IN THE WORKSHOP
We have a fully equipped workshop, and currently employ 2 fully fledged piano technicians, as well as 3 apprentices and an action technician who only repairs and restores piano actions, but is not qualified to tune or regulate pianos.
What Is A Piano Technician?
It takes approximately 5 years, working as an apprentice, to qualify as a piano technician. Very few ladies are willing to take on this work, as it involves a fair amount of really heavy labour, e.g. moving pianos, lifting heavy parts and making and fitting steel and copper wound strings. (sometimes resulting in cuts and bruises)
A properly qualified piano technician will be highly skilled, and will have an extensive knowledge of the working parts of the piano and a reasonable knowledge of a piano’s origin and history, as well as the different makes of piano (of which there are thousands) and their various styles and differences.
He will be able to detect and repair or correct most of the faults and problems in the majority of pianos, and will also be able to tell whether or not an old piano is worth restoring, or whether it can be repaired at all. He will also be able to tune the instrument accurately. He needs to be patient, persevering, committed, self discipline and possess excellent vision, hearing and concentration.
Pianos are complex, highly engineered, precision instruments. An average upright piano has more than 5500 components in its action (most of which are very small), more than 200 (each) strings, tuning pins and keys, as well as an assortment of other parts such as pedestals and pedal rods, bridges, soundboard and a cast iron fame (which is what makes a piano so heavy). All the parts need to be fitted precisely, and the action keys need to be accurately regulated in order for the instrument to perform unerringly.
Where And How Are Piano Technicians Trained?
In South Africa, this skill is often handed down from father to son, and several well known piano concerns in the country have survived several generations.
Piano Pleasure and some other companies are also training technicians through a 5 year apprenticeship.
Apprenticeships are available through major piano manufacturers across the world.
Common Misperceptions And Areas Where Problems Can Occur:
A PIANO "TUNER" SHOULD BE A QUALIFIED TECHNICIAN.
In South Africa we are experiencing a general shortage of skilled personnel, and piano technicians are no exception. However, there are at least 25 qualified technicians in the general Gauteng area alone, and many more in the other main urban centres such as Cape Town and Durban.
As a result of recent articles in the news which stated that "piano tuning is a dying art" many unqualified people (including simple opportunists as well as well known pianists) have 'jumped on the bandwagon' and overnight have become "piano tuners", thinking they have discovered a way to make a quick buck.
These people are to the piano industry what "back-yard mechanics" are to the motor industry. Many folk have unknowingly used such a tuner to their detriment. DO CHECK THE CREDENTIALS OF THE PERSON YOU HIRE TO TUNE YOUR PIANO! Piano repairs can be very expensive.
Feel free to contact us for tuning. If we are not able to assist you, we will gladly refer you to a qualified person.
Are Pianos Still Being Produced?
Hundreds of thousands of pianos are still being made world wide, especially in the east. Many of the old, well known and established piano companies have partnered with their eastern counterparts, simply because of labour and cost concerns, and many excellent pianos are being produced. THE ACCOUSTIC PIANO REMAINS THE MOST POPULAR MUSICAL INSTRUMENT WORLD WIDE! (Thus it’s quite obvious that piano tuning cannot be a dying art!)
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