Piano Tech Radio Hour

Piano Technicians Masterclasses

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"Inspiring the Future of the Piano Tech Community" Each Saturday at 2 pm ET we'll meet via video stream with a special guest. In continuing support of you as a quarantined piano technician, and in your life beyond, it's another free resource brought to you by Piano Technicians Masterclasses. For more information visit: http://www.pianotechradio.com

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Top 10 Piano Tech Radio Hour Episodes

Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Piano Tech Radio Hour episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Piano Tech Radio Hour for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Piano Tech Radio Hour episode by adding your comments to the episode page.

Insights on Piano Tuning Exam w/ Ricki Kloss

Piano Tech Radio Hour

10/04/23 • 58 min

Ricki Kloss is a certified tuning examiner and has been in the piano business since 1995. She shares her story of accidentally wandering onto her career path, encountering one opportunity after another, and eventually opening her own business in 1995.

Ever feel like you know only a tiny bit about what it means to be a piano technician? Ricki shares her thoughts on what it means to be a lifelong apprentice in this field and explains what it is to “fail upwards”.

Since Ricki is a certified tuning examiner, she shares how to go about the exam, who to contact and what resources you need. Ricki says “A lot of the challenge in the exam is timing. People need to work on the timing of each skill in the exam.” If you want more great tips and insights into the exam, jump right into this episode and take notes.

Here’s a little bit about our guest Ricki Kloss:

Ricki Kloss, was a perfect example of someone doing what it takes to make things happen. She has been in full-time business since 1995 when she also joined the PTG. Since then she’s stepped in to help wherever she sees a gap. She’s volunteered with the PTG to become a leader among female techs, a convention organizer, and a strong advocate for educational opportunities.

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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.

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Unconventional Piano Tuning Tricks w/ Alan Eder

Piano Tech Radio Hour

03/27/24 • 80 min

Make sure to get in on our latest masterclass covering Action Geometry with Dean Reyburn. Join us Thursday April 18 at 3pm Pacific or 6pm Eastern Time. Visit https://bit.ly/pianoaction to register!

In today’s session, we have you join us for the PTM Annual Convention session with Alan Eder, a full-time piano tech for the California Institute of Arts for 38 years. He gives a lecture on the tools and methods to use that are outside the mainstream. This is not a regulation-focused lecture.

Have you ever successfully taken a grand action out of a piano without breaking the hammer string? Well, Alan is about to teach us just that. To not do more harm than there already is, we start by grabbing key frame end pins. The inadvertent depression of the keys causes the hammers to come up and break. You can also try to grab the action brackets. Before you do any action, make sure the hammers are down.

If it is not an action that you have worked on before, then retrofit the action bracket screws. Then, move on to scruffing the hammer tails. This allows you to eliminate the trauma to the centerpiece while doing this.

All these great tips and more in this lecture with Alan Eder. Tune in to find out!

Here’s a little bit about our guest Alan Eder:

Registered Piano Technician Alan Eder has been the full-time piano tech for the Herb Alpert School of Music at the California Institute of the Arts for 38 years. He has trained with such luminaries of our field as Keith Hardesty and Richard Davenport, RPT, and with Yamaha and Steinway. In turn, Alan has trained many accomplished piano technicians enjoying successful careers as field technicians and working for music schools, piano dealers, and manufacturers. Under the auspices of the Piano Technicians Guild, Alan has taught numerous classes at chapter meetings and regional and national conventions, alone and in collaboration with others. Alan has been a featured guest on Piano Tech Radio Hour, along with pianist Danny Holt, and has been involved in the production of several piano-centric videos, including "Non-Traditional Piano Use," "American Grand" (Amazon Prime), "A Glimpse Into Montal's Paris" (Youtube) and "Piano Rap" (Youtube).

