Executive Outlook

By Jim Fariss, RPT
PTG Vice President

Are you responsible for presenting or scheduling your chapter technical sessions? Are you struggling to come up with a smashing new idea that will interest both experienced and aspiring technicians, but then only coming up with “Tuning that Free Craigslist Spinet Stored in a Barn”? Why not consider giving the PTG Piano Technicians Traveling Playground a try? If you have been fortunate to attend our annual conventions, we hope you took the opportunity to stop by the Playground to see what it’s all about and give some of the stations a try. The “full up” Playground covers competencies all technicians should possess, such as splicing strings, making tight coils and beckets, traveling hammers, aligning dampers, setting vertical and grand aftertouch, replacing key bushings, re-pinning flanges, making good measurements, and measuring bass strings for replacement. Whew!

RPTs Ed Sutton and John Parham deserve our thanks for dreaming up and creating the initial Playground, joined later by Sheffey Gregory, RPT, and Bill Davis, RPT. Given the enthusiasm expressed by convention participants, this team worked on making the Playground accessible to PTG members who are not able to attend the annual event. With over a dozen stations, the full Playground would be impractical to be shipped, set up, and run by just a few people. Thus, the Traveling Playground was created.

 The Traveling Playground consists of six stations found in the full Playground:

Wire Bending and String Splicing

1. Manipulate wire of different sizes and materials.
2. Create neat, effective string splices.

Stringing and Coil Making

1. Create even, tight string coils.
2. Create a hitch pin loop with #14 single-strand copper wire.
3. Practice replacement of string with hitch pin loop.

Using Micrometers and Measuring Strings

1. Gain confidence in using a micrometer.
2. Measure plain wire, wound strings, and a variety of piano materials.

These stations are packaged in USPS flat-rate boxes and can be sent to any chapter. Your chapter would be responsible for the cost of return shipping.

When your board was elected last August for the 2021-2022 term in Orlando, they spent time at the playground to familiarize themselves with it. At the winter board meeting last January in Kansas City, the board spent half a day with Bill Davis, learning how to run the various stations in the Traveling Playground. Several of our regional vice presidents have since helped to run Traveling Playground technical sessions during their chapter visits.

My local Colorado Springs chapter tried out the Traveling Playground. We had an even mix of experienced and novice piano technicians, which allowed the experienced ones to assist the others. The real trick in running the playground is to watch the video associated with the exercise and then perform the task as presented. It is all too easy for those who have been doing a task for years to say, “Here’s another way to do it.” The goal is not to show all the different ways to make a coil, but rather to teach one way, and then try it.

As the day progressed, the novices got actual hands-on experience with measurements, tools, and wire. All of those with experience came away seeing a different way of doing something. In the end, everyone learned and gained something by going through the Traveling Playground.

Are you ready to give the PTG Traveling Playground a go? Sign up at ptg.org/ptgmain/education/playground. Bill Davis, that stately gentleman from Georgia whom you may have seen leading the Larry Crabb Barbershop Chorus, is officially the “Curator of Playground.” To schedule the Traveling Playground for your chapter, contact Bill at Bill@PianoPlace.net or your regional vice president.

The 2022 annual convention in Anaheim runs August 3–6, with the full Playground open for two of those days. Stay five minutes or all day. Chapter leaders are encouraged to learn how to participate.

Talk about a member benefit — the PTG Playground is definitely one of them.

By Marc Poulin, RPT
PTG President

Over the years there have been so many discussions of why our members should attend the Piano Technicians Guild Annual Convention and Technical Institute that I have lost count. Why each of us makes the decision to come to the convention is an individual concept, and what motivates any of us will not necessarily be what motivates other members. I am not going to try to convince you to attend; I will simply tell my story.

Upon becoming an RPT and graduating from North Bennet Street School in 1997, I was still in the process of becoming a Certified Tuning Examiner. I had attended two regional conferences over the previous two years, and those were fun. I had helped with exams, taken a few classes, and met a ton of people, including PTG President Marshall Hawkins, RPT. Everyone I spoke with said the same thing: “Regionals are fun, but you GOTTA get to the national.” Yes, it’s the “Annual Convention and Technical Institute,” but everyone then called it the “national” (and many still do). I spoke with Jack Stebbins, RPT, about continuing my examiner training, and he agreed that going to the convention was the quickest and best way to finish. With that encouragement, I registered for the convention in Orlando, Florida. Little did I know that 24 years later, I would be elected PTG president in that same city.

Arriving that July and walking into the hotel, I knew absolutely no one. I cautiously made my way towards the registration desk, observing the goings-on around me. There were a lot of handshakes, big smiles, little knots of people in deep conversation about what had happened in “Council” (What’s that?), and a whole lot of hugging of people walking in the door. What had I gotten myself into? Who were these people?

I eventually made it to the front of the queue and came face-to-face with Sandy Roady, with whom I had spoken exactly zero times. She greeted me like a long-lost friend with her perpetual smile and friendly greeting. There I was, five minutes after arrival, having met one of my future closest friends.

I settled into my hotel room, then set off to find the exam floor. There I found all kinds of serious people wearing these intimidating black examiner ribbons. I was introduced to Keith Kopp, RPT, the tuning exam sub-chair, who welcomed me with a smile, a handshake, and his quiet way of explaining how crazy the rest of this week would be.

Throughout that week, giving exams or wandering around during brief breaks, I met more people by the moment, people I’d heard of in conversations at school or whose names I’d read in the Journal. You know, people like RPTs Dr. Albert Sanderson, Michael Travis, Jim Coleman, Sr., Dean Reyburn, Don Mannino, Ward Guthrie — the list goes on and on. Each of them greeted me personally, and we spoke for a few moments. Most of those I met I now consider friends. Not once did I ever feel unwelcome, or that I didn’t have something to contribute that would be appreciated as a member of the organization. 

