[pianotech] Ethics and efficacy of part-time tuning

[David Love]

I don't see why not.  Believe me, if I could make a living working 15 - 20
hours a week I'd do it in a NY minute.  Lots of other things to do in this
life.  For many people that's plenty of time for banging your head inside a
piano.  As in any endeavor your goal should be the highest quality service.
While there can be a relationship between time input and skill development
it is not necessarily proportional--at least not after a point.  How much
work time you commit per week is not really relevant, in my opinion.
Anyway, a sparse and uncertain marketplace may preclude a full time
commitment anyway, at least one that earns income.  

David Love
www.davidlovepianos.com


-----Original Message-----
From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of david at piano.plus.com
Sent: Tuesday, March 31, 2009 6:50 AM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [pianotech] Ethics and efficacy of part-time tuning

Nice thoughts, David.

The situation I'm describing from my personal perspective is a bit
different, though.

In the 80s I was working two jobs too. Then the opportunity of a secure
well-paid permanent job in teaching opened up. I felt that I would be
foolish not to take it, so I did.  Thus, for me, tuning has remained a
useful second income, rather than being developed into a fulltime
occupation.

Is that bad?

I fill a geographical niche, offering a service of a quality that
discerning customers seem to like.

Is it OK to keep doing that?

Or must there be an all-out effort (in a sparse and very uncertain
marketplace) to become a fulltime tuner/technician?

Best regards,

David.



>When I started out I was working two jobs while the piano business
>developed.  Eventually I was working 7 days a week and at a certain point
>you just have to make a choice unless your other job can be phased out
>(which, fortunately, mine was able to be).  Under the best of circumstance
>it just takes time to develop enough of a clientele to support yourself,
>your family and the other self employment expenses that go along with it
>such as retirement, health insurance, etc..  The government doesn't like
>self employed people and they don't make it easy.

>David Love
>www.davidlovepianos.com