FAQs
- What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
I am a member of the Piano Technicians Guild. We have monthly technical meetings with a guest speaker which are very informative. The Guild is a great organization because you get to gain a new perspective on things from some of the top guys in the field. I read the Piano Technicians Journal every month. I also attend seminars and conventions when I can.
- How did you get started doing this type of work?
I was studying jazz piano at WIlliam Paterson University in Wayne, NJ where I met a local tuner who got me interested in the trade. The gentleman had just tuned my piano when I called him back to fix a couple of notes on my piano that went out. Upon his return appointment he noticed that I had a good ear and asked if I would like to shadow him around on a couple jobs. One thing led to another. I completed my correspondence course and started my own business. The rest, as they say, is history
- What types of customers have you worked with?
If tuning is the bread and butter then repairs are the steak and eggs. While tunings are the most common, fixing sticking keys are a regular occurrence. Sometimes a customer will want their piano brought back to spec. This can be achieved by a regulation procedure of micro-adjustments made to the keys and action (playing/hammer mechanism) to make each note perform evenly and consistently.