Piano Technicians Guild
| 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) is an American organization for Registered Piano Technicians, headquartered in Kansas City, Kansas. 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]
Membership categories and requirements
The PTG is primarily an 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 (RPT) 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 tuning exam, and a bench test, where the examinee demonstrates competence in common repairs and regulation of grand and upright actions. 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, and the results 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]
Education and conventions
Guild members improve their skills through training offered by local chapters and seminars held on the regional and national level.[5] The Piano Technicians Guild also publishes a monthly technical magazine, the Piano Technicians Journal.[6]