no comp. was Re: Saying "No" (was Convention is focused)

[Keith Roberts]

Bob,  I sincerely appreciate guys like you. Realizing that raising the
quality of work in your peers has beneficial repercussions is quality
insight. People are going to go into business competition with you whether
they know anything or not, and can be successful for a while. It's a lot
more frustrating and less rewarding fixing somebody's screwups instead of
bringing the instrument to a higher level than it's ever been.
Keith
----- Original Message -----
From: <BobDavis88@AOL.COM>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Sunday, July 21, 2002 9:16 AM
Subject: Re: no comp. was Re: Saying "No" (was Convention is focused)


>
> Because the attendees are getting the benefit of MUCH more than 1.5 hours
> (*2) of the instructor's time. The instructor doesn't just walk in and
start
> talking. Even after teaching at many conventions, I still spend NUMEROUS
> hours revising the material to make it as clear and efficient as possible,
> and I can't count the hours before the first one I taught at. Knowing the
> subject is one thing, but preparing it to be useful to 100 people, with
> differing levels of experience and different learning styles, is quite
> another.
>
> Also, while others were at receptions, I was preparing a piano for a
class,
> or breaking it down to be used by someone else. I left the banquet early
for
> the same reason.
>
> So why would I subject myself to this?
> 1. I learn more than they do. The discipline of preparation has forced me
to
> think about subjects I'm interested in, more deeply than I might have.
> 2. I think I have something to say that might help someone, and it is
SMALL
> payback for the VAST quantities of information I have received from others
> who felt the same way. I am SO greatful that they were willing to share.
> 3. The system works. I think we all benefit from the free exchange of
> information. My competitors have gained, but so have I, in direct
proportion
> to the amount of energy I have put into learning and teaching. When
> everybody's doing better work, the respect that our clients have for the
> craft increases, raising our standing, financial and otherwise.
> 4. Nobody knows everything. I would rather spend a lot of energy on a
topic
> that excites me, and go to a convention where I can meet someone else with
a
> different focus, with whom I can trade the fruits of deeper research.
> 5. I enjoy teaching willing and committed students. It's just plain fun.
> 6. Anyone who doesn't admit to a LITTLE ego boost isn't very honest.
>
> On the other hand, from a purely hard-nosed point of view, why should
> conventions pay instructors more than they have to? Does the word "should"
> need to enter into the equation? The attendees obviously benefit from the
> generosity of the instructors, but believe me, the instructors benefit or
we
> wouldn't have any. As long as we have a good balance of
> manufacturers/independent trechnicians as instructors....
>
> Bob Davis
>