[CAUT] stand-by & pitch change charges

[Barbara Richmond]

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Re: [CAUT] stand-by & pitch change chargesFred, Jon, Avery, Alan........

It's the hall's piano and it's that Pops orchestra out of Boston as part =
of a subscription series making a stop here in the corn and soybean =
fields of Central Illinois.  (A nice little Christmas-time gig to bring =
out the families.)  I already let the hall's director know that there =
would be an additional charge for the pitch change, but haven't given =
her an amount yet.  Shucks, it's the first request I've had for anything =
besides 440 since I started tuning 23 years ago.  How could that be?   I =
attribute it to clean living.....ahem.  :-)   I  said I'd let her know =
how I would charge for the stand-by thing.  The hall always pays me--how =
they collect or cover for my services, as you said, is their business.  =
Thanks all, I appreciate the input.

This is a learning experience for both the management and me.  In the =
past they used the university tech, who didn't charge them (long story) =
and when he got fed up with the piano and environs, he quit providing =
service to the hall.  Then they used anyone they could get their hands =
on.  New management called on me and I only agreed to do the job if I =
was allowed to make the piano sound and play better.  That's how I ended =
up rebuilding the action.   I'm training them about real piano care and =
getting professional results.  Silly me, I thought my previous =
experience as a university technician prepared me for this job (ha!).  =
Oh yeah, well, I suppose I did have to train the faculty back then, but =
things ran smoothly after that.  The rules were established and that was =
that.  Here, it seems every group that comes in has its own rules.

You may ask, why, Barb, do you know the details about this concert so =
far in advance?  In trying to get the staff to respect my time (making =
sure I'm available) and to put an end to those panicky last minute =
requests, I asked that I be contacted every time a <contract> came =
through that includes the use of our pianos.  Golly, they're doing it!!


Barbara  Richmond, RPT




----- Original Message -----=20
  From: Fred Sturm=20
  To: caut=20
  Sent: Friday, August 05, 2005 7:39 PM
  Subject: Re: [CAUT] stand-by & pitch change charges


  Hi Barbara,
      In general, I agree with Jon: charge your hourly rate. But that =
could be negotiable should the contract be amended to say "The tuner =
will return at X o'clock (say an hour before the concert) to touch up =
and deal with any problems." Then it's a service call. I would think =
that solution would meet everyone's approval.
      About charging for pitch change back to 440, that's a complex =
question. Whose piano? What's the status of the event? Is the orchestra =
renting the hall, or the hall presenting the orchestra? I'd say the =
policy is the hall's responsibility. I would advise them, if this is a =
rental, to charge the orchestra an additional tuning to bring it back =
(and for two tunings to get it to non-standard pitch and stable). Just =
tell them the next time they have it tuned, it will need two tunings - =
that should be sufficient to persuade them. Of course if it is a =
co-production, or the concert is produced by the venue, it becomes a =
different kettle of fish. But make sure the folks in the hall know that =
non-440 means extra tuning in both directions. And leave it to them as =
to who pays (as long as it isn't the tuner working for free).

  Regards,
  Fred Sturm
  University of New Mexico=20

  =20
  On 8/5/05 2:36 PM, "Barbara Richmond" <piano57@insightbb.com> wrote:


    Howdy all,
    =20
    Just had a note from the director of the big auditorium.  A contract =
from a big orchestra has come through specifying that the piano be tuned =
not more than 6 hours before the concert and  "The piano tuner should =
remain available and on stand-by until concert start time."
    =20
    What's a fair charge for stand-by?  Would it be my normal hourly =
fee, even if I'm sitting in the tech office reading a book?  :-)
    =20
    Unless I'm planning on staying for the concert for my own enjoyment, =
I usually stay until I get the OK from whomever, but it usually isn't =
long after I've finished working.  At this point I haven't been informed =
what the afternoon schedule is.  This is the first time I've had this in =
a contract ('tis only my second season).  Just wondering how you all =
handle these things.
    =20
    Also, this orchestra has requested something other than 440, so I'm =
thinking they should not only pay for bringing the piano up in pitch, =
but also taking it back down again.  Comments??
    =20
    I realize a lot of you on this list are salaried techs, but someone =
out there must be servicing additional concert facilities.  (Oh, yeah, =
I'll be getting to that report after "going to the lake" season........)
    =20
    Thanks,
    =20
    Barbara Richmond, RPT




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