At the opening ceremony, awards were given to members for all kinds of reasons. It was impressive how well everyone got along and worked together for the betterment of the group. It seemed to be a family, and it quickly became exactly that.

By the end of my first convention week, I was a Certified Tuning Examiner. RPTs Keith Kopp and Richard Bittner (the ETSC Chair) came to me and asked if I would be interested in serving on the committee. I heartily agreed. After I had agreed, they added that since the convention would be held in my region the following year, they wanted me to be a full-time examiner.

My second convention was spent in the exam rooms. We had more time off that year than today, as the unified exam wasn’t yet a thing. We had 90 minutes between the start of an exam and scoring it, so we could wander into classes and visit with others. The introductions and conversations with people from all over the country and the world continued. Most of them became immediate friends.

A couple of days into the week, Keith Kopp walked up to me with a stack of exam forms and stated quickly, “I’ve been elected to the board. You’re in charge.” He hurried off. What had just happened? In charge of what?

That preceded ten years on the ETSC. Attending almost every convention (I missed 2003, as my son Alex was born the week before) led to spending a great deal of time with the institute team, which led to an invitation to join them. That involvement led to an invitation to run for the board, which I eventually did. Here I am, 25 years later, as the President of PTG.

I said I wouldn’t try to convince you to attend our convention and institute. However, for me anyway, great things came from taking the plunge and signing up for that first convention. It doesn’t hurt a bit, you can write it off on your taxes, you’ll learn a thing or two, and I guarantee you’ll make at least one friend. You never know where it may lead. To quote the android David from Ridley Scott’s 2012 movie Prometheus, “Big things have small beginnings.”

I hope to see you all in Anaheim.

By David Stoneman, RPT
PTG Secretary-Treasurer

The PTG board of directors is a group of elected individuals who are put in place to guide the workings of the organization; we are elected by you to shepherd your organization on your behalf. The PTG does what it can to offer learning opportunities, certification, and opportunities to communicate. All board members act as voices for those in their regions. The board meets twice a year to address the needs of the Guild and to vote on suggested changes to how the organization operates, in the hopes of getting it to run better. In this context, “better” can mean more efficient, more modern, broader (that is, for the betterment of more potential members), or more fiscally responsible.

Board members bring their own ideas to the table and, with the aid of the procedural guidance of Robert’s Rules of Order, discuss their concerns and the concerns of those regional members who have made the effort to contact them. Then they vote. How they vote is up to each individual board member, based on the ideas they came in with, the ideas shared from members of their region, and the ideas presented during the debate in the boardroom.

If you’re still with me, you’ll notice that key to the above discussion is the fact that the regional vice presidents are acting as your — the members’— representatives. Now the question is: What can make them the most effective representatives? Their effectiveness can only come from the members’ willing involvement with those representatives. The word we’re looking for is “communication.” The regional forums, available at my.ptg.org, are pointedly well-suited to sharing ideas regarding upcoming actions that the board might consider. Those few members who use the regional forums to contact their RVPs are represented in the boardroom, but only those few.

“Those few” is a phrase that I wish I didn’t need to use here. I’m sure that members who prefer to have a hands-off relationship with the board are pleased to have all continue as is, trusting that the Guild will move forward, and all will be well. There are a vocal few who are pleased to share their opinions on the PTG-L forum, as well as on their regional forums. It appears to be around 3% - 4% of the membership who pipe up on a regular basis and share their ideas on upcoming requests for action in advance of each board meeting.

To all who offer their opinions, thank you. But when such a small number offers input, it’s not possible to say that the board is able to “speak for the members.” I urge all members who are willing to state your opinions to communicate with your RVPs or discuss within your chapter and have your chapter president share with your RVP. Communicate.

Soon, another opportunity is coming. As we have three times in the past, the PTG will be conducting a membership survey. These surveys contain valuable information for the Guild: who its members are, how they operate their businesses, and, hopefully, what can best be done going forward to make the Guild a part of the 21st century (only 20 years later than some of us would like).

The previous survey results are available on the ptg.org website under Members > Forms & Documents > Member Surveys. There you’ll find surveys from 2006, 2012, and 2017. Have a look and perhaps you’ll be as fascinated as I was. The response to the previous surveys has been impressive, with 41.1% of members responding in 2017, 42.2% in 2012, and approximately 43% in 2006. Anything above 38% is considered an excellent response rate. With a new-found willingness on the part of the membership to express their wants to the board, it’s my hope that this year’s survey will surpass what’s considered a near-impossible response rate of over 50%. Then we can begin — just begin — to have a foundation allowing us to say that we know the will of the majority of the membership and can act on their behalf.

In the meantime, share your views with your RVPs.

By Jim Fariss, RPT
PTG Vice President

A longer but more appropriate title for this article could be, “Electronic Tuning Devices Have Been Around for Over Half a Century; I Would Take the Registered Piano Technician Exam if We Didn’t Still Insist on Requiring Aural Skills to Pass.” Indeed, why insist?

Fifteen years ago, I began preparing for a retirement career as a piano technician, making use of a correspondence course, my local chapter’s mentor technicians, and numerous conventions. I set a personal goal to achieve RPT status as a way of boosting my confidence when I tell someone, “Yes, I can tune and repair your piano.” I wanted to become an RPT for me, not to increase business.

