response to part-timer thoughts

[David Boyce]

Hi folks,

How much I am enjoying all your thoughts about part-timers and the attitude
of the PTA versus that of the PTG.
I am enjoying them because they agree with my own reflections, and I find I
have a natural propensity to warm to those whose opinions coincide with my
own!  To mention a few of your comments:

BARRIE, you wrote:
"I tried to phone there president not in I tried a council member not in
so I tried one of there ex-presidents Les Sherlock.

He Said  For a tuner to eligible  to become a member of the PTA he/she
must be a full time tuner and have served a recognised collage course or
served a recognised apprenticeship.  Once he/she is a member he/she can
go part time if they wish."

But this is _extraordinary_!   Of course I met Les Sherlock over the years
at the conventions.  But what he said to you, Barrie, directly contradicts
the PTA's stated reason for their policy.  If, after joining, "they can go
part time if they wish", then the supposed reason for excluding part-timers
(that they can't maintain an adequate standard) is completely void! 
Hypocrisy, if you ask me.

B.SIMON quoted me and wrote: 
"<<The stance of the PTA in Britain is that they would _not_ be promoting
the
welfare of the profession, if they admitted to the ranks persons of
inferior ability, which would be the case, they say, with part-timers.>>

Imagine that!  Britain, the champion of guilds and exclusionary ( for non-
competition) practices. And look at how well Britain is doing today!"

Dear B. Simon (sorry, don't know your first name), I love it!  I think you
have addressed the 'nitty-gritty' of the matter. 
There is a certain 'mindset' or attitude prevalent here which could not be
described as a 'go-ahead' one.  The outlook and practices you allude to,
dear B. Simon, are well illustrated by the demise last century of the
traditional English Watchmaking industry.  Up until the latter part of the
last century, English watchmaking led the world and represented an
unsurpassed and beautiful standard of hand craftsmanship. Then the Swiss
started to bring in machine production.  Instead of grasping the nettle,
the English industry displayed the attitude you describe, stuck the
collective head in the sand - and was wiped out almost overnight.

JERRY HUNT, you wrote:
"Sooo, I decided to become a piano technician, took the Randy Potter
course (which I just finished and will graduate with high honors),
joined the PTG, and started doing some moonlighting as a piano tech.
To be perfectly honest, I have no idea how PTG members in general feel
about part-timers, but so far, everyone that I've met who were in the
PTG has been very supportive and helpful. In short, I don't feel that
I've been treated any differently than any other new member, full-time
or part-time.
As to my tuning quality, I realise that I'm still a novice and will get
better over time. However, my best customer (from whom I've received
numerous referrals), is a local piano teacher, who became disgruntled
with her other tuner (a full-time tuner), and has been really pleased
with the way her piano sounds now."

I appreciated these comments, Jerry.  There are a number of parallels
between you and me. (I'm 40, and have been tuning since 1985, but never
really 'full-time')  I'm glad that you have met such positive attitudes
from PTG members.  And I'm not surprised.  I think a positive, helpful and
supportive outlook really comes across in the list.
I must say too that when I used to attend the PTA conventions, I found most
of the experienced tuners very friendly and supportive, (with perhaps one
or two exceptions).  I've had similar experiences to you, Jerry, in
relation to tuning for music teachers.

WILLEM BLEES wrote:
"As far as how to prove whether you are full time or part time, that is a
good
question. Barrie, or others in the UK, how does the PTA police this?"

I don't know if there's a definite answer to this.  I don't think, for
example, that they ask to see a certified set of accounts to show that you
earned at least the national average salary last year!  What is a
'full-time living' measured in anyway - money earned, number of pianos
tuned, or number of hours spent?

And what about this glaring inconsistency - members who were such before
the test was introduced are not required to take it.  So you could have an
elderly tuner doing one piano a month and making a vile job of it, who is a
MPTA.

KIRSI LASSI:
"I'm wondering, does any association test the members again, say every five

years for ex., to see if they maintain the level that the association
claims only
the members have? Or do the associations just trust that after having
passed 
the exam to become a member, you're keeping up at least that level, perhaps
even getting better (that's the way at least here in Finland).

The PTA test is a one-off, with no provision for re-testing.
Can part-timers take the test in Finland? 
Sibelius' 2nd is my favourite Symphony of all.

BARRIE:
"Yes: the PTA do have a Tuning test.  Raise the pitch of all of the
piano in 2:30 hours C522 to C523.0 and you are not allowed to use an ETA"

Is this correct Barrie?  If so, it's a change, for I'm sure the pitch raise
used to be 6 Hz.(C517 to C523).

Do you think there should be a test for using ETA's, folks?  I know of one
tuner in Britain who took his PTA test using an ETA, because when he
produced it at the test, the examiners were nonplussed, but rules at that
time did not specifically prohibit them, so they had to let him proceed,
and he achieved the reqired results in the given time.  (Isn't this, along
with stability, what counts, after all?).

Actually, what is the PTG's stance on ETA's?

Best wishes to all,

David Boyce.
David@bouncer.force9.net

P.S.  Jim Bryant - thank you for your comment about Baby Grands.  Of
course!  Funny how the obvious can stare one in the face for so many years,
without one recognising it!