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Don Mannino (2 classes): Action Centers: The Secret of Consistent Touch; The Professional Technician
Ralph Miyashiro: How I learned to Stop Worrying and Trust My Ears
Randy Morton: Tokiwa Action Parts: Innovations and Applications
Paul Rea: The Factory Perspective
David Reed: Buzzing About Buzzes
Albert Rice: Appraising Historic Pianos
David Rubenstein: Piano Architecture (2 Periods)
Bill Shull: 3 classes (small classroom) Chickering History and Service;
Early Steinway Service; Rebuilding an Antique Knabe
Kevin Suzuki: Yamaha Grand Damper Regulation with Bosendorfer Damper Comparison
Ed Whitting with Steven Nosworthy and Paul McCloud: A New Tool for Tuning Accuracy
Randy Woltz: Redeeming the Spinet Piano
FULL CLASS DESCRIPTIONS AND INSTRUCTOR BIO’S
Don Mannino RPT
Action Centers: The Secret of Consistent Touch
This class is in two parts within the one class session. The first focuses on understanding how action centers function and why they need service, and the second demonstrates an efficient and highly accurate method for recentering using sized broaches. The discussion will include evaluating the amount of friction needed for any given action part, and the effects of pinning on touch and tone.
The Professional Technician
This session is a thought provoking, discussion centered session about what it means to be a professional piano technician and business person. What personal attributes does it take to be successful? How do we earn customers' respect and repeat business? How do we work with dealers and manufacturers for the best customer service and positive outcome? Come to this class with your thinking cap on, and be ready to enter into the discussion.
About Don Mannino:
Don began working with pianos in 1979 as an apprentice in a rebuilding shop then as an independent piano technician in the San Diego area. After coming to work for Kawai Pianos in 1995 as the manager of technical support, he was promoted to Director of Field Services for Shigeru Kawai Pianos. Don and his wife Patty are the editors of the Southern California Combined PTG newsletter. In 2010 he was certified in Japan as a Kawai "Master Piano Artisan" (or MPA), the Kawai company’s top level concert piano technician. In July 2018 Mr. Mannino was awarded the Piano Technicians Guild’s highest honor, the “Golden Hammer” award. Don retired from Kawai America at the end of December 2022, and continues to provide high level piano service to a limited clientele
Ralph Miyashiro, RPT
Are You ETD Dependent? or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Trust My Ears
This class is designed to equip tuners with basic knowledge to tune without the aid of an ETD. Characteristics of a properly tuned mid-range octave explained and iillustrated. Volunteers asked to help construct a temperament octave, then troubleshoot. Aural verification demonstrated. Tuning theory not necessary or implemented.
About Ralph Miyashiro, RPT:
Ralph has served as the staff technician at San Diego State University for 33 years. He received company sponsored training by Yamaha, Mason and Hamlin, and Bosendorfer. He has served as a production tuner for Kawai America.
Randy Morton, Pacific Piano Supply Co
Tokiwa Action Parts - Innovations and Applications
A brief history of the Tokiwa Company - what goes into making action parts - Design, Materials, Quality and Applications. What is New? Some tips on installing and setting up new parts. A discussion on simplifying Grand Action Regulation. Time for discussion and Q & A.
About Randy Morton
Randy Morton is the president of Pacific Piano Supply Co. and is a rebuilder/tuner/tech. Randy, along with his brother Rob Morton and Mike Farnell operate the company at the Chatsworth CA location. Pacific Piano Supply Co. was founded in 1946 by Don Morton - PTG Past President and Golden Hammer recipient. Since 1992 Pacific Piano Supply Co. has been the exclusive USA and Canada distributor of the Tokiwa Action Parts. Randy has made numerous trips to the Tokiwa factory in Hamamatsu Japan.
Paul Rea, Walter Piano Co.
The Factory Perspective
Piano technicians address piano needs from their unique persective, but they rarely have the opportunity to see the piano from the factory perspective. Paul’s work with multiple manufacturers, and his most recent work with the Walter Piano Company, has given him many insights into piano work from the view of the builder, which can help the technician.
About Paul Rea:
Paul has been involved in a large variety of piano service activites over the course of nearly 50 years. He has run rebuilding shops and refinishing shops. He has worked for piano manufacturers in positions that include Service Manager and Quality Control for Hailun USA, Petrof, and other companies. His current job is at Walter Piano, possibly the most challenging and interesting of all, and one which will certainly his class even more interesting!
