Pianotech

  • 1.  A YouTuber explains piano tuning

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 08-13-2025 12:39

    A YouTuber explains piano tuning - and didn't to a totally terrible job of it.

    https://youtu.be/oG0znsoXC2E?si=CSUDmzl9MNTFPM5J



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    Kent Swafford
    Lenexa KS
    (913) 631-8227
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  • 2.  RE: A YouTuber explains piano tuning

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 08-14-2025 07:42
    Thanks for posting this.

    Norman 



    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: A YouTuber explains piano tuning

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 08-14-2025 08:26

    Not a bad job at all! I would love to add this to my playlists, but I'm hesitant because he called the second partial the first one. If he had used the word, "overtone", it would have been correct. Darn. Common rookie mistake; I've made plenty & still haven't fixed all of mine. lol  Thanks for sharing! :) 



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    Maggie Jusiel, RPT
    Athens, WV
    (304)952-8615
    mags@timandmaggie.net
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    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: A YouTuber explains piano tuning

    Member
    Posted 08-14-2025 09:16
    Hi Kent,

    Interesting timing that you share this. 

    I have had several clients actually inflict damage to their pianos with YouTube tunings, ie., rounded tuning pins, broken strings, etc. in one case, a nice German grand, which now has completely rounded the tuning pins from using substandard tools and substandard technique. 

    To another client's credit, they emailed me stating that they bought some tools off Amazon, watched the YouTube videos and started on the first note, only to realize they weren't making any improvement at all... (in their words), "this is stupid. Im not making any improvements. I'm calling somebody who knows what they're doing"... good thing they did because it was a very unique, 19th century instrument.

    As DIY's can discover, fine-tuning and servicing a complex instrument with multiple string segments is clearly not the same as try to start your lawn tractor or troubleshooting why your icemaker isn't working... it's a do-it-yourself world, but knowledge does not equal experience!

    Best! 
    Ian
    Ian Graham, CFE, CPPA
    Piano Technician 
    Instrument Restoration
    Official Technician 
    Barrie Concerts 
    www.igraham.ca



    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: A YouTuber explains piano tuning

    Member
    Posted 08-14-2025 13:15

    It certainly helps to have a musical background along with some degree of mechanical competency-

    I started learning piano tuning/tech from youtube and books- it certainly can provide a good place to start.

    Knowledge certainly doesnt equal experience- but the only way to gain experience is by putting knowledge into practice. 

    And experience doesnt necessarily equal 'the right way/proficiency' either!

    I shadowed a non-ptg technician recently on a rebuild job on an old upright and was shocked at the amount of things I saw that were not 'up to code'- someone who is apparently a 'steinway trained' tech who has been doing it for years

    Touching all the new strings without gloves, liberally spraying protek over the entire letoff rail, scratching his head over why the regulation changed after putting on new hammers ' ("well capstans always need to be adjusted after changing blow distance")

    Needless to say I'm hoping to find another mentor close to me!



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    Michael Baker
    Waldoboro ME
    (207) 975-2448
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    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: A YouTuber explains piano tuning

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 08-14-2025 21:40

    Michael --

    Learning what NOT to do is just as valuable as learning what TO do. Back in the mid '70s, I was an aspiring young recording engineer. Working full time at a studio as a second, or assistant engineer I got to work with a lot of different 1st engineers. I quickly learned from them what worked and what didn't. What I should be doing and what I would, subsequently, never do. Both lessons are needed and are equally valuable. 



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    Geoff Sykes, RPT
    Los Angeles CA
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    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: A YouTuber explains piano tuning

    Member
    Posted 08-15-2025 09:15

    If someone watches only the first half of this YouTube video (as I was almost tempted to do) they would come away thinking this YouTuber doesn't understand the first thing about piano tuning.  It was a relief and a pleasant surprise to see that he was only acting clueless.



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    Robert Scott
    Real-Time Specialties (TuneLab)
    fixthatpiano@yahoo.com
    Hopkins MN
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    Original Message


  • 8.  RE: A YouTuber explains piano tuning

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 08-15-2025 11:09

    Agreed!

    Peter Grey Piano Doctor 



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    Peter Grey
    Stratham NH
    (603) 686-2395
    pianodoctor57@gmail.com
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    Original Message