Terry, et al; A few nights ago I was speaking with Roger J., via land line, discussing various and sundry important 'stuff' and I mentioned that I was going out the next morning on a 'dealer' call. Seems that a brand 'X' domestic piano had been sold/delivered and subsequently three techs had not been able to satisfy the customer with their 'tuning'. I was asked by the dealer to see what I could do to make a "happy customer". Roger and I agreed that it probably was not a tuning problem, rather a 'voicing ' problem.......sure enough the next morning the customer complained bitterly about the "tuning" quality sounding "harsh". The "tuning" was very good....but the voicing was atrocious, with a large A :-) As far as this customer was concerned the problem was "tuning" and if "I didn't recognize that then perhaps someone else should come out who did recognize what the problem was" (paraphrased).....................Well now what to do???!!!........ remember I am working for the 'dealer' and not myself in this instance. Had I been working for myself I would have used the "Nossman" method and choked him on the spot :-) But instead I used the alternate "Nossman" method and put on my 'dealer' diplomatic hat, patiently explaining that there were a finite number of tuners in Jacksonville and if he didn't trust my judgement that eventually he would have to trust somebodys or return the piano.............he said that he loved his piano, had saved for years to be able to afford it, and just wanted it to sound right!!! So hesitantly he allowed me to "try" voicing a "few" first. Bingo!! "Yes, that's more what I want to hear" after I had voiced down a few of the tenor section thingees......"can you make the whole scale sound that way?" So after voicing down the whole thingees line I set about evening things up and left a very happy consumer playing his little heart out on a piano that "sounds right". Voicing, as is tuning, regulation, etc., is an extremely important part of the techs toolbox and should not be left to chance to learn, rather it should be assiduously sought after...easier said than done I know...........but there it is. Equally important is the ability to decipher what the customer is saying from their perception and translate it into reality. Case in point...this piano had been "tuned" by three very good tuners before I got there but the customer was unhappy with their "tuning".........I touched not a single string or tuning pin while I was there and left a very satisfied customer. Having been the 'fourth' "tuner" gave me an advantage. I knew before I got to the customers house that "tuning" probably was not the problem because those who went before are in fact good tuners. After listening to the piano and what the customer was saying it was obviously a 'voicing problem' but even more of a 'perception' problem................................ We all need to carefully voice our hearing to 'what' the customer is saying and not how it is being said, because only then can we use our skills to addre ss the 'real' problem and not just fool around with the symptoms. I know that I need a shot in the arm like this occasionally to keep me attentive :-) Jim Bryant (FL)
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