<HTML><HTML>Greetings Michael,             &nbs= p;     Some tuners train by reading and studying on thei= r own and going to PTG meetings and getting help and advice. Others do all o= f the above and additionally, take a mail order coures such as Randy Potter'= s. Others go to school at a college or a tuning school for a certificate cou= rse. I went to school at the University of Western Ontario. They have an 8 m= onth course. The New England conservatory of Music has a 2 year program. The= North Bennett Street school in Boston also has a course. However the living= expenses in Boston are to my purse, outrageously expensive.             &nbs= p;     I chime for the Unversity of Western Ontario's 8 = month certificate course. I went 2002-03 school year.  It is the shorte= st course, the most economically priced (as far as I know) and the living ex= penses in Canada are very reasonable. The course is pretty good. Of course, = there are alot of things in school that you can study and go over, but when = you get on a job in real life after graduating, you almost need this PTG for= um of advice because there's always something new you don't know; especially= when starting out.  I am asking questions all the time, and everyone o= n this forum is helpful.             &nbs= p;     Up there in Canada they really teac= h you to tune. You practice your tuning every day! You get comfortable and c= onfident with it too.  It's grueling, but if you really want to do this= , you'll probably love it. I know I and my classmates did. In my class there= were people ranging from ages 18 to 50. They only accept 14 students per ye= ar, and you must take some really simple tests to be accepted. It's scary mo= ving away for 8 months but everyone that took the course was glad they did.<= BR> Best wishes for all your success. Their e-mail up there is: pianotech@julian= .uwo.ca Hope this helps, Julia Gottchall rookie </HTML>