<div><SPAN contentEditable=false style="DISPLAY: inline-block"></SPAN>In his his Executive Outlook, Dale, in part said, "the standardized tests for skills used in everyday piano service". I don't believe our current tuning exam tests the skills of everyday piano service. There are two reasons I don't think the current tuning exam is "up to date". First, the current tuning exam was developed before the vast majority of tuners used ETD's, and being able to aurally set a temperament was extremely important. But most piano tuners are able to accomplish this task with the use of an ETD. And second, although a temperament is important when tuning the piano, what is even more critical are unisons and stability. How many customers complain about a "bad" temperament, but will pick out a "bad" unison, in a second. How does tuning the unisons in the middle two octaves prove the tuner can hear unisons in octaves 5 - 7, much less in the 2nd octave? </div> <div> </div> <div>As I said, before we even consider changing the tuning exam, we need to be open to the idea that we need to change it. But it appears most members are content to stay within the box. </div> <div> </div> <div>Wim<br> </div> <div style="CLEAR: both">Willem (Wim) Blees, RPT<br> Piano Tuner/Technician<br> Honolulu, HI<br> Author of <br> The Business of Piano Tuning<br> available from Potter Press<br> www.pianotuning.com</div> <div><br> </div> -----Original Message-----<br> From: David Ilvedson <ilvey@sbcglobal.net><br> To: caut@ptg.org<br> Sent: Tue, Oct 23 3:28 PM<br> Subject: Re: [CAUT] Uniform Formal Education (Jeff Tanner)<br> <br> <div id=AOLMsgPart_2_79cf116a-d413-4616-b1dd-9a0c479a2c64> <div align=left>There is always another way to do any test.   What is the point?   Will countless more hours improve anything?   I doubt it.   Personally, I'll stick with Dr. Al and the CTE's and their countless hours if you don't mind.  Out of curiosity, how is the North Bennet Street School tuning test administered?   How about the Meister Piano tuning test?   I would bet you get X amount of time to do your best aural tuning and then some/persons judge it somehow.   </div> <div align=left> </div> <div align=left>David Ilvedson, RPT<br> Pacifica, CA 94044<br> <br> </div> <div align=left> <HR> Original message<br> From: "Willem Blees"  <br> To: <A href="mailto:cy@shusterpiano.com">cy@shusterpiano.com</A>, <A href="mailto:caut@ptg.org">caut@ptg.org</A><br> Received: 10/23/2007 11:56:16 AM<br> Subject: Re: [CAUT] Uniform Formal Education (Jeff Tanner)<br> <br> <div align=left><SPAN style="DISPLAY: inline-block"> </SPAN>Tuning the middle two octaves aurally does in no way make one an RPT, either. With all due respect to Dr. Al and the CTE's who've spent countless hours developing the tuning exam, there are other ways we can test one's ability to tune aurally, other than setting a temperament. I have some ideas, but that's not what I'm promoting here. We first need to accept that there are other ways to test aural tuning ability. Once we've reached that consensus, then we can proceed. Sorry if this is turning political, which should be avoided on this list. I'm just reacting to the thread. <br> </div> <div style="CLEAR: both">Willem (Wim) Blees, RPT<br> Piano Tuner/Technician<br> Honolulu, HI<br> Author of <br> The Business of Piano Tuning<br> available from Potter Press<br> <A href="http://www.pianotuning.com/" target=_blank>www.pianotuning.com</A></div> <div><br> </div> -----Original Message-----<br> From: Cy Shuster <<A href="mailto:cy@shusterpiano.com">cy@shusterpiano.com</A>><br> To: College and University Technicians <<A href="mailto:caut@ptg.org">caut@ptg.org</A>><br> Sent: Tue, Oct 23 1:34 AM<br> Subject: Re: [CAUT] Uniform Formal Education (Jeff Tanner)<br> <br> <div id=AOLMsgPart_0_4b9633d4-3180-45c6-99f4-98333f9e2490 style="FONT-SIZE: 12px; MARGIN: 0px; COLOR: #000; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, Sans-Serif; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #fff">The RPT requirement for setting a temperament aurally was the tipping point in my decision to advance beyond an ETD-dependent tuner, who never replaced a string (not even plain wire), and move north to Boston for a year to go to NBSS. <br>  <br> As a player, a feel sure that my TuneLab tunings were good, and I did aural unisons, but they weren't stable. And now I can truly maintain an instrument, not just pitch raise. And I really know how to use TuneLab now! <br>  <br> --Cy-- <br>  <br> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Israel Stein " <<A href="mailto:custos3@comcast.net">custos3@comcast.net</A>> <br> To: <<A href="mailto:caut@ptg.org">caut@ptg.org</A>> <br> Cc: <<A href="mailto:caut-request@ptg.org">caut-request@ptg.org</A>> <br> Sent: Monday, October 22, 2007 3:36 PM <br> Subject: [CAUT] Uniform Formal Education (Jeff Tanner) <br>  <br> > On Monday, October 22, 2007 11:01:44 AM Jeff Tanner wrote: <br> > <br> >>Taking the RPT exams does not make anyone a better piano technician. It >>simply evaluates his/her skills. <br> > <br> > Jeff, <br> > <br> > Well, not exactly. The prospect of facing the exams often motivates > technicians to significantly upgrade their skills. Taking the exams often > does motivate people to become better technicians and does contribute to > their understanding of what exactly some of this work is all about... > People learn an awful lot when working under pressure... <br> > <br> > Otherwise, an excellent post. <br> > <br> > Israel Stein <br> > <br> > <br> >  <br> </div> <div class=AOLPromoFooter> <HR style="MARGIN-TOP: 10px"> Email and AIM finally together. You've gotta check out free <A href="http://o.aolcdn.com/cdn.webmail.aol.com/mailtour/aol/en-us/index.htm?ncid=AOLAOF00020000000970" target=_blank>AOL Mail</A>!<br> </div> </div> </div>