Pianotech

"Knowledge comes from experience, the rest is just information."  Albert Einstein

But the information does have value. 

I don't think that's a fair characterization of the conventions, honestly. And having informal chat sessions doesn't make sense for a lot of things that happen there. Obviously, until you can apply the info that you get you won't fully benefit. But the application of information takes time, sometimes years, and must be used in a variety of situations which can't be duplicated in the context of a single 90 minute class.  Still, that doesn't mean the information has no value.

To characterize the classes writ large as people just sitting around, listening to useless information and spending a lot of money doesn't fairly capture the benefits or speak to the opportunity to meet other techs and have those meaningful conversations about shared problems and experiences. 

I attended (and taught) several classes at the convention and found some classes better than others, of course. But there was always a positive take away from every class that I took.  Hopefully people felt the same way about the classes I gave. 

I also think classes break down into different categories. There are classes that are more promotional, for people selling things, or discussing the merits of their own products or pianos in this case. For tool sellers it's an opportunity to give people the opportunity to hold the tool in their hands or see exactly how they work.  There are classes which are pure practicum, how to do something. Sometimes those relate to specific products, for example, Steinway concert prep or Fazioli voicing procedures. There are also classes that are hands-on like Renner's all day classes on damper back action installation. And some are purely informational and theoretical; Dell Fandrich's classes on  "how to design a piano" come to mind.

People come to these conventions with all different levels of experience and sometimes you just want the information. Other times you might want to work under the supervision of a tech who can guide you. But that can't happen as SOP because there simply aren't enough resources to set up the convention as a one on one tutoring opportunity.  

I came of age in a time when if you walked into someone's shop they would throw a blanket over what they were working on so as not to reveal their "secrets". The PTG has promulgated an attitude of information sharing for the benefit of all its members and I would say that has been a very positive effort with demonstrable benefits. That information sharing has disabused people of a lot of mythology that often comes from people working in secret and has advanced the trade. I have no doubt about that because I have been one of those beneficiaries. My goal now is to participate as much as possible in sharing that information so it doesn't die with me and these national and regional conventions are one way to do that. That doesn't preclude me from participating in tutoring opportunities when appropriate.

I should add that we now have a lot of international attendees and that is a great benefit for all of us. Whether there's a better way to do it or broaden the scope is a worthwhile discussion. But I think we should be careful about letting out own cynicism get in the way of what is generally a positive experience for most attendees and throwing the baby out with the bath. 

I don't think that's a fair characterization of the conventions, honestly. And having informal chat sessions doesn't make sense for a lot of things that happen there. Obviously, until you can apply the info that you get you won't fully benefit. But the application of information takes time, sometimes years, and must be used in a variety of situations which can't be duplicated in the context of a single 90 minute class.  Still, that doesn't mean the information has no value.

To characterize the classes writ large as people just sitting around, listening to useless information and spending a lot of money doesn't fairly capture the benefits or speak to the opportunity to meet other techs and have those meaningful conversations about shared problems and experiences. 

I attended (and taught) several classes at the convention and found some classes better than others, of course. But there was always a positive take away from every class that I took.  Hopefully people felt the same way about the classes I gave. 

I also think classes break down into different categories. There are classes that are more promotional, for people selling things, or discussing the merits of their own products or pianos in this case. For tool sellers it's an opportunity to give people the opportunity to hold the tool in their hands or see exactly how they work.  There are classes which are pure practicum, how to do something. Sometimes those relate to specific products, for example, Steinway concert prep or Fazioli voicing procedures. There are also classes that are hands-on like Renner's all day classes on damper back action installation. And some are purely informational and theoretical; Dell Fandrich's classes on  "how to design a piano" come to mind.

People come to these conventions with all different levels of experience and sometimes you just want the information. Other times you might want to work under the supervision of a tech who can guide you. But that can't happen as SOP because there simply aren't enough resources to set up the convention as a one on one tutoring opportunity.  

I came of age in a time when if you walked into someone's shop they would throw a blanket over what they were working on so as not to reveal their "secrets". The PTG has promulgated an attitude of information sharing for the benefit of all its members and I would say that has been a very positive effort with demonstrable benefits. That information sharing has disabused people of a lot of mythology that often comes from people working in secret and has advanced the trade. I have no doubt about that because I have been one of those beneficiaries. My goal now is to participate as much as possible in sharing that information so it doesn't die with me and these national and regional conventions are one way to do that. That doesn't preclude me from participating in tutoring opportunities when appropriate.

I should add that we now have a lot of international attendees and that is a great benefit for all of us. Whether there's a better way to do it or broaden the scope is a worthwhile discussion. But I think we should be careful about letting out own cynicism get in the way of what is generally a positive experience for most attendees and throwing the baby out with the bath. 

Horace

All excellent points and I approve this message 😉!

BTW the one class I missed that I really wanted to take was Emily Townsend's (NBSS) class on "how to teach a class". We can all improve our presentations. Davenport's attitude is one all instructors should maintain--how we can improve. In the right hands, these classes are always evolving. 

You are also correct in that most teachers are putting countless hours into developing these classes with minimal compensation other than the satisfaction of sharing information and experience. The behind the scenes efforts by the staff to organize these conventions and keep then running smoothly (as was the case here with all the canceled flights) are also not widely recognized or appreciated.  

I think we owe the directors, teachers and the home office our continued support with these events.  That doesn't preclude constructive criticism, but non-constructive criticism from those not attending is unhelpful. 

I don't think that's a fair characterization of the conventions, honestly. And having informal chat sessions doesn't make sense for a lot of things that happen there. Obviously, until you can apply the info that you get you won't fully benefit. But the application of information takes time, sometimes years, and must be used in a variety of situations which can't be duplicated in the context of a single 90 minute class.  Still, that doesn't mean the information has no value.

To characterize the classes writ large as people just sitting around, listening to useless information and spending a lot of money doesn't fairly capture the benefits or speak to the opportunity to meet other techs and have those meaningful conversations about shared problems and experiences. 

I attended (and taught) several classes at the convention and found some classes better than others, of course. But there was always a positive take away from every class that I took.  Hopefully people felt the same way about the classes I gave. 

