<html> <body> Jeff, This isn't the first time this complaint has been on the list. Randy is good and we all know he is. I don't understand why there is this problem. I got started app. 25 yrs. or so ago with a correspondence course (Aubry Willis). I know there's a LOT of differences now, but I still don't understand why this keeps happening/being complained about! Actually, I haven't even seen a post from Randy in a LONG time! Does anyone know if everything is OK? Avery <blockquote type=cite class=cite cite>However, in my view, one of the key parts of the course are his evaluations of your tuning tapes. This just did not take place in a timely manner! I believe my first tape took about 2 months to be returned, and I am still waiting for my 2nd tuning tape from last JULY (2003). I've sent multiple messages asking about it, and placed a note in my exams, which I've sent to him since then, and haven't heard a thing. I know he has a strict e-mail format and I've goof that up a few times, but not enough times to not hear back on this issue and a few other e-mail questions. My last correspondence with him was that getting him in the phone is a better method for communication. Well without a job I really couldn't afford to do that and being the stubborn Dutchman, just sort decided that if e-mail isn't working then forget it. (e-mail is mentioned in the course and on his web site as the preferred method of communication)   I've also gotten pretty busy with a new job recently, and I have let my studies slip so I do not blame Randy totally for this, but to be quite frank, money was very very tight last year without a job for 15 months. It was a stretch to come up with the first $900.00 (3 payments of $300.00) and I was very discouraged that his evaluation of my 2nd tape just never got back to me. That part of the course is so critical for those of us without a tuner/technician to work with and provide the needed feedback.   One other comment is that the video tape quality is very poor. I borrowed some of his course videos from a fellow technician that were made in the 80's (less material then the newer ones) and the quality of the video and sound was much much better. As an example, when Jim Coleman is trying teach how to listen for beats, the audio quality was so poor that it was hard to know what was sound track tape variations and what was the actual beating you were suppose to hear. The older tape did not have this problem - I thought it was me until I listen to them!   Finally, because money was so tight, I decided to purchase the course in shipments. The problem with this is that the video material is spread out and critical information is not given to you to go with the written material until shipments 4 & 5. So you end up having to skip or do certain exams with just the written material. I would not recommend buying it in shipments if you decide to take this course - get it all at once so you can have everything you need right up front.   Now I've said much in the way of negative comments - there are certainly many many positive things about the course and it is worth considering. I believe I've learn much from it and hope to continue this year. Time is making that tough right now.   I hope I haven't dampened your interest in learning to tune and repair pianos. I've found it to be a real sense of pride and joy taking an instrument that sounds very poor, and when I'm done in 2-3 hours (I'm slow), it sounds like a piano again (in my humble opinion). I'm glad I started down this path and hope to continue.   Joe - I live near Dave and Willis Snyder and have been a guest at the local PTG meetings which they attend and can imagine the face-to-face classes you took with Dave and others were very rewarding! They are great guys! (See I can say something positive.  : )   Jeff Schlaybach - Robesonia, PA <dl> <dd>----- Original Message ----- <dd>From: <a href="mailto:imatunr@srvinet.com">Joe And Penny Goss</a> <dd>To: <a href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">Pianotech</a> ; <a href="mailto:rpotter@bendcable.com">Randy Potter</a> ; <a href="mailto:rpotter@bendnet.com">Randy Potter</a> <dd>Sent: Monday, February 02, 2004 7:37 PM <dd>Subject: Re: Correspondence tuning courses <dd>Hi Barry, <dd>I have not taken the course but  did attend this years seminar at Minnisota. 10 days of top of the line class and hands on work. There were 4 teachers for 26 students, and two groups. Advanced ( 8 working on passing the tuning test for PTG ) and the 18 working on basic tuning and repair skills. Randy took the 8 of us while Tom Cobble, Ward Guthrey and David Snyder worked the 18. <dd>Classes went from 8 AM to 10 PM at night with about 45 minutes for lunch and dinner <dd>If you have the TIME and FUNDS a school would be my choice. But Randy offers another way to gather the knowledge and skills needed to become proficent in piano work at your pace of learning. <dd>Attending the workshop allowed me to get a very good view of the overall scope of the course. And as a teacher of 39 years can confidently say that this is a top of the line <dd>correspondence course. <dd>One insight, due to all the spam out there in the email world, one must folow Randy's instructions for communication very closely. Any deviation from the rules will result in your messages not getting through to him. <dd>. <dd>Joe Goss <dd><a href="mailto:imatunr@srvinet.com">imatunr@srvinet.com</a> <dd><a href="http://www.mothergoosetools.com/" eudora="autourl">www.mothergoosetools.com</a> <dd>----- Original Message ----- <dd>From: <a href="mailto:bfd.dsl@pacific.net.au">Barry</a> <dd>To: <a href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">Piano List</a> <dd>Sent: Monday, February 02, 2004 2:43 PM <dd>Subject: Correspondence tuning courses <dd>Hi everyone.. <dd>  <dd>I would like to get some reaction from you regarding the correspondence courses available.. eg: Randy Potter and the American School of Tuning etc. <dd>  <dd>There are no "hands on" courses available in Australia anymore except occasional apprenticeships. <dd>  <dd>Has anyone successfully passed one of these correspondence courses and would you recommend them? <dd>  <dd>Thanks <dd>Barry </dl></blockquote></body> </html>