Piano Tuning & Repair Course Info

Overview:

Piano Technician Academy’s piano tuning and repair course is the first and only completely online piano technology course in the world. We utilize modern day teaching techniques including high definition videos, pictures, interactive graphics and exercises allowing the student to fully grasp and understand the material. Having an e-learning specialist on staff has allowed us to develop a learning program that rivals those found at most universities. Piano technology is a very difficult trade to teach over the Internet or through a correspondence program but using the latest in e-learning technology we are able to walk our students through the material in a way never done before.

Course Layout:

The course is broken down into 10 lessons. At the end of each lesson the student is required to take an 8-10 question quiz consisting of multiple choice & true/false questions. At the end of lesson 10 the student is required to take a 30 question final exam that covers lessons 1-10.

Tuition & Time Frame:

The tuition for the online piano tuning and repair course is $725 and includes access to the online classroom for 8 months as well access to downloadable/ printable PDF versions of all the lessons for future reference. You will also have regular contact via email or telephone with your instructor both during your studies and after your course is complete. Videos are none downloadable for copyright reasons and are only viewable in the online classroom.

Being an online school the Piano Technician Academy is able to offer year round open enrolment. The course is self paced allowing students to study when it is convenient for them. PTA does however require that you finish the course within 8 months of initial enrollment. Extensions are available upon request. PTA recommends spending at least 5-8 hours on lessons 1-2 and about 30 hours on each lesson after that. That being said students should plan to spend about 250-260 hours on the entire course. Most students choose to do one lesson a week but there is no required time frame for each lesson.

Course Index:

Lesson 1- “The Piano Styles, Parts and History”

  • Where did the piano come from?
  • Types, styles and sizes of the common piano
  • Overview of parts all pianos share
  • Cabinet parts of grand pianos and upright pianos
  • Action parts of upright and grand pianos

Lesson 2- “Piano Care & Intro to Piano Tuning

  • Disassembling an upright piano
  • Disassembling a grand piano
  • Removing a spinet piano action
  • Proper piano cleaning techniques
  • Why does a piano go out of tune?
  • Note vs. noise
  • “Beats” and “Unisons”
  • Piano tuning tools 

Lesson 3- “Piano Tuning Basics”

  • Tuning comfortably
  • Unison tuning exercise
  • Whole steps and half steps
  • Intervals defined- parallel and contiguous
  • 4ths and 5ths Interval tuning exercise (training your ear)
  • Octave tuning exercise

Lesson 4- “Setting Equal Temperament”

  • What does equal temperament mean?
  • Tuning octaves with temperament strip
  • Partials defined
  • 4th and 5th equal temperament exercise
  • Octaves 4ths and 5ths test
  • Using a metronome to count beats
  • 3rds and 6ths equal temperament exercise
  • F-F temperament exercise

Lesson 5- “Tuning the Treble & the Bass”

  • Stretching the midrange octaves exercise
    • “Test” your stretch exercises
  • Tuning the bass into the midrange
    • “Test” your work exercises
  • Tuning the treble into the midrange exercise
    • “Test” your work exercise
  • Preforming a “pitch raise” using your tuning fork

Lesson 6- “Regulating the Upright Action”

  • Removing/ replacing the upright action
  • Regulating the hammers
    • Travel, alignment, blow distance
  • Regulating the jack/ lost motion
  • Regulating the keyboard
    • Square & space the keys
    • Easing the keys
    • Replacing felt punching’s
    • Key height
    • Leveling the keys
    • Key dip
  • Regulating the let off of the hammers
  • Regulating the back check
  • Regulating the dampers
  • Regulating the bridal straps
  • Regulating the drop action
    • Thayer action + Pratt-Read Action

Lesson 7- “Regulating the Grand Action”

  • Removing/ replacing the grand action
  • Bedding the key frame
  • Squaring/ spacing the keys
  • Leveling the keys
  • Adjust key dip
  • Travel & align hammers
  • Regulating the jack
  • Regulating the repetition lever
  • Regulating the hammer height
  • Regulating let off/ drop
    • Let off
    • Drop
    • After touch
  • Regulating Hammer Checking/ Backchecks
  • Regulating the repetition lever spring
  • Regulating Dampers
  • Regulating the pedals
  • Regulating the strike line

Lesson 8- “Minor and Major Repairs”

  • Dead sounding strings
  • Slipping tuning pins
  • Rusty /Dirty tuning pins and strings
  • Hammer butt
  • Bridal straps
  • String replacement & repair
  • Cracked Pinblock
  • Re-bushing / repining a flange
  • Re-bushing keys
  • Key button damage
  • Keytop replacement

Lesson 9- “Rare Findings, Special Repairs & Hammer Voicing”

  • Bird cage Actions
  • Scroll player pianos
  • Digital player pianos
  • The square grand piano
  • Repairing a cracked soundboard
  • Hammer voicing
    • Filling hammers
    • Softening hammers
    • Hardening hammers

Lesson 10 - “How to Run a Successful Business in the 21st Century”

  • Getting clients
    • Business cards
    • Website builders
    • Mobile websites
    • Search Engines
    • Social Media
    • Craigslist/ and other online listing sites
    • Working with churches, schools, piano stores, restaurants, etc
  • Retaining your clients
    • On the job business practices
    • Keeping good records
    • Pricing your services