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<DIV> <STRONG><EM>Hi Tom</EM></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><EM> Thanks for sharing your fascinating journey &
perspective. It's all good</EM></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><EM> Regards</EM></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><EM> Dale</EM></STRONG></DIV>
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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I'll take this being able to play issue a step
further. It wasn't until I started to develop as a working cocktail pianist
that I started to appreciate the full role of the piano
technician.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> Sure, at that point I had already past
the RPT and CTE exams, attended most of the manufacture seminars and attended
most of the conventions. But it wasn't until I started to play the piano on a
much more serious level that things began to click.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> I noticed myself becoming more frustrated
when the action wouldn't respond to a fast piece that I was trying to
play. I started to notice that voicing wasn't as even as I thought that it
was. I began to listen to the quality of tone on a much more
defined level. I started to be much more critical of what
tuning should be. I started to develop another perspective of tuning. And
voicing...well I could go on and on with that topic.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Like many of you, I have my degree in music
performance and education. I still play professionally as a orchestral
clarinetist, playing with several orchestras and opera companies. But I
didn't study piano as a child, although my parents tried to force it on
me. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> It wasn't until I was teaching in the
schools that I started to use the piano on a daily basis. It quickly
became my tool of choice during lessons. I was always a good score reader and
had a well developed ear so I was able get by faking. Slowly but
surely I began to play the piano more and more. Then I began to become
very curious about the workings of the piano and one thing led to another, and
soon I was enrolled piano technology program.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Fast forward 28 yrs , I have had the good fortune
to have worked with many of the great touring pianists. I have
had impromptu lessons with Victor Borge,George Shearing, and many
others. I worked with Victor Borge over a 15 yr period when
he was in Florida. He would force me to play some Debussy for him while
he listened to the piano in the auditorium. Instead of finding fault
in the piano, he would start criticizing my playing. When he realized
that I was more or less self-taught pianist, he started to lighten up on
me and started to give me constructive pointers..</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2> George Shearing showed me the art of
"closed" voicing with a very cool II-V7-I progression in all keys. What
an eye-opener! Slowly I started to pay close attention to the technique
and approach of the touring artists. Through osmosis I started develop a
decent quality to my play. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>My advise to young technicians who don't play the
piano, learn. It's never to late.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>You'll discover that it's good for your
business.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>It broadens your knowledge of why we do what we
do.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Most of all, it's good for the
soul. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Isn't that one of things we are to be promoting
to our clients?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Tom Servinsky</FONT></DIV>
<DIV>----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
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<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=mailto:piannaman@aol.com
href="mailto:piannaman@aol.com">piannaman@</A></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV>
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<DIV> </DIV></FONT><BR><BR><BR><DIV><FONT style="color: black; font: normal 10pt ARIAL, SAN-SERIF;"><HR style="MARGIN-TOP: 10px">See what's free at <A title="http://www.aol.com?ncid=AOLAOF00020000000503" href="http://www.aol.com?ncid=AOLAOF00020000000503" target="_blank">AOL.com</A>. </FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>