Early on, it seemed that I would never be able to tune aurally. While others heard beats, all I could hear were two car horns blaring. I decided to focus on the technical part of the RPT exam, since I didn’t know anything about fixing a broken hammer shank, splicing strings, or adjusting the action. Besides, I could use my ETD to tune and had never had a complaint, so why worry about learning to tune aurally?

My local chapter and fellow technicians were quite supportive in helping me prepare for the technical test, and I made extensive use of the practice models and PTG source books as I worked on old pianos. I passed the technical test and am glad I have those skills, as I use every one of them in actual practice.

Now it was unavoidable: If I truly wanted to make RPT, I would have to learn aural tuning. I went to classes on basic tuning at conventions, bought DVDs and books on how to tune, tried different temperaments every which way to Sunday, and had chapter members work individually with me. Was it a struggle? You bet, but I kept after it, practicing until I finally found a temperament sequence that I could understand and that worked for me. I learned how to use my ETD to score the temperament, and along the way I discovered a heck of a lot about my ETD that I never knew.

I did not pass my first attempt at the tuning test, but it highlighted areas where I was weak. I spent so much time tuning the temperament, I didn’t leave enough time for the midrange. I thought I knew all about unisons, but by taking the exam, it was made clear I did not.

I learned to speed up my temperament, knowing when to say “good enough” and not over-test; this left me more time for the midrange. At the convention I worked with Keith Kopp, who provides private, personalized instruction, and I learned a whole new way of testing my unisons. I will always remember Keith asking me in a calm voice if a particular note was off, as I did multiple checks and replied that it was. “So, stop testing and FIX IT!”

Had the RPT exam been aural-optional, I would never have known how poorly I was using my ETD and just how off my unisons were. I re-tested, passed, and will proudly admit that I came away with a profound sense of accomplishment and a new level of confidence. I am a Piano Technician!

As I set out to build my piano business, I focused on what I was most comfortable with: repair. After over a decade of classes, private instruction, conventions, and a factory internship, I have reached a point where I am ready to resume the development of my aural skills.

My current goal is to become a Certified Tuning Examiner and, like RPT certification, it’s for personal satisfaction. To achieve that goal, I’m working with rebuilders in my area to secure an appropriate piano. I’m learning how to use my ETD to set up and score the exam, and I’m volunteering as the additional RPT at tuning exams.

Back to the question: Why does the PTG insist on aural tuning for the RPT? Because it means something: pride in your work, a level of achievement, and a sense of old-world craftsmanship that eschews electronics. How about it, members? Are you ready to show off your stuff and become an RPT? If you need a place to start, try ptg.org/members/certification.

RPTs, are you ready to up your game and become a technical or tuning examiner? Look at the December 2021 Journal for details on just that.

By Marc Poulin, RPT
PTG President

How do we market ourselves AND the Piano Technicians Guild in a quick, efficient manner?

Many of our members have questions about the marketing of the PTG. These include:

• Who are our customers?
• How do we spend our marketing dollars?
• Who are we marketing to?
• What are we actually marketing?

The PTG has a marketing budget that is used in many ways on different platforms, marketing to varying groups depending on the priority at a given moment. However, I’ve always believed the best marketing tool the PTG has is our membership. How many interactions do we as individual members have with the public, with potential members or customers, every single day?

The definition of elevator speech from Wikipedia says:

An elevator pitch, elevator speech, or elevator statemen tis a short description of an idea, product, or company that explains the concept in a way such that any listener can understand it in a short period of time. This description typically explains who the thing is for, what it does, why it is needed, and how it will get done. Finally, when explaining an individual person, the description generally explains one’s skills and goals, and why they would be a productive and beneficial person to have on a team or within a company or project. An elevator pitch does not have to include all of these components, but it usually does at least explain what the idea, product, company, or person is and their value.

An elevator pitch can be used to entice an investor or executive in a company, or explain an idea to a founder’s parents. The goal is simply to convey the overall concept or topic in an exciting way. Unlike a sales pitch, there may not be a clear buyer–seller relationship.

The name — elevator pitch — reflects the idea that it should be possible to deliver the summary in the time span of an elevator ride, or approximately thirty seconds to two minutes.

On a recent trip to a scouting event in Knoxville, I made a point of wearing my PTG mask while on the event campus. I received a number of strange looks and a few direct questions, which I took as an offer to practice my speech. While my speech is still and always will be a work in progress, it goes something like this:

“What is the Piano Technicians Guild? It’s an organization of piano technicians for education, testing, and companionship. We meet on multiple occasions in varying locations to discuss technical issues and provide advice and training for each other and with industry experts. We have a monthly Journal with educational materials and notes of interest. Members can challenge our standardized set of exams, which awards a certification hey can use in their advertising. It’s a great group of people that I can call my friends. Being a piano technician can be a lonely job, and this group makes you feel like you have a few thousand friends who are always there to help.”

The immediate follow-up has mostly been, “Wow, people still do that?” or “You can make a living doing that?” However, this gives an opening into deeper conversation and gets the wheels turning. Every contact and discussion s marketing and spreading the good news of the PTG.

Working on this concept has also had an added effect for me. I had to think about what the PTG means to me. Why am I a member? What about this group makes me stay and participate? It forced me to face these questions and actually have a straight answer. Many people ask me what I am getting in return for my member dollars. My answer is in my elevator speech. My biggest takeaway from PTG membership is the camaraderie.

I’m not saying you need a written speech on a laminated note card in your pocket that you can pull out every time you have someone trapped in an elevator. If all 3,000 members would speak about the merits of the PTG or of being an RPT in our daily travels, it’s a quick, simple, cost-efficient way of marketing both the organization and ourselves as members.