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 Masterclass. We provide cutting-edge piano technology instruction from piano industry masters without leaving your home, featuring monthly subscriptions, conventions, single livestreams, and recorded masterclasses. Learn advanced skills such as:

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

Make sure to get in on our latest masterclass covering Action Geometry with Dean Reyburn. Join us Thursday April 18 at 3pm Pacific or 6pm Eastern Time. Visit https://bit.ly/pianoaction to register!

Building Trust In The Piano Industry w/ Rich Galassini

Piano Tech Radio Hour

11/30/22 • 38 min

"We'll see a snap back in this industry."

In this episode, Rich Galassini joins us at Piano Tech Radio Hour while we are stuck amidst a pandemic. We are still figuring out how to bring our piano tuning businesses back. Most of us even think our careers are over, and we might never get back up again.

However, Rich has different opinions. And he’s tracking different indicators. The visits to his company’s website are increasing during the lockdown.

Not only that, but he joins us having gotten ten leads interested in purchasing a piano on a previous YouTube Livestream.

He thinks that people are getting more curious about pianos due to the sheer amount of free time available. He says, "If we were lunch providers for office goers, our business would probably be doomed (for at least a year or so), But we're piano dealers/techs. When people think about a purchase from us, they undergo a careful consideration process before buying."

According to Rich, the buyer purchases can be put off, the clients can do their research, and the piano business will see a snap back after the pandemic. Sit tight, take every opportunity to build trust with your clients during tough times, and you’ll come out ahead in the end.

Tune into this episode to learn more about Piano dealerships, building trust with your customers, the piano industry post-covid, and more with Rich Galassini.

Here's a little bit about our guest Rich Galassini:

Rich Galassini was nineteen years old when he first visited Cunningham Pianos as a customer with his parents. A few years later, in 1987, when he was just 23, Rich began working at the store. After working closely with the family that owned the business, Rich was able to purchase the company and remains the owner and president. His background in music performance and music education has played a strong role in the leadership of the business both within their community and within the music industry.

JOIN US FOR MORE GREAT CONTENT❗❗

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

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

Only Specialized Technicians Survive? w/ Ric Overton

Piano Tech Radio Hour

11/02/22 • 52 min

It's not easy being an expert. Especially because your expertise makes it so only you can tell that you're right! Our guest, Ric Overton, has had many experiences where he warned his customers against purchasing a piano... but then they went ahead, bought it, and found themselves in trouble.

Rick thinks we all should frame our perspective from that of an expert–be it a piano dealer or technician; it's our responsibility to communicate the knowledge correctly. We have to be armed with the correct information to help our customers make the right decisions about purchases, investments or any other expenditure of time or energy.

Our knowledge also dictates how good we do in this industry in the future. To be successful with the right clients, you need to have some specialized skills that set you apart.

Our co-host, David Andersen, also chimes in, saying that, in a few years, only the specialized piano techs will survive. According to him, having high-end clients is something every technician should aim for if they want to last longer in the industry. He believes that staying up-to-date on new trends, techniques, and skills is very important.

Tune into this episode to learn more about what Ric thinks about building a relationship with a customer, providing them with value, being open to communication and making communication more accessible, and listening to the client's concerns while selling a piano.

Here's a little bit about our guest Ric Overton:

Ric has a 40-year history as a piano player, choir director, piano store owner and manager. He is currently the owner of R. Kassman, Purveyor of Fine Pianos in the Bay area, and has a profound knowledge of the entire worldwide piano business.

JOIN US FOR MORE GREAT CONTENT❗❗

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

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 Piano And Tuner Are One w/ Dale Erwin and Arlan Harris (Part 1)

Piano Tech Radio Hour

12/07/22 • 56 min

Many of us feel pressure while we work, actively concentrating on what we are doing. It's not bad, but over time it can lead to frustration and puts a fence around our work.

Our co-host David Andersen shares his philosophy on piano tuning–just relax and pay attention to your work. Because 8/10 times, your body knows exactly what to do and you can just watch it perform. We just have to let our years of practice flow through us as we pay attention to our actions.