I also think classes break down into different categories. There are classes that are more promotional, for people selling things, or discussing the merits of their own products or pianos in this case. For tool sellers it's an opportunity to give people the opportunity to hold the tool in their hands or see exactly how they work.  There are classes which are pure practicum, how to do something. Sometimes those relate to specific products, for example, Steinway concert prep or Fazioli voicing procedures. There are also classes that are hands-on like Renner's all day classes on damper back action installation. And some are purely informational and theoretical; Dell Fandrich's classes on  "how to design a piano" come to mind.

People come to these conventions with all different levels of experience and sometimes you just want the information. Other times you might want to work under the supervision of a tech who can guide you. But that can't happen as SOP because there simply aren't enough resources to set up the convention as a one on one tutoring opportunity.  

I came of age in a time when if you walked into someone's shop they would throw a blanket over what they were working on so as not to reveal their "secrets". The PTG has promulgated an attitude of information sharing for the benefit of all its members and I would say that has been a very positive effort with demonstrable benefits. That information sharing has disabused people of a lot of mythology that often comes from people working in secret and has advanced the trade. I have no doubt about that because I have been one of those beneficiaries. My goal now is to participate as much as possible in sharing that information so it doesn't die with me and these national and regional conventions are one way to do that. That doesn't preclude me from participating in tutoring opportunities when appropriate.

I should add that we now have a lot of international attendees and that is a great benefit for all of us. Whether there's a better way to do it or broaden the scope is a worthwhile discussion. But I think we should be careful about letting out own cynicism get in the way of what is generally a positive experience for most attendees and throwing the baby out with the bath. 

I don't think that's a fair characterization of the conventions, honestly. And having informal chat sessions doesn't make sense for a lot of things that happen there. Obviously, until you can apply the info that you get you won't fully benefit. But the application of information takes time, sometimes years, and must be used in a variety of situations which can't be duplicated in the context of a single 90 minute class.  Still, that doesn't mean the information has no value.

To characterize the classes writ large as people just sitting around, listening to useless information and spending a lot of money doesn't fairly capture the benefits or speak to the opportunity to meet other techs and have those meaningful conversations about shared problems and experiences. 

I attended (and taught) several classes at the convention and found some classes better than others, of course. But there was always a positive take away from every class that I took.  Hopefully people felt the same way about the classes I gave. 

I also think classes break down into different categories. There are classes that are more promotional, for people selling things, or discussing the merits of their own products or pianos in this case. For tool sellers it's an opportunity to give people the opportunity to hold the tool in their hands or see exactly how they work.  There are classes which are pure practicum, how to do something. Sometimes those relate to specific products, for example, Steinway concert prep or Fazioli voicing procedures. There are also classes that are hands-on like Renner's all day classes on damper back action installation. And some are purely informational and theoretical; Dell Fandrich's classes on  "how to design a piano" come to mind.

People come to these conventions with all different levels of experience and sometimes you just want the information. Other times you might want to work under the supervision of a tech who can guide you. But that can't happen as SOP because there simply aren't enough resources to set up the convention as a one on one tutoring opportunity.  

I came of age in a time when if you walked into someone's shop they would throw a blanket over what they were working on so as not to reveal their "secrets". The PTG has promulgated an attitude of information sharing for the benefit of all its members and I would say that has been a very positive effort with demonstrable benefits. That information sharing has disabused people of a lot of mythology that often comes from people working in secret and has advanced the trade. I have no doubt about that because I have been one of those beneficiaries. My goal now is to participate as much as possible in sharing that information so it doesn't die with me and these national and regional conventions are one way to do that. That doesn't preclude me from participating in tutoring opportunities when appropriate.

I should add that we now have a lot of international attendees and that is a great benefit for all of us. Whether there's a better way to do it or broaden the scope is a worthwhile discussion. But I think we should be careful about letting out own cynicism get in the way of what is generally a positive experience for most attendees and throwing the baby out with the bath. 

I had really been looking forward to this convention. But my pulmonologist strongly recommended that I not do any more flying. With pulmonary rehab my lung condition seems to be more-or-less stabilized, but it's not going to improve. Perhaps next year we can drive to Anaheim. 

ddf

I don't think that's a fair characterization of the conventions, honestly. And having informal chat sessions doesn't make sense for a lot of things that happen there. Obviously, until you can apply the info that you get you won't fully benefit. But the application of information takes time, sometimes years, and must be used in a variety of situations which can't be duplicated in the context of a single 90 minute class.  Still, that doesn't mean the information has no value.

To characterize the classes writ large as people just sitting around, listening to useless information and spending a lot of money doesn't fairly capture the benefits or speak to the opportunity to meet other techs and have those meaningful conversations about shared problems and experiences. 

I attended (and taught) several classes at the convention and found some classes better than others, of course. But there was always a positive take away from every class that I took.  Hopefully people felt the same way about the classes I gave. 

I also think classes break down into different categories. There are classes that are more promotional, for people selling things, or discussing the merits of their own products or pianos in this case. For tool sellers it's an opportunity to give people the opportunity to hold the tool in their hands or see exactly how they work.  There are classes which are pure practicum, how to do something. Sometimes those relate to specific products, for example, Steinway concert prep or Fazioli voicing procedures. There are also classes that are hands-on like Renner's all day classes on damper back action installation. And some are purely informational and theoretical; Dell Fandrich's classes on  "how to design a piano" come to mind.

People come to these conventions with all different levels of experience and sometimes you just want the information. Other times you might want to work under the supervision of a tech who can guide you. But that can't happen as SOP because there simply aren't enough resources to set up the convention as a one on one tutoring opportunity.  

I came of age in a time when if you walked into someone's shop they would throw a blanket over what they were working on so as not to reveal their "secrets". The PTG has promulgated an attitude of information sharing for the benefit of all its members and I would say that has been a very positive effort with demonstrable benefits. That information sharing has disabused people of a lot of mythology that often comes from people working in secret and has advanced the trade. I have no doubt about that because I have been one of those beneficiaries. My goal now is to participate as much as possible in sharing that information so it doesn't die with me and these national and regional conventions are one way to do that. That doesn't preclude me from participating in tutoring opportunities when appropriate.

I should add that we now have a lot of international attendees and that is a great benefit for all of us. Whether there's a better way to do it or broaden the scope is a worthwhile discussion. But I think we should be careful about letting out own cynicism get in the way of what is generally a positive experience for most attendees and throwing the baby out with the bath. 

