Wanna be piano tuner

[Ward & Probst]

Ms. Roen,

The best home study course I know of is the:

Randy Potter School of Piano Technology
Phone: 541-382-5411. FAX: 541-382-5400.
www.pianotuning.com
Randy Potter, R.P.T.

In addition the Annual PTG Convention and Institute will be in:
Reno, NV --July 11-15, 2000
email: wardprobst@cst.net
(940)691-3682 voice
(940) 691-6843 fax
TEAM2001 website: http://www.equaltemperament.com/PTG/

There is also a small state convention in CA (grin) sometime after the first
of the year. I am sure the Californites will post the dates after much
wailing and gnashing of teeth (another, Texas size, grin).

Not to forget the Texas State Seminar to be held in Shreveport, LA next
weekend. We'd love to see you there and guarantee the most fun of any
convention around. If you can get to New Mexico, Guy Nichols will give you a
ride the rest of the way.

Best regards,
Dale
Dale Probst, RPT
Member, TEAM20001
PTG Annual Convention
Reno, NV --July 11-15, 2000
email: wardprobst@cst.net
(940)691-3682 voice
(940) 691-6843 fax
TEAM2001 website: http://www.equaltemperament.com/PTG/



-----Original Message-----
From: owner-pianotech@ptg.org [mailto:owner-pianotech@ptg.org]On Behalf
Of Hotsteno@cs.com
Sent: Saturday, September 30, 2000 1:20 PM
To: pianotech@ptg.org
Subject: Wanna be piano tuner


Hello!

My name is Melissa Roen.  I'm new to this list this morning.  Ordinarily I
read a list for a while before posting, but I'm just so excited about this
that I wanted to post now.  I went through this lists' archives and couldn't
find a specific answer to my exact question, although I bet someone has
asked
it and I just can't find it.  Anyway, I posted a message to this effect on
rec.music.makers.piano this morning already, but I know I'll get more and
better responses here.

I'm a 29-year-old court reporter living in San Jose, California.  I have
played the piano since I was four years old and have had a lot of musical
training through private lessons and as a music major in College and at
Aspen
Music School.  Today I play mostly for my own pleasure and to relieve the
organist at our church from time to time.  (Yes, I play the organ too, but
that's not the point here!)

Anyway, I have arrived at a point where I have a little money and a little
time to learn a skill I have desired since high school:  I want to learn to
tune and repair pianos.

I took a correspondence course as a teenager, with disastrous results.  Now
I
understand I had a very poor tuning hammer provided and the information I
received was poorly delivered and, at worst, just plain wrong.  This time I
want to do things "right."  What I'm trying to ascertain is what is the best
way to go about this?  My specific goal is to eventually take and pass the
RPT exam.

All I have done so far is purchased a book, "Piano Servicing, Tuning, and
Rebuilding," by Arthur A. Reblitz.  What I am thinking is rather than go the
correspondence course way, I should read the book thoroughly; buy the best
equipment I can afford -- what specifically, I'm not yet sure of, nor where
to buy it; buy some of the other videotapes and books recommended at the
back
if the book and study them; and then hire someone who is already a RPT to
teach me one-on-one until I get the hang of it.  I also plan to join the
Piano Technician's
Guild.

I would go to a school, but there are none in my area (San Jose,
California).


So to summarize:
Is this the truly the best way to learn?
What equipment do I need to buy?  Where should I get it from?
Should I reconsider taking a correspondence course?
Is there anything else I should know about?

Thanks for letting me pick your collective brains!

Best wishes,
Melissa
hotsteno@cs.com


Melissa Roen
CSR No. 12284
Pulone & Stromberg
Certified Shorthand Reporters