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Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 38
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OP
Full Member
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 38 |
There's a music shop in my area that was hiring a piano technician/tuner trainee. I was a little surprised because I figured that to be something not trusted to a novice.
But that's something I'm interested in learning, so it got me wondering as to what kind of response I would get if I called other piano stores in my area and offered to volunteer my time to learn more about piano tuning, maintenance and repair. Assisting and helping in what minimal way I can, doing various odd jobs around the shop.
Is this worth a try, or not?
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Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 2,685
2000 Post Club Member
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2000 Post Club Member
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 2,685 |
Definitely worth it.
Been there, done that and it pays dividends in the form of referrals and skill building and reputation.
You will know when it is time to charge for your services.
You will also learn about the character and reputation of the store that you do volunteer work for.
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Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 78
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Full Member
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 78 |
You will also learn about the character and reputation of the store that you do volunteer work for.
This is more important than you think, when people find out where I trained, they often wonder if I can be any good. If you plan on applying for this position, try to find out what their turnover rate is. It takes months to train as a technician, just to become competent! The store I trained at sent me out to tune for a customer less than a week after I started. Had I been a different type of person, I would be a terrible technician. I was determined to be good at my job, so I learned on my own. They've "replaced me" 3 times since I left last August. Before I started, they replaced techs more than twice a year. If I'd known better, that would have been a HUGE red flag.
Piano Technician, 3 years experience
And why yes, I know I'm a girl!
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 3,489
3000 Post Club Member
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3000 Post Club Member
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 3,489 |
You will also learn about the character and reputation of the store that you do volunteer work for.
This is more important than you think, when people find out where I trained, they often wonder if I can be any good. If you plan on applying for this position, try to find out what their turnover rate is. It takes months to train as a technician, just to become competent! The store I trained at sent me out to tune for a customer less than a week after I started. Had I been a different type of person, I would be a terrible technician. I was determined to be good at my job, so I learned on my own. They've "replaced me" 3 times since I left last August. Before I started, they replaced techs more than twice a year. If I'd known better, that would have been a HUGE red flag. Your experience is fairly typical, I think. There are far more mediocre dealers than really good ones. In my area, there is a rebuilder who was looking for a refinisher not too long ago and I heard through the grapevine that they actually rejected applicants who ever worked for a certain another local rebuilder, just due to its poor reputation.
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Joined: May 2013
Posts: 376
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Full Member
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 376 |
Learn as much about pianos as you possibly can BEFORE you offer your serives as an unpaid or minimally paid intern (so that you at least bring something to the table). Even if you have some basic knowledge of the piano action and can tune unisons, that helps!
Making the world a better sounding place, one piano at a time...
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Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 38
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OP
Full Member
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 38 |
^^ Yeah, I think I'll do that.
But is people volunteering to learn with a technician a common thing?
I called and emailed some piano stores and other places yesterday and got turned down on all of them.
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Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 78
Full Member
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Full Member
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 78 |
As you can tell by perusing this forum, lots of technicians can have attitudes about people learning to tune. I don't really know why. Find a "residential" tuner, they're more likely to help, so long as you agree not to open shop within 200 miles. (I seem to remember that being a standard distance. I didn't sign a noncompete agreement, so I don't know for sure.)
Piano Technician, 3 years experience
And why yes, I know I'm a girl!
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