RPT/Associate Debate

[Dave Nereson]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "lgulli2586" <lgulli2586@rogers.com>
To: "Pianotech" <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Monday, October 18, 2004 9:01 PM
Subject: RPT/Associate Debate
 I am 52 now, and have made it a life dream and goal, to attain RPT status. 
I have not taking an easy road as so many have suggested, and just hang out 
a shingle under the PTG umbrella. Listening to a lot of discussion and 
technical hoopera some expouse is very intimidating. Maybe that is why a 
fear factor shows up, and many dont take the challenge. After reading  so 
many articles on tuning and technical work one is led to believe it is 
rocket science, and I aint a "rocket scientist"..Just a few thoughts.

    Jeez, it's not that big a deal.  If you can regulate a grand and an 
upright action model reasonably well and if you can do most of the more 
common repairs on keys and action parts and broken strings reasonably well, 
and if you pay attention to detail and do careful, tidy work, you'll pass. 
That's all that's required to become an RPT.  RPT doesn't equal "world class 
top technician suitable for any and all world class top concert artists." 
It just means you're knowledgeable enough about pianos to do most of the 
common regulating and repair tasks to please most pianists.
    Now if you want to ace all parts of all the exams at 100%, then yes, you 
should really know your stuff, but I've seen several not-very-experienced 
"beginning" technicians score in the high 90% bracket because they studied 
the exam source books and practiced the repair tasks and had someone 
evaluate   action model regulations that they had done.
    I had certain Boy Scout merit badges and high school biology, chemistry, 
and algebra tests that involved more studying, preparation and practice than 
passing the RPT tech exam.
    --David Nereson, RPT