<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; = charset=iso-8859-1"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1276" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Barry:</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>As someone said, if you look in the = archives you will find a range of opinions on correspondence courses and in = particular about Randy Potter's course. </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I started Randy's course about 1 = year ago (you can get an extension which gives you 2 full years to complete it) after = being laid off as an Electrical Engineer after 20 1/2 years. Initially I = received pretty good feedback from Randy, and when I'd call Randy on the phone, = he spend a bunch of time with me and patiently answer my questions (that aspect = never changed).</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>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)</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>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.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>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!</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>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.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>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.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>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.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>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.  : )</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Jeff Schlaybach</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>- Robesonia, PA</FONT></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; = BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: = black"><B>From:</B> <A title=imatunr@srvinet.com href="mailto:imatunr@srvinet.com">Joe = And Penny Goss</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A = title=pianotech@ptg.org href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">Pianotech</A> ; <A = title=rpotter@bendcable.com href="mailto:rpotter@bendcable.com">Randy Potter</A> ; <A title=rpotter@bendnet.com href="mailto:rpotter@bendnet.com">Randy = Potter</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Monday, February 02, 2004 = 7:37 PM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: Correspondence = tuning courses</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Hi Barry,</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>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.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Classes went from 8 AM to 10 PM at = night with about 45 minutes for lunch and dinner</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>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.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>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</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>correspondence course.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>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.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>.</FONT></DIV> <DIV>Joe Goss<BR><A href="mailto:imatunr@srvinet.com">imatunr@srvinet.com</A><BR><A = href="http://www.mothergoosetools.com">www.mothergoosetools.com</A></DI= V> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; = BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: = black"><B>From:</B> <A title=bfd.dsl@pacific.net.au href="mailto:bfd.dsl@pacific.net.au">Barry</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A = title=pianotech@ptg.org href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">Piano List</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Monday, February 02, = 2004 2:43 PM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Correspondence = tuning courses</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV>Hi everyone..</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I would like to get some reaction from you regarding the = correspondence courses available.. eg: Randy Potter and the American School of = Tuning etc.</DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV>There are no "hands on" courses available in Australia anymore = except occasional apprenticeships.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Has anyone successfully passed one of these correspondence = courses and would you recommend them?</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Thanks</DIV> <DIV>Barry</DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>