Many people ask me what they need to do to become a piano technician. I jokingly say sometimes “Just call yourself a Piano Technician!”
I wish this sad but true fact was not so true. I have had students come to my home for lessons, not take any of my advice, and not practice, and then go out and tell people they are piano technicians and that they were trained by me!
The proper question should be, “How can I become a good Piano Technician?”
Notice I did not say “Great”. That is because the world needs more good technicians. We have a lot of great technicians, taking care of concert instruments, doing fantastic rebuilding work, etc. The problem is, these technicians, all too often, price themselves out of the average piano owner’s budget, or reduce their availability so much that average piano owner’s have to wait weeks to get an appointment for a piano tuning.
That’s where you come in. If you are interested in learning this trade, here are a couple of tips and requirements that will improve your chance of success.
1. Being a formally trained pianist helps greatly, but being a musician is very important. Knowledge of the basic theory of intervals is important.
2. Mechanical aptitude. Many times you will have to figure out how to repair something that you have not been trained to do. A mechanical mind will help.
3. Realistic knowledge of skills. This goes with number 2. When you do not know how to do something, or do something well, it is very important for your reputation to know that and defer to another experienced technician. This will make you more respected in the eyes of your customer and other technicians.
4. Enjoy working with people
5. Self learner.
6. Organized.
7. Punctual.
8. Pleasant and polite.
9. Clean appearance.
Some of these things are not critical, but the more you can reduce the number of reasons someone might not want you as a piano technician, the better.
Stay tuned to my blog for other posts on how to become a piano technician, or if you have any questions, drop me an email and I would be happy to answer them.
