Wanna be piano tuner

[Paul]

Hi Melissa.

Yes I do exist, trapped with a name that stands out in the crowd, as
Kristinn has already hinted. You're on the right list. If you want to learn
something about pianos, you need to hang out with those who know. So, read
the posts, find a tech-especially a PTG RPT, get to meetings, seminars and
conventions. There is a national convention coming up in Reno in July, 2001.
It's a great gathering of great piano minds. Check out the local chapter and
join as an associate. The Guild is here to help you succeed! Best to you!

Paul Chick
----- Original Message -----
From: Kristinn Leifsson <istuner@islandia.is>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Saturday, September 30, 2000 5:33 PM
Subject: Re: Wanna be piano tuner


> Hello Melissa!
>
> I love newcomers because they take me seriously for a little while :)
>
> Welcome to the List.  This is a good forum.
>
> Remember, the List is not about chicken feed, chickens in general, or any
> poultry-related topic, although we accept that Mr. Paul Chick does opt for
> keeping his name.  This is about pianos, and any off topic discussions are
> looked upon with utmost scorn and severity.
>
> So there you have it :)
>
>
> Seems to me that you have it figured out, method-wise.
> My advice to you as far as actual tuning goes is to learn to do it aurally
> (by ear).
> That´s the way I learned it, and as far as I´m concerned it´s the "right"
> way to begin with at least.  After you master that, you can begin to
> consider other possibilities which are interesting.
>
> Many respectable subscribers to the List started out with an ETD
> (electronic tuning devil) ;) to begin with to get acquainted with the
> tuning process.  However, if you start out the old fashioned way, the
> likelihood of the ETD of becoming a crutch is not as great.
>
> Now I will sit back and put on my flame suit, for I am doused in napalm
and
> just dropped a match...
>
>
> Good luck, buckbuckaw!
>
> Kristinn Leifsson,
> Reykjavík, Iceland
>
> P.S Did you by any chance try to learn tuning from an analog cassette ?  I
> heard about that being done somewhere :)
>
>
>
>
>
> At 14:20 30.9.2000 -0400, you wrote:
> >Hello!
> >
> >My name is Melissa Roen.  I'm new to this list this morning.  Ordinarily
I
> >read a list for a while before posting, but I'm just so excited about
this
> >that I wanted to post now.  I went through this lists' archives and
couldn't
> >find a specific answer to my exact question, although I bet someone has
asked
> >it and I just can't find it.  Anyway, I posted a message to this effect
on
> >rec.music.makers.piano this morning already, but I know I'll get more and
> >better responses here.
> >
> >I'm a 29-year-old court reporter living in San Jose, California.  I have
> >played the piano since I was four years old and have had a lot of musical
> >training through private lessons and as a music major in College and at
Aspen
> >Music School.  Today I play mostly for my own pleasure and to relieve the
> >organist at our church from time to time.  (Yes, I play the organ too,
but
> >that's not the point here!)
> >
> >Anyway, I have arrived at a point where I have a little money and a
little
> >time to learn a skill I have desired since high school:  I want to learn
to
> >tune and repair pianos.
> >
> >I took a correspondence course as a teenager, with disastrous results.
Now I
> >understand I had a very poor tuning hammer provided and the information I
> >received was poorly delivered and, at worst, just plain wrong.  This time
I
> >want to do things "right."  What I'm trying to ascertain is what is the
best
> >way to go about this?  My specific goal is to eventually take and pass
the
> >RPT exam.
> >
> >All I have done so far is purchased a book, "Piano Servicing, Tuning, and
> >Rebuilding," by Arthur A. Reblitz.  What I am thinking is rather than go
the
> >correspondence course way, I should read the book thoroughly; buy the
best
> >equipment I can afford -- what specifically, I'm not yet sure of, nor
where
> >to buy it; buy some of the other videotapes and books recommended at the
back
> >if the book and study them; and then hire someone who is already a RPT to
> >teach me one-on-one until I get the hang of it.  I also plan to join the
> >Piano Technician's
> >Guild.
> >
> >I would go to a school, but there are none in my area (San Jose,
California).
> >
> >
> >So to summarize:
> >Is this the truly the best way to learn?
> >What equipment do I need to buy?  Where should I get it from?
> >Should I reconsider taking a correspondence course?
> >Is there anything else I should know about?
> >
> >Thanks for letting me pick your collective brains!
> >
> >Best wishes,
> >Melissa
> >hotsteno@cs.com
> >
> >
> >Melissa Roen
> >CSR No. 12284
> >Pulone & Stromberg
> >Certified Shorthand Reporters
>
>