How to become a professional piano tuner and technician

Apprentice Program We're glad to see that you're interested in learning the trade, and think that it's a great idea to ask first. -I'll do my best to give a good overview of our profession. We are a third-generation family company, specializing in custom restoration of rare and antique pianos. We also have nationwide and local piano moving services, and a local client base of over 15,000 rsidential and commercial clients, including the Rockefeller Center's Rainbow Room, Pierre Hotels, Liconln Center Opera, and many more esteemed customers.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• time, approximately 1 school year
• good ear, music education
• $10K

1. The art of piano restoration is not the easiest to learn, but it's always been fascinating to me and never gets boring. Each piano brings something new to the table, especially when we restore antique pianos, with various tricks in design and construction.
   
   There is very little formal education in this field, and the few official places that promise training in the field are limiting, and by nature can not offer a complete course of training, and most of the time leave the student with little more than a good overview of the field.
2. We believe that in order to be a good piano tuner, you must also be a good technician, have very good knowledge of the structure and design of a piano, and be able to diagnose problems with the piano, not to mention be able to communicate with musicians, and custom-tailor the sound and tuning of the piano to the performer's preferences. Piano tuning is learned as the last part of the process.
   -Most people who call us for a piano tuning, don't fully understand the meaning of tuning, assuming that tuning will fix the sticking keys, the buzzing note and perhaps the scratch or chip in the body as well. Customers are almost always surprised to learn that tuning is pulling strings into their proper pitch, and has nothing to do with any mechanical adjustments, and certainly no cosmetic or structural repairs.
3. It's important to note that some working piano tuners don't make a decent living, but it's not because there's no work, it's because their training only gave them a narrow specialization and piano tuners only tune pianos and don't do repair work, cannot diagnose a problem with the sound, and will many times tune a piano that is not supposed to be tuned in the first place. Pedal repair specialists only fix pedals, soundboard restorers only fix soundboards - they don't even play the piano and will not be able to function outside their realm. -that is the problem with the average piano tuner.
4. Most antique piano manufacturers are no longer in business, and new pianos are made of worse materials and craftsmanship each year. It's surprising and sad to see the degradation. Pianos are made with plywood soundboards that don't carry a good tone, plastic parts in the mechanism which make it disposable in a decade, and fiberglass and press-wood instead of hardwood on the body. All these factors weaken the piano and at the same time drive up the value and demand of antique pianos. Since old manufacturers are not around, parts are not available. We replicate mechanism parts and piano body parts as well to exact specifications. Our trained technicians are able to do the same, and it's rather crucial.
5. Hands-On-Training!
   
   Available Training Positions : Piano Technician, Piano Tuner, Piano Mover, Piano Restoration & Rebuilding, Piano Refinishing
   
   Also Hiring: Secretary/Office Administrator/Assistant, Flash Animation/Web Design
   
   
   Amadeus Piano Co., Inc. is the premier full-service piano company for the greater New York, New Jersey, & Connecticut Tri-State area with a customer base exceeding 15,000 clients in the New York-Metro Area alone. After years of unprecedented growth, we have decided to launch a nationwide network of professionals to better serve our ever-expanding customer base.
   
   Currently seeking Experienced Piano Refinishers and Refinisher's assistants to work at our Bohemia Piano Restoration Facility.
   
   We also have training positions available for piano refinisher, piano restorer, piano tuner, and piano mover.
   
   part time and full time applicants welcome
   
   If you are interested in a position with us, please call (800)33-TUNER to schedule an appointment for an interview, fax your resume to: [phone] or email us:
   
   Click here to e-mail
   
   Apprentice Program
   
   We're glad to see that you're interested in learning the trade, and think that it's a great idea to ask first. -I'll do my best to give a good overview of our profession.
   
   We are a third-generation family company, specializing in custom restoration of rare and antique pianos. We also have nationwide and local piano moving services, and a local client base of over 15,000 rsidential and commercial clients, including the Rockefeller Center's Rainbow Room, Pierre Hotels, Liconln Center Opera, and many more esteemed customers.
   
   The art of piano restoration is not the easiest to learn, but it's always been fascinating to me and never gets boring. Each piano brings something new to the table, especially when we restore antique pianos, with various tricks in design and construction.
   
   There is very little formal education in this field, and the few official places that promise training in the field are limiting, and by nature can not offer a complete course of training, and most of the time leave the student with little more than a good overview of the field.
   
   We believe that in order to be a good piano tuner, you must also be a good technician, have very good knowledge of the structure and design of a piano, and be able to diagnose problems with the piano, not to mention be able to communicate with musicians, and custom-tailor the sound and tuning of the piano
6. We have a piano restoration training program with apprentices in training, you can speak with some if you like. They work on real projects with real deadlines and gain experience in all parts of piano restoration and field experience. After the completion of our program, our technicians are certified, and we also provide all necessary tools for repair, regulation and tuning, as well as employment in the geographical area they choose. We are a nationwide company, restoring antique pianos from all over the country, and we have customers anywhere they would like to live. -Most important of all, we're building a qualified, independent workforce whom we can trust with priceless heirloom pianos and our good name.

Tips & Warnings

• visit www.amadeuspianos.com and call us at (800)33-TUNER at any time for a consultation, or to schedule a convenient appointment at our piano restoration and refinishing facilities
• It's a bad idea to try learning just piano tuning or any part of the work by itself. In order to be a good technician and tuner, one has to know the principles of piano construction and a good idea of how the mechanism works for proper diagnostic skills.
• Many times it's worse for the piano to be tuned if there's structural damage
• You should tune at least 4-6 pianos per day to stay in good shape.