<html> <head> <meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; = charset=us-ascii"> <meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 11 (filtered)"> <style>  </style> </head> <body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=blue style='word-wrap: = break-word;-khtml-nbsp-mode: space; -khtml-line-break: after-white-space'> <div class=Section1> Jim, I’m = assuming I may answer also.....?  I hope this long answer is more = interesting than boring.   I was = first drawn to this business because of the fascination I had with the mechanical = aspect of the piano.  So I adore shop work.  I never thought I’d = have trouble learning to tune because I had played the violin from a very = early age and had always had a “good ear.”  I think learning to = tune was difficult for me in that my expectations were way out of proportion with = the realities of learning.  Like many musicians coming into this = work...I thought my “good ear” would make tuning a snap.  But = there were other factors.   Here is = another scenario I experienced and I’ve heard several women technicians = tell almost the same story. I also was not “allowed” to tune in = the shop where I was an apprentice because that was reserved for the men in the shop.  I was needed to answer the phone, restock supplies, clean = the shop, and do menial repetitive and boring work.  It was clear to me that = I was perceived as a threat to their income.  It wasn’t until I = realized that I could earn more by cultivating tuning clients that I got serious = about learning.  Then, when they told me they would teach me, they only = gave me a small amount of information, or in some cases, misinformation, so that = I would fail.   Needless to say, tuning did not come easy for me because I wasn’t being taught properly. When I finally got some = good training, I had to “unlearn” some of what I was told = originally.   Sometimes = we are drawn to what we’ve never had a chance to do before.  I never = was allowed to take shop in school...had to take Home Ec. instead.  I = wanted to be in shop.  Working on pianos finally gave me the chance to = exercise the mechanical part of my brain.  It was new and exciting because = I’d always been denied the chance to work with tools and get down and = dirty!  :>)   I = don’t think there are any inherent differences between men and women in terms = of abilities.....I’ve known too many excellent women tuners and too = many bad male tuners to make generalizations.  The only factor that might = make the learning process less than comfortable might be the upper body and height = differences.  I am short enough that I have to stand for most tunings, except short = uprights, and my arm strength and shoulders just aren’t as strong as a = man’s.  Even when I stand, for some tall uprights, I don’t have the advantage = of coming down over the piano and sometimes still must reach upward to the = tuning pins.    How tall = are your daughters?  How musical are they?  What other things have they learned to do with their hands...i.e. sewing, crafts, artwork, = woodworking, etc.?  How about temperament....who has more patience....boys or girls?  I = think personalities have a lot to do with how we approach work and there are personality types in both genders.    I think = there are differences between the genders, but it would be really hard to make any generalities.  I hope this sheds some light. jeannie   <div> Jeannie Grassi, RPT Assistant Editor, Piano Technicians Journal <a = href="mailto:jcgrassi@earthlink.net">mailto:jcgrassi@earthlink.net</a>= </div>   <div> <div class=MsoNormal align=center = style='margin-left:.5in;text-align:center'> <hr size=3 width="100%" align=center tabindex=-1> </div> From:</spa= n> caut-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces@ptg.org] On Behalf Of Jim Busby Sent: Friday, January 20, = 2006 2:54 PM To: College and = University Technicians Subject: RE: [CAUT] = Differences? </div>   Michelle, = Barbara,  </fo= nt> A serious = question here; I’ve got three daughters and a son who have learned to do quite a = bit of piano work. The girls all love to do tedious shop work but HATE to tune. = The boy loves to tune but doesn’t like shop work all that much. I just thought it was their personalities until I started having students work = here at BYU. Seems the same applies. I don’t want to come across as sexist = in any way, but I want to understand why. All the female students seem to excel = more at the shop skills, but seem to dislike tuning. It seems harder for them = than the guys. They seem to be less aggressive and more perfectionists and = can hardly stand it if they don’t get it right NOW. There are other teachers = besides me so I don’t think my teaching style is to be blamed. I guess the = real question is, do women (physically, mentally…) have a harder time = learning to tune?? I really want to encourage more women to take up the trade. = (Help!)  </fo= nt> Jim Busby = BYU  </fo= nt> <div> <div class=MsoNormal align=center = style='margin-left:.5in;text-align:center'> <hr size=2 width="100%" align=center tabindex=-1> </div> From:</spa= n> caut-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces@ptg.org] On Behalf Of Michelle Stranges Sent: Friday, January 20, = 2006 12:15 PM To: College and = University Technicians Subject: Re: [CAUT] = disability insurance </div>   Hey Barbara- <div>   </div> <div> It's your female partner in = crime.. </div> <div>   </div> <div> I certainly feel that I have an advantage = being a female tuner </div> <div> (And I am the ony female in my Chapter here = in Syracuse- *and* the youngest...) </div> <div>   </div> <div> So when I don't get my way I start crying and = the guys give in. </div> <div> They can't help it. </div> <div>   </div> <div> :D </div> <div>   </div> <div>   </div> </div> </body> </html>