Piano Tuning and Repair Online Course (Apprentice Version)

The PTA Apprentice Course is our solution to the growing need to quickly and efficiently train the next generation of piano technicians working with a mentor. The material is identical to our main Piano Tuning & Repair course but with the business lessons removed so that you can teach your apprentice the things that makes your business unique. Group/bulk discounts are available by reaching out to support@PianoTechnicianAcademy.com.

This course is for students working with a mentor only. If you are not working with a mentor, please enroll in the regular Piano Tuning & Repair Course.

$1,800 · or Bundle & Save

Beginner300 Hours17 Lessons

Buy 3 or more courses & Save 5% or more

About This Course

This course is for students working with a mentor only. If you are not working with a mentor, please enroll in the regular Piano Tuning & Repair Course.

$1,800 · or Bundle & Save

Course Overview

About the Course

The Piano Technician Academy’s course, Piano Tuning & Repair, was written by Adam Hayes RPT; Jason Cassel, RPT; Timothy Barnes, RPT; and Michael Stilwell, CPT. It was designed as a training program to not only get people started in the piano service industry but also to train technicians to take the Registered Piano Technician exams given by the Piano Technicians Guild. With 80 high-def videos and 20 lessons ranging from aural tuning and voicing to common major and minor repairs, our online course is the most comprehensive correspondence training program in the world. The course has been laid out in a very organized way by our in-house learning architect, Jeff Johnson, who has a master’s degree in curriculum and instructional technology, to ensure maximum material retention. Unlike other online mentorship/correspondence training, PTA utilizes technology, world-renowned instructors, and a learning management system that allows our students to get to work in our industry faster than any other training program.

What Makes PTA Different

Unlike other online or correspondence piano tuning and repair programs, the PTA course was written with the Registered Piano Technician (RPT) exams, given by the Piano Technicians Guild (PTG) in mind. Our course has been used by hundreds of technicians aspiring to earn the coveted RPT status which opens countless doors for them in the piano service industry. Our instructors make up some of the most well-known RPTs in the US. They regularly write articles for the PTG journal, exhibit at PTG conferences, and teach at piano industry events. While some schools focus on how quickly they can get students working in the field, PTA focuses on their students actually learning the trade the proper way so that students are adequately prepared when they enter the market. Oftentimes, our students enter the market faster than students from those schools that focus on speed. This is because of our extensive learning management system (LMS). Unlike other online programs, our LMS is interactive and is used by some of the top universities in the USA who require a more professional system than simple plug and play education options found on the internet today. The PTA course is rebuilt every 4–5 years to take advantage of new technologies and build upon what the industry has to offer. With graduates in over 50 countries and an average graduation rate of 90%, our 300-400 student count a year makes PTA the largest piano tuning school in the world.

Course Layout

The course is broken down into 20 lessons. At the end of each lesson, students are required to take an 8–10-question quiz consisting of multiple choice, match the part/tool, and true/false questions. At the end of Lesson 20, students are required to take a 50-question final exam that covers all lessons.

Tuition & Time Frame

The tuition for the course is $1,800 and includes access to the online classroom for 12 months as well as 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 not downloadable for copyright reasons and are only viewable in the online classroom.

Being an online school, the Piano Technician Academy can offer year-round open enrollment. 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 12 months of initial enrollment. Extensions are available upon request. PTA recommends taking longer on the tuning lessons (18–30 hours) before moving on, while others may only take 2–5 hours. That being said, students should plan to spend about 250–380 hours on the course.

About The Instructors

The instructors at Piano Technician Academy are seasoned professionals, dedicated to sharing their extensive expertise in piano tuning and repair with students globally.

Learn more about our team

Lesson Plan

Lesson 1

Introduction to the Craft

Overview of piano history and piano styles
Common parts all pianos share
Different types of actions
Four foundations of a truly great instrument

Lesson 2

The Piano Belly

Overview of

The soundboard & ribs
The bridges
The strings
The plates
The pinblock
The piano rim

Lesson 3

The Piano Action

How both upright and grand actions work
Removing an upright action
Removing a grand action
Removing a spinet action
Upright and grand pedal functions

Lesson 4

Regulating the Upright Action Part 1

Assessing the piano’s needs
Tightening action screws
Cleaning and lubing action and frame
Easing keys (pliers and iron)
Regulating bridal straps
Squaring and spacing keys
Spacing parts (hammers, backchecks)

Lesson 5

Regulating the Upright Action Part 2

Aftertouch 101
Setting key height & lost motion
Regulating let-off
Key dip (naturals and sharps)
Setting blow distance
Regulating lost motion
Regulating back checks
Regulating the pedals
Regulating the dampers (spacing, lift, timing)

Lesson 6

Regulating the Grand Action Part 1

Removing the stack
Cleaning and lubing action and frame
Easing keys (pliers and iron)
Traveling and burning the shanks
Squaring and spacing keys
Bedding the keyframe
Setting key height and leveling the keys
Spacing parts (hammers, wippens, back checks, etc.)

