[pianotech] Interested in work as an RPT

[Paul T Williams]

Dennis,

What a great time you chimed in! 

Correspondence courses are fine, but, if you do so, say, under the 
direction of such, it is absolutely necessary that you connect with a 
local RPT to get the hands on training and immediate feedback on your 
work.  If you could find a local RPT that could train you-hands on- 
personally, for 2 years, you could benefit from not spending thousands of 
dollars for training ala outsourced areas, plus the costs of paying a 
local technician for his/her time as well.

I'm not putting down correspondence type classes at all, as these work 
great for certain situations, but, when you learn this craft, there is no 
comparing that with a skilled technician looking over your shoulder as it 
were.

I was fortunate to learn hands on from a very nationally reputable 
technician and I would never, looking back, have wanted to learn 
otherwise. I've now been in the business 20 years, and still learn 
something every month from the old school guys at our chapter meetings! 
:>)

Where are you? I might be able to hook you up with some RPT in your area 
that could help.

Best of luck,

Paul T. Williams RPT
Piano Technician
School of Music
5 Westbrook Bldg,
University of Nebraska
Lincoln, NE 68588-0100
pwilliams4 at unl.edu 





From:
Dennis Quinn <dquinn at ci.duncanville.tx.us>
To:
Pianotech List <pianotech at ptg.org>
Date:
07/07/2010 03:44 PM
Subject:
[pianotech] Interested in work as an RPT



Hello Everyone,
 
I’d like to get some advice on the best way to get into the field of piano 
tuning/maintenance/repair (including PTG membership), and Mr. Foote’s 
recent post seemed to indicate a good time to ask in this forum.
 
I’ve played the piano for most of my life and earned a BM in Music History 
a few years ago. I went on to complete an MS in Library Science, and now I 
work full-time as a cataloger for a public library, but I’m considering 
the idea of a part-time side job as a freelance piano technician. I have 
great deal of respect for the work of RPTs, and I’d really like to be able 
to help pianists and piano enthusiasts keep theirs in proper working 
order. Unfortunately, I wouldn’t be able to pursue a full-time training 
institute such as those listed on the PTG website. Would a correspondence 
course suffice? Are any of them more highly recommended than others? What 
about apprenticeship? 
 
Also, 
 
Please feel free to reply off-list if you wish.
 
Thanks,
Dennis Quinn
Dallas/Forth Worth, TX


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