Tuners who don't play

[Travis Gordy]

I believe Bill Maxim introduced this subject and asked for comments.
But first, as a recent new member of this list let me say to all what a
great experience it is read what so many of you have to say on such a
great varity of piano subjects.  And what a thrill it has been to read
the mail from Jim Coleman, Dean Reyburn, Bill ballard and others about
the Great Tune-Off.  WOW, what wonderful stuff.

Well ,Bill, I don't play well.  My children think I played well at one
time as they recall sitting beside me on the piano bench singing nusery
rhymes. My mother was an excellant pianist and piano teacher, but I did
not inherit her talent. I grew up hearing much of the classical
literature.  Played trumpet in highschool and college, and a bass fiddle
in a college dance band. Sang in a trio in highschool and that called
for good harmony. Much later a barbershop quartet,  where the chords
have to "ring" to get the thrill of performing.

After a wife and one child, a job as tech service rep (lub engineer)
with Conoco, and a new very modest home, I had to have a piano so I
bought a George Steck console from Jenkins in 1949. I began really
enjoying working on some of the classics I grew up hearing.  My top
playing speed is andante (actually more andante largo) even if the
marking is presto, and at that tempo one really hears the harmonic
accuracy of the piano.  Two months is as long as I could go between
tunings and still enjoy playing, and I could not afford a tuner that
often.  After all I was paying Jenkins $10 a month for the piano.  So,
being a mechanical engineer and a do-it-yourselfer, I bought White's
famous book and minimal tools and began the long long road to becomming
a piano tuner and eventually a techincian. PTG membership as a RPT in
1972.

I always play a few chords and arpeggios (andante) when I finish tuning
because I truly love to hear a well tuned piano (my what an ego).
Speaking of ego, I am not telling any of you anything new when I say
that one of the greatest joys is to listen to a concert performed on a
piano you have tuned (and perhaps regulated and voiced) and have the
artist and your friends tell you how great the piano sounded. Of course
my friends listened to the music, but they enjoyed it because the piano
did not get in the way.  But I, and the artist, heard both the music and
the piano.

Let me conclude this autobiography by saying that by 1985 my job at
Conoco was interfering much too much with my piano work, so I took early
retirement and am now sustained by occasional ego strokes from
discriminating customers who ask, "what are we going to do when you
retire? Are you training someone to take your place?"  I'm not smart
enough to quit while ahead, and besides I'm still trying to get better,
so I will keep after it as long as I am blessed with the strength until
someone says, "Have you thought how nice it would be to retire from
tuning." By the way, I'm so busy with piano bis, or listening to
classical music, or reading email from the pianotech list or visiting
grandchildren, that I don't have time to play my piano or to even tune
it (S&S E, The Steck is in storage after being in various daughters
homes) unless a particularly good piano player is comming to visit, or
when I want to check out some tuning info like has come from the Great
Tune-Off.

Travis Gordy RPT