my work
I work as a Registered Piano Technician in southern WV, as a private instructor of aural tuning, as an instructor with The Butler School of Piano Technology (not currently taking students for the full program), and as a contributor to the Professional Piano Technician's Network.
For my local piano work, I focus on the long term care and maintenance of pianos. This means I do more than just tune. Pianos that haven't been serviced in many years sometimes require a full day or more to return them to good working order. This includes a pitch raise, tuning, cleaning, regulation, minor repairs, and minimal voicing. Pianos that are serviced regularly (1-4 times per year) receive these services a little at a time each visit and only receive a full day service as needed.
For online education, I teach aural piano tuning using Zoom, video, and email. For fees, please scroll further down on this page.
For local education, I teach in my home and at the Appalachian South Folklife Center in May.
Please click on these links for more information about the TUNING and TECH camps in May.
For all other questions, please CONTACT ME.
REMEMBER!
The quality of any piano tuning is inversely proportional to the level of noise in the area during the tuning!
DO NOT let anyone “bang” on the keys. This can put the piano instantly out of tune, as well as cause damage to the action.
A piano is affected by humidity. Changes in humidity can not only put a piano out of tune quickly, but extreme fluxuations can cause damage over time. The problem with this type of damage is that it is slow and subtle, and doesn’t always show until it’s too late. A piano needs to be kept between 35% and 50% humidity, with 42% being ideal. This can be done by treating the room with a humidistat controlled humidifier and/or dehumidifier, or with a climate control system developed specifically for pianos. You can learn more about these systems here.
fees
Fees for piano work depend on the needs of the piano and how far I must travel. Please contact me for pricing.
It is wise to plan ahead and schedule your appointment 6 months in advance. I can sometimes schedule sooner if I've have a cancellation. If you need a last minute tuning I will try to accommodate you as best as possible or connect you with another tuner in your area. Existing customers have priority.
Fees for lessons are $70/per every 2 sessions or $120/month if you want long term lessons interacting four times per month. One session is one zoom or two video/email exchanges. Contact me for more details.