Wim, Wow! You and Dale are lucky. I learned first from William Braid Wights's and Reblitz's books. Just by chance, I got introduced to a university tech back in about 1997. He talked me into joining PTG as an associate. I have learned a great deal since then. Unfortunately my list of clients is very small and seems to be dwindling each year. I guess that is one of the hazards of living in a small northern town (pop. 6000). A certain Yamaha dealer comes up to our town every spring to a trade show and sells a few Clavinovas but no pianos. This dealer always wants me to come and have a chat when he is in town. I keep telling him that because he keeps selling Clavinovas and keyboards instead of pianos, that he is doing his best to put me out of business. I do about 130-140 university tunings per year. If I should lose those, I might as well just quit the profession. I have taken and passed the written and technical exams (back in November 2003), but I don't know when or if I will be able to take the tuning test. The nearest RPT to me is 400 miles away. He is very busy and doesn't really have time to mentor me. I will be making the 400 mile trip sometime next month to take a tuning pretest. Even this short journey will cost me quite a bit. Unfortunately, I would have to travel about 800 miles to the nearest location where I can take the tuning test. I don't know if my small income will permit this. I'll have to wait and see. So, I suppose, at some time in the future, if proposition 12 passes, it may cause me to lose my association with PTG. That would indeed be a sad day for me. Sincerely Terry Beckingham PTG Associate At 01:44 PM 5/28/2004 -0400, you wrote: >Dale > >My experience is similar to yours. My dad taught me the basics. But if it >wasn't for the PTG, I would never have learned what I know today, most of >which was at chapter meetings, seminars, and convetions, and from the Journal. > >To me, being an RPT is not for my customers. It is for me. Passing those >exams, even in the "old" days, before they became stadardized, was a very >rewarding experience. That is why I urge so many Associates to take the >exams. Not for the letters, but for the learning experience. > > >In a message dated 5/28/2004 12:08:37 PM Eastern Daylight Time, >Erwinspiano@aol.com writes: > > >In a message dated 5/28/2004 7:51:33 AM Pacific Standard Time, > >marysmith@mail.utexas.edu writes: > >Good points, Dale. Many of us were not as fortunate as you in that you were > >trained by highly skilled and trusted techs. For those of us (like > myself) who > >attended, shall we say, somewhat less-than-spectacular training schools > (the > >one I attended is no longer around), the RPT exams do indeed serve as ENTRY > >LEVEL requirements. Let's hear it for continuing education! The PTG can > help > >promote and further better technical work, but it is the technician who > must take > >advantage of the offerings... > > > >Mary > > Mary > > You are absolutely right! I was fortunate & I also realize most are not. > >However for me the Incredible value of PTG has been inestimable in my > on going > >education. I learned very solid basic skills from my Dad but the traing was > >quite incomplete in many areas. ie grand regulation rebuilding skill. > > As technolgy & information evelove it was ptg that developed deciminated > >it I & you & any one with a desire have been the benificiarys. > > I often say Most of what I no came thru this organization & networking > >with members. > > To paraphrase your last statement...... you can lead a horse to > >water......... > > Its up to the indidivual. RpT status or not I would have still availed > >myself to this process of info. The tuning test was an incredible bench > mark moment > >for me though in 1980. I was nervous but passed with high marks & the bench > >marking aspect was a good thing. > > Dale > > my > > > > >-- >Wim > >_______________________________________________ >caut list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives
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