+1

Try this one
How many piano technicians does it take to change a lightbulb?

Maybe try this one first:

How many piano DIYers does it take to change a lightbulb?

Depends if you ask some electricians or ask some homeowners?

(Brace for the fury - I should know better than to compare piano technicians to lowly electricians!)

A piano technician who works in concert halls knows that it is the stagehands or electricians who change the light bulbs. Sometimes it takes one person to lower the lamp and another to change the bulb, or it may take one person to operate the lift and another person on it.

An artist who works in concert halls doesn't know (or care?) whether it is stagehands or electricians or piano technicians who change the light bulbs.

And if he's a smart artist, he won't try to voice the hammers, either.

Maybe so, but I have heard of some performing artist who carry a tuning hammer in their back pocket to a rehearsal or even a performance.

Rick

Having seen a Kawai master piano techician tune, regulate and voice my RX2 - took the best part of a day - I have the utmost respect for piano techicians and wouldn't dream of trying it myself. However, for 20 years I had a (very expensive) harpsichord and using technicians was impractical and unaffordable. So, I learned, over the first 10 of those 20 years, to tune it every 3 weeks or so, with different methods of tuning, replace broken strings (the top brass string usually - one broke once during a recital), replace broken plectra, revoicing the new one to fit the rest of the rank, regulating and voicing any of the three ranks as and when needed.
Necessity drove me to doing this, but, I knew my instrument, in the same way you get to know your house when you maintain it. I know harpsichords are simpler than pianos..........
So my advice to Brandon is: if you can put in the time and effort, and you believe it will, ultimately, give you pleasure to be able to maintain a piano, go for it.
Slowly, carefully, knowing it will take time.

Are you serious? You're serious right?

"Your serious" is worse then "pegs".

[/quote]

If you're going to be critical of my spelling then at least get your grammar cleaned up. It should read, worse "than" pegs, not "then" pegs.
Lots of bad grammar be floatin' around these here parts, Pardner. [/quote]


Wow. It took so long for a response I was getting worried nobody would take the bait.

What's up with these stupid "quote" do-dads? They're (their, there) not working.

Hi Ralph,

I wouldn’t categorize the quote feature as stupid, but it is a little difficult to learn to use. A very sweet and lovely female member here, Monica Kern, taught me how to use the quote feature.

She’s a real jewel and an icon on this forum! She is also our official “greeter”, and she does a fine job!

Thanks Monica!

Rick

How many Piano DIYers does it take to change a lightbulb?

Up to three, because every third one is going to really seriously screw it up.

How many Piano technicians does it take to change a lightbulb?

Zero, because they are not touching that lightbulb without a ETG training course.

Just jokes guys. We need more humor here.

I have tremendeous respect to the experts / masters for doing the art of their trade. But I also think average Joe can try some of it with care and some common sense.

By the way, are pianists the only musicians who do not tune their own instruments? Violinist, guitarist, ..., everyone seems are doing some of the tuning. Nothing negative, just an interesting observation.

My tuner once told me he doesn't understand why more people aren't interested in how their piano works.

I play the guitar as well as the violin, and the 5-string banjo.

I estimate that I can tune either of them to a high degree of precision within 10 minutes, tops… maybe 5. The first time I tuned my grand piano it took me about 8 hours; now, I’m down to about two.

I think most pianist prefer to sit down at their piano and play, without the hassle of going through the extensive learning curve to learn to tune their own. Some piano owners do want to learn to tune their own. But, I would imagine it is a small minority.

Take care!

Rick

Most chromatic instruments are not normally tuned by their owners: Organs, pianos, xylophones, accordions, bells...
A lot of wind instruments are tuned in their manufacture. Some adjustment can be made before or while they are played, but the basic layout determines the tuning.

Rick...nice job on the banjo and enjoyed your original....


BDB...gotta luv those trombones...

Thanks, Monster M&H!

I decided to remove the YT vids after the fact, because I didn't want to impose on the OP's thread. Of course, it may be too late for that now!!

Glad you enjoyed it!

Rick