future technicians

[David Boyce]

That's great Dean!

I teach in a large community college.  There is an extensive and 
state-of-the-art music recording and technology facility (geared mainly to 
popular music), which has been a rapid growth area for the college.  One of 
the music lecturers was a student himself about ten years ago on our 
earliest music course. He told me that the thing that stuck in his head most 
from his course, was the day that it was arranged for me to give a one-off 
afternoon session on piano technology.  He says that single session, where I 
demonstrated the action, the construction of the piano, harmonics, and 
tuning, always stuck with him!

Best wishes,

David.


I've had opportunity a few times to go into elementary schools and give a
little talk on piano construction and various aspects of my job. It was fun
and the kids seemed to enjoy it. One of the things I do is put a finger on
the various nodes of a bass string to demonstrate the different harmonics.
I'll also put the hammer on a pin and make it go way out of tune, then bring
it back into tune while playing the note. That gives them the dramatic demo
of what I listen for while tuning. I'll pull the action, pull a keystick,
basically show them that it isn't just a magic box that produces sound, but
a mechanical device with  parts that work together.