Correspondence tuning courses

[Avery Todd]

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Jeff,

This isn't the first time this complaint has been on the list. Randy is 
good and we all know he is.
I don't understand why there is this problem.

I got started app. 25 yrs. or so ago with a correspondence course (Aubry 
Willis). I know there's
a LOT of differences now, but I still don't understand why this keeps 
happening/being complained
about!

Actually, I haven't even seen a post from Randy in a LONG time! Does anyone 
know if everything
is OK?

Avery

>However, in my view, one of the key parts of the course are his 
>evaluations of your tuning tapes. This just did not take place in a timely 
>manner! I believe my first tape took about 2 months to be returned, and I 
>am still waiting for my 2nd tuning tape from last JULY (2003). I've sent 
>multiple messages asking about it, and placed a note in my exams, which 
>I've sent to him since then, and haven't heard a thing. I know he has a 
>strict e-mail format and I've goof that up a few times, but not enough 
>times to not hear back on this issue and a few other e-mail questions. My 
>last correspondence with him was that getting him in the phone is a better 
>method for communication. Well without a job I really couldn't afford to 
>do that and being the stubborn Dutchman, just sort decided that if e-mail 
>isn't working then forget it. (e-mail is mentioned in the course and on 
>his web site as the preferred method of communication)
>
>I've also gotten pretty busy with a new job recently, and I have let my 
>studies slip so I do not blame Randy totally for this, but to be quite 
>frank, money was very very tight last year without a job for 15 months. It 
>was a stretch to come up with the first $900.00 (3 payments of $300.00) 
>and I was very discouraged that his evaluation of my 2nd tape just never 
>got back to me. That part of the course is so critical for those of us 
>without a tuner/technician to work with and provide the needed feedback.
>
>One other comment is that the video tape quality is very poor. I borrowed 
>some of his course videos from a fellow technician that were made in the 
>80's (less material then the newer ones) and the quality of the video and 
>sound was much much better. As an example, when Jim Coleman is trying 
>teach how to listen for beats, the audio quality was so poor that it was 
>hard to know what was sound track tape variations and what was the actual 
>beating you were suppose to hear. The older tape did not have this problem 
>- I thought it was me until I listen to them!
>
>Finally, because money was so tight, I decided to purchase the course in 
>shipments. The problem with this is that the video material is spread out 
>and critical information is not given to you to go with the written 
>material until shipments 4 & 5. So you end up having to skip or do certain 
>exams with just the written material. I would not recommend buying it in 
>shipments if you decide to take this course - get it all at once so you 
>can have everything you need right up front.
>
>Now I've said much in the way of negative comments - there are certainly 
>many many positive things about the course and it is worth considering. I 
>believe I've learn much from it and hope to continue this year. Time is 
>making that tough right now.
>
>I hope I haven't dampened your interest in learning to tune and repair 
>pianos. I've found it to be a real sense of pride and joy taking an 
>instrument that sounds very poor, and when I'm done in 2-3 hours (I'm 
>slow), it sounds like a piano again (in my humble opinion). I'm glad I 
>started down this path and hope to continue.
>
>Joe - I live near Dave and Willis Snyder and have been a guest at the 
>local PTG meetings which they attend and can imagine the face-to-face 
>classes you took with Dave and others were very rewarding! They are great 
>guys! (See I can say something positive.  : )
>
>Jeff Schlaybach
>- Robesonia, PA
>----- Original Message -----
>From: <mailto:imatunr@srvinet.com>Joe And Penny Goss
>To: <mailto:pianotech@ptg.org>Pianotech ; 
><mailto:rpotter@bendcable.com>Randy Potter ; 
><mailto:rpotter@bendnet.com>Randy Potter
>Sent: Monday, February 02, 2004 7:37 PM
>Subject: Re: Correspondence tuning courses
>
>Hi Barry,
>I have not taken the course but  did attend this years seminar at 
>Minnisota. 10 days of top of the line class and hands on work. There were 
>4 teachers for 26 students, and two groups. Advanced ( 8 working on 
>passing the tuning test for PTG ) and the 18 working on basic tuning and 
>repair skills. Randy took the 8 of us while Tom Cobble, Ward Guthrey and 
>David Snyder worked the 18.
>Classes went from 8 AM to 10 PM at night with about 45 minutes for lunch 
>and dinner
>If you have the TIME and FUNDS a school would be my choice. But Randy 
>offers another way to gather the knowledge and skills needed to become 
>proficent in piano work at your pace of learning.
>Attending the workshop allowed me to get a very good view of the overall 
>scope of the course. And as a teacher of 39 years can confidently say that 
>this is a top of the line
>correspondence course.
>One insight, due to all the spam out there in the email world, one must 
>folow Randy's instructions for communication very closely. Any deviation 
>from the rules will result in your messages not getting through to him.
>.
>Joe Goss
><mailto:imatunr@srvinet.com>imatunr@srvinet.com
>www.mothergoosetools.com
>----- Original Message -----
>From: <mailto:bfd.dsl@pacific.net.au>Barry
>To: <mailto:pianotech@ptg.org>Piano List
>Sent: Monday, February 02, 2004 2:43 PM
>Subject: Correspondence tuning courses
>
>Hi everyone..
>
>I would like to get some reaction from you regarding the correspondence 
>courses available.. eg: Randy Potter and the American School of Tuning etc.
>
>There are no "hands on" courses available in Australia anymore except 
>occasional apprenticeships.
>
>Has anyone successfully passed one of these correspondence courses and 
>would you recommend them?
>
>Thanks
>Barry

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