This class would be a mixture of the following four subjects, all geared toward helping a tuner become more contented with the profession: How to not irritate your customer: correct clothing, phone skills, conversation skills, but also tuning technique that makes allowance for the aural fatigue of the customer, which reduces fatigue on the tuner's hands (and ears), and relates directly to pitch stability. How to be more efficient: the best order of operations in regulating, and the best tuning/pitching techniques. How to not become disgruntled and enfeebled: life planning, mood, education, hobbies, conversational abilities, psychological skills, as well as posture and pain. How to make the previous technician look like an idiot by being a petty ass: I'll show how easy it is to mess with the customer, & how easy it is to paint all other technicians as incapable, showing how such practices bring one down to a low level, and are not sustainable. Humor included, of course.
Overview of servicing, regulating, and restoring the entire grand damper system. While this topic is huge, we will demonstration how this inter-related system works, how to make it better, introductory exposure to in depth restoration operations, all in one class.
You WILL come across a piano that needs new parts. From start to finish, learn how to recognize when new parts are appropriate and what it really takes to sell the job and how complete an action rebuild. Focusing on straightforward, practical methods of taking measurements, parts selection and installation tips, build confidence in your skills, increase your profit, improve the value of the instrument and gain customer satisfaction.
Take a microscopic tour into the depths of a piano hammer. Learn about the making of felt, the process of manufacturing piano hammers and what’s different about Natural Felt. We will discuss how to control weight and touch through hammer selection and information needed for boring hammers. You will also learn grand hammer hanging on old and new shanks and flanges as well as using pre hung hammers
A class in a new format: Linear Grand Regulating with a Grandwork Regulation Station: Live in the Exhibition Hall. This will be an ongoing class during the two days that the Exhibition Hall is open. Beginning with bedding of a grand keyframe, proceeding through a summary and sampling of the Grandwork Linear Regulation Protocol, and finishing with a look at the final steps of installation, including hammer-to-string fitting. The Grandwork RS allows much of grand regulating to take place out of the piano. With guesswork resolved by sampling or bypassed with good referencing, grand regulating becomes a predictable, step-by-step process, a linear march from bedding to fitting. Less experience is required to succeed. Less headache and more effective work output help both experienced and less experienced technicians. Conference attendees may join in as schedules allow or observe during break times.
To Tweet, or not to Tweet!? What is a # for, and why will that get me any more business? My kids have a Facebook, how is that professional? What good is having an interactive website? All these questions and more as we dive into a technology driven world with marketing and connectivity capabilities like never before!
This class will explore taking the next step in servicing vertical pianos. Tuning is the basic level of service but most pianos can benefit from additional attention. After a few years of moderate use the action often begins have problems with even touch and tone. We will discuss a series of steps to improve the action and tone with a minimum amount of effort. The class will present several options or levels of improved service depending on the time and needs of the piano owner. Each level can be treated as a stand alone addition to the basic piano service or they can be combined to elevate the performance of the piano as a series of service plans.
Tools, tricks and tips for getting maximum results on a grand action with minimal time available. Class participants will have a chance to try the tools and techniques for themselves.
Quality touch up work is needed within our industry. Joshua Ello, RPT will discuss and demonstrate the basics of polyester/polyurethane repair. Come learn the secrets of this technique that a book won't tell you.
Have you ever wondered what a highly skilled pianist wants from the piano on which he/she has to perform? Is it only regulation, or voicing or something else? Come to this class and learn the answer to these questions. Hear and see what great pianists expect from a concert instrument. See and Hear a piano that does not perform well, quickly put into condition that nearly any great pianist would find capable of expressing their musical ideas. It might even be possible with this information to make yourself a hero to your clients whether they are a world class performer or the neighborhood piano teacher or student.
Calling all past and present chapter officers! Come to this roundtable atmosphere to share and discuss chapter ideas. What works, what doesn't? We all have challenges when it comes to chapter business and this forum encourages officers to help each other motivate their members, manage funds, collect ideas to take home and enact.
I will share why I believe that iRCT represents a quantum advance in piano tuning. The reasoning inside of CyberTuner, along with best strategies for utilizing its capabilities will be explored. iRCTs newest features will be presented.
This class is in two parts within the one class session. The first focuses on conceptualizing action center operation and
service, and the second demonstrates an efficient and highly accurate method for recentering using sized broaches. The
discussion will include evaluating the amount of friction needed for any given action part, the effects of pinning on
touch and tone, and dealing with the various types of bushing cloths encountered.
Class level: All Levels
This is a basics of voicing class, in which samples of 4 different sets of hammers are installed in 1 Kawai grand
piano, and each is voiced during the class for the best tone. The hammer manufacturing process and concepts of
how hammers work are discussed. The goal of the class is to show how to work up soft hammers, how to bring
down hard hammers, and most importantly to take the fear out of the voicing process.
Class level: Intermediate
COST OF ADMISSION: all attending this class MUST present at least one great thing they have discovered, in a Minimum of :30 seconds, Maximum 4:20 minutes! Bring your favorite supplies, tools, tips, tricks, techniques, remedies for better piano work. Stern moderators will keep this class humming at high velocity to pack in a wealth of astoundingly useful information in one amazing class period! Fabulous Prize for the most amazing tip presented! Whew!
PicthLock Inc. continues to develop tools and techniques that improve both piano performance and service. In addition to our popular TOUCHRAIL, we’ll see how the new DIALaPRESS, TOUCHSCALE, AND FELT KEY PLUGS can make touch weight adjustment more accurate and profitable.
Working on dampers is, for many technicians, forbidden territory. We’ll review a streamlined and efficient way to get the most results from the least number of tools. Video close ups and voluntary class participation included. Imagine that, regulating dampers in front of a room full of your colleagues. That’s a great confidence builder!
A discussion forum for anyone who has a question about how to prosper in the field of piano technology. Almost 200 years of piano service experience with Jack Wyatt, Leon Spier, Carl Lieberman and Darren Speir. Come hear the firm of Wyatt, Spier, Lieberman and Speir, bring your questions and challenge the experts. Dale Probst will attempt to moderate but who knows what will happen when it all gets going!
This is a new class that had its debut at the recent Atlanta Institute. The reviews are in: "The class I've wanted to do for years...", "Wow, a super interesting class!", "That was a seriously brilliant class." There are many ways to "solve" the Pythagorean comma, even within equal temperament; explore the relationship between temperament and stretch. Discover the benefits of executing a uniform level of stretch across the entire piano scale, and the techniques for doing so. This class may change the way you evaluate piano tunings!
Have you ever considered working for a College or University? We will discuss contract, half time, and full time employment. And the challenges and benefits of working for an institution. We will be happy to share our experiences and do our best to answer all your questions.
Explore action regulation beyond the usual steps. Many times only a few adjustments are needed to make the action perform better but which ones should happen when? We will explore the role of the back check and the jack in action performance and feel. What do specifications have to do with touch and where do they come from? Do you really have to memorize steps and specs to be able to regulate? Efficient regulation comes from knowing what to adjust and when you should do it to create the touch to die for.
Understanding the importance of solid glue joints, tight bridge pins, clean bridge notches, and means of repair/reconditioning/restoration/replacement.