I apprenticed with a graduate of the Piano Hospital, where many visually impaired people were taught to care for pianos. Unfortunately, it is now closed. I am sighted, my mentor was not. I would say that the status of your vision is mostly irrelevant to whether you should be a piano technician or not. Of course there are challenges most will not face, but they can all be overcome with knowledge, tools, and occasional help. The same is true for all of us in one fashion or another.
The important thing is not what you see with your eyes, but with your mind. It is more important to excel in spatial reasoning / mechanical ability than to be sighted. I have met plenty of sighted people who cannot grasp how a piano action functions. Most of us get it after studying it for a while. If you are gifted in seeing things with your mind, it will help you in many of your other challenges, as well.
There is a presumption by many that "blind people hear better." Mostly, they just pay more attention to what they hear. The rest of us hear things without noticing them. In the same way, focusing on mechanical things will sharpen your mind to deal with them.
Look through some of the other discussions on this forum, and you will hear others talk of why they love the profession. If those things appeal to you, we would love to have you on board.
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David Stocker
PNWRVP
Olympia WA
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Original Message:
Sent: 07-17-2017 14:54
From: David Wagner
Subject: Low Vision RPT, Is It Feasible?
I am considering pursuing a new career as a piano technician.
In 2010 I began experiencing issues with my vision as a side effect of RK surgery that I had about 20 years ago. Reading speed has become a significant challenge due to my distorted vision. I am able to get by using assistive technology to magnify text, but the reading comprehension required with my past career in I/T as well as other jobs in that field provides quite a hurdle for me even with assistive technology. I worked for a little over 25 years as an I/T operations manager and business architect. After the company was sold late last year my organization was dissolved and my position was eliminated. So that's kind of the background as to why I am exploring new career paths.
I actually looked into piano technology about four years ago when I was considering leaving my job due to my vision issues. I researched training programs, received information from PTG and even reached out to some local piano technicians to inquire about apprenticeship opportunities. One of the those contacts was very interested in taking me on as an apprentice. He was planning to retire soon and was interested in finding someone to buy his business in the near future. Unfortunately, I wasn't quite prepared financially to leave my job and take that significant of a pay cut. I did email him recently, but received a reply from his wife that he had passed away. Today, I am much more prepared to take that sort of step. The changes with my employer actually came at a very good time for me.
My background with music has been as a hobbyist. I took piano lessons when I was younger, once as a kid and then for a year in my early 20s. Guitar has been my main interest which I get into playing fairly often, still as a hobby. That said, I do have a descent understanding around music theory, the physics of music and how instruments work. I've always had a strong interest in playing music. So I guess that am not coming in completely as a novice.
From a path standpoint my thoughts are that I would first join the PTG and enroll in a correspondence training program (ie. the Randy Potter School). It looks like I would need up to six months to acquire the basic knowledge and skills to work as a piano tech apprentice. For hands on experience, I would purchase a used piano to work on, and I would also seek out a mentor.
I have two questions related to the above.
1. Does anyone know if the Randy Potter's course is accessible for someone with low vision? As I mentioned, I am able to read with the assistance of magnification tools. If the material is available in softcopy that would be ideal. I'm just curious if anyone with low vision or blindness would be successful completing the course
2. Is it even feasible for someone with low vision to become skilled in piano technology. The man who tuned my family's piano when I was growing up was legally blind, but I'm not sure that he did much more than tuning. Although reading is a challenge I am able to do other tasks that require hand eye coordination. For example, I am an amateur radio operator and I am able to do electronics repairs.
Anyway, I'd love to hear back from some who are experienced with the trade who might have some good input.
Thanks ahead of time.
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David Wagner
Lexington Ky
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