It Doesn't Matter

[Ron Nossaman]

>1. Never get involved in politics, there is no need to. 
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>Tune the
>piano faculty pianos first, then do the classrooms and any other pianos 
>where the
>faculty member is a good pianist or uses the piano alot.
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 Always wear ear plugs.  If
>a faculty member mentions it, i.e. (alluding or insinuating that you might be
>providing second rate work because of ear plug use),  turn their gossip into
>complaints about the loud acoustics which is destroying every ones hearing.  
>Or tell
>'em it's to cut out the noise of that musician next door cause there's no
>soundproofing so you CAN hear.   In other words you must learn to manipulate 
>the
>wolves to be your assets rather than enemies. 
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>For that
>type of person who is always policing others, or looking for some other
persons
>fault, always be ready to divert them to some another area.  Be ready in case
>complaints about the concert piano start.  
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Manipulating wolves is how you get new pianos and humidity control.
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 Be "on
>the side" of all piano faculty, know their frustrations, make them sense you 
>are their advocate.  
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>9.  Always look like your working.
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 Be careful who you play for though.  If anyone asks, your testing carefully
>before choosing which advanced voicing methods to use.  Then talk their ear 
>off as your rest.
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>10.  Attend all piano faculty concerts.
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>11.  When questioned about your work or ability to tune by some overly 
>confident pompous PHD wolf, dazzle them by explaining temperament, and
inharmonicity.  
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>Say to the wolf, "They oughta quit over scheduling the place you know."  The 
>wolves
>will jump right in on your side and start complaining for you.
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>14.  Don't waste time getting to know the custodians, students,  or spend time
>listening to gripes from any workers.  Mind your own business.  Be friends
with
>faculty and administrators.
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>15.  Wear a tie, dress pants, and decent shoes.  Do not wear jeans or 
>overalls.  Your one of them, the faculty, just be one.
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>16.  Agree with the university on all social issues, or at least shut up
if you
>don't.
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>18.  They should buy all tools.  If you use your own, some jerk might think 
>you are
>stealing them when you leave to tune your private pianos.  REMEMBER THAT THE
>APPEARANCE OR WRONG DOING IS JUST AS  DANGEROUS AS THE WRONG DOING, At
least in the university.
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>20.  You must be smart.  Give them what they think they need, not what they 
>really need.
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>Your job is to please the faculty, any way
>possible.   You must please the piano faculty if you are to survive, so you 
>do what you have to.
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Those tuning records prove your
>worth, in case some hatchet minded administrator starts looking around for 
>somebody to cut. 
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>23.  Always make every faculty member feel really important.
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>24.  You remove the mountain of stuff stored on the piano.  Lay it down in 
>perfect order so it all goes back in perfect order.  When the faculty member 
>apologizes, say,  "no trouble at all, one of my goals is to make it as
easy for you as possible"
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>Puff up the pride of faculty whenever possible, It'll do you good.
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But no politics.


Ron N