My “speech” is different every time I give it. Be flexible, be light in the presentation, be funny, but most importantly, give it a try. As I’ve stated many times over: We are the PTG. We love this organization and what it provides. Let’s tell the world all about it face-to-face in our daily lives.

By David Stoneman, RPT
PTG Secretary-Treasurer

After my freshman year in college, which was spent as an economics major, I decided, as something of a grand experiment, to enroll as a music major. The California community college system made this a nearly free indulgence. I considered myself a musician, but on scant evidence, as I didn’t play an instrument. I was a listener, an avid listener of Classical music. Six years later, I had a master’s degree in vocal performance from the University of Southern California.

Over the next thirty years I had some success as a singer: Early music, new music, concert, opera, and Broadway, I was able to make a reasonable amount of money as an artist, based at different times in southern California, Boston, and Manhattan. But the singing income was never sufficient to provide a solid roof over my head. This led me to seek various other sources of income, mostly through  temporary employment agencies, which provided a chance for this very bad typist to pick up office skills. Eventually I became something of a Microsoft Excel expert, specializing in macro writing.

Numerous stints at different offices ended abruptly in 2008, when the economy came to a halt. As middle management, I was dispensable, and I was laid off. Married, mortgaged, with four kids and no job, I was devastated.

As a singer, I did see to it that my piano was tuned every six months. The day after I was fired was the day of my spring tuning. I explained my situation to my tech, and without skipping a beat, he said, “Come over to the piano with me. You should do this, you should become a piano technician.”

I was flabbergasted. “But aren’t piano techs ‘different’?” He explained that yes, they are different, but in the best ways.

He invited me to a chapter meeting (David Andersen presented), and I was in awe, bewildered, but in awe. There were just over a dozen people, men and women, speaking about pianos, in English, but in a way that left me completely confused. Each of the attendees seemed to be some special mix of Einstein and Gandalf (Marie Curie and Minerva McGonagall?), and they all understood this bizarre code, yet appeared to be learning. I was intrigued and drawn in. I had to know more. I was assured by all there that if I stuck with it, within five years I would have a business concern large enough that I wouldn’t be able to just walk away.

My first convention was a regional one. LaRoy Edwards taught a class, and in moments, I was certain that he knew everything. The next period, the student to my left was… LaRoy Edwards. This was the clincher. If the most knowledgeable among this group was an eager student himself, then that must mean than the learning curve was infinite. I liked that. This was clearly a place for me. I was hooked.

In my fourth year of tuning, I passed my RPT exams. This was an achievement that was important to me, as I needed some way to demonstrate to myself that I was making real progress. By then I had a regular stable of clients, and more importantly, an emotional support group of technicians, people to whom I could turn when I was stumped by a problem. This continues to be one of the most valuable things that the Guild has given me, this network of experts that fortify my confidence as I work.

Starting a new career at age 50, I never believed that I would have the success that piano tuning and repair has offered. What I’m certain of is that working on my own to develop my skills, I could never have achieved the level of proficiency that I’ve reached as a result of the learning experiences that I’ve been exposed to because of being a member of the Guild. I was very truly rescued by the Piano Technicians Guild from a crisis in the midpoint of my life, and for that I’m thankful in ways that I can probably never express.

How could I possibly repay all that I feel I’ve been given? The Guild is a volunteer-run organization, so clearly, by giving of my time. I started as chapter secretary (a great way to get to know all the other members of the chapter as well as those who interact with the chapter). Then, as chapter vice president, president, and delegate to Council, l learned more and more about how the Guild functions and how it requires volunteer hours to run. From there it was a short time before I was asked to participate in several different committees, and this led to me being asked if I would offer my time as a board member.

It’s not always easy work, but it’s worthwhile and interesting, and I recommend it to anyone who is looking for a way to give back to this organization to which I feel so grateful. Please consider offering the same.

It's Our Ship

By Jim Fariss, RPT, PTG Vice President
My, how our perspective changes when we move out of familiar territory or our comfort zone. In September of last year, my young bride and I took a riverboat cruise up the Mississippi, starting in New Orleans, ending in Memphis. Most of the passengers were of a certain age group, let’s just say in the Medicare category. I’m one of those, thank you very much, as is nearly half our membership. 

The number-one activity for many of my fellow travelers was complaining, matched with a large serving of sarcasm. We all met at a hotel for pre-departure, including check-in, showing vaccination cards, and getting Covid tests. The lines were long and personnel few. Rooms to be at and times to be at them were ignored, igniting a chorus of how horrible this was. The riverboat was to have left the next evening, but mechanical issues forced a 24-hour delay. Out came demands for refunds and threats of never going on a river cruise again with this company. 

Not a single person in this world has escaped the tribulations of late. Afghanistan, Covid, a divided nation, neighbor against neighbor arguing over vaccinations, masks — the list grows every day. We took a pre-cruise tour of New Orleans and saw homeless encampments under bridges, as we see now in any major city. We also got a firsthand look at the destruction caused by hurricane Ida: trees ripped from their roots, roofless homes, and buildings covered in blue tarp. Goodness, how can one not be pessimistic with all that going on! 

With the extra day in New Orleans, we also got to tour the World War II museum. That should convince anyone that our trials pale in comparison to the death and destruction that went on for years in those European and Asian battles. The museum had a restaurant made up like a ’40s malt shop, and I asked for an ice cream float. “Sorry, out of vanilla ice cream, can’t get any,” was the response. I kidded about how awful that was, and the clerk replied, saying there was no butter at the grocery store, along with many other staples in New Orleans, “We’re having to make do with what we have.” Perspective.