Similarly, at every opportunity I had, I used it to share the knowledge I have gained (largely through PTG membership) with those wanting to learn. Teaching is rewarding, especially when you "see" that aha moment in the student's head when they now can connect the dots. 

Peter Grey Piano Doctor 

I think what Loren is getting at is that some of us simply don't learn well by sitting in classrooms for long stretches. I'm one of those people. I actually enjoy a good presentation, but at this year's convention I attended about 4½ classes. One of the 90‑minute sessions could easily have been distilled into twenty minutes. On the other hand, Dan Levitan's class on lever technique was absolute gold - dense, clear, and immediately useful. Daniel DeBiasio's damper class was also extremely well organized. So it's not that traditional classes can't be great; it's that they're not always the best fit for every learner.

And like Wim said in the original post, the most engaging part of the convention for me wasn't the classes at all - it was the conversations outside of them. Since I wasn't teaching this year, I volunteered to help with tuning exams, and that turned out to be one of the highlights of the entire week. Alan Crane ran the whole operation with such professionalism and kindness. Every exam I gave was rewarding, even when the results weren't what the examinee hoped for.

My first exam was with Kate Therrien from the Butler school - someone I had talked with last year about possibly teaching at our Washington State Seminar. It was a delight to suddenly find her running the exam, and who was the other examiner? Ben Gac. The downtime while the examinee tunes creates this perfect pocket of space for deep, interesting conversation. My second exam was equally fantastic - I needed practice being the CTE in charge, and there I was working alongside Randy Magnus and Dan Levitan. And the final exam was presided over by Atsundo, which felt like an honor in itself. The camaraderie and connection in that exam room made the entire convention worth attending.

Some of the best exchanges happened after the convention, right in the hotel lobby. I had a wonderful conversation with John Parham about how Maria Montessori's philosophy influenced the way they run the Technicians Playground. Then I spent hours talking with Jonathan Jacobeen, who was instrumental in helping us form our new 501(c)(3) for the Summit Regional Conference in the Pacific Northwest.

I know Loren personally, and he's a patient, kind, deeply committed educator. What he's suggesting isn't a criticism of traditional teaching - it's an invitation to broaden our approach. Many people in this field aren't "plan A" learners. As LaRoy once said, "I never met a piano technician on plan A." It's true. I've met so many folks who came from education but were miserable in that environment, yet they thrive in the hands‑on, exploratory world of piano technology.

This is one of the reasons I believe so strongly in the value of small regional conferences. They give us room to experiment - low risk, high creativity. We can try new formats, encourage interaction, build community, and maybe discover fresh, exciting ways to learn and share the craft we all care about.

One of the ideas I'm kicking around for next year's seminar is a "Technicians Science Fair" in addition to the Playground. We had access to two large classrooms (choir and band), and I'm imagining tables set up with small exhibits that can each be demonstrated in 10–15 minutes. I've seen people teach mini‑classes in the exhibit hall at the annual convention, and it works beautifully. I also spent quite a bit of time talking with Jürgen Goering from Vancouver Island (we're hoping to have our 2028 regional in Canada!) about hosting a series of piano‑technician "TED Talks." The Portland Chapter does rapid‑fire five‑minute technicals once a year - they vote on the best one, and the winner gets their chapter dues paid.

Ideas like these feel so alive and accessible. They create space for curiosity, experimentation, and sharing without the pressure of a full 90‑minute lecture.

Anyways, as always, the convention has my head buzzing. And as Joyce Meekins said in her speech: "We really do have the coolest job."

Great thread. One of the limitations I've noticed at the PTG conventions is, it's difficult for classes to give hands-on instruction.  Powerpoints are great, but many people don't learn well that way, it feels incomplete. Teaching at the Grand Action Regulation in 37 steps at the PTG home offices has taught me to be a better teacher, using Yamaha's "Say, See, Do" approach. The teacher talks about the material (and the students can see it their syllabus), the slides, videos and demonstrations let the students see how to do the operation, then lastly, the students actually *do* the operation themselves, with instructors helping as needed. This system covers all learning styles.

While the PTG approach is excellent for fitting a lot of varied instruction in a compress time and space in a hotel convention, there are a number of seminars which are able to use the See, Say, Do approach, or something resembling it, including hands-on doing the new skill with oversight. Here are some of them that I'm aware of in approximate order of complexity.(less complex to more complex or more targeted).

1. Vertical Action Regulation - at the PTG Home office (this is new) 3 days.
2. Grand Action Regulation in 37 steps - based on the Yamaha Little Red School House regulation system. 3 days.
3. WNG/Mason & Hamlin one week class - covers WNG parts installation and Mason & Hamlin specific subjects. 5 days.
4. Renner Academy - covers Renner action parts installation, hammer hanging and processing, voicing. 5 days.
5. Reyburn Academy - covers key and stack repairs, key recovery & upgrades, geometry, installing new keysets. 4 days
6. Steinway one week academy - covers Steinway specific regulation issues, advanced grand regulation. 5 days.
7. Steinway voicing & hammer tone building - covers the Steinway methods of voicing. 5 days.
8. Other manufacturers in Europe offer course specific to their pianos.
9. Did I miss any? I'm sure there are others.

All the above are excellent ways to extend your abilities, and all include hands-on training with expert instructors. 

Hope that's helpful

-Dean

I think what Loren is getting at is that some of us simply don't learn well by sitting in classrooms for long stretches. I'm one of those people. I actually enjoy a good presentation, but at this year's convention I attended about 4½ classes. One of the 90‑minute sessions could easily have been distilled into twenty minutes. On the other hand, Dan Levitan's class on lever technique was absolute gold - dense, clear, and immediately useful. Daniel DeBiasio's damper class was also extremely well organized. So it's not that traditional classes can't be great; it's that they're not always the best fit for every learner.

And like Wim said in the original post, the most engaging part of the convention for me wasn't the classes at all - it was the conversations outside of them. Since I wasn't teaching this year, I volunteered to help with tuning exams, and that turned out to be one of the highlights of the entire week. Alan Crane ran the whole operation with such professionalism and kindness. Every exam I gave was rewarding, even when the results weren't what the examinee hoped for.

