In today’s episode, Del Fandrich, a consultant for various piano manufacturers across the world, uses the first principle of thinning to aid his designing process. Del talks about hybrid scales to help the short piano scales and their various applications. He delves into string lengths, tensile strength, and sounds. 

Del is also working on compiling the book “Piano Tone Rebuilding” from three generations ago and making it readable again. He has added additional chapters in the book to address some of its misinformation. This can help trace the history of the piano building and Del shares some of his insights about that and the journey of the industry at large. 

Tune into this lecture to hear about the historical and technical journey of the piano industry.

Here’s a little bit about our guest Del Fandrich:

Since 1960, Del Fandrich has evolved from a basic service technician to an independent rebuilder, manufacturer, and design consultant. He served as the Director of R&D with Baldwin and has consulted with brands like Charles Walter and Young Chang. Most recently he has been working with John Martin of Wertheim Piano to develop a totally new vertical piano. He has authored numerous papers on topics ranging from basic piano technology to advanced concepts in design and manufacturing. He continues to lecture globally as one of the most forward-thinking minds in the piano industry, maintaining several active research projects in his workshop in Olympia, WA.

𝐉𝐎𝐈𝐍 𝐔𝐒 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐄 𝐆𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐓 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐓❗❗

Browse more masterclasses and lectures from Piano Tuning Pros here: https://www.pianotechniciansmasterclass.com/

Piano Tech Radio Hour is brought to you by Piano Technicians Master. We provide cutting-edge piano technology instruction from piano industry masters without leaving your home, featuring monthly subscriptions, conventions, single live streaming, and recorded masterclasses. Learn advanced skills:

• How to tune pianos.
• How to repair pianos.
• How to rebuild pianos.
• How to tune concert pianos for the finest performers in the world.

Instagram -Piano Technicians Masterclass (@pianotechmasterclass) 

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In today’s episode Carl Lieberman, a tremendous business advisor, a piano technician, and a hybrid tuner joins us to share his wealth of knowledge on pianos. He’s a garden variety piano technician who shares his journey that has seen all ends of this industry. 

Carl’s mission in this session is to share his tips on how to make more money. He does this by talking about pricing. Carl says that the three most important things in tuning are “stability, stability, and stability” and the two most important words about running a business are “charge more”. 

It's most likely that you are not charging enough for your business. Carl shares the rationale behind charging more money for your services which is located in the work of the Economist Dan Airely’s book ‘Predictably Irrational’. 

If you would like to learn more about the principles and process of charging more go from a $150 piano service to a $300 piano service.

Here’s a little bit about our guest Carl Lieberman:

Carl has been a piano technician in Los Angeles for 49 years. I have worked with CyberTuner's creator, Dean Reyburn for the last 25 years and am now CyberTuner's Imagineer. I am a field service piano technician working at a Performing Arts Center, Recording Studios and private homes.

𝐉𝐎𝐈𝐍 𝐔𝐒 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐄 𝐆𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐓 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐓❗❗

Browse more masterclasses and lectures from Piano Tuning Pros here: https://www.pianotechniciansmasterclass.com/

Piano Tech Radio Hour is brought to you by Piano Technicians Master. We provide cutting-edge piano technology instruction from piano industry masters without leaving your home, featuring monthly subscriptions, conventions, single live streaming, and recorded masterclasses. Learn advanced skills:

• How to tune pianos.
• How to repair pianos.
• How to rebuild pianos.
• How to tune concert pianos for the finest performers in the world.

Instagram -Piano Technicians Masterclass (@pianotechmasterclass) 

FB - Piano Technicians Masterclasses | Facebook

Spotify - Piano Tech Radio Hour | Podcast on Spotify

In today’s session two exceptional guests, Wayne Ferguson and Cip Mayer join us, who have each been in business for over 40 years. They share their journeys, anecdotes, and insights about restoration. 

Wayne talks about his actions to keep himself out of trouble within the restoration business. He also shares how he quality controls the action parts, and how that led him to meet our second guest of the show today - Chip Mayer. 

