPT Exams, he would have to improve
his skills considerably.

If these temperaments which are offered to the public every day are not Equal,
then what are they?  In my observation, the most common erroneously produced
temperament pattern is what has come to be called Reverse Well.  It is called
that because it follows or loosely follows a pattern which is exactly opposite
to the well-known Rules for Well Temperament written by Andreas Werkmeister.
It is anything but Equal.  I hear lots of people say, "I have never before
heard the term, 'Reverse-Well'."  But that is, in part, what this List is for,
to hear of things sometimes that no one has yet identified.  I am not the
person who invented the term although you will probably find far fewer
listinings for it in reference books than you will for say, "Perfect Pitch".

Yet there are many, if not the majority, who raise a great fuss at the mere
mention of the use of a Historical Temperament.  They claim that it just
cannot work, that it just wouldn't be right.  The harsh reality remains
however that something far more "wrong" and that really "couldn't work" is
accepted by people all the way from ordinary console piano owners all the way
up to Concert Artists.

I'm glad you wrote what you did, Carl; wiser words were never spoken.  Also
the comment from the novice, Jerry Hunt was right on the mark.  I do hope to
see him receive his RPT status in July.

The best and only way to promote quality piano service is to promote the RPT
title.  Emphasize what it means and what it represents.  Try not to even talk
about any other unsubstantiated titles, that only gives them the exposure they
do not deserve.  Only RPT's have demonstrated professional level skills on a
standardized Exam.

Bill Bremmer RPT
Madison, Wisconsin