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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>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=piannaman@aol.com
href="mailto:piannaman@aol.com">piannaman@aol.com</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=pianotech@ptg.org
href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Sunday, June 03, 2007 5:09 PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: Do you play piano?</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT><BR></DIV>
<DIV>Good post, Tom. I agree with you that we don't have to play well to
be a great tech, but playing enhances one's appreciation of the
work we do for a living. And I'll add that being a technician has
enhanced my ability to listen to others I'm playing music
with.<BR><BR>Dave Stahl</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><BR> </DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 3px; BORDER-LEFT: blue 2px solid">Not that
you need to be fine player in order to achieve high levels of technical
ability. But rather,developing a reasonable or advance level of playing
ability can benefit you in gaining a greater appreciation and understanding
of the finer aspects of fine tuning, regulation, and voicing. For me, it's
broadens your understanding and empathy for the role we play for the
pianists, our customers. <BR>Tom Servinsky <BR>----- Original
Message ----- From: "Gregor _" <<A href="mailto:karlkaputt@hotmail.com"
__doClobber__="true">karlkaputt@hotmail.com</A>> <BR>To: <<A
href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org"
__doClobber__="true">pianotech@ptg.org</A>> <BR>Sent: Sunday, June
03, 2007 7:17 AM <BR>Subject: RE: Do you play
piano? <BR> <BR>> >From: "Elwood
Doss" <BR>> <BR>> Is not being able to play well a handicap?
I don't <BR>>>think it is for me. As far as I know, I've had no
dissatisfied <BR>>>customers. <BR>> <BR>> <BR>>
You don´t have to play well. It´s enough to be able to play one or two >
songs. Perhaps it´s not a necessity but it´s a huge advantage. I remember
> situations when I regulated a piano and thought to have done everything
> correct. But playing that instrument showed me that there is something
> going wrong which I never would have noticed without
playing. <BR>> <BR>> Gregor </BLOCKQUOTE><BR><BR>
<DIV style="CLEAR: both">Dave Stahl, RPT<BR><BR>Dave Stahl Piano
Service<BR>650-224-3560<BR>dstahlpiano@sbcglobal.net<BR>http://dstahlpiano.net/<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR></DIV><BR><BR>-----Original
Message-----<BR>From: Tom Servinsky <TOMPIANO@BELLSOUTH.NET><BR>To: Pianotech
List <PIANOTECH@PTG.ORG><BR>Sent: Sun, 3 Jun 2007 7:15 am<BR>Subject: Re: Do
you play piano?<BR><BR>
<DIV id=AOLMsgPart_0_dff5d5cd-6a4e-4d6e-966e-a10b57812914
style="FONT-SIZE: 12px; MARGIN: 0px; COLOR: #000; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, Sans-Serif; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #fff">Not
that you need to be fine player in order to achieve high levels of technical
ability. But rather,developing a reasonable or advance level of playing
ability can benefit you in gaining a greater appreciation and understanding of
the finer aspects of fine tuning, regulation, and voicing. For me, it's
broadens your understanding and empathy for the role we play for the pianists,
our customers. <BR>Tom Servinsky <BR>----- Original Message -----
From: "Gregor _" <<A
href="mailto:karlkaputt@hotmail.com">karlkaputt@hotmail.com</A>> <BR>To:
<<A
href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A>> <BR>Sent:
Sunday, June 03, 2007 7:17 AM <BR>Subject: RE: Do you play
piano? <BR> <BR>> >From: "Elwood
Doss" <BR>> <BR>> Is not being able to play well a handicap? I
don't <BR>>>think it is for me. As far as I know, I've had no
dissatisfied <BR>>>customers. <BR>> <BR>> <BR>>
You don´t have to play well. It´s enough to be able to play one or two >
songs. Perhaps it´s not a necessity but it´s a huge advantage. I remember >
situations when I regulated a piano and thought to have done everything >
correct. But playing that instrument showed me that there is something >
going wrong which I never would have noticed without
playing. <BR>> <BR>> Gregor <BR>> <BR>>
_________________________________________________________________ <BR>>
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