Session Descriptions
All-Day Seminar
Dave Andersen, RPT and Dale Erwin, RPT
Offered Days 1 & 2, this is an all-day seminar dedicated to both the internal and external tools you need to rapidly expand your skill set and your business. Our intention is that you can immediately implement many of the things you learn with us on that day into your practice—and experience lasting growth in craft ability, self-regard, reputation and income.
The Atmosphere of Success
We'll open with a performance on a beautiful piano by a world-class player. This will segue into our opening remarks and descriptions of how the intuitive, whole-body intelligence we all possess is the key to creating lasting success as a piano artisan and how one's internal atmosphere, his or her state of being, is a crucial component, perhaps the most important component, of real business success.
Developing Relaxed Listening
We will both talk about (and practically demonstrate throughout the day) an array of simple, powerful internal tools and techniques to put you in the moment, with the piano tone and the feeling in your body; we will take you deeper into the craft and pleasure of relaxation while you work.
The Pillars of a Six-figure Income in the Piano Service Business
Our mentors have discovered them, and we have both applied them for years; now it's our pleasure to give them to you. These are not complex, arcane formulae; these are simple, tested protocols to increase your skill set, income, reputation, enjoyment, and self-respect.
They are simple, but they are apparently not easy, since a small percentage of our profession operate according to these pillars. As Roger Jolly says, "For the right piano technician, there's literally gold lying on the ground, waiting to be picked up." Let that "right piano technician" be you.
Advanced Listening Skills
We'll hear some great solo piano recordings through a killer system and then two or three short performances during the day by good pianists. This is the heart of what we do: building tonal memory and becoming a more and more sensitive listener.
We both feel passionately that what our craft needs is not only information, but a massive infusion of inspiration. Many of us have been doing this a long time; we need to focus on keeping it fresh—learning fun, new things and ways of doing things.
HANDS-ON
We have talked about opening the technical section with a topic called "Thin-slicing the Piano," i.e., how to diagnose a piano's overall tonal and mechanical condition in the blink of an eye. OK—in 10 minutes.
It covers what tools to use and what techniques and protocols we've developed and use successfully everyday. Within the scope of that topic will be diagnosing an action's geometry: "Geometry for Knuckleheads." We fully intend to make this easy and comprehensible for everybody in the room. It's a complex subject that we can boil down to bite-size, simple truths with basic leverage principles. We will find action ratios in 30 seconds and, more importantly, use that information to determine choice of action parts, hammer weight, regulation parameters, key leading and capstan placement. The term "Stanwood action" will be defined and clarified.
Under the Bridge
We will diagnose the health and resonance of a soundboard in five minutes using simple tools and techniques. We'll also give basic explanations of soundboard construction and function to clarify why we do the things we do. This part of the day will be augmented with slides showing modern board design and design differences between manufacturers and artisan rebuilders.
Intuitive, "Sweet-Spot" Action Regulation
There are specs and parameters in action regulation—and then there is developing a touch, a feel, "knowing" how to maximize the touch of that particular action based on its custom-made, singular functioning. Every piano, every action, is custom-made, even if it's mass-produced. That's part of the fun and why we need to start approaching action regulation as artisans rather than wrench-turners. If you can quickly sense how to make a radical positive change in the touch and then do it, you win. Big time.
Whole-Tone, Open-String Tuning
David has found and can replicate again and again, simple, powerful techniques to produce a highly idealized, rock-stable, musical, custom tuning, time after time. This segment gives you lots of practical, everyday tips and tricks for quickly improving your tuning…we're focused on hearing and doing rather than talking and thinking.
FINALLY---
Both of us have an open, expressive, easy style and can easily handle a lot of interaction; we want the wisdom of the people in the room to help and support us. There will be many amazing piano technicians there and we want their precious clarity and wisdom as we go through the day.
The entire day is based on the principle of gratitude, of living in an atmosphere of personal fulfillment and fun coupled with deep professional satisfaction. All the things we teach are rooted in that. We love what we do, how we do it and sharing it with others.
And we love to have fun. It should be a lively day.
Understanding Grand Action Parts Replacement
Wally Brooks
Important measurements to consider when replacing parts and their effects on fit, regulation and touch. Includes a simple system for controlling touch weight and using sample kits.
A De-termination of Agraffes
Paul Revenko-Jones
Why do we pay attention to the smallest parts of the piano? What is there to learn? How do we learn it? The case in point is agraffes and their function, structure, and affect on the tone of the piano. As in all elements of the piano, they're not just a simple part, but integral to the sound, and the study of them exemplifies the need for us to pay attention to and learn from each part of the piano.