My first exam was with Kate Therrien from the Butler school - someone I had talked with last year about possibly teaching at our Washington State Seminar. It was a delight to suddenly find her running the exam, and who was the other examiner? Ben Gac. The downtime while the examinee tunes creates this perfect pocket of space for deep, interesting conversation. My second exam was equally fantastic - I needed practice being the CTE in charge, and there I was working alongside Randy Magnus and Dan Levitan. And the final exam was presided over by Atsundo, which felt like an honor in itself. The camaraderie and connection in that exam room made the entire convention worth attending.

Some of the best exchanges happened after the convention, right in the hotel lobby. I had a wonderful conversation with John Parham about how Maria Montessori's philosophy influenced the way they run the Technicians Playground. Then I spent hours talking with Jonathan Jacobeen, who was instrumental in helping us form our new 501(c)(3) for the Summit Regional Conference in the Pacific Northwest.

I know Loren personally, and he's a patient, kind, deeply committed educator. What he's suggesting isn't a criticism of traditional teaching - it's an invitation to broaden our approach. Many people in this field aren't "plan A" learners. As LaRoy once said, "I never met a piano technician on plan A." It's true. I've met so many folks who came from education but were miserable in that environment, yet they thrive in the hands‑on, exploratory world of piano technology.

This is one of the reasons I believe so strongly in the value of small regional conferences. They give us room to experiment - low risk, high creativity. We can try new formats, encourage interaction, build community, and maybe discover fresh, exciting ways to learn and share the craft we all care about.

One of the ideas I'm kicking around for next year's seminar is a "Technicians Science Fair" in addition to the Playground. We had access to two large classrooms (choir and band), and I'm imagining tables set up with small exhibits that can each be demonstrated in 10–15 minutes. I've seen people teach mini‑classes in the exhibit hall at the annual convention, and it works beautifully. I also spent quite a bit of time talking with Jürgen Goering from Vancouver Island (we're hoping to have our 2028 regional in Canada!) about hosting a series of piano‑technician "TED Talks." The Portland Chapter does rapid‑fire five‑minute technicals once a year - they vote on the best one, and the winner gets their chapter dues paid.

Ideas like these feel so alive and accessible. They create space for curiosity, experimentation, and sharing without the pressure of a full 90‑minute lecture.

Anyways, as always, the convention has my head buzzing. And as Joyce Meekins said in her speech: "We really do have the coolest job."

Great thread. One of the limitations I've noticed at the PTG conventions is, it's difficult for classes to give hands-on instruction.  Powerpoints are great, but many people don't learn well that way, it feels incomplete. Teaching at the Grand Action Regulation in 37 steps at the PTG home offices has taught me to be a better teacher, using Yamaha's "Say, See, Do" approach. The teacher talks about the material (and the students can see it their syllabus), the slides, videos and demonstrations let the students see how to do the operation, then lastly, the students actually *do* the operation themselves, with instructors helping as needed. This system covers all learning styles.

While the PTG approach is excellent for fitting a lot of varied instruction in a compress time and space in a hotel convention, there are a number of seminars which are able to use the See, Say, Do approach, or something resembling it, including hands-on doing the new skill with oversight. Here are some of them that I'm aware of in approximate order of complexity.(less complex to more complex or more targeted).

1. Vertical Action Regulation - at the PTG Home office (this is new) 3 days.
2. Grand Action Regulation in 37 steps - based on the Yamaha Little Red School House regulation system. 3 days.
3. WNG/Mason & Hamlin one week class - covers WNG parts installation and Mason & Hamlin specific subjects. 5 days.
4. Renner Academy - covers Renner action parts installation, hammer hanging and processing, voicing. 5 days.
5. Reyburn Academy - covers key and stack repairs, key recovery & upgrades, geometry, installing new keysets. 4 days
6. Steinway one week academy - covers Steinway specific regulation issues, advanced grand regulation. 5 days.
7. Steinway voicing & hammer tone building - covers the Steinway methods of voicing. 5 days.
8. Other manufacturers in Europe offer course specific to their pianos.
9. Did I miss any? I'm sure there are others.

All the above are excellent ways to extend your abilities, and all include hands-on training with expert instructors. 

Hope that's helpful

-Dean

I think what Loren is getting at is that some of us simply don't learn well by sitting in classrooms for long stretches. I'm one of those people. I actually enjoy a good presentation, but at this year's convention I attended about 4½ classes. One of the 90‑minute sessions could easily have been distilled into twenty minutes. On the other hand, Dan Levitan's class on lever technique was absolute gold - dense, clear, and immediately useful. Daniel DeBiasio's damper class was also extremely well organized. So it's not that traditional classes can't be great; it's that they're not always the best fit for every learner.

And like Wim said in the original post, the most engaging part of the convention for me wasn't the classes at all - it was the conversations outside of them. Since I wasn't teaching this year, I volunteered to help with tuning exams, and that turned out to be one of the highlights of the entire week. Alan Crane ran the whole operation with such professionalism and kindness. Every exam I gave was rewarding, even when the results weren't what the examinee hoped for.

My first exam was with Kate Therrien from the Butler school - someone I had talked with last year about possibly teaching at our Washington State Seminar. It was a delight to suddenly find her running the exam, and who was the other examiner? Ben Gac. The downtime while the examinee tunes creates this perfect pocket of space for deep, interesting conversation. My second exam was equally fantastic - I needed practice being the CTE in charge, and there I was working alongside Randy Magnus and Dan Levitan. And the final exam was presided over by Atsundo, which felt like an honor in itself. The camaraderie and connection in that exam room made the entire convention worth attending.

Some of the best exchanges happened after the convention, right in the hotel lobby. I had a wonderful conversation with John Parham about how Maria Montessori's philosophy influenced the way they run the Technicians Playground. Then I spent hours talking with Jonathan Jacobeen, who was instrumental in helping us form our new 501(c)(3) for the Summit Regional Conference in the Pacific Northwest.

I know Loren personally, and he's a patient, kind, deeply committed educator. What he's suggesting isn't a criticism of traditional teaching - it's an invitation to broaden our approach. Many people in this field aren't "plan A" learners. As LaRoy once said, "I never met a piano technician on plan A." It's true. I've met so many folks who came from education but were miserable in that environment, yet they thrive in the hands‑on, exploratory world of piano technology.

This is one of the reasons I believe so strongly in the value of small regional conferences. They give us room to experiment - low risk, high creativity. We can try new formats, encourage interaction, build community, and maybe discover fresh, exciting ways to learn and share the craft we all care about.