The limited staff people on board this riverboat were doing their best, making do with what they had, and yet they had smiles on their faces, said hello when we walked by, and if we wanted something, they did what they could. You might say that they were paid to do that, but you can tell when someone is putting on an act or not being sincere, and this was no act. Just the fact that this boat was running at all is a testament to persevering against difficulties.

Your Piano Technicians Guild has been facing such difficulties to keep our own boat afloat in these turbulent waters. Fortunately, we are blessed to have a captain and able-bodied crew to steer our over 60-year-old Guild around debris and avoid strong currents, hidden shoals, and reefs of problems popping up in the way of forward progress. That captain is our Executive Director, Barbara Cassaday, and your Home Office staff and elected board of directors are the crew. Think of it this way: The captain of the riverboat I’m on (Ms.Cassaday) is hired by a company that owns the riverboat (the members of PTG), and the elected officers of the company (our PTG board of directors) tell the captain where to sail. From that point on, it’s up to the captain to chart a course and get us safely to our destination, utilizing whatever resources are available. Captain Cassaday has the exact same problems that this riverboat, a restaurant, or any business today faces: lack of staff and supply problems. 

And, just like the limited crew on this riverboat doing their best and sincerely smiling, our Home Office staff and a myriad of volunteer members are jumping in, supporting each other with the tasks at hand. 

While it’s all too easy to become discouraged with the barrage of negative news and divisive issues, there is hope and encouragement within the Piano Technicians Guild. That hope starts with your board of directors, who were just ten piano technicians in August and in only a few short weeks have come together as a strong working force, collaborating efforts, expanding horizons, daring to dream big to provide for the needs of the 21st-century piano technician. 

That bright and encouraging future for our Guild is being played out on your regional community forum, where your elected regional vice president has been communicating Requests For Action (RFAs) from the board that will be coming up for discussion at future board meetings. For your board to effectively give sailing directions to our captain and move our ship in the direction we want, it is imperative to hear from you and your thoughts on RFAs. It is indeed our ship. I would be remiss if I did not mention that the title for this article came from one of the best books on leadership, It’s Your Ship: Management Techniques from the Best Damn Ship in the Navy, by Captain D. Michael Abrashoff.

How Do You Become an Examiner?

By Marc Poulin, RPT, PTG President and Dave Davis, RPT, Examinations and Test Standards Committee Chair

This is such a common question, and there is no simple answer. We are hoping to shed a little light on the subject to clear the air and provide direction for those who may be pondering this question.

If you just wish to help with RPT exams, you do not need to be certified as a technical examiner (TEC) or a tuning examiner (CTE). All RPTs are welcome to assist with all three exams. All you need are a willingness to volunteer, the ability to follow policies and directions of the examiner in charge, and the desire have fun! Assisting with exams can be an education program all on its own. At a convention several years ago, the RPT “assistants” for the master tuning were Jim Coleman, Sr. and Michael Travis. As a first-year, full- time CTE, working with technicians of this caliber for four hours on a master tuning was a training opportunity that you couldn’t ever pay for.

Examiners come in three types: Written, Technical, and Tuning. Each of the disciplines has differing requirements to qualify for training as well as different training programs to complete your certification. The one thing all three have in common is simple: You must be a Registered Piano Technician to administer the RPT exams and become certified as an examiner.

Download the complete article on becoming an examiner.

By David Stoneman, RPT
PTG Secretary-Treasurer

The first four words of the Piano Technicians Guild’s Code of Ethics are: “I will act honorably.” In an ethics code, what more really needs to be said?

After this are found follow-up points that help to illuminate specifically what these first four words mean for someone in our industry. The additional wording also acts to make certain that we can find consensus, codify our understanding of honor and how it will manifest itself in our day-to-day actions as professionals who interact with the public. Simple, no?

Ah, now the hard part. These first four words present an ancient philosophical challenge that has at its core a paradox of Gordian Knot-like proportion. How do I know what is the honorable thing to do? As an individual, who’s to say that my understanding of honor is the same as any other’s? We do trust that we all have that “same small voice” that gives us direction in what is right and what is wrong, our very own Jiminy Cricket that can sound an alarm when we begin to head in a direction that is contrary to our better selves, moving us away from the wrong and toward the right.

I feel that I know what is right, and though I am not a philosopher or high thinker, I strive to do right by my clients and my fellow technicians. I strive to avoid selfish gestures with family, friends, clients, and suppliers. It becomes more difficult as the relationships extend further from the “me” that is in the center of my world. Of course I want to treat “me” well. Of course I want to treat “mine” well. But how about suppliers, people with whom I may have nothing more than a single business dealing? Do I try to arrange fair deals, good deals, advantageous deals, exceptional deals? At what point am I trying to take advantage of someone? Conscience and honor must guide me to act in the proper fashion.

“I will act honorably” has implications regarding how we look at all others in our profession. It is a guiding precept of the American Society of Appraisers (ASA) that none of their members is ever to disparage the work of any other appraiser, whether that person is a member of the ASA or not. The thought behind this is that any language that speaks against an appraiser works to the detriment of the entire profession. Isn’t this an ideal that makes sense? But that curbs free speech and forces me to swallow my tongue when I have a right to speak my mind about what I see to be a lack of quality in the work of other “technicians.” Well, yes, and no. Acting honorably would direct us to find a way to convey our opinions in a fashion that educates, looks to truth, and works toward betterment. To do this requires a certain professional attitude which is reliant on a certain level of emotional maturity. I don’t always find this easy, and in those instances when I find myself struggling to find the next right thing to say, I find it is sometimes best to take a moment. Yes, it can sometimes be a long, very long, or very, very long moment. But I’d better take time rather than say something quick, unfortunately unprofessional, and therefore less than honorable.

