Pianotech

Remembering David Betts

Hope it's ok posting this here. I graduated from North Bennet Street School in Advanced Piano Technology 2001. Since graduating, I have thought about my instructor David Betts often: His way of speaking, his patience, his guidance, his presence, his work ethic. All of which still shapes me as a piano technician. Such an exceptional teacher and human being. I will miss him.

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Lyle Hiorns RPT
Madison WI
(608) 334-5106
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I am a graduate of NBSS and knew David from some of the classes he taught as well as from early morning pre-class coffee breaks in his shop known as the "Conservatory". He was a fixture an NBSS and was always around to help you. I was working on letoff buttons on an action on the bench when the screw broke. He bailed me out but we tried everything to get the broken screw out- easy outs, drill bits,pliers. One thing he taught was never to leave your tuning lever on a tuning pin if you stepped away for a break or to do another task. He would confiscate it and you where in big trouble. David was a Master Teacher and he imparted his knowledge to countless students. Dry sense of humor, easy going, dedicated and passionate. I went back to NBSS a few years after graduation to visit and he and Chris asked me to talk to the students. Since I was the oldest one in my class he introduced me that way and said I was "older than dirt". I was hoping he would visit South Carolina sometime to play golf because he spoke about some of our many golf courses especially Caledonia in Pawleys Island where I live.

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James Kelly
Owner- Fur Elise Piano Service
Pawleys Island SC
(843) 325-4357
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