David Reed, Kawai America
Buzzed about Buzzes
One of the most frustrating parts of our job is finding and eliminating buzzing noises. In this class we will not only cover possible sources of buzzes, but more importantly guidance on how to track them down and locate the noise, which can be the hardest part, and then how to eliminate the noise. nd this was David’s most popular class at the Arlington VA technical institute in 2023.!
About David Reed
David Reed began working on pianos in 1980 in Fort Worth, Texas and became a RPT in 1989. He eventually became the National Service Manager for Yamaha from 2005 to 2010 and taught classes at national and regional conventions. After serving briefly as the National Service Manager for Pearl River, David joined Kawai in 2011 as its National Service Manager. In January 2023 David became director of field service for Shigeru Kawai.
Albert Rice, PhD
Appraising Historic Pianos
This class focuses on the difficult area of appraising antique and unusual pianos.
About Albert Rice:
Albert Rice, PhD. in musicology, has been appraising musical instruments since 1989. He was curator of musical instruments, Fiske Museum of the Claremont Colleges consisting of over 1200 instruments and 32 pianos. Rice wrote the forward to the new book, Practical Piano Valuation by Larry Fine. He also recently served as the President of the American Musical Instrument Society for two terms.
David Rubenstein
Piano Architecture: designing a one-off piano from a clean sheet
Layout, basic scaling, scantlings and positioning of components, are discussed in this two period class.
About David Rubenstein:
David is well known as a builder of replacement soundboards and piano keys to the piano service and rebuilding industry. Vice-President of Period Piano Collection, his piano building expertise is informed by his interest in historic piano design as well as modern and progressive piano architecture. He has built two notable instruments, one is 12’2” and the other, 8’ long, and these pianos have a considerable following among many fine pianists. He has worked closely with piano designer Del Fandrich, who aided in the design of the Rubenstein pianos and who he has collaborated with in other projects. He has nearly completed a book on how to build a piano which class attendees might want to encourage him to complete, as those of us who have seen it believe in its great value to the world, if it is completed!. But until then, this class is the only way to get into David’s piano-designing mind.
Bill Shull, RPT, M.Mus.
History and Service of Chickering PIanos
This class anticipates the series of articles Bill is writing for the Journal which will celebrate 200 years since the founding of the great Chickering company. The first class presents the fascinating history of the company, which hugely influenced the formation of the modern piano. The second class highlights the service challenges of the 19th and early 20th century pianos: understanding and servicing the Brown action (found in most grand pianos before 1910), managing the problems of age and antiqueness; and giving attention to the 20th century Chickering challenges, from the Quartergrands to the concert grands. (2 periods, repeated once - small class format)
History and Service of Antique Steinway Grand Pianos
The Steinway piano presented many difficulties and challenges in its long formative period. Piano technicians frequently find surprises in Steinway pianos built up until 1923, and struggle with the variations from the factory over their entire production. This class addresses the challenges of rocker and pinned actions, antique damper actions with screw in wires or wood set screws, unusual key ratios, and traditional stretchers. Small class format 1 period
Restoring an Antique Knabe Grand Piano
This class comes on the heels of a newly completed shop project. The 1881 3-plane (double overstrung) grand piano built by Knabe for 20 years or more was a remarkable, but complicated instrument. This class will show how the traditional stretcher/mortised style pinblock was replaced, how the action with progressive key ratio and pinned whippens was restored, how the damper back action was replaced and a sostenuto pedal installed. Small class format, 1 period
About Bill Shull:
Bill Shull has serviced pianos for 43 years, and has spent a good part of the last 20 years studying the history and service of Steinway, Mason and Hamlin, Knabe, Chickering and Baldwin pianos. He founded the Period Piano Center (AKA Period Piano Collection), a collection of nearly 100 pianos dating from the late 18th century to the early 20th century. He will lead a tour of the Period Piano Collection Museum on Sunday afternoon.
Kazuma (Kevin) Suzuki, Yamaha Corporation of America
Yamaha Grand Piano Damper Regulation with Bosendorfer Damper Comparison
Proper damper regulation and function brings fear to many piano technicians. This class will present regulation procedure and description of Yamaha’s damper system as well as compare and contrast the function of the