<HTML>In a message dated 7/16/02 10:46:31 PM Central Daylight Time, cedel@supernet.com (Clyde Hollinger) writes: <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">Doug, I took the course from American School of Piano Tuning about 25-30 years ago. Some years later a publication did an article on correspondence courses in piano service.  If my memory serves me correctly,  this course ranked poorly. One thing positive I can say about it -- it got me started!  Most of my learning came from PTG in one way or another. </BLOCKQUOTE> I wasn't going to comment on this at first because I would expect that by now, the American course would be updated.  I took it in 1969 when I was in high school.  It did get me started but by today's standards, the material I received back then would be laughable.  Yet, as with Clyde, it did get me started.   When I really got serious about being a career piano technician, I joined PTG and attended every regional seminar and annual convention I could possibly manage to for many years.  The strategy paid off.  Where my set of knowledge and skills comes from are the great instructors and mentors which PTG has always had.  One of the most important to me, Jim Coleman, is still helping students today. I don't think anyone would advise a correspondence course as an ideal way to learn this trade but one thing I have noticed is that some of the very best technicians I know of learned this way.  Essentially, they taught themselves.  It just shows that a truly motivated person can and will learn regardless of they way of getting started. I've always heard good things about Randy Potter's course and knowing the man personally for many years and how he got started which is what motivated him to create this course, I always recommend it.  I'd like to see what material is being provided by the American course now. If the tuning instructions are the same as they were over 30 years ago, you would be lucky to be able to learn to tune well enough to pass the PTG exam.  The most likely result would be what I have noticed so pervasively, the tendency to tune Reverse Well.  Equal Temperament as such was not taught, only "the" temperament.  Only 4ths & 5ths were tuned, no 3rds & 6ths.  The method of stretching octaves was completely arbitrary, fundamentally incorrect and without a proper explanation as to why. When I first got private tutoring at the 1979 Convention in Minneapolis, the veteran technician, Marlyn Desens RPT told me that the set of knowledge and skills I had at the time was what most people had.  This shows that a rising tide has lifted all boats, so to speak.  Technicians today understand much more and tune much better than they did 30 years ago.  PTG is largely responsible for this and so is the cooperation of manufacturers with PTG. My advice is to take Randy Potter's course, join PTG, attend whichever educational opportunities you can, get PTG's study materials for taking the RPT Exams, take and pass the exams, thereby becoming an RPT, go on to be a person who gives the exams to others yourself and you'll end up being a highly skilled piano technician. Bill Bremmer RPT Madison, Wisconsin <A HREF="http://www.billbremmer.com/">Click here: -=w w w . b i l l b r e m m e r . c o m =-</A> </HTML>