One of the fascinating things about piano technology is the fact that the learning curve is infinite; there is always more to learn. As this is true, then it follows that, regardless of our feeling that “I know more about ‘______’ than anyone,” we have more to learn and therefore should be open to the idea that we can learn from our colleagues — our RPT colleagues, our member colleagues, and our colleagues who are not in the Guild. If we can learn from any of those around us, why wouldn’t we treat them with professional respect as our default attitude?

I’m always pained to hear of a situation where someone has come to a first PTG chapter meeting and reported a feeling of being frozen out, unwelcome, or underappreciated as a potential new member. Worse, perhaps much worse, is the way some contrary opinions are handled on the PTG email lists, where we are supposed to discuss ideas for the betterment of the profession. Language is occasionally chosen that derides fellow technicians so viciously that I can’t recommend new members subscribe. I fear they will find the way we treat each other so discouraging that they’ll turn tail and run.

It certainly isn’t possible to be perfect. It isn’t always possible to be sure of the right next step, but we should always be able to know what it is to act honorably and then do so.

PTG Mission Statement
The mission of the Piano Technicians Guild is to promote the highest possible standards of piano service by providing members with opportunities for professional development, by recognizing technical competence through examinations and by advancing the interests of its members.

By Jim Fariss, RPT
PTG Vice President

I sincerely appreciate the honor and opportunity entrusted to me by the delegates representing more than 3,000 members of the Piano Technicians Guild at the 2021 Council meeting in Orlando. At that meeting I was elected to our PTG executive committee, along with Marc Poulin and David Stoneman. That was followed by our seven regions selecting their regional vice presidents to complete your 2021-22 board of directors.

That, for the most part, should be the last time you’ll see me use the personal pronoun “I” or refer to the executive committee. From the moment this group was elected, ten of your fellow piano technicians came together with unique and in some cases wildly diverse ideas on what the future of PTG should or should not be, and they became one board of directors.

The day after Council, your new board met to discover where we had commonality and, equally as important, what our differences were. We started off with some fundamental questions, such as, “Is the PTG a school?”, “Our shrinking examiner pool,” and “The importance of Council in a board-governance world.” We then began to list issues facing PTG, each board member weighing in with concerns. The list grew and grew. From there, we ranked an order of priorities this board needs to tackle. In the end, these ten piano technicians came together as a team to create the top five priorities your volunteer board will focus on over the next six months as we head towards reviewing our progress at the winter board meeting next January.

The following five priorities are the solid foundation your board will build upon. This list contains our issues, not the answers or solutions. In the two and a half days your board met in Orlando, we unfortunately were not able to solve the world’s problems just yet, but certainly we’re working on it!

RPT Examiners & Exams
The pool of tuning and technical examiners has reached a critically low level, to where we’ll soon be giving RPT exams only at annual conventions if things don’t change. Your board has put together a task group with this direction: If PTG were creating a tuning exam today, with or without regard to the past, what would that exam be? Particular focus should be paid towards the requirements for the examiner and skills/process necessary to administer the exam. Of the utmost importance was included: There is NO reference to removing an aural requirement for an ETD user.

Council Role & Board Relations
The makeup of our Council and board comes from the same place, volunteer members of PTG. The transition from Council governance to board governance continues to elude us, and it is your board that must work to break this us-vs-them mentality that serves no purpose but to divide and destroy.

Assessment of Member Benefits
We banter about the phrase “Member Benefits,” but what does that really mean? What information can we arm our members with so they are prepared to answer the question, “Why should I join the PTG?” While we worked on that, a few thoughts came up, such as:

• Access to a living knowledge base
• Support for remote members
• Local chapter meetings
• The Piano Technicians Journal
• Conventions

Recruitment – Grow Membership
So often we hear, “Somebody should do something about . . .” Your board is that somebody. No matter how you slice it, when any organization fails to attract young, fresh talent, it’s destined to collapse. Our PTG must embrace 21st-century training, communication, and technologies to provide that attraction.

Education Goals – “Where do I go for training?”
Some of that 21st-century communication is already here today in the PTG. Do yourself a favor and click on “Become a Tech” on the home page of the PTG website. There you will see an introduction video created by our marketing committee, headed by Tim Barnes and Chris LaBarre. Our Executive Director, Barbara Cassaday, informs us there has been a notable increase in the number of inquiries since that page and videos were created. The problem is that when asked, “Where can I get training?” our Home Office does not have a stock answer. We’re going to change that.

Your board does not have the answers today, but you can see where we’ll focus our limited time and resources to come up with answers or develop a direction to get them. When your board gathers at its winter meeting, there should be an expectation of an answer to the question: “What has the board accomplished since last August?”

Questions, comments, concerns? Contact your regional vice president via your community forum. That person is your direct connection with the board, and there’s no doubt that others share those same questions.

Okay, let’s be honest. Our Registered Piano Technician (RPT) exams are challenging. They are meant to be so in order to verify a significant set of baseline skills that will assure your clients will receive proper service. In addition, they provide an equally important benefit to you along your path to becoming an RPT. They are the best learning tool you could possibly have to help assess your skill levels in many aspects of piano technology. The most important thing you will learn is getting to know what you don’t know or what you need to practice in order to produce results in a timely, proficient, and professional manner.

