<html xmlns:v="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" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"> <head> <meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"> <meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 11 (filtered medium)">  <title>Light fixtures</title> <o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="PersonName"/>  <style>  </style> </head> <body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple> <div class=Section1> If they are on TV weekly, tuning the piano weekly is a good thing.  Every other week may work out if their climate control is good.  I used to tweak a recording studio every week and made the mistake of giving them too good a deal.  Don’t!  If you are making a living now don’t cave in and give yourself away.  Your service is worth a decent fee and your confidence in your approach to this job will reflect that.  How much of a discount do you think the TV station(s) is giving them because they’re on every week?  Some, undoubtedly, but they’re not giving their time away.  Even if you can do a 15 minute tweak every other week, you still have to drive there, park, and drive to your next appointment just as you would if it were a full hour tuning.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Don’t give yourself away.  Been there, done that!<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> dave<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <div> David M. Porritt<o:p></o:p> <a href="mailto:dporritt@smu.edu">dporritt@smu.edu</a><o:p></o:p> </div> <div> <div class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'> <hr size=2 width="100%" align=center tabindex=-1> </div> From: pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] On Behalf Of Brian Doepke Sent: Thursday, July 06, 2006 7:05 AM To: '<st1:PersonName w:st="on">Pianotech List</st1:PersonName>' Subject: Church situation<o:p></o:p> </div> <o:p> </o:p> Hello List,<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Can you help?  I have situation that I have never had before and need some wisdom on how to proceed.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> A large local church called me and asked for a proposal to tune their sanctuary piano.  The tuner that they did have was a member of the church and tuned it every week….yes every week.  The church is involved with a TV ministry and I am guessing that it might need “tweaked” every week.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> I am told that the piano will NOT be moved as much as it was in the past and they are thinking that perhaps tuning it every other week would be sufficient.  I did tell the caller that it sounds reasonable, but if they feel it continues to need the weekly tuning, then I would work with them.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> The music department secretary was very kind and not gruff at all, but I am not sure what kind of fee to propose to them.  It would be great to have the steady work, but I don’t want to undersell my services either.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> They wish to have a month “trial period” to see if things work out.  I said that it sounded fair to me.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> I am used to tuning a piano twice a year, so twice a month is new to me.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Is there anyone out there who can share some wisdom with me on how I might proceed?<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Does anyone have a similar situation but the church/institution has you on a retainer fee ?<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Brian P. Doepke <o:p></o:p> AAA Piano <st1:PersonName w:st="on">Work</st1:PersonName>s, Inc.<o:p></o:p> Piano Tuning-Repair-Purchase Consults<o:p></o:p> 260-432-2043<o:p></o:p> 260-417-1298<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> </div> </body> </html>