OT - Anyone on here a piano tuner?

Melissa in NJ wrote:

UPDATE

I have the piano. I just bought a nice used one. If anything else I
will get it tuned and get it back to playing condition because both my
DH and I want to learn to play again.

As for learning piano tuning...I haven't decided one way or another
yet. But at least I'd have my own to work with!! The home study course
I was taling about in addition to the lessons provides the tools and
many common repair items as a part of the tuition. I don't know too
much more about the course...but I have sent for a brochure. It might
all be a passing fancy or it might turn into something. I do know I
eventually want to get out of the rat race...but I also know I still
need money....which the rat race provides! I have a boatlaod more
research to do!

I'll keep you posted.

At minimum I foresee a quilted piano cover for the top!!!!! (an
upright)

Melissa in NJ


Be careful... A friend of mine has an ex who was a piano tuner. He
also collected milk bottles. No wonder he's an ex...

--
Kate XXXXXX R.C.T.Q Madame Chef des Trolls
Lady Catherine, Wardrobe Mistress of the Chocolate Buttons
http://www.katedicey.co.uk
Click on Kate's Pages and explore!

Several things.

First, an electronic tuner only produces acoustically pure notes, and
if you tune a piano using such an item the piano will sound terrible!
Because of the "circle of fifths", the further you get from the key you
tune in, the notes actually have to be adjusted. It's a human-hearing
thing, but it's absolutely true. Ask a pianist. In fact, and so-called
"piano tuner" who uses an electronic tuner is NOT welcomed to touch any
piano I own or touch, and is shown the door. Piano tuners of any
quality at all use a pitch fork for the first note and go from there by
ear.

Piano tuners who are good are members of the Guild, and that takes
quite a long process. Guild members can not only tune pianos, but also
repair them, up to and including replacing strings. They are rare
people, and many of them in metropolitan areas only take on new clients
following recommendation that both the client and the piano are
worthwhile. There was a Guild member from St. Louis who would come out
to my home town, 50 miles away, and tune only 3 pianos -- one at the
college (the concert grand), my grandmother's Baldwin, and our
Steinway. Other Guild members are employed fulltime by music schools,
symphony orchestras, concert halls, etc. Many will only touch a grand
piano, and not bother with any upright or baby grand.

You have to have a very good ear to even consider getting into piano
tuning, as well as lots of time, a chunk of change for the proper
equipment, a station wagon or van to carry it in, and patience.

Piano tuning is NOT a good choice for any part-time income supplement
activity. Please try something else! As a suggestion, why not get
yourself a very good quilting machine and take in quilt tops in need of
quilting? Those businesses seem to be in very high demand!

I forgot to mention, I am pretty sure the home study course teaches by
ear, not electric as you get hammers and tuning forks as part of your
toolkit you get with tuiton. The course also teaches repair. And while
I haven't played anything on a piano in years, I do have some music
training as I played handbells, the recorder, and sang in many many
choirs. So I would be slightly more than some dude off the street.

THe one I was lookign at is here if it interests any of you to look
(NAYY).

http://www.piano-tuning.com/Piano-Tu...x?CategoryID=1

Like I said...just researching now....

Melissa in NJ

If you're not bored to death on this topic been doing research.

http://www.pianotuning.com/kybd_mag/page_one.htm

Slammed the course I was originally looking at. Interesting stuff this.
I'm trying to see if anyone local offers a Piano Technology course set.

Melissa in NJ

Melissa in NJ wrote:
I forgot to mention, I am pretty sure the home study course teaches by
ear, not electric as you get hammers and tuning forks as part of your
toolkit you get with tuiton. The course also teaches repair.

I think it's a great idea to go through
the course. Even if it doesn't become a
business, you will have learned something.
And nothing learned is ever wasted.

I keep buying books of stuff I *know* I
will never make, like colorwash quilts
or landscape quilts. Well, one day, I
decided to try a colorwash quilt, and now
it's all I want to do! (How's that for
back on topic?) You never know where a
new idea will lead you.

-- Anita --