Lesson 7

Regulating the Grand Action Part 2

Setting aftertouch
Synchronous escapement
Regulating blow distance
Regulating jack position
Regulating rep lever height
Setting let-off
Setting key dip
Setting drop
Regulating back checks
Repetition spring tension
Damper regulation

Lesson 8

Common Repairs Part 1

Key bushing replacement
Repining flanges
Ream/Burnish flanges
Rebushing a flange
Broken hammer shank replacement

Lesson 9

Common Repairs Part 2

Replacing a broken string
String splicing
Ordering replacement bass strings
Making hitch pin loops

Lesson 10

Aural Tuning Part 1

Inserting a temperament strip
Setting your pitch note
Overview of equal temperament
Unison tuning
Partials and overtones defined
Inharmonicity/ Beats and what to listen for
Intervals overview
Octaves, 5th, 4th, etc.

Lesson 11

Aural Tuning Part 2

Hammer placement/posture/pin setting
Unison tuning exercise
False beats
Inserting strip, mutes, Papps mute
Interval tuning exercises
Octave tuning exercise
4ths interval exercises
5ths interval exercises

Lesson 12

Aural Tuning Part 3

Setting the temperament
Ladder of 3rds exercise
Filling in temperament
Possible temperament sequences
Checking your finished temperament
Tuning into the extreme ends of the piano
Unison tuning and pitch raises

Lesson 13

Electronic Tuning Devices (ETDs)

Pros and cons of ETDs
Who ETDs are for
Piano scope ETD overview by developer
Reyburn CyberTuner overview by developer

Lesson 14

Tone Regulation Part 1

Components of good tone
What should we listen for?
The anatomy of the hammer (by Renner USA)
Hard-pressed vs. soft-pressed hammers
Hammer shapes

Lesson 15

Tone Regulation Part 2

Establishing your reference
Crown position referencing
Shaping the hammers
Paddle shaping
Shoe-shine shaping
Gang filing
Prepping termination points
Leveling strings
Hammer mating

Lesson 16

Tone Regulation Part 3

Hard-pressed vs. soft-pressed needling
Voicing the una corda
Noise in the capo section
Regulating evenness
Regulating balance

Lesson 17

Registered Piano Technician Exam Prep

RPT overview
RPT exam procedure
Written exam
Technical exam
Tuning exam

FAQ

What is the difference between the regular Piano Tuning & Repair Course and the Apprentice version?

The only difference is that the business lessons in the regular course are removed. We do offer a range of discounts for the apprentice course so to learn more about what you may be eligible for, please email support@PianoTechnicianAcademy.com with the number of apprentices you would like to enroll in a given year.

Does PTA Offer group discounts?

Yes! We offer institution and group discounts. For more information, please email support@PianoTechnicianAcademy.com with the number of apprentices you would like to enroll in a given year.

Can the mentor monitor the apprentice's progress?

Yes! We are now able to track IP addresses which allows mentors to use the same login information as their apprentice to monitor their progress, see what the apprentice is working on that week and see what the apprentice might be struggling with so the mentor can help.

Does PTA offer payment plans?

Payment plans are now available to USA students via PayPal's "PayPal Credit" program. Students subject to credit approval. 6 months free with no interest is offered to most students. To find out more about this program, please check with Paypal prior to enrolling in the course.

Will this course prepare me to take my RPT exams from the Piano Technicians Guild?

When building our course, we designed it with the RPT exams in mind. We cover all the material needed to pass the RPT exams, but studying and committing to learning the material is up to you, the student. We strongly recommend meeting with other RPTs in your area while or after taking our course to continue to prepare for the exams. No course will prepare you like one-on-one training by somebody who took the exam in the PTG chapter you are joining.

What do I get when I graduate?

After passing all 20 lessons and the final exam with at least an 80%, you will become a Certified Piano Technician (CPT). You will receive an email with a PDF of the official Piano Technician Academy seal to use on your website or business cards, as well as a hard copy of your certificate (signed by your instructor) in the mail. (Please allow 1–2 weeks for this to arrive, as they go out twice a month.)

Do I need to own a piano to take the course?

You do not need to own a piano but it is critical that you have access to one. Many of the lessons include exercises that students will be required to perform. We believe that to fully understand how to tune and repair pianos, students need to not only have book knowledge but also hands-on experience.

What is a Certified Piano Technician?

A Certified Piano Technician (CPT) is someone who has completed PTA's piano tuning and repair course and is properly trained in all aspects of running a day-to-day piano tuning and repair business. They have passed the PTA's training requirements and are now certified to advertise using the PTA logo.