Arlan Harris, our guest, reinforces the concept that paying attention is an aspect of passive observance. When you can passively observe what you're doing, you can quickly become one with your work.

If you're playing/tuning and passively observing what you're doing, you become the piano. You are one with the piano.

In this episode, our guests Dale Erwin and Arlan Harris extensively talk about how you can level up as a piano technician by doing some simple but underrated things like training your ears. Listen to pianos and their tunings and study what you hear. Ask the pianists what they want out of a tuning/piano and listen carefully to their input. As per Arlan's experience, pianists love getting involved in the tuning process, and they are the happiest when we tune their piano just the way they want it to sound. We often get to learn from them just like they learn from us.

Learn more about communicating with pianists/customers, getting vulnerable by asking questions, and levelling up by “tuning” into this episode.

Here's a little bit about our guests:

Dale Erwin:

Dale being a piano technician wasn’t a planned event, he was unintentionally trainedcame by accompanying his dad to countless tunings and soaking in the craft through hours of absorption in a shop environment. His official training began with my Dad & Dick Hamlett in 1972 at the family Yamaha dealership in Modesto.

Dale became a registered piano technician in 1980. He had the privelege to serve as president of local Piano Technician Guild chapter five years, a tuning examiner for 8 years & an instructor at the local, state, and national level. He has had enormous opportunities and has taught many classes at state, local, and national Piano Technicians Guild conventions.

Arlan Harris:

Arlan is a piano restorer and a concert piano technician. After working in the Famous Steinway Hall Basement in the 80’s, where many of the world's most demanding artists arrived almost on a daily basis and working as an action specialist as well as tuner/technician, Arlan honed his skills learning from his superiors, colleagues, and top-level pianists. He is the president of Arlan Harris Pianos and Services and Arlan Harris Production.

JOIN US FOR MORE GREAT CONTENT❗❗

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

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 Piano And Tuner Are One w/ Dale Erwin and Arlan Harris (Part 2)

Piano Tech Radio Hour

12/14/22 • 55 min

If you are someone who likes a power-packed lecture? This podcast episode with Dale Erwin and Arlan Harris is just for you.

They talk about everything from using B72, using it on low compression, high-density hammer, how B72 and acetone is the best hardening solution, diagnosing the hammers, and what might be needed to do to change the tone of the hammer.

Using different methods to brighten your hammer and how to find what kind of mixture to use to bring out the tone you want. Non-destructive ways to do the needle test on hammers and more.

Learn from Dale Erwin and Arlan Harris, who have worked on thousands of pianos, tried and tested several methods, and are now sharing their knowledge along with David Andersen and Eathan Janney.

Here's a little bit about our guests:

Dale Erwin:

Dale being a piano technician wasn’t a planned event, he was unintentionally trained came by accompanying his dad to countless tunings and soaking in the craft through hours of absorption in a shop environment. His official training began with my Dad & Dick Hamlett in 1972 at the family Yamaha dealership in Modesto.

Dale became a registered piano technician in 1980. He had the privilege to serve as president of the local Piano Technician Guild chapter for five years, a tuning examiner for 8 years & an instructor at the local, state, and national levels. He has had enormous opportunities and has taught many classes at state, local, and national Piano Technicians Guild conventions.

Arlan Harris:

Arlan is a piano restorer and a concert piano technician. After working in the Famous Steinway Hall Basement in the 80s, where many of the world's most demanding artists arrived almost on a daily basis, and working as an action specialist as well as tuner/technician, Arlan honed his skills learning from his superiors, colleagues, and top-level pianists. He is the president of Arlan Harris Pianos and Services and Arlan Harris Production.

JOIN US FOR MORE GREAT CONTENT❗❗

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

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

How A Piano Teacher Sees Pianos w/ Owen Lovell

Piano Tech Radio Hour

12/21/22 • 56 min

Tune into this episode and hear Owen Lovell talk about his passion for the piano, the state of the piano industry, and his journey into becoming a writer and academic!

