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

[Delwin D Fandrich]

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  ----- Original Message -----=20
  From: Wimblees@AOL.COM=20
  To: pianotech@ptg.org=20
  Sent: July 24, 2002 7:51 AM
  Subject: Re: no comp. was Re: Saying "No" (was Convention is focused)


  In a message dated 7/23/02 12:51:05 PM Central Daylight Time, =
pianobuilders@olynet.com writes:=20


  This is where I would like to see some ideas come out. What subjects, =
courses, ideas would attract those who feel the convention isn't =
offering enough? Would there be enough of these kinds of classes to fill =
out a schedule, or are there going to be only a few, like your =
environmental class, that hopefully would attract some of the =
technicians that no longer attend?  The second problem with this is, if =
you have some new classes next year, what will have to be offered the =
following year, and the next? Is there ever going to be enough new =
material to have those technicians you're talking about, coming back =
year after year?=20
Well, I don't know what could be offered. I don't know what other people =
are interested in. What they are doing in their 'spare' time. What =
excites them. What is driving them on. We'll have to search a bit.=20

As to what to do the year after...let's worry about that next year. Each =
year will present troubles enough of its own.


  The next question is, who is going to teach those classes? I know you =
spend a lot of time preparing new classes, like the class I just =
mentioned. But who else is willing to take the time, and present it, =
with little or no compensation? Are we gong to run into the same =
problem? Are the advanced technicians who have given of their time and =
talent for all these many years, and felt "taken advantage of," be =
willing to step up to the plate, and do it again?=20
And that, of course, brings us back to where this all started. Yes, =
eventually we are going to run into the same problem. With the current =
policies it will probably be impossible. But those policies must =
ultimately change--it is only a matter of time.

I have my own reasons for doing what I do, not all of which I'm prepared =
to discuss publicly. But one big motivation is to work, in my own way, =
to preserve an instrument and an industry I happen to like. To do that I =
must try to make the best use of the tools God has given me--an =
inquiring intellect and some ability to teach and pass on what I've =
learned. I am not ever going to be one of PTG's presidents--if the =
organization was ever foolish enough to elect me they would soon learn =
just how bad a job I could do in that position. Nor will I ever lead one =
of the great piano manufacturing companies of the world. I can, however, =
try my best to expand the theoretical knowledge base and general =
awareness of how the piano works among my peers, the piano technicians I =
have access to. So, it's what I do.

The original motivation for this goes back to the early 1970s when it =
was patiently explained to me that the only reason I (and most other =
technicians of the time) couldn't get certain pianos to perform to the =
standard their owners had been led to expect was because we were all =
incompetent. For some time I accepted this analysis at least of my own =
abilities and worked really hard to improve both my knowledge and my =
skills. Eventually, though, I became convinced there were some =
fundamental design issues involved in these (and most, if not all, other =
contemporary) pianos. Once I reached this stage I started out in earnest =
trying to unravel the 'secrets' shrouding the instrument.=20

Along the way I became convinced that our industry had reached one of =
those plateaus. Actually, even then--the late 70s--the signs of decay =
were evident to anyone not wanting to ignore and hide them. Most wanted =
to ignore and hide them. It seemed increasingly evident to me that if we =
didn't soon begin the process of taking the instrument to the next =
obvious level our industry would ultimately suffer a serious decline and =
quite possibly fade eventually into oblivion. No industry (or =
organization, for that) can survive resting forever on its laurels and =
past glories. It must continually reinvent itself or it will stagnate =
itself out of existence. It also became evident that our industry was =
locked into stagnation and that the established 'leaders' within the =
industry were not going to hear much of anything I had to say. I was, =
after all, just a piano tuner.

Somewhere in there I became convinced that if there was going to be =
change, it would have to demanded from the bottom up. It was not going =
to come voluntarily from the top down. And even that was difficult to =
get started. When I began talking about these things I felt pretty much =
like a lone voice in the wilderness. There may have been others with the =
same message, but I didn't know about them. And it seemed that very few =
wanted to hear much of it. Back then I had to push and prod the powers =
that be into giving me class time to present these topics. Once, Ernie =
Juhn (of all people) came to my defense saying, "Every industry needs =
its lunatic fringe--you're it for us."=20

By contrast, this year there was enough interest to attract some 50+ =
potential and confirmed lunatics to an all-day presentation on the =
subject. Several--Ron Nossaman, perhaps chief among them--easily qualify =
for their own certificates and are expanding nicely on whatever =
foundation currently exists. Progress is being made but the job is far =
from finished.=20

Even the most obdurate industry watcher must now acknowledge that our =
industry is in serious decline. There are many reasons for this decline. =
Some are related to the social changes our world is going through and =
those we are powerless, individually or collectively, to do much about. =
But there are things that we can do something about. We can stop =
flooding the market with obsolete, me-too pianos. We can start to design =
and innovate ourselves out of stagnation instead of simply trying to =
blindly market our way through. But, to get from where we are to where =
we might be will not be easy. There will have to be real demand for =
change--and real changes--not just the mutterings and lip service we =
have today. At the same time, there will have to be some hope--and some =
assurance--that such change is possible. Among other things I hope still =
to show some possibilities and, if I'm lucky, to help lead us on toward =
those possibilities.=20


  Del, what I am about to say comes from the heart, with all the respect =
and admiration for your talents and contribution. But what's in it for =
you to make the sacrifice to take the time and spend the money to teach =
at a convention, or even a seminar? If teaching at a convention is a =
business expense, with little or no monitory benefit, why go to all the =
trouble? As you said, why not find something more worth while to do? Not =
that I want you to quit coming, but what's bringing you back year after =
year?=20
I'm not sure I can really answer that. Hope, though, I suppose is one of =
the big reasons. And desperation--I don't want to see this industry fade =
into oblivion as all of the signs I see indicate is likely.=20


  I do know this. Whenever I have developed a new class, I learn more =
about the subject than I knew before I started. I asked my son, Chris, =
who, as you know, is a partner is CPA firm, what the Anderson/Enron =
debacle meant for his firm. He sent a me a long letter explaining how it =
will benefit his company. He thanked me for asking, because it forced =
him to write down the thoughts that had been running around in his mind. =
He was able to verbalize some ideas he had about the subject. That was =
important for him. I am the same way. I have ideas, but it's not until I =
write them down that they make sense. Is that the way it is with you? Is =
that why you continue to come up with new ideas?=20
Perhaps, though I can do that in ways that do at least have the =
potential for earning me money. Yes, I really do need to get my =
priorities straight.

Regards,

Del

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