Piano owners in Ohio and elsewhere should be aware that some claims of ‘certification’ in the piano industry fail this test of independence. To my knowledge, the PTG’s RPT Certification is the only Piano Tuning and Service Certification which fulfills the third party requirement. The basis of a reliable and authentic Certification is that a trusted third party tests the skills of the applicant using consistent and clearly defined criteria. In general terms, a primary standard of Professional Certification is that it is third-party and independent from training courses or course providers. Since piano tuning does not require a government license, to voluntarily earn the Professional Certification of RPT reflects a technician’s deep and continuing commitment to the career. RPT exam procedures comply with standards of objectivity mandated by US anti-trust regulations, thus assuring that exams are fair for all applicants. The RPT exams have been adjusted and refined over the years, especially post-1980, to the point that I believe they are the best and most rigorous of any skilled trade. RPT (Registered Piano Technician) has been the premier piano technician certification in the US and Canada ever since the Piano Technicians Guild was formed in 1957. If you live in areas around Gallipolis, Hillsboro, Jackson, Logan, Lucasville, McArthur, Peebles, Portsmouth, Rio Grande, Washington Court House, Waverly or Wellston, please give me a call and I will work in a time to get to your area. While my primary service area is mostly around Chillicothe and Circleville, I am sensitive to the fact that many owners of fine pianos do not have a qualified RPT nearby. There are currently about 1800 RPTs in the US and Canada, though these are mostly in urban areas. Do it for your customers they deserve it. I encourage all piano technicians to pursue the exams and to persevere until they reach the RPT goal. I have served as an official assistant for both the tuning and technical RPT exams and in my opinion the rigor and objectivity surrounding the RPT certification exams surpass those of any similar trade. The entire process of study and preparation to become a certified piano technician takes most candidates two years or more and costs several thousand dollars in exam fees and travel to exam sites. A visual electronic tuning aid may be used for the remaining 60+ notes. This proves to be very difficult for many candidates who have only learned to tune electronically and they become discouraged, although with study and perseverance they can usually pass in time. Particularly, the RPT tuning exam requires the applicant demonstrate ability to tune two octaves in the piano midrange completely by ear without any electronic tuning aid. Both of these exams are completely objective and are very difficult, so tough that as many as half of the candidates do not pass the first time and must schedule a retake. The technical exam and the tuning exam are both 4 hours long and may be taken in any order. The third exam tests piano tuning skills. The second exam tests technical skills in repairing and maintaining piano actions and parts. The first one is a one-hour exam which tests general piano knowledge. There are three RPT certification exams which take a total of nine hours. They may seek out a mentor among the PTG members in their local chapter, and when they feel they are ready for the exams, pursue the RPT certification. Most professional piano tuners begin their career by joining the PTG for the experience and to benefit from seminars and continuing education. There is an established piano tuning credential however, administered by the Piano Technicians Guild (PTG). The piano tuning profession does not require a State license like many other trades, despite the fact that piano tuning is one of the most highly skilled trade occupations there is. What is a Registered Piano Technician RPT ?Īn RPT is a certified piano tuner, or more accurately a Registered Piano Technician. If you have wondered these things, please stay with me and read this page. Others may ask, “Does piano tuning require a license?”, “What is the Piano Tuning Certification called?”, “How can I verify my piano tuner is certified?”, or “What education do piano tuners have?”. Many of my clients ask, “What do the letters RPT represent?”.
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