One of the ideas I'm kicking around for next year's seminar is a "Technicians Science Fair" in addition to the Playground. We had access to two large classrooms (choir and band), and I'm imagining tables set up with small exhibits that can each be demonstrated in 10–15 minutes. I've seen people teach mini‑classes in the exhibit hall at the annual convention, and it works beautifully. I also spent quite a bit of time talking with Jürgen Goering from Vancouver Island (we're hoping to have our 2028 regional in Canada!) about hosting a series of piano‑technician "TED Talks." The Portland Chapter does rapid‑fire five‑minute technicals once a year - they vote on the best one, and the winner gets their chapter dues paid.

Ideas like these feel so alive and accessible. They create space for curiosity, experimentation, and sharing without the pressure of a full 90‑minute lecture.

Anyways, as always, the convention has my head buzzing. And as Joyce Meekins said in her speech: "We really do have the coolest job."

Hi Wim,

I don't know if Steinway offers a damper class - not the last time I checked, but maybe Daniel D. from Steinway can comment.

I've attended (or in some cases taught) at all of those classes except the Steinway voicing class. The classes being hands on literally, which meansd it would be extremely costly and difficult for the various companies to bring all the stuff the students put their hands on, pianos, action models and all the tools and equipment needed to do a multi day hand-on class at the PTG convention.

I can't even imagine brining all the equipment needed for the Reyburn Academy. That's taught at the Reyburn Pianoworks shop and we'd need multiple drill presses, clamps, sanders, glue, lead presses, special benches and a 12 note custom action model for each student, and much more. Shipping or hauling the equipment just isn't practical. And the mess, our shop has extensive dust collection, hotels don't. :)

-Dean

Great thread. One of the limitations I've noticed at the PTG conventions is, it's difficult for classes to give hands-on instruction.  Powerpoints are great, but many people don't learn well that way, it feels incomplete. Teaching at the Grand Action Regulation in 37 steps at the PTG home offices has taught me to be a better teacher, using Yamaha's "Say, See, Do" approach. The teacher talks about the material (and the students can see it their syllabus), the slides, videos and demonstrations let the students see how to do the operation, then lastly, the students actually *do* the operation themselves, with instructors helping as needed. This system covers all learning styles.

While the PTG approach is excellent for fitting a lot of varied instruction in a compress time and space in a hotel convention, there are a number of seminars which are able to use the See, Say, Do approach, or something resembling it, including hands-on doing the new skill with oversight. Here are some of them that I'm aware of in approximate order of complexity.(less complex to more complex or more targeted).

1. Vertical Action Regulation - at the PTG Home office (this is new) 3 days.
2. Grand Action Regulation in 37 steps - based on the Yamaha Little Red School House regulation system. 3 days.
3. WNG/Mason & Hamlin one week class - covers WNG parts installation and Mason & Hamlin specific subjects. 5 days.
4. Renner Academy - covers Renner action parts installation, hammer hanging and processing, voicing. 5 days.
5. Reyburn Academy - covers key and stack repairs, key recovery & upgrades, geometry, installing new keysets. 4 days
6. Steinway one week academy - covers Steinway specific regulation issues, advanced grand regulation. 5 days.
7. Steinway voicing & hammer tone building - covers the Steinway methods of voicing. 5 days.
8. Other manufacturers in Europe offer course specific to their pianos.
9. Did I miss any? I'm sure there are others.

All the above are excellent ways to extend your abilities, and all include hands-on training with expert instructors. 

Hope that's helpful

-Dean

I think what Loren is getting at is that some of us simply don't learn well by sitting in classrooms for long stretches. I'm one of those people. I actually enjoy a good presentation, but at this year's convention I attended about 4½ classes. One of the 90‑minute sessions could easily have been distilled into twenty minutes. On the other hand, Dan Levitan's class on lever technique was absolute gold - dense, clear, and immediately useful. Daniel DeBiasio's damper class was also extremely well organized. So it's not that traditional classes can't be great; it's that they're not always the best fit for every learner.

And like Wim said in the original post, the most engaging part of the convention for me wasn't the classes at all - it was the conversations outside of them. Since I wasn't teaching this year, I volunteered to help with tuning exams, and that turned out to be one of the highlights of the entire week. Alan Crane ran the whole operation with such professionalism and kindness. Every exam I gave was rewarding, even when the results weren't what the examinee hoped for.

My first exam was with Kate Therrien from the Butler school - someone I had talked with last year about possibly teaching at our Washington State Seminar. It was a delight to suddenly find her running the exam, and who was the other examiner? Ben Gac. The downtime while the examinee tunes creates this perfect pocket of space for deep, interesting conversation. My second exam was equally fantastic - I needed practice being the CTE in charge, and there I was working alongside Randy Magnus and Dan Levitan. And the final exam was presided over by Atsundo, which felt like an honor in itself. The camaraderie and connection in that exam room made the entire convention worth attending.

Some of the best exchanges happened after the convention, right in the hotel lobby. I had a wonderful conversation with John Parham about how Maria Montessori's philosophy influenced the way they run the Technicians Playground. Then I spent hours talking with Jonathan Jacobeen, who was instrumental in helping us form our new 501(c)(3) for the Summit Regional Conference in the Pacific Northwest.

I know Loren personally, and he's a patient, kind, deeply committed educator. What he's suggesting isn't a criticism of traditional teaching - it's an invitation to broaden our approach. Many people in this field aren't "plan A" learners. As LaRoy once said, "I never met a piano technician on plan A." It's true. I've met so many folks who came from education but were miserable in that environment, yet they thrive in the hands‑on, exploratory world of piano technology.

This is one of the reasons I believe so strongly in the value of small regional conferences. They give us room to experiment - low risk, high creativity. We can try new formats, encourage interaction, build community, and maybe discover fresh, exciting ways to learn and share the craft we all care about.

One of the ideas I'm kicking around for next year's seminar is a "Technicians Science Fair" in addition to the Playground. We had access to two large classrooms (choir and band), and I'm imagining tables set up with small exhibits that can each be demonstrated in 10–15 minutes. I've seen people teach mini‑classes in the exhibit hall at the annual convention, and it works beautifully. I also spent quite a bit of time talking with Jürgen Goering from Vancouver Island (we're hoping to have our 2028 regional in Canada!) about hosting a series of piano‑technician "TED Talks." The Portland Chapter does rapid‑fire five‑minute technicals once a year - they vote on the best one, and the winner gets their chapter dues paid.

