Sunday Scramble

“What Every Technician Should Know” Mini-Techs will feature 40-minute bite size classes. Something for everyone.

Bedding the Grand Key Frame: A Fast and Firm Foundation - Chris Brown, RPT
Learn how to: position the keyframe, bed the backrail, fit the topstack, bed the front-rail, fine tune the cheekblocks, bed the balance rail, and validate work as you go. Class takeaway includes at least one major tip you're unlikely to have heard before! This is the bedding every regulation should be built on and every grand piano deserves!!

Beats: Do You Hear What I Hear? - Keith Kopp, RPT
If you have a good understanding of what causes a beat you will be able to
better focus your attention on what needs to be heard to tune better
unisions and intervals. You may be surprised with what will be presented
in this class.

First, Do No Harm - Steve Brady, RPT
A look at the ways in which technicians sometimes damage the pianos they service, as well as the ways they tend to damage their own bodies while servicing pianos. Methods and suggestions for preventing damage to the pianos and to ourselves are discussed.

Grand Damper Regulation with Three Tools - Scott Jones, RPT
If you master these three tools, grand damper regulation will no longer haunt you! These tips, techniques and (very important) order of regulation can make the difference between success and disaster. Remember that “damper” spelled backward is “fool’s misery”.

I Don't Own a Spoon Bender - Willem “Wim” Blees, RPT
Learn how to adjust spoons without a spoon bender.

Hammer Filing - Peg Browne, RPT
This hands-on session will focus on filing hammers. You will be able to experiment with the different strip techniques and sandpaper grits used without worrying about ruining the hammers.

Quickie Grand Hammer Installation - Joel Rappaport & Priscilla Rappaport, RPT
Glue hammers, factory style—fast and accurate!

The Regulation “Loop” - Joe Swenson
Learn how to determine your own regulation measurements without the aid of manufacturers’ “specs”. Developed for the regulation preparation of Eduard Seiler Grand Pianos in Samick Music Corporation’s facilities in Gallatin, Tennessee, Joe demonstrates a straight-forward, pragmatic technique for developing a piano’s regulation parameters – key dip, aftertouch, and hammer blow, for both white and black keys.
A very simple formula, applied to this technique, will allow you to modify the procedure in such a way that it will work with virtually any piano you might encounter.