Newbe question

[pianolady50 at peoplepc.com]

Welcome to the group!  Alan's comments are perfect.  Best to you.

Debbie


----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Alan Barnard 
  To: Pianotech List 
  Sent: Monday, May 01, 2006 1:30 PM
  Subject: RE: Newbe question


  Comments interspersed:

  >Anyway, I thought the American School of Piano Tuning program was pretty good. There was a link to it off the RTP Web site, so I didn't think that it could be all that bad. However, I don't feel like I have all the skills I need. I feel like I know just enough to be dangerous. So to practice, I  bought myself an old Kimball grand piano (built in the 30s) that was in horrible shape with the intent to fix it up.

  You are just beginning a long and steep learning curve. I DON'T say this to discourage, but it's the truth. Most of what you learn from books, tapes, courses, and PTG classes (ahem!) is just background to the necessary SKILLS you need to acquire. And these skills can ONLY be developed by consistent, carefully evaluated practice, practice, practice. Tune is no different from learning to play an instrument, in this sense, you can learn "things" from books, mentors, etc., but in the end it is a skill that coordinates your ears, your brain, your muscles, etc. Example: You will find that you do not "turn a pin" to tune a string--rather you finesse, cajole, nudge, and tweak it in order to bring it to pitch and stable. The ear training, alone, takes a lot of practice.

  Even if you purchase a quality electronic tuning device, i.e., ETD (TuneLab, Verituner, Accutuner, or Cybertuner--all excellent) to assist you, you still must tune, tune, tune to "get it". 

  Can you do it without attending a two-year school? Yes. I did and many, many do. But what I'm trying to say is, don't assume that because you've got the basics in your head that you are ready to go out and earn a full-time living. Step One: Join the PTG (by the way, what the heck is the "RTP Web site"?). Call Sandy Roady at 1-913-432-9975. She (or someone, she's a little busy these days) will send you a packet of information and how to contact the local chapter. Now you may feel that you can't afford to join yet, but the truth is, you can't afford not to! Get involved immediately. Hopefully you live near a really active chapter with a PACE program happening and regular meetings with technical training.

  Where do you live?

  >The sound board is cracked, the ivories are cracked, the hammers are deeply grooved, and it needs to be restrung. In the action, it looks like a lot of the felts are worn and should be replaced. And it needs to be refinished. At worse, I think that this will be a good education, at best, if I do good job refurbishing it, I could at least get my money back if not make some. Did any of you do anything like this?

  Yes. Excellent thing to do. But tuning is better practiced on the highest quality and largest instruments you can find.

  >Also, sorry if this is an old question, but is liquid hide glue as good as the hide glue you have to mix in a heating pot?

  Maybe for furniture work, but it is slow setting. Hot pot regular hide glue is an excellent material to use in the shop. In the field, please discover the many joys (and cautions) of PVC-E, carpenter's yellow glue, and CA (super glues, thin and thick)--and what is appropriate for what application.

  Didn't mean this as a downer in any sense, just a little reality check: You don't become a concert pianist by reading books, nor can you tune, regulate, repair, and voice concert pianos without similar dedication and practice, practice, practice.

  Alan Barnard
  Salem, Missouri


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