Chip is the son of Loyed Mayer, and they identified an industry need for quality original dimension action parts to restore grand pianos. Chip talks about his philosophy “Rather than trying to reengineer and reinvent the piano, just replace what’s there to maintain the design excellence of the piano”. 

Wayne and Chip talk about action parts, how to select the right parts, and the process of restoration such that the excellence of the piano is retained. Tune into this lecture to listen more. 

Here’s a little bit about our guests:

Wayne Ferguson:

Master piano tuner technician, Wayne H. Ferguson, has been widely considered to be among the very best in the business, Wayne has studied the art of piano technology and piano setup with passion and diligence. His former and present client list is a veritable who’s who of the music industry in Canada and beyond. Including Oscar Peterson, Keith Jarrett, Stevie Wonder, David Foster, and Diana Krall, Wayne’s list of satisfied, repeat customers is a testament to his expertise and professionalism.

Chip Mayer:

𝐉𝐎𝐈𝐍 𝐔𝐒 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐄 𝐆𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐓 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐓❗❗

Browse more masterclasses and lectures from Piano Tuning Pros here: https://www.pianotechniciansmasterclass.com/

Piano Tech Radio Hour is brought to you by Piano Technicians Master. We provide cutting-edge piano technology instruction from piano industry masters without leaving your home, featuring monthly subscriptions, conventions, single live streaming, and recorded masterclasses. Learn advanced skills:

• How to tune pianos.
• How to repair pianos.
• How to rebuild pianos.
• How to tune concert pianos for the finest performers in the world.

Instagram -Piano Technicians Masterclass (@pianotechmasterclass) 

FB - Piano Technicians Masterclasses | Facebook

Spotify - Piano Tech Radio Hour | Podcast on Spotify

The owner of A440 Pino Services, and a second-time guest at the PTRH, Bill Manore joins us today and gives us a tour of his shop and talks about his business. He is a one-man show and tells us how he manages the different tasks of the business. “Just say yes and figure it out later” has been a mantra that has worked well for him. 

He also shares his process of how to go about acquiring pianos. He says, “I do not do a lot of active looking because, over time, pianos tend to find you”. In that same vein, he shares the importance of building client relationships and how that helps you build your business. 

Most importantly, he shares the importance of saying “no” - there will be a lot of great opportunities, but Bill shares insights about how to pick the right pianos that have some sort of reasonable market value. 

Tune into this lecture to learn all these salient tips from Bill and get an exclusive view of his shop.

Here's a little bit about our guest Bill Monroe:

Bill, William, Monroe is a Registered Piano Technician and PTG member, specializing in rebuilding grand pianos. After graduating from school at Montana State University in Bozeman in wildlife ecology, his career took a detour in the year 1999 when he decided to tune pianos full-time. He is the owner of A440 Piano Services in Belleville, Wisconsin.

𝐉𝐎𝐈𝐍 𝐔𝐒 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐄 𝐆𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐓 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐓❗❗

Browse more masterclasses and lectures from Piano Tuning Pros here: https://www.pianotechniciansmasterclass.com/

Piano Tech Radio Hour is brought to you by Piano Technicians Master. We provide cutting-edge piano technology instruction from piano industry masters without leaving your home, featuring monthly subscriptions, conventions, single live streaming, and recorded masterclasses. Learn advanced skills:

• How to tune pianos.
• How to repair pianos.
• How to rebuild pianos.
• How to tune concert pianos for the finest performers in the world.

Instagram -Piano Technicians Masterclass (@pianotechmasterclass) 

FB - Piano Technicians Masterclasses | Facebook

Spotify - Piano Tech Radio Hour | Podcast on Spotify

Ken Eschete, is a piano technician who has worked with the conservation of historic pianos and teaches an online course on replacing and building sound boards and bridge gapping. He has discovered some big things from some little tiny things and he joins us at the Radio Hour to share them. 

