<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD><TITLE>Re: [CAUT] stand-by & pitch change charges</TITLE> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; = charset=iso-8859-1"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1505" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Barbara, For pitch changes I charge for = a pitch correction and a fine tuning, and then unless the next act that can't = understand an International Agreement is coming in back to back, I also charge for = a pitch correction and a fine tuning to put it back at 440. The pitch raise I do = before hand I like to do a day or two ahead of time to see how the instrument = reacts and if necessary I'll go over it again the day of the concert. What they = really need is stability and guaranteed pitch so give it to them and let = them pay for it. BTW this has cost over $800.00 when it falls on a weekend = and when it includes "stand by" it has been over $1000.00. And if a = venue wants to play with the big boys that's what it can cost. Most venues I = deal with have at least learned (quickly) to suggest sticking with the Treaty. and = some have absolutely said our piano is A-440Hz and that should be good enough = for you traveling acts. I have seen quite a few European orchestras come to = their senses and they sounded fine at 440. But for now I would just charge for what = you do and let the chips fall.  Best of luck, Chris Solliday</FONT></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; = BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: = black"><B>From:</B> <A title=piano57@insightbb.com = href="mailto:piano57@insightbb.com">Barbara Richmond</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=caut@ptg.org href="mailto:caut@ptg.org">College and University Technicians</A> = </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Friday, August 05, 2005 = 11:05 PM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: [CAUT] stand-by = & pitch change charges</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Fred, Jon, Avery, = Alan........</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>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.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>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.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>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!!</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Barbara </FONT> <FONT = face=Arial size=2>Richmond, RPT</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; = BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: = black"><B>From:</B> <A title=fssturm@unm.edu href="mailto:fssturm@unm.edu">Fred = Sturm</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=caut@ptg.org href="mailto:caut@ptg.org">caut</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Friday, August 05, 2005 = 7:39 PM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: [CAUT] stand-by = & pitch change charges</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV><FONT face=Verdana>Hi = Barbara,<BR>    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.<BR>    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).<BR><BR>Regards,<BR>Fred Sturm<BR>University of New Mexico <BR><BR> <BR>On 8/5/05 2:36 PM, "Barbara Richmond" <piano57@insightbb.com> wrote:<BR><BR></FONT> <BLOCKQUOTE><FONT size=2><FONT face=Arial>Howdy = all,<BR> <BR>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."<BR> <BR>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?  :-)<BR> <BR>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.<BR> <BR>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??<BR> <BR>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........)<BR> <BR>Thanks,<BR> <BR>Barbara = Richmond, RPT<BR></FONT></FONT><FONT = face=Verdana><BR></FONT></BLOCKQUOTE><FONT face=Verdana><BR></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></BODY></HTML>