If you play your cards right, a role as a university music professor can provide you with all sorts of wonderful opportunities. This episode’s guest, Owen Lovell. Owen is the piano review editor for Larry Fine’s Acoustic and Digital Piano Buyer and an associate professor of music at Georgia College. Interestingly, he has trained as a piano technician under our good friend Sally Phillips.

He found his way into his work with Piano Buyer because, as a teacher at a University, he has the opportunity to come across many pianos and pianists who can develop opinions on them, and have the time and skill to write about them.

In this episode, we learn all sorts of fascinating things about Piano Buyer and how it works, as well as gain incredible insight from Owen’s multifaceted perspective as a player, teacher, technician, and editor at Piano Buyer.

Communication is something that emerged as a very important topic to us in the piano industry. Communication is about listening, not about talking, and pianists and tuners are great listeners.

So we just have to extend that to the relationship side of things. An FBI-trained hostage negotiator talks about listening and asking the right questions when negotiating tough negotiations. At the same time, some of the best concert technicians will take the time to sit back and actually listen to the client play the piano before they have a conversation about what needs to happen with that instrument.

All that to say, use your expert listening skills to enjoy this episode and you’ll get a ton out of it.

Here's a little bit about our guest Owen Lovell:

Pianist Owen Lovell has appeared as a soloist and critically acclaimed chamber musician in seventeen U.S. states, Washington, D.C., Canada, Mexico, Switzerland, and the Netherlands. Commercial releases include tracks with rock musician Kip Winger (2008, Frontiers Records) and ASCAP award-winning composer Randall Bauer (2016, Albany Records). Owen has performed in live broadcasts on Wisconsin Public Radio and Austin, Texas NPR affiliate, KUT–FM. He has worked with many prizewinning composers, most notably Lowell Liebermann, Michael Torke, Samuel Adler, Joan Tower, Dan Welcher, Eric Ewazen, David Maslanka, Denis Smalley, and Roberto Sierra. Owen maintains professional two–piano and violin and piano collaborations, delighting audiences in settings ranging from rural community churches to the Kennedy Center.

JOIN US FOR MORE GREAT CONTENT❗❗

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

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

Your Mentors And Network Build You w/ David Andersen

Piano Tech Radio Hour

12/28/22 • 66 min

In this session, David Andersen talks about the power of having people that inspire you to be unafraid, put in the hard work, and be resilient to failures. You want your mentors and the technicians you hang out with to embody the right attitude that inspires you.

David further discusses how our fear of “being bad at” something prevents us from taking action toward our goals. Listen as David goes on to share about one of the massive mistakes in his career--how he killed a piano. But went on to survive and thrive!

Tune into this episode to learn what David did that made him lose one of his clients. And gain a valuable life lesson that defines him today.

Here's a little bit about our host 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.

JOIN US FOR MORE GREAT CONTENT❗❗

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

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 - https://www.instagram.com/pianotechmasterclass

FB - https://www.facebook.com/pianotechmasterclass

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1jiIJEA9pToGft6fdfZaxu

Through The Eyes Of A Pianist w/ Alan Eder and Danny Holt

Piano Tech Radio Hour

01/04/23 • 61 min

A competent pianist should understand the Tuning, Touch, and Tone circle. Knowing these basics can help them be intentional about the sounds they want to create.

Our guest Danny Holt, a multiple award winner and a global pianist, shares his experience as a pianist of learning about how pianos work. Understanding the basics of piano technology has helped him get his pianos tuned and cared for in the way he wants. When he was less informed, he couldn't figure out if an issue was related to tuning, voicing, or a regulation. But with time, he got better at communicating his piano’s needs with the technician.

He also recalls how understanding piano tech basics helped him improve the sound of his pianos for concerts and make specific tweaks with the help of a technician.

