On 24 Mar 2006 10:14:14 -0800, "Melissa in NJ"
wrote:

Anyone on here a piano tuner? Or know one? I was thinking of taking a
home study course to become a piano tuner. Not so much a full time
thing....but as a supplmental thing. Do a tuning here and
there....particualry when I am saving up for major quilty purchase
items like a stitch regulator for my HQ16 or PCQuilter. Maybe one day I
could do it as partial income and then quilt the rest of the
time...something like that....

Plus I think it is downright interesting. My "real" work is so ethereal
(software) this would be nice to do something hands on...

I was just wondering if anyone learned from a home study course and
what did they think...? Did they make a career out of it? Etc. I don't
imagine myself getting all crazy...but maybe a word of mouth business
kinda thing.

I don't do tuning, though I do know a tuner or three (though some are
far away now), and I had to learn the basics back in school. (music
major)

If you have a good ear and the money to invest in the tools it is a
career option. I have tried talking DH into taking it up, he has
perfect pitch, but he says he doesn't have the nerves for it.

I don't have the faintest idea how you could possible learn to do it
well with a home study course, unless they send someone with
experience to you? Electronic tuners will only get you so far and
there are a goodly number of people who won't hire a tuner who doesn't
have a full set of forks. It's the mystique of the reverberating
beat. You have to tune the three strings that make each note bare
quavers off from each other or the sound will have no life. A lot of
people do not belive it can be done with an electronic tuner. Having
never encountered anyone who ever tuned a piano with an electronic
tuner I couldn't say yea or nay. A gramma with a spinet might be a
different story, I don't know many people who own pianos who aren't
musicians.

Do bear in mind that the proper tools are not cheap. Doing it part
time I imagine it would be a while before you recouped your
investment. Also check and see how many tuners are in your area. You
are awfully close to Philly aren't you?

NightMist
--
The wolf that understands fire has much to eat.