I am well aware of the significant trepidation associated with taking our exams. I have heard such comments many times over the years that I’ve been a member of PTG. I cannot stress this enough: There should be no shame in not acing the tests on your first try. You should take comfort in the fact that many of our members had to challenge one or more sections of our tests on multiple occasions. You should also know the joy and the sense of accomplishment they felt when they finally achieved their RPT status. Not a single one would tell you it was not worth the effort.

Membership in PTG provides numerous forms of assistance along your route to certification as an RPT. Your fellow chapter members or your regional vice president (RVP) should be willing to provide guidance and answer your questions. Some of them might already be participating in our new mentorship program. Chapter technical presentations, all-day seminars, regional conventions, Exam Prep on The Road seminars, and of course our annual institute will all help fill the gaps in your knowledge base. I would also recommend that you purchase our two exam source books from the PTG online store. 

The Education Hub on our website contains a wealth of information. There’s a link in the bulleted list on the Hub entitled “Path to RPT Certification.” Scrolling down, you will find an extensive document called the “RPT Exam Pre-Screening Manual” that will provide help with passing our written, tuning, and technical exams. Any RPT should be able to administer a pre-screening. You can test yourself with a mock tuning exam, available online in the February 2014 issue of the Journal. There is a discussion group on my.ptg.org for members interested in preparing for the RPT exams.

Please consider challenging our exams as soon as possible. I guarantee you will be glad you did.

Challenging Our Exams is a Learning Tool!

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to me at pres@ptg.org.

Onward and Forward with Fervent Endeavor!

Be Safe and Be Well!

When I first joined PTG many years ago, my wife accompanied me to one of my first regional conventions, known at the time as the PA State Conference. As an insurance agent, she was dealing with small business insurance. She was astonished at the camaraderie and willingness to share knowledge that she witnessed at her first PTG event. In her own industry, lack of cordiality, holding secrets close to the vest, and a strong competitive nature were more prevalent.

We all should be grateful and happy to share in our association, once described by a former president as an “Odd Duck.” The free and open exchange of knowledge is the hallmark of PTG. It is the raison d’être that most of us remain members for decades.

Most of this sharing of knowledge occurs in classrooms, at chapter technical presentations, all-day seminars and in the hallways at various events. However, there is a much-underutilized approach known as mentoring. This should not necessarily be viewed as a soup-to-nuts curriculum, because it can easily be broken up into much smaller segments. 

In the previous President’s Message, I referred to the PTG Guide to Piano Technology. It now resides under a shorter name, the “PTG Education Hub.” It can be found in two ways from the homepage at ptg.org. A direct link can be accessed in the large scrolling banner, or click on the heading “Technicians” and choose “Educational Resources,” then “Education Hub.” The last bullet point in the upper right corner lists the Mentorship Program.

For access from a portable device, scan the QR codes on the left for the Education Hub and the Mentorship Program page.

This brings you to an overview of our newly minted Mentorship Program, brought to you by your hard-working education committee. Scrolling down to the bottom, there are two red buttons providing additional information for mentors and for mentees. The mentors button provides mentorship guidelines and allows you to sign up to become a mentor. The mentee button provides a list of members who have already signed up to be mentors. In addition to the above, a new community forum called “Mentorship Connect” has been established on my.ptg.org to engage with others interested in mentoring relationships and sharing resources.

Finally, your marketing task group is preparing to roll out five new webinars. They will include the following topics:

1. Becoming a Piano Technician ~15 minutes

2. Educational Opportunities for New Piano Technicians ~10 minutes

3. Building Your First Tool Kit ~15 minutes

4. Finding a Mentor ~10 minutes (Dovetailing with the education committee)

5. Building a Mentorship Program ~60-90 minutes (Dovetailing with the education committee)

Let us never lose sight of this most important tradition and always remember to: 

Pass the Torch!

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to me at pres@ptg.org.

Onward and Forward with Fervent Endeavor!

Be Safe and Be Well!

A long time ago, in a Piano Technicians Journal far, far away in the back of your collection of Journals, another author penned the phrase I used for the title of this article. What was true back then is just as true today.

Stewardship is defined as the responsibility to manage or to take care of another’s property. Farmers pride themselves on being stewards of the countryside. Similarly, I would encourage all of our members to make it their mission to help preserve and contribute to PTG itself and to the collective wisdom and many decades of knowledge stored in our archives.

You may ask yourself, “As a new member, what can I possibly contribute that would be of any value to the collective?” Many of our members are entering piano technology as a second career. Others have been tuning and caring for pianos for years before they decided to join. Within our ranks there are talented individuals with various skill sets that are worth sharing. Certainly, our younger members may have significant knowledge and experience with social media, website design, or other computer skills. Some of you may have advanced woodworking skills, marketing expertise, or business acumen.

As I have stated before, we have all benefited from the countless volunteer hours of others. Joining PTG and paying your dues on time is a great first step. However, for us to evolve and thrive into the future, we need your participation. It’s a great opportunity as well as a great responsibility.

PTG has much to offer you on your path to increased understanding of piano technology. Please reach out to your chapter president or to your regional vice president for some ideas on how you can help support our mission.

Let’s maintain the tradition together by always keeping in mind that:

Membership is Stewardship!

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to me at pres@ptg.org.

Onward and Forward with Fervent Endeavor!

Be Safe and Be Well!

There is only one thing more important than obtaining new PTG members, and that is retaining them. Our Home Office does send out a welcome package of documents to all new members, and this is a good first step. However, it needs to be followed up by the local chapter to which they are assigned. Too often I’ve heard stories about new members who received minimal or no contact or guidance from their chapter, not even a phone call or an email advising them of where and when the next chapter meeting will be.

