DNA Music Central
Piano Tuningh
What is the work like?
Tuners make very fine adjustments to the individual strings of a piano so that they vibrate at the correct pitch. They work for a range of customers but the majority of their work is the domestic market-private individuals who own a piano. Many travel to visit homes and there is a social aspect to the work, especially with longstanding customers. To tune a piano it is first necessary to remove the board covering the strings and wrest (tuning) pins. There are three strings for each note and they have to be adjusted to fix the right tension.
They start with middle C or A and progress from there. Electronic tuning is now available but many think it is not a substitute to a trained ear. Every piano has its own characteristics and can be affected by such conditions as heat, humidity and transport. Domestic pianos are tuned once every six months and concert pianos before every performance. It takes about an hour to tune a piano and a tuner may do six per day.
What personal qualities are needed?
They need perfect hearing, an ear for music, excellent communications skills, patience, practical hand skills and the ability to deal with a wide variety of people. They need to be neat and tidy, punctual and reliable and have business skills.
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