The first is consolidation - here Ken talks about resins and the science behind them which is used in key tops and voicing. The second component is using a reverse migration - here Ken walks us through hammers built in the 19th century and the change of their material from leather, to woolwoll and felt. There is a logic to why hammers are hard on the inside and soft on the outside. In the final component of the presentation, Ken talks about epoxy and its viscosity usage. 

Ken shares extensively about the usage of B72, epoxy technology, and the process of replacing and building soundboards. Tune into this high-value high-value lecture to learn about this and more! 

Here’s a little bit about our guest Ken Eschete:

A highly experienced piano technician/piano rebuilder with a specialization in concert tuning, structural rebuilding (new soundboards and pin-blocks), and restorative conservation of antique pianos and harpsichords.

𝐉𝐎𝐈𝐍 𝐔𝐒 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐄 𝐆𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐓 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐓❗❗

Browse more masterclasses and lectures from Piano Tuning Pros here: https://www.pianotechniciansmasterclass.com/

Piano Tech Radio Hour is brought to you by Piano Technicians Master. We provide cutting-edge piano technology instruction from piano industry masters without leaving your home, featuring monthly subscriptions, conventions, single live streaming, and recorded masterclasses. Learn advanced skills:

• How to tune pianos.
• How to repair pianos.
• How to rebuild pianos.
• How to tune concert pianos for the finest performers in the world.

Instagram -Piano Technicians Masterclass (@pianotechmasterclass) 

FB - Piano Technicians Masterclasses | Facebook

Spotify - Piano Tech Radio Hour | Podcast on Spotify

On today’s episode, we have Alex Kostakis join us whose family has been involved in Steinway for many years, and later they started their own rebuilding practice. Alex shares his journey of working on Steinway pianos, the details of the pianos, and the relationship with customers. 

Alex details what goes into his best restored Steinways - a virgin piano that has not been tampered with by anyone, matches all the specifications when reproducing a pin block, adjusts for the wedges on the keyframe to take away from the height of the strings, and create a slope from the top of the rim to the bottom of the rim. 

Alex talks about what it means to read the piano in front of you and how to look at the minor things. All of these go miles in setting you apart and building yourself as a successful piano technician. Tune in to listen from him about all things Steinway and rebuilding. 

Here’s a little bit about our guest Alex Kostakis:

𝐉𝐎𝐈𝐍 𝐔𝐒 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐄 𝐆𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐓 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐓❗❗

Browse more masterclasses and lectures from Piano Tuning Pros here: https://www.pianotechniciansmasterclass.com/

Piano Tech Radio Hour is brought to you by Piano Technicians Master. We provide cutting-edge piano technology instruction from piano industry masters without leaving your home, featuring monthly subscriptions, conventions, single live streaming, and recorded masterclasses. Learn advanced skills:

• How to tune pianos.
• How to repair pianos.
• How to rebuild pianos.
• How to tune concert pianos for the finest performers in the world.

Instagram -Piano Technicians Masterclass (@pianotechmasterclass) 

FB - Piano Technicians Masterclasses | Facebook

Spotify - Piano Tech Radio Hour | Podcast on Spotify

Nick Gravagne, who joined us for the PTM 2020 convention is back on Radio Hour to share some of his insights on building sound boards. Nick has made over 470 soundboards on Steinway and he shares his journey of building a pulse to tell soundboards apart. 

“The more mass there is on the soundboard, the more sound as there is more impetus,” says Nick and shares how to build a balance between the string and the soundboard. 

Nick also shares his own evolution of the understanding of this subject matter and connects it to electronic engineering. He answers questions about steam, rebound, hammer strength, and more. Tune into this session to hear from Nick who has a repository of knowledge on not just soundboard and rebuilding, but also about successfully navigating the career of being a piano technician. 

Here’s a little bit about our guest Nick Gravagne:

Nick combines a formal engineering background with over 40 years of hands-on experience in piano design, manufacturing, and rebuilding. He has authored numerous articles for the piano trade and has been a featured instructor at piano technical seminars all over the U.S. His business currently revolves around rebuilding and manufacturing custom soundboards for the piano rebuilding trade. 

