[CAUT] Piano Mechanics class

[Jim Busby]

I used to think so too, but this can be where you can "weed out" many. Use it! We only teach unisons at first. Some will not have the patience nor ear to get past this. Some 20% will say "Whoa! This is too hard. I can't do this!" etc. You'll do them a favor. 

About another 20% will think they have a good ear, but won't have the determination to stick it out. They will just stop attending. "Bye! No hard feelings." The cream will slowly come to the top, and from these we choose candidates for our student employees. But I would teach unison tuning BEFORE they buy anything. When they spend 10 minutes and still can't get a solid unison they will start looking inward. Some MAY nail it sooner and think they're hot stuff! Just give it a good hard blow and deflate the note, and their ego. "Well, look at that! Do you have the patience to spend the months it will take to get 230 strings dead-on AND stable?" We definitely leave this in, after 9 years of doing this.

I don't want to sound like a jerk here, but helping guide people OUT of this field is nearly as important as finding those who will do well to pursue it. IMO.


Jim Busby BYU




-----Original Message-----
From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of David Ilvedson
Sent: Monday, January 11, 2010 12:54 PM
To: caut at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [CAUT] Piano Mechanics class

I'd drop the tuning.   

David Ilvedson, RPT
Pacifica, CA  94044

----- Original message ----------------------------------------
From: "Paul T Williams" <pwilliams4 at unlnotes.unl.edu>
To: caut at ptg.org
Received: 1/11/2010 11:21:05 AM
Subject: [CAUT] Piano Mechanics class


>Hi All,

>I'm wondering of your CAUTers that teach a basic piano mechanics class on 
>how many students you usually have.  This year, I have 6 signed up.  The 
>most I've ever had at once, and I'm wondering how to keep all 12 hands 
>busy at the same time.

>I don't lecture in front of the classroom a lot, but rather, do a lot of 
>hands-on teaching while explaining what I'm doing and then have them do 
>it.  Two years ago, I had 4, which was sort of chaotic for me.  I really 
>like 2 or 3, but 6!!?? The tuning basics was the hardest to monitor.

>I've developed a good plan of topics for them to learn and two "projects" 
>they will be working on is a Yamaha U-1 for the first few weeks after 
>teaching nomenclature, piano care, basic action functions and regulating 
>on models. After the Yam, one of the grands from a practice room that's 
>coming back with a new soundboard in a month or two.

>Since this class only meets for an hour twice a week, I won't be able to 
>get really detailed on just one aspect of tuning, regulating, or 
>repairs/rebuilding, but I want to touch on as much as I can.

>Am I making this too "cluttered"? I would like your input as to focusing 
>on fewer topics, cover a spread of everything on the table, or something 
>in between.

>Thanks!

>Paul