Ideas like these feel so alive and accessible. They create space for curiosity, experimentation, and sharing without the pressure of a full 90‑minute lecture.

Anyways, as always, the convention has my head buzzing. And as Joyce Meekins said in her speech: "We really do have the coolest job."

Hi Wim,

I don't know if Steinway offers a damper class - not the last time I checked, but maybe Daniel D. from Steinway can comment.

I've attended (or in some cases taught) at all of those classes except the Steinway voicing class. The classes being hands on literally, which meansd it would be extremely costly and difficult for the various companies to bring all the stuff the students put their hands on, pianos, action models and all the tools and equipment needed to do a multi day hand-on class at the PTG convention.

I can't even imagine brining all the equipment needed for the Reyburn Academy. That's taught at the Reyburn Pianoworks shop and we'd need multiple drill presses, clamps, sanders, glue, lead presses, special benches and a 12 note custom action model for each student, and much more. Shipping or hauling the equipment just isn't practical. And the mess, our shop has extensive dust collection, hotels don't. :)

-Dean

Great thread. One of the limitations I've noticed at the PTG conventions is, it's difficult for classes to give hands-on instruction.  Powerpoints are great, but many people don't learn well that way, it feels incomplete. Teaching at the Grand Action Regulation in 37 steps at the PTG home offices has taught me to be a better teacher, using Yamaha's "Say, See, Do" approach. The teacher talks about the material (and the students can see it their syllabus), the slides, videos and demonstrations let the students see how to do the operation, then lastly, the students actually *do* the operation themselves, with instructors helping as needed. This system covers all learning styles.

While the PTG approach is excellent for fitting a lot of varied instruction in a compress time and space in a hotel convention, there are a number of seminars which are able to use the See, Say, Do approach, or something resembling it, including hands-on doing the new skill with oversight. Here are some of them that I'm aware of in approximate order of complexity.(less complex to more complex or more targeted).

1. Vertical Action Regulation - at the PTG Home office (this is new) 3 days.
2. Grand Action Regulation in 37 steps - based on the Yamaha Little Red School House regulation system. 3 days.
3. WNG/Mason & Hamlin one week class - covers WNG parts installation and Mason & Hamlin specific subjects. 5 days.
4. Renner Academy - covers Renner action parts installation, hammer hanging and processing, voicing. 5 days.
5. Reyburn Academy - covers key and stack repairs, key recovery & upgrades, geometry, installing new keysets. 4 days
6. Steinway one week academy - covers Steinway specific regulation issues, advanced grand regulation. 5 days.
7. Steinway voicing & hammer tone building - covers the Steinway methods of voicing. 5 days.
8. Other manufacturers in Europe offer course specific to their pianos.
9. Did I miss any? I'm sure there are others.

All the above are excellent ways to extend your abilities, and all include hands-on training with expert instructors. 

Hope that's helpful

-Dean

I think what Loren is getting at is that some of us simply don't learn well by sitting in classrooms for long stretches. I'm one of those people. I actually enjoy a good presentation, but at this year's convention I attended about 4½ classes. One of the 90‑minute sessions could easily have been distilled into twenty minutes. On the other hand, Dan Levitan's class on lever technique was absolute gold - dense, clear, and immediately useful. Daniel DeBiasio's damper class was also extremely well organized. So it's not that traditional classes can't be great; it's that they're not always the best fit for every learner.

And like Wim said in the original post, the most engaging part of the convention for me wasn't the classes at all - it was the conversations outside of them. Since I wasn't teaching this year, I volunteered to help with tuning exams, and that turned out to be one of the highlights of the entire week. Alan Crane ran the whole operation with such professionalism and kindness. Every exam I gave was rewarding, even when the results weren't what the examinee hoped for.

My first exam was with Kate Therrien from the Butler school - someone I had talked with last year about possibly teaching at our Washington State Seminar. It was a delight to suddenly find her running the exam, and who was the other examiner? Ben Gac. The downtime while the examinee tunes creates this perfect pocket of space for deep, interesting conversation. My second exam was equally fantastic - I needed practice being the CTE in charge, and there I was working alongside Randy Magnus and Dan Levitan. And the final exam was presided over by Atsundo, which felt like an honor in itself. The camaraderie and connection in that exam room made the entire convention worth attending.

Some of the best exchanges happened after the convention, right in the hotel lobby. I had a wonderful conversation with John Parham about how Maria Montessori's philosophy influenced the way they run the Technicians Playground. Then I spent hours talking with Jonathan Jacobeen, who was instrumental in helping us form our new 501(c)(3) for the Summit Regional Conference in the Pacific Northwest.

I know Loren personally, and he's a patient, kind, deeply committed educator. What he's suggesting isn't a criticism of traditional teaching - it's an invitation to broaden our approach. Many people in this field aren't "plan A" learners. As LaRoy once said, "I never met a piano technician on plan A." It's true. I've met so many folks who came from education but were miserable in that environment, yet they thrive in the hands‑on, exploratory world of piano technology.

This is one of the reasons I believe so strongly in the value of small regional conferences. They give us room to experiment - low risk, high creativity. We can try new formats, encourage interaction, build community, and maybe discover fresh, exciting ways to learn and share the craft we all care about.

One of the ideas I'm kicking around for next year's seminar is a "Technicians Science Fair" in addition to the Playground. We had access to two large classrooms (choir and band), and I'm imagining tables set up with small exhibits that can each be demonstrated in 10–15 minutes. I've seen people teach mini‑classes in the exhibit hall at the annual convention, and it works beautifully. I also spent quite a bit of time talking with Jürgen Goering from Vancouver Island (we're hoping to have our 2028 regional in Canada!) about hosting a series of piano‑technician "TED Talks." The Portland Chapter does rapid‑fire five‑minute technicals once a year - they vote on the best one, and the winner gets their chapter dues paid.

Ideas like these feel so alive and accessible. They create space for curiosity, experimentation, and sharing without the pressure of a full 90‑minute lecture.

Anyways, as always, the convention has my head buzzing. And as Joyce Meekins said in her speech: "We really do have the coolest job."