𝐉𝐎𝐈𝐍 𝐔𝐒 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐄 𝐆𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐓 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐓❗❗

Browse more masterclasses and lectures from Piano Tuning Pros here: https://www.pianotechniciansmasterclass.com/

Piano Tech Radio Hour is brought to you by Piano Technicians Master. We provide cutting-edge piano technology instruction from piano industry masters without leaving your home, featuring monthly subscriptions, conventions, single live streaming, and recorded masterclasses. Learn advanced skills:

• How to tune pianos.
• How to repair pianos.
• How to rebuild pianos.
• How to tune concert pianos for the finest performers in the world.

Instagram -Piano Technicians Masterclass (@pianotechmasterclass) 

FB - Piano Technicians Masterclasses | Facebook

Spotify - Piano Tech Radio Hour | Podcast on Spotify

In this episode, David and Eathan talk about pricing in the piano industry, especially during the pandemic and post-pandemic. Raising prices may seem counter-intuitive, but keeping up with your standard of living may be necessary. One participant adds “Now is the time to raise prices, not just to keep up, but to get ahead of the curve”. 

“Historically we do not charge enough as piano technicians, when I raise prices, I am met with more success” shares another participant. During this conversation, the participants help unpack the importance of offering a diverse set of services to your clients as there is no good piano that you cannot make better. 

The path to becoming a high-end piano technician is not just skill, but also building a relationship of trust and having references through word of mouth. In this episode, we further unpack the importance of having a trust-based relationship with your clients and reflections on the PTM 2020 convention. 

Here’s a little bit about our hosts:

David Andersen: 

David Andersen, owner of David Andersen pianos in Los Angeles has been a professional musician, recording artist, and piano technician/consultant for nearly four decades. He has overseen the restoration and maintenance of hundreds of Steinway and Mason & Hamlin pianos during that time. Beginning in 1975 he apprenticed for two and a half years under Jack Cofer in Atlanta, Georgia; during the 1980s he studied at Steinway facilities both in New York and London.

Eathan Janney:

Eathan has 20 years of experience as a piano technician. He studied with Dave Miller, the staff piano technician for the Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University, New Jersey.

Dave Carpenter, the inventor of the Verituner electronic tuning device, provided mentorship for Eathan in Chicago. Eathan also worked with Ken Eschete and Bill Schwarts, the staff piano technicians at Northwestern University in Chicago.

In 2009, he founded Floating Piano Factory of New York, a company that allows piano technicians to move from Apprentice to Craftsman level while offering value pricing to clients as technicians progress toward mastery. In 2017 he founded Piano Technicians Masterclasses, an online project designed to offer cutting-edge instruction from piano industry masters to anyone on the globe with an internet connection.

𝐉𝐎𝐈𝐍 𝐔𝐒 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐄 𝐆𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐓 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐓❗❗

Browse more masterclasses and lectures from Piano Tuning Pros here: https://www.pianotechniciansmasterclass.com/

Piano Tech Radio Hour is brought to you by Piano Technicians Master. We provide cutting-edge piano technology instruction from piano industry masters without leaving your home, featuring monthly subscriptions, conventions, single live streaming, and recorded masterclasses. Learn advanced skills:

• How to tune pianos.
• How to repair pianos.
• How to rebuild pianos.
• How to tune concert pianos for the finest performers in the world.

Instagram -Piano Technicians Masterclass (@pianotechmasterclass) 

FB - Piano Technicians Masterclasses | Facebook

Spotify - Piano Tech Radio Hour | Podcast on Spotify

In this episode, David and Eathan unpack what it means to do things that you are afraid of within the piano business. The pair focus on conquering fear as an essential ingredient in professional development. In his typical generous fashion, David gets vulnerable with his peers in the name of inspiring us all. He shares stories of how he has encountered fear time and again during his time in the industry and why it’s made him better.