Years ago, I read a story entitled “The Member Who Didn’t Come Back.” It involved a new member of an organization who showed up at a handful of meetings. The regular long-standing members hardly ever interacted with the newbie. They kept to themselves in their own clique. The new member was not invited to participate in any projects and was not asked to join any committees or to make a run for an office. After a short period of time, this member never returned. Several months later, someone remarked at a meeting, “Hey, what ever happened to Joe or Samantha?”

I certainly hope this is not a common illustration of what our new members experience. Even if it only happens once, it’s one time too many. It certainly is a good example of what not to do.

In the past, most small towns would engage a small group of individuals to form a “Welcome Wagon.” They would go out of their way make a new resident feel extremely welcome in their community. While it may sound quaint and old-fashioned, I would like to propose that all of our chapters go above and beyond to make new members feel valued by their chapters and all of PTG.

Here are a few ideas to consider from one of our chapters:

1. Send all new members a welcome card signed by all chapter members before they show up for their first meeting.

2. Find out what your new members want and do your best to meet their needs.

3. Set aside 30 minutes for non-RPT member training before your chapter meeting on whatever topics are requested by your new members.

4. Accept new members as they are and encourage them to participate from their own positions of strength. For example, if they are technologically savvy, ask them to help with running online training, monitoring Facebook Live broadcasts, videotaping training, etc.

5. Insert your ideas here, and always be encouraging.

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to me at pres@ptg.org.

Onward and Forward with Fervent Endeavor!

Be Safe and Be Well!

This is to inform you of the first tangible results brought forth from our long-range plan by our education committee. On our website, ptg.org, there will be a new link to a comprehensive map of our educational resources, entitled “PTG GUIDE TO PIANO TECHNOLOGY.” It will be laid out in a grid arrangement of tiles on various topics. Clicking on any one tile will open up a drop-down menu displaying a list of resources available for that particular topic. A map key or legend has been set up to differentiate the offerings with the following designations: PTJ for Piano Technicians Journal articles, AV for online academy videos, and PR for print resources.

The first-draft working model will contain the following topic headings:

• Vertical Piano Regulation

• Action Materials and Repairs

• Grand Piano Regulation

• Tuning

• Tone, Timbre and Voicing

• String Repairs

• Case and Finishing Repairs

• Piano History

• Business and Self-Management

• Miscellaneous Materials

• Tips, Tools & Techniques (A compilation of this section of the Journal going back years)

• Journal Article Index (This may be subdivided and provided under each tile’s drop-
down list.)

In addition to the tiles listed above, there will be five bullet-point links to the following areas:

1. Events

2. The Journal

3. Discussion Groups

4. PTG Store

5. Path to RPT Certification

Number five shown above will open up an extensive document that will provide a study guide for the PTG written exam. It will include a host of materials and various resources to aid our members in passing both the tuning and technical exams. This will help any interested and motivated member achieve the status of Registered Piano Technician.

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to me at
pres@ptg.org.

Onward and Forward with Fervent Endeavor!

There is an inherent tension between confidentiality and transparency in the deliberative process. The Supreme Court of the United States described the constitutional and historic basis for confidentiality as “too plain to require further discussion.”

The Court went on to state: “Human experience teaches that those who expect public dissemination of their remarks may well temper candor with a concern for appearances and for their own interest, to the detriment of the decision-making process.” 

A president and those who assist him or her must be free to explore alternatives in the process of shaping policies and making decisions, and to do so in a way that many would be unwilling to express, except privately. The PTG board of directors needs opportunities where its members can get to know and learn from each other without feeling the need to play to an audience. This process is often referred to as “the sausage making.” These sessions are necessary so that the entire board can freely express their opinions while working toward the best future for PTG. Please know, all board members have the best interests of PTG foremost in their minds.

I would argue that this dictum be applied to our work sessions and special meetings, as it is “too plain to require further discussion.” No official decisions are made, and no votes are taken on anything during work sessions. 

Special meetings are defined in Robert’s Rules of Order as a “separate session of a society (e.g., Council, chapter, board) held at a time different from that of any regular meeting, and convened only to consider one or more items of business …” The reason for special meetings is to deal with matters that may arise between regular meetings and that require immediate action by the board. These can be called on three days’ notice to the members of the board and do not require notice to the membership at large per our bylaws. This should not be misconstrued as secrecy, since all decisions, including minority votes, are published at the conclusion of every meeting. The decision to reschedule this year’s convention is a good example.

Page 96, line 21 of Robert’s on public sessions states: “A deliberative assembly or committee is normally entitled to determine whether nonmembers may attend or be excluded from its meetings (even when not in executive session).” Although sunshine laws require governmental bodies to be open to the public, Robert’s adds the following qualifying language, stating “such laws have no application to private, nongovernmental bodies.”

PTG-L, Facebook, Twitter and other social media platforms have accelerated public discourse to warp speed, creating virtual versions of the mob. Inflammatory posts, based on passion, travel farther and faster than arguments based on reason. Rather than encouraging deliberation, mass media undermines it by creating bubbles and echo chambers in which viewers see only those opinions they already embrace. At one point, this digital zeitgeist caused the board to send a response to PTG-L.

Our regularly scheduled pre- and post-council meetings, as well as our winter board meeting, will continue to provide in-person observer rights to every PTG member in good standing. An exception will be made this summer, as no one is traveling to Orlando.

Democracy is a slow process of stumbling to the right decision instead of going straight forward to the wrong one.

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to me at pres@ptg.org.

Onward and Forward with Fervent Endeavor!

Please remember: “The RFA Is the Only Way”