Poll: was Re: Master Piano Tuner

[Gregory Torres]

List,

I forgot to mention the timeline. It was 1965 when I started out on accordian...

Gregory Torres wrote:

> I started out on accordion at age 7 at the Ybor City Boys Club in Tampa, Fl, where it was discovered I had (oh
> no!!) perfect pitch. I switched to piano at 10 and had my first tuning experience at age 13 where I proceeded to
> "tune" my old upright and after about a week of this we called in a real tooner. That is what sparked my interest
> in learning how to tune. Later I bought the book "Piano Tuning" by J. Cree Fischer and proceeded to study it but
> was not happy with the method taught (tuning by circle of fifths) so I called a local tuner I had met at the local
> Yamaha dealer at the time and paid him to come out and just tune the temperament and explain what he was listening
> to. He used the John Travis method "up 2 3ds and down a 5th". Then he de-tuned what he had done and let me try. I
> heard clearly now the beat speeds and he encouraged me greatly, and from that point on I had no trouble honing this
> skill.
>      After practicing on my piano for about 3 months (I had a Hardman Peck baby grand at this time) I applied for a
> job at a dealership who sold Yamaha, Steinway, Samick and Kimball's. I tuned many pianos and worked there for about
> a year and a half. Then I worked at a shop run by this same company for about another 8 years where they rebuilt or
> reconditioned used pianos in every conceivable condition. I worked with another tuner who had been in the business
> many years and I learned a lot of shop/rebuilding skills and we worked on everything from run-of -the-mill junk to
> Steinways, Chickerings, Mason & Hamlins and every once in a while we would get a Broadwood or Collard & Collard. I
> really enjoyed these because it was a challenge to make theses instruments play again. I have been an independent
> technician since about 1985.
>
> All the while while I was tuning pianos I was studying classical piano and did almost all of the competitions that
> we aspiring concert pianists must. I also studied oboe for 5 years and was even making my own reeds. I even took
> violin for a few short months, just enough to learn how to play a couple fiddle tunes in the band I was also
> playing in at this time. I have been a professional musician since 1977, have played in all kinds of bands and am
> currently the "House Band" at the Sandestin Beach Hilton Resort in Destin, Fl where I have been performing  for the
> last 2 years while tuning pianos during the day. I have a lovely wife of 14 years and a beautiful 10 year old
> daughter. And Rex, our Devon-rex cat.
>
> Regards,
> Greg Torres