Yuji Nakamura:
Understanding Inertia. How kinetic resistance (moment of inertia) affects to the action movement and how to manage it to get desired touch weight at same time as looking at static balance weight.
Yuji Nakamura was born originally in Japan. He graduated from Yamaha Piano Technical Academy in 1983, immigrated to New Zealand in 1999 where he joined the PTTGNZ. Yuji has given many lecturers about touchweight topic in Japan, New Zealand and Australia. His book “Touchweight Management Hand Book” was published in Japan in April 2016 and reprinted it in June 2016 and April 2018.
Dean Reyburn:
Introduction to the SMARTER Reyburn CyberTuner for iPhone/iPod/iPad. In this class we will be using the NEW iRCT for Apple iOS. We quickly cover RCT basics, then demonstrate using RCT's Smart Partials analyzing a piano's inharmonicity to create smoother transitions at the breaks. We also explore basics such as quick, accurate pitch raises, and converging the ear's aural preferences with a machine's digital decision making using RCT's Custom Equalizer and Pianalyzer tool
Ergonomic Tuning: Tools and Techniques. This hands-on class introduces ways to reduce stress on your body using both impact hammers and the traditional rigid lever. Reducing the strain on your shoulder, neck, and back by using the right tools the right way is crucial whether you're just starting out or have been tuning for years. We'll cover the basics as well as some advanced tips, then offer hands-on instruction.
Dean Reyburn passed his RPT exams in 1978 and has 40 years tuning experience. He has served on the PTG Examinations and Test Standards Committee since 1996 and acts as Advisor and CTE skill reviewer. Dean has 12 years experience as concert tuner for the Grand Rapids Symphony and DeVos Hall in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He was the technician for the local Steinway and Yamaha dealers for many years and tuned for numerous concert and popular music artists. Dean attended Moody Bible Institute in Chicago from 1976 to 1978 where he majored in electronics and learned piano technology from Virgil Smith, RPT and Robert Carbaugh (and met his wife Marty). Dean is a self-taught Software Engineer with 35 years experience programming in more languages and computer platforms than he'll admit. He enjoys rollerblading, tennis and hiking in his spare time.
Wim Blees:
Service management. Service is the name of your business, but are you managing your service like a business? Learn how to effectively promote yourself and your business, and how customers look at the service industry as a whole.
Pitch Raising, Myths and Facts. A round table discussion on pitch raising, what works, what won’t and some of the untruths about massive pitch changes. Included will be a demonstration of pitch raising techniques.
Wim started his piano service business in St. Louis in 1977, then worked as the piano technician for the University of Alabama from 2001 – 2007. He is currently working on Oahu, HI. Wim is the author of: The Business of Piano Tuning: a guide to marketing, managing, promoting, buying and selling a piano service business.
Mike Ryan:
Installing and regulating grand dampers. This class will cover all aspects of grand regulation - from removing existing dampers and installation of new dampers to trouble shooting of problems in the home. Factory tips and tricks will also be discussed. Useful jigs for some these processes will be also be discussed.
Elite levels of experience both domestically and abroad plus an array of internationally recognized qualifications, Michael Ryan is one of Australia’s most skilled, qualified and dedicated piano technicians and brings with him over 40 years of commitment to the industry.
Terry Miller:
Enhancing Client Contact using Google. Mail tips, tricks and Apps, to get more contacts with your clients, using Google.
Client Management in the 21st Century. New full spectrum tips on how to electronically manage your clients.
Terry a 20+ year RPT member of the Piano Technicians' Guild, came to piano technology after time in the U.S. Coast Guard, industry, and as a professor in business school. He tunes aurally for private and concert clients, and offers complete rebuilding and 'blueprinting' services in his shop. Currently President of the Sacramento Valley Chapter of the PTG, he has lectured on business and technical topics in Sacramento, the San Francisco Bay Area, and Perth, Australia, and teaches aural tuning to Chapter Associates and his shop apprentices.
Li Yeoh:
Institutional Concert Piano Preparation and Voicing. Institutional concert piano preparation is a challenging, yet a rewarding process. Experience how concert preparation and voicing could complement each other.
Li Yeoh is the Director of Piano Technology and faculty at the Florida State University College of Music. The unique piano technology degree program comprises the Master of Arts in Piano Technology, a premier program worldwide that provides a real-world artistic collaboration between emerging students, world-class faculty and guest artists.
Randi Potter:
Create the Smoothest Tunings of Your Life. Whether you tune strictly by ear (5-10% of American technicians) or use a device or program in your daily production, its all about the Temperament 10th, - not the octave. Come learn why, and how you can tweak your head, your device and your tunings to be better (smoother, more consistent) throughout every piano you service.
Finding Jack. This is not a basic regulating class - we all know how to regulate the studs, level a keyboard, set let-off, drop, dip, and a host of other things (about 30 per key). But we don’t all realize that the Jack is the key to everything in repetition. Jack tells us the thickness of back rail cloth and height at the balance rail, where to set key height and key dip, how strong to set the rep lever springs. And Jack height, relationship to the knuckle core, and spring tension are the keys to guarantee a consistent hammer line.
Randi has been tuning for over 40 years, and teaching for almost that long. She has trained with major factories (and also minor ones) in the US, Europe and Asia, and serves clients in homes, schools, churches and on the concert stage. Her specialty is high level tuning and regulating.
Randall Woltz:
Action Centers. The one thing that will cripple an action and a very sneaky source of problems that the customer complains about are usually caused by faulty action centers. In this class I will discuss everything from brass rail flanges; Steinway Teflon; how to permanently get rid of verdigris corrosion without chemicals; the proper resistance for each action center and the types of tools needed. After taking this class, you will be able to quickly diagnose and fix any action center in any piano.
Randy has been a member of PTG since 1973 and an active member of the Orange County Chapter in Southern California. For more than 45 years he has been tuning, repairing and restoring all types of pianos including antiques, harpsichords and even celestas! He has taught at the National Conventions in harpsichord history and repair, and modifying the piano action for a faster, lighter touch. Besides his piano work, he is a professional musician in the Southern California area as a pianist, percussionist , arranger and composer. Randy graduated from USC, Chapman University and has a Masters in Music from Azuza Pacific University.