Tune into this session to learn more about what a pianist needs from a piano and hear some fun anecdotes from our amazing guests, Alan Eder and Danny Holt.

Here's a little bit about our guests:

Alan Eder:

Danny Holt:

Called "phenomenal" by the late music critic Alan Rich (solveheard.com) and hailed as one of the "local heroes" of the Los Angeles Music Scene (LAcitybeat.com), pianist Danny Holt brings his boundless energy and wit to unique interpretations of new music, 20th-century music, and obscure, unusual and neglected repertoire from past centuries.

Holt performs around the globe in concert halls (Carnegie Hall, Walt Disney Concert Hall, Hollywood Bowl), clubs, art galleries, churches, living rooms, and wherever else he can find a piano and someone to listen to.

Danny has held fellowships at the Bang On a Can Summer Music Institute, the Weill Music Institute at Carnegie Hall, New England Conservatory's Summer Institute for Contemporary Practice, and more. Visit his website [dannyholt.net] for more information on his adventures around the globe!

JOIN US FOR MORE GREAT CONTENT❗❗

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

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 - https://www.instagram.com/pianotechmasterclass

FB - https://www.facebook.com/pianotechmasterclass

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1jiIJEA9pToGft6fdfZaxu

Dealers, Techs and Piano Innovation w/ Ric Overton

Piano Tech Radio Hour

10/18/24 • 60 min

In this unique episode of Piano Tech Radio Hour, we’re thrilled to sit down with Ric Overton, a true veteran of the piano world, whose career spans decades of expertise and hands-on work. Ric brings his unique perspective on the craft of piano technology, blending stories of personal experiences with insights into how the industry has transformed over time.

From his humble beginnings in piano tuning to becoming a go-to expert for complex restorations, Ric’s journey is filled with dedication, learning, and a deep passion for the instrument. He shares the challenges and triumphs of his work, revealing the creative problem-solving that goes into each project. Whether it's troubleshooting mechanical issues or restoring a piano to its former glory, Ric's methodical approach and love for the craft are sure to inspire.

But it’s not just about technical skill—Ric also opens up about the changing landscape of piano technology. He offers a fascinating look at how modern advancements are shaping the way technicians work, from the introduction of hybrid pianos to the evolution of tools and techniques.

As a strong advocate for our community, Ric emphasizes the power of collaboration and lifelong learning. He believes that the heart of the industry lies in the relationships among professionals, and how sharing knowledge and experiences can drive the craft forward. This episode delves into the importance of building connections, learning from others, and contributing to a vibrant, supportive network of piano professionals.

Ric’s thoughtful advice for aspiring technicians rounds out the conversation, offering practical tips for those entering the field. He encourages patience, resilience, and a commitment to continuous improvement—traits that have defined his own success.

Whether you’re a seasoned piano technician looking for fresh insights, or someone new to the world of piano technology, this episode is packed with wisdom, inspiration, and a celebration of the craft. Join us to hear Ric’s story, his expert advice, and his reflections on the evolving world of piano technology!

About Ric Overton:

Ric Overton is a seasoned piano industry pro and the owner of R. Kassman, Purveyor of Fine Pianos, located in the San Francisco Bay Area. With over four decades of experience in the piano industry, his expertise spans piano performance, choir direction, and piano retail management. Ric’s profound knowledge of the global piano business has made him a respected figure among musicians and technicians alike.

Originally from North Carolina, Ric discovered his passion for pianos and music early in life. This led him to a career in piano sales and marketing, including significant roles with Baldwin Piano and his own store, PianoSD.com, in San Diego. His commitment to the piano community is evident through his active participation in various industry forums and his dedication to promoting the art of piano care and maintenance.

Beyond his technical skills, Ric is deeply involved in the musical community, appreciating all genres of music and serving on the executive board of a local performance company. He holds piano teachers and technicians in high esteem, considering them the driving force behind the industry's success.

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