Other members of the community are inspired to share their own stories of overcoming fear within different aspects of their journey - teaching, tuning, certification, you name it! Eathan talks about how there is fear on both sides of the table–even the instructors we deeply respect have fear and trepidation sometimes. You can be great in the industry and still encounter nervousness and fear at every level. 

One participant sums it up: “We are a lot more afraid of things than we need to be.” Get ready to be inspired to strive for more! Tune in to hear from other members of the community share stories about how they go about conquering each new obstacle humbly and bravely.

Here’s a little bit about our hosts:

David Andersen: 

David Andersen, owner of David Andersen pianos in Los Angeles has been a professional musician, recording artist, and piano technician/consultant for nearly four decades. He has overseen the restoration and maintenance of hundreds of Steinway and Mason & Hamlin pianos during that time. Beginning in 1975 he apprenticed for two and a half years under Jack Cofer in Atlanta, Georgia; during the 1980s he studied at Steinway facilities both in New York and London.

Eathan Janney:

Eathan has 20 years of experience as a piano technician. He studied with Dave Miller, the staff piano technician for the Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University, New Jersey.

Dave Carpenter, the inventor of the Verituner electronic tuning device, provided mentorship for Eathan in Chicago. Eathan also worked with Ken Eschete and Bill Schwarts, the staff piano technicians at Northwestern University in Chicago.

In 2009, he founded Floating Piano Factory of New York, a company that allows piano technicians to move from Apprentice to Craftsman level while offering value pricing to clients as technicians progress toward mastery. In 2017 he founded Piano Technicians Masterclasses, an online project designed to offer cutting-edge instruction from piano industry masters to anyone on the globe with an internet connection.

𝐉𝐎𝐈𝐍 𝐔𝐒 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐄 𝐆𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐓 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐓❗❗

Browse more masterclasses and lectures from Piano Tuning Pros here: https://www.pianotechniciansmasterclass.com/

Piano Tech Radio Hour is brought to you by Piano Technicians Master. We provide cutting-edge piano technology instruction from piano industry masters without leaving your home, featuring monthly subscriptions, conventions, single live streaming, and recorded masterclasses. Learn advanced skills:

• How to tune pianos.
• How to repair pianos.
• How to rebuild pianos.
• How to tune concert pianos for the finest performers in the world.

Instagram -Piano Technicians Masterclass (@pianotechmasterclass) 

FB - Piano Technicians Masterclasses | Facebook

Spotify - Piano Tech Radio Hour | Podcast on Spotify

Bernard has been in the piano business for over four decades and runs a classic, timeless piano artisan’s workshop. Piano rebuilding is his forte, and he has a wealth of knowledge to share about it. 

Bernard began his fascinating foray into the piano world as the son of a NASA rocket scientist. He shares about the partnerships he made and how he created a thriving business in the piano industry. He also shares the importance of word-of-mouth in this field. 

Bernard takes us through some exquisite pictures of his rebuilding archive and shares his process. He answers questions about how he divides operations in his shop, apportioning some work to part-time employees and contractors. Bernardo talks about how the piano rebuilding process is a team job and what it means to take a leadership role in this intricate process. Intrigued? Enjoy a glimpse of how a seasoned veteran approaches the art of restoring fine instruments. 

𝐉𝐎𝐈𝐍 𝐔𝐒 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐄 𝐆𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐓 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐓❗❗

Browse more masterclasses and lectures from Piano Tuning Pros here: https://www.pianotechniciansmasterclass.com/

Piano Tech Radio Hour is brought to you by Piano Technicians Master. We provide cutting-edge piano technology instruction from piano industry masters without leaving your home, featuring monthly subscriptions, conventions, single live streaming, and recorded masterclasses. Learn advanced skills:

• How to tune pianos.
• How to repair pianos.
• How to rebuild pianos.
• How to tune concert pianos for the finest performers in the world.

Instagram -Piano Technicians Masterclass (@pianotechmasterclass) 

FB - Piano Technicians Masterclasses | Facebook

Spotify - Piano Tech Radio Hour | Podcast on Spotify