| Piano Technicians Guild | |
|---|---|
| Abbreviation | PTG |
| Formation | 1957 |
| Purpose/focus | Association of piano technicians. Registered Piano Technicians (RPT's) have passed standardized examinations |
| Headquarters | Kansas City, KS |
| Location | Kansas City KS |
| Region served | USA |
| Website | http://www.ptg.org |
The Piano Technicians Guild (PTG), based in Kansas City, Kansas, is the official organization of the Registered Piano Technician (RPT). The PTG was formed in 1957 when the American Society of Piano Technicians and the National Association of Piano Tuners merged to form a single organization.[1]
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The PTG is a primarily American trade association with open membership. It states that anyone with a professional or avocational interest in piano technology may join. The title of Registered Piano Technician must be earned by passing a series of examinations.[2] There are three examinations: a written multiple choice test consisting of questions covering all areas of piano technology and tuning; a bench test, where the examinee demonstrates competence in common repairs and regulation of grand and upright actions; and a tuning exam. For the tuning exam, RPTs perform a standardized piano tuning on a test piano until they agree no improvements on the tuning can be made. The results of this "master tuning" are then stored on an electronic tuning device. The piano is then detuned so the examinee can tune it, the results of which are compared to the master tuning for scoring.[3]
An Associate is a member who has not taken or passed the RPT examinations. Associates may be piano retailers, refinishers or technicians working toward but not having yet attained RPT status.[4]
Guild members improve their skills through training offered by local chapters and seminars held on the regional and national level.[5] It also publishes a monthly technical magazine, the Piano Technicians Journal.[6]