Hey Mike, Could you consider putting your replies at the top of the posts? It is kind of a pain to go to bottom to read it. If I want to know something from the other posts I can look for it in your email, but I usually remember the thread/. David Ilvedson, RPT Pacifica, CA 94044 Original message From: "Michael Magness" To: pianotech at ptg.org Received: 3/31/2009 3:03:13 PM Subject: Re: [pianotech] Ethics and efficacy of part-time tuning On Tue, Mar 31, 2009 at 9:52 AM, <david at piano.plus.com> wrote: Good thoughts, Michael. I guess you would also object to *fulltime* techs who are as you describe - not trying to better themselves, etc? When the Pianoforte Tuners Assoiciation opened up their convention & classes in the 1980s to non-members, I was always eager to attend, went to loads of wonderful classes and learned lots of useful stuff, anad met some very nice people. I used to look forward so much to going. I've been a member of this forum for around a decade, and have found it such a warmhearted and informative and helpful place. I have most of the books on piano technology and tuning, including the two relatively recent ones by Capleton which I've commented on in here previously. Two years ago I invested in a Fujan lever (which I love) - I doubt if there are many others in Scotland. I am always eager to learn of new tools, techniques and materials. Hopefully these things help to establish that my interest is an active and progressive one. My remit in my fulltime job currently is about lifelong learning, and I am a proponent of it. But I am a part-time tuner/technician. Is a full-timer who has done none of those things and who has one year's experience forty times over (as another contributor sapiently put it) preferable? Best regards, David. >I have no objection to part-time technicians. my mentor is now a part >timer after many years of 12 and 14 hour days. >I have no objection to part-time techs who are establishing themselves, I >was, in fact, one of those. >My objection is to the part timers who make no attempt to better >themselves, have no contact with any of the techs in the region, do not >seek out the local PTG chapter but just continue on their merry way >repeating the same mistakes over and over, ad infinitum. In a those cases >I have made attempts to seek them out, one accepted, the others weren't >interested. >We all have done work we would rather not admit to years later, not on >purpose, just as we were learning. >My favorite analogy is driving. Right after you got your license you were >certain you knew everything you needed to know about driving, looking back >now, you wonder how you survived! >Mike I guess I need to make myself clear IMHO anyone who feels they "know it all" about any given profession and does not attempt to constantly upgrade or improve their knowledge about their profession or their lot in life, meaning learning about anything that interests them whether it be tied to their profession or has nothing to do with it, is going to stagnate as a person. We all know people like this who live on past glories and have nothing new to say. We should all, again IMHO, be lifelong learners of everything and anything that catches our fancy. Does that mean we should gain a little knowledge about something and set ourselves up as professionals, charging fees for what we know? No, it simply means if we are interested in something we should set about learning about it. I bought an old house and have become semi-skilled at many of the skills required to repair and upgrade it. Would I put myself out for hire to do this sort of work for others? No! There have been certain jobs around my home that I realized were beyond my ability/timeframe to accomplish on my own and I hired them done. We as piano techs are not protected or licensed as are plumbers, electricians, heating/AC contractors and other tradesmen, so anyone can "learn"(I use the term loosly) to tune a piano from websites, ads in the back of magazines, etc. They set themselves up in business as tuners and the general public, many times, doesn't know the difference unless or until something goes awry. Those are the part-timers I decry and will continue to do so. Anyone who makes the attempt to learn, ask questions, interact with technicians and learns from them should and will be welcomed by me. I don't care how many hours a week someone devotes to tuning versus other endeavors, it's none of my business as long as they have the knowledge of what they are doing and most importantly, know how to say," I don't know", when they don't. Then go find the answer! I've done that for 40 years, still do. Mike -- I intend to live forever. So far, so good. Steven Wright Michael Magness Magness Piano Service 608-786-4404 www.IFixPianos.com email mike at ifixpianos.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: <http://ptg.org/pipermail/pianotech_ptg.org/attachments/20090331/f6ea43e2/attachment.html>
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