Bruce, You took your tuning test on a vertical??????? I'm a CTE and as far as I know, NO one takes their tuning exam on a vertical! Avery At 01:06 PM 06/22/03 -0400, you wrote: >"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o = >"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w = >"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:st1 = >"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"> >Alan, Thanks for the humor - some days there just isn't >enough - actually, I did take my tuning exam on a Yamaha vertical >without benefit of acutuner - just 3 pairs of RPT ears. Bruce >>----- Original Message ----- >>From: <mailto:tune4u@earthlink.net>Alan >>To: <mailto:pianotech@ptg.org>'Pianotech' >>Sent: Sunday, June 22, 2003 12:51 AM >>Subject: OT More Realistic Test was RE: tuning exam in U.S. >> >>I think it would be a much more realistic test—with regard to the reality >>of the tuner’s life--if we were required to tune a 1940’s-1960’s spinet >>(Betsy Ross, Winter & Sons, P.A. Stark or comparable). No Acusonics! >>Wurlitzers may suffice if they’ve been stored in a garage with broken >>windows in Louisiana or Saskatchewan for at least twenty years. >> >>The passing requirement would be that a panel of amateur musicians can >>recognize the sound of it as something at least sort of a little bit kind >>of musical in nature. If more than two panel members cry, moan, or run >>from the room, you flunk. >> >>And the selected piano would have to be in reasonable condition, defined >>as follows (additional rules interspersed): >> >> * No more than six missing strings; no more than two of which may be >> single bass strings. No more than five bichord sets may have strings >> that match in diameter, length of wrap, and degree of rustiness. >> * Some felt must be visible between hammer molding and strings on at >> least 1/3” of the treble notes. No more than 8 felts popped off bass >> hammers. Tenor hammer grooves less than ˝” deep, on average. >> * When played, bass strings must make some sort of noise that >> sustains for at least 0.27 seconds. If the hammer thwack reverberates >> this long, it must not be louder than the string noise. >> * At least one pedal must move up and down when pressed (sideways >> movement does not count but is otherwise allowed). >> * Broken key tops with sharp edges are allowed. The prospective RPT >> should have a supply of Band-Aids on hand or on foot. Band-Aids may NOT >> be used to repair or muffle any piano part! >> * When pressed, at least 37 keys must come back up within two minutes >> WITHOUT excessive help from the player. Thumping the piano with a fist >> is permitted; screw drivers and pry bars are not. >> * Bench must not completely collapse when sat upon by persons with >> average-sized, average weight buttocks. >> * Squeaks, rattles, and woody thunks must not be louder, on average, >> than played notes. >> * If the tuner is unable to open the lid, remove the front panel, or >> otherwise gain access to the tuning pins within three hours, he or she >> is permitted to ask the piano owner how the hell previous tuners did it. >> * If A4 is more than 153 cents sharp or flat, the tuner is allowed an >> extra ten minutes for a pitch adjustment but he must not charge the >> piano owner any extra for this. >> * Bridges must still be stuck to something inside the piano. >> * There must be no more than one inch of plastic elbow dust and mouse >> poop (combined) on the bottom board. Measurements will be taken in >> eleven locations and averaged. Dead spiders may be removed before >> measuring; leave the live ones alone. Local chapters may decide if snake >> skins and/or snakes may be removed or must be measured. Note: If the >> bottom board is missing or all debris has sifted through a humongous >> crack in the board, this requirement may be waved. >> * If the pinblock is in average condition or worse, the tuner is >> allowed an extra twenty minutes of tuning time and may use up to three >> liquids, four sheets of sandpaper, and a 2˝ lb. sledge hammer to fine >> tune the instrument. Note: If the tuner accidentally (or purposefully) >> affixes any protruding part of his or her body to any part of the piano >> or to any tool, he or she must continue with the test as best he or she >> can—using his or her other hand or doing it with his or her forehead >> “resting” on the bench, for example. The tuner is discouraged from >> holding tools with his or her teeth as this is considered undignified. >> If the tuner accidentally (or purposefully) affixes his or her teeth to >> any part of the piano, he or she is immediately disqualified and all >> observers will leave the room so the tuner can work out his or her problem. >> * Finally, there will be no effort made to “de-tune” the piano prior >> to the test as this process, however random or planned, would almost >> certainly make the piano sound better. >> >> >>Faked medical emergencies will not stop the test from proceeding! If >>there appears to be actual loss of consciousness AND the skin assumes a >>deep blue color, the committee chairman may ask the judging panel to >>“hurry it along,” just in case. >> >> >> >>Bribes are a private matter. It would be of questionable taste to discuss >>financial arrangements or flash any cash in front of the whole group. >>Personal checks will not be accepted. For your convenience, there will be >>credit card terminals in the back of the room on the table next to where >>the Grief Counselors and uninvited street bums are sitting. (The >>counselors will have special name tags, the bums will have ordinary name >>tags, just like yours.) >> >> >> >>And—this is important—during the test evaluation, the tuner (and any >>possible accomplices) are strictly forbidden from humming, whacking a >>chair leg with a spoon, or in any other manner trying to simulate (or >>cover up) sounds coming from the alleged piano. >> >> >> >>After all, we have our standards. >> >> >> >>Alan R. Barnard >> >>Salem, MO >> >>-----Original Message----- >>From: pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] On >>Behalf Of Dave Nereson >>Sent: Saturday, June 21, 2003 10:05 PM >>To: Pianotech >>Subject: Re: tuning exam in U.S. >> >> >> >> >>----- Original Message ----- >>From: <mailto:alanforsyth@fortune4.fsnet.co.uk>Alan Forsyth >>To: <mailto:pianotech@ptg.org>Pianotech >>Sent: Friday, June 20, 2003 1:49 PM >>Subject: Tuning narrow and wide >> >>Tony Caught, Adelaide Australia wrote; >> >> >>>"In America when you sit for a tuning exam, can you do the exam on a >>Yamaha U1 piano ?....">>> >> >>Probably the easiest piano in the world to tune aurally! >> >>No, our Piano Technicians Guild tuning exam requires a 6-foot or larger >>grand in reasonably good condition. >> --David Nereson, RPT >> >> >>--- >>Incoming mail is certified Virus Free. >>Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). >>Version: 6.0.489 / Virus Database: 288 - Release Date: 6/10/2003 >> >>--- >>Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. >>Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). >>Version: 6.0.489 / Virus Database: 288 - Release Date: 6/10/2003
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