PTG Technical Exam action models

[Newton Hunt]

Hi Barrie,

Of the three 'wise' tuners one must be a Certified Tuning Examiner.  A
CTE must take courses, pass, administer examinations under
supervision, and be approved by the PTG board.

This procedure assures standard setup administration and scoring.

A good quality, tunable, piano 6 foot or more is chosen then 3 to 6
hours or more can be spent tuning, measuring, retuning, remeasuring
until a master tuning is achieved and stored.  The aural master tuning
HAS to be agreed to, in all particulars, by all three members of the
committee before it is stored. Because of this time investment we like
to use pianos in schools, churches or examiners homes.  Sometimes it
is very difficult to find a suitable environment and suitable piano.

If there is a discrepancy in the examinee's tuning then all three
examiners _must_ agree, by aural testing, that there is an error.  If
the test or the examiners cannot prove the error the points are given
to the examinee.

This is a time consuming test to administer (three hours or more per
tuner) but it is absolutely objective.  If a person can tune they
pass.  If the person cannot tune they fail.  There are 8 parts to the
test, pitch setting, temperament, middle, bass, treble, unisons,
stability and I cannot remember the other off hand.  A score of 80 on
all 8 is passing.  A score of 90 on all tests qualifies the person to
begin CTE training if they have been a PTG member for 2 years or more
(I think).

Achieving 90 is far, far harder than achieving 80.

All test scores are kept from the very beginning.  If too few are
passing one section of the test then the 'loading' factor can be
adjusted to bring that test in line, statistically, with the others. 
Same for too many passing.