Hi Wim,

I don't know if Steinway offers a damper class - not the last time I checked, but maybe Daniel D. from Steinway can comment.

I've attended (or in some cases taught) at all of those classes except the Steinway voicing class. The classes being hands on literally, which meansd it would be extremely costly and difficult for the various companies to bring all the stuff the students put their hands on, pianos, action models and all the tools and equipment needed to do a multi day hand-on class at the PTG convention.

I can't even imagine brining all the equipment needed for the Reyburn Academy. That's taught at the Reyburn Pianoworks shop and we'd need multiple drill presses, clamps, sanders, glue, lead presses, special benches and a 12 note custom action model for each student, and much more. Shipping or hauling the equipment just isn't practical. And the mess, our shop has extensive dust collection, hotels don't. :)

-Dean

Great thread. One of the limitations I've noticed at the PTG conventions is, it's difficult for classes to give hands-on instruction.  Powerpoints are great, but many people don't learn well that way, it feels incomplete. Teaching at the Grand Action Regulation in 37 steps at the PTG home offices has taught me to be a better teacher, using Yamaha's "Say, See, Do" approach. The teacher talks about the material (and the students can see it their syllabus), the slides, videos and demonstrations let the students see how to do the operation, then lastly, the students actually *do* the operation themselves, with instructors helping as needed. This system covers all learning styles.

While the PTG approach is excellent for fitting a lot of varied instruction in a compress time and space in a hotel convention, there are a number of seminars which are able to use the See, Say, Do approach, or something resembling it, including hands-on doing the new skill with oversight. Here are some of them that I'm aware of in approximate order of complexity.(less complex to more complex or more targeted).

1. Vertical Action Regulation - at the PTG Home office (this is new) 3 days.
2. Grand Action Regulation in 37 steps - based on the Yamaha Little Red School House regulation system. 3 days.
3. WNG/Mason & Hamlin one week class - covers WNG parts installation and Mason & Hamlin specific subjects. 5 days.
4. Renner Academy - covers Renner action parts installation, hammer hanging and processing, voicing. 5 days.
5. Reyburn Academy - covers key and stack repairs, key recovery & upgrades, geometry, installing new keysets. 4 days
6. Steinway one week academy - covers Steinway specific regulation issues, advanced grand regulation. 5 days.
7. Steinway voicing & hammer tone building - covers the Steinway methods of voicing. 5 days.
8. Other manufacturers in Europe offer course specific to their pianos.
9. Did I miss any? I'm sure there are others.

All the above are excellent ways to extend your abilities, and all include hands-on training with expert instructors. 

Hope that's helpful

-Dean

I think what Loren is getting at is that some of us simply don't learn well by sitting in classrooms for long stretches. I'm one of those people. I actually enjoy a good presentation, but at this year's convention I attended about 4½ classes. One of the 90‑minute sessions could easily have been distilled into twenty minutes. On the other hand, Dan Levitan's class on lever technique was absolute gold - dense, clear, and immediately useful. Daniel DeBiasio's damper class was also extremely well organized. So it's not that traditional classes can't be great; it's that they're not always the best fit for every learner.

And like Wim said in the original post, the most engaging part of the convention for me wasn't the classes at all - it was the conversations outside of them. Since I wasn't teaching this year, I volunteered to help with tuning exams, and that turned out to be one of the highlights of the entire week. Alan Crane ran the whole operation with such professionalism and kindness. Every exam I gave was rewarding, even when the results weren't what the examinee hoped for.

My first exam was with Kate Therrien from the Butler school - someone I had talked with last year about possibly teaching at our Washington State Seminar. It was a delight to suddenly find her running the exam, and who was the other examiner? Ben Gac. The downtime while the examinee tunes creates this perfect pocket of space for deep, interesting conversation. My second exam was equally fantastic - I needed practice being the CTE in charge, and there I was working alongside Randy Magnus and Dan Levitan. And the final exam was presided over by Atsundo, which felt like an honor in itself. The camaraderie and connection in that exam room made the entire convention worth attending.

Some of the best exchanges happened after the convention, right in the hotel lobby. I had a wonderful conversation with John Parham about how Maria Montessori's philosophy influenced the way they run the Technicians Playground. Then I spent hours talking with Jonathan Jacobeen, who was instrumental in helping us form our new 501(c)(3) for the Summit Regional Conference in the Pacific Northwest.

I know Loren personally, and he's a patient, kind, deeply committed educator. What he's suggesting isn't a criticism of traditional teaching - it's an invitation to broaden our approach. Many people in this field aren't "plan A" learners. As LaRoy once said, "I never met a piano technician on plan A." It's true. I've met so many folks who came from education but were miserable in that environment, yet they thrive in the hands‑on, exploratory world of piano technology.

This is one of the reasons I believe so strongly in the value of small regional conferences. They give us room to experiment - low risk, high creativity. We can try new formats, encourage interaction, build community, and maybe discover fresh, exciting ways to learn and share the craft we all care about.

One of the ideas I'm kicking around for next year's seminar is a "Technicians Science Fair" in addition to the Playground. We had access to two large classrooms (choir and band), and I'm imagining tables set up with small exhibits that can each be demonstrated in 10–15 minutes. I've seen people teach mini‑classes in the exhibit hall at the annual convention, and it works beautifully. I also spent quite a bit of time talking with Jürgen Goering from Vancouver Island (we're hoping to have our 2028 regional in Canada!) about hosting a series of piano‑technician "TED Talks." The Portland Chapter does rapid‑fire five‑minute technicals once a year - they vote on the best one, and the winner gets their chapter dues paid.

Ideas like these feel so alive and accessible. They create space for curiosity, experimentation, and sharing without the pressure of a full 90‑minute lecture.

Anyways, as always, the convention has my head buzzing. And as Joyce Meekins said in her speech: "We really do have the coolest job."

Hey everyone! Thanks for the great conversation about Convention.  Thought I'd jump in as an Institute team member with a few things... 

Every year we talk in-depth about how to bring more hands-on experiences to the event.  You've touched on how challenging that can be, but we have a few ideas for 2027 that I think will improve things on that front.  If you want to chat directly about that, email me at summitpianoservice@gmail.com, or call at 541-968-7765!

Since there's been so much good feedback and constructive criticism here - if you attended last week would you do the team a favor and fill out the Convention survey?  Linked here - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdes1uXE1Bp_8G3Rzs3S3XwLoiJdAzGIS0s9_Ts3gWvRIrfvQ/viewform

We pour over the feedback in detail, and used it to really improve the '26 Convention.  

Also, since it's come up in this thread - If you want to teach a class in Anaheim, head over to the updated website (linked below) to submit a class! https://www.ptgconvention.com/classsubmissions

Convention last week in Arlington was a special one.  I'm glad to have connected with so many of you throughout the week!

Hi Wim,

I don't know if Steinway offers a damper class - not the last time I checked, but maybe Daniel D. from Steinway can comment.

I've attended (or in some cases taught) at all of those classes except the Steinway voicing class. The classes being hands on literally, which meansd it would be extremely costly and difficult for the various companies to bring all the stuff the students put their hands on, pianos, action models and all the tools and equipment needed to do a multi day hand-on class at the PTG convention.

I can't even imagine brining all the equipment needed for the Reyburn Academy. That's taught at the Reyburn Pianoworks shop and we'd need multiple drill presses, clamps, sanders, glue, lead presses, special benches and a 12 note custom action model for each student, and much more. Shipping or hauling the equipment just isn't practical. And the mess, our shop has extensive dust collection, hotels don't. :)

-Dean

Great thread. One of the limitations I've noticed at the PTG conventions is, it's difficult for classes to give hands-on instruction.  Powerpoints are great, but many people don't learn well that way, it feels incomplete. Teaching at the Grand Action Regulation in 37 steps at the PTG home offices has taught me to be a better teacher, using Yamaha's "Say, See, Do" approach. The teacher talks about the material (and the students can see it their syllabus), the slides, videos and demonstrations let the students see how to do the operation, then lastly, the students actually *do* the operation themselves, with instructors helping as needed. This system covers all learning styles.

While the PTG approach is excellent for fitting a lot of varied instruction in a compress time and space in a hotel convention, there are a number of seminars which are able to use the See, Say, Do approach, or something resembling it, including hands-on doing the new skill with oversight. Here are some of them that I'm aware of in approximate order of complexity.(less complex to more complex or more targeted).

1. Vertical Action Regulation - at the PTG Home office (this is new) 3 days.
2. Grand Action Regulation in 37 steps - based on the Yamaha Little Red School House regulation system. 3 days.
3. WNG/Mason & Hamlin one week class - covers WNG parts installation and Mason & Hamlin specific subjects. 5 days.
4. Renner Academy - covers Renner action parts installation, hammer hanging and processing, voicing. 5 days.
5. Reyburn Academy - covers key and stack repairs, key recovery & upgrades, geometry, installing new keysets. 4 days
6. Steinway one week academy - covers Steinway specific regulation issues, advanced grand regulation. 5 days.
7. Steinway voicing & hammer tone building - covers the Steinway methods of voicing. 5 days.
8. Other manufacturers in Europe offer course specific to their pianos.
9. Did I miss any? I'm sure there are others.

All the above are excellent ways to extend your abilities, and all include hands-on training with expert instructors. 

Hope that's helpful

-Dean

I think what Loren is getting at is that some of us simply don't learn well by sitting in classrooms for long stretches. I'm one of those people. I actually enjoy a good presentation, but at this year's convention I attended about 4½ classes. One of the 90‑minute sessions could easily have been distilled into twenty minutes. On the other hand, Dan Levitan's class on lever technique was absolute gold - dense, clear, and immediately useful. Daniel DeBiasio's damper class was also extremely well organized. So it's not that traditional classes can't be great; it's that they're not always the best fit for every learner.

And like Wim said in the original post, the most engaging part of the convention for me wasn't the classes at all - it was the conversations outside of them. Since I wasn't teaching this year, I volunteered to help with tuning exams, and that turned out to be one of the highlights of the entire week. Alan Crane ran the whole operation with such professionalism and kindness. Every exam I gave was rewarding, even when the results weren't what the examinee hoped for.

My first exam was with Kate Therrien from the Butler school - someone I had talked with last year about possibly teaching at our Washington State Seminar. It was a delight to suddenly find her running the exam, and who was the other examiner? Ben Gac. The downtime while the examinee tunes creates this perfect pocket of space for deep, interesting conversation. My second exam was equally fantastic - I needed practice being the CTE in charge, and there I was working alongside Randy Magnus and Dan Levitan. And the final exam was presided over by Atsundo, which felt like an honor in itself. The camaraderie and connection in that exam room made the entire convention worth attending.

Some of the best exchanges happened after the convention, right in the hotel lobby. I had a wonderful conversation with John Parham about how Maria Montessori's philosophy influenced the way they run the Technicians Playground. Then I spent hours talking with Jonathan Jacobeen, who was instrumental in helping us form our new 501(c)(3) for the Summit Regional Conference in the Pacific Northwest.

I know Loren personally, and he's a patient, kind, deeply committed educator. What he's suggesting isn't a criticism of traditional teaching - it's an invitation to broaden our approach. Many people in this field aren't "plan A" learners. As LaRoy once said, "I never met a piano technician on plan A." It's true. I've met so many folks who came from education but were miserable in that environment, yet they thrive in the hands‑on, exploratory world of piano technology.

This is one of the reasons I believe so strongly in the value of small regional conferences. They give us room to experiment - low risk, high creativity. We can try new formats, encourage interaction, build community, and maybe discover fresh, exciting ways to learn and share the craft we all care about.

One of the ideas I'm kicking around for next year's seminar is a "Technicians Science Fair" in addition to the Playground. We had access to two large classrooms (choir and band), and I'm imagining tables set up with small exhibits that can each be demonstrated in 10–15 minutes. I've seen people teach mini‑classes in the exhibit hall at the annual convention, and it works beautifully. I also spent quite a bit of time talking with Jürgen Goering from Vancouver Island (we're hoping to have our 2028 regional in Canada!) about hosting a series of piano‑technician "TED Talks." The Portland Chapter does rapid‑fire five‑minute technicals once a year - they vote on the best one, and the winner gets their chapter dues paid.

Ideas like these feel so alive and accessible. They create space for curiosity, experimentation, and sharing without the pressure of a full 90‑minute lecture.

Anyways, as always, the convention has my head buzzing. And as Joyce Meekins said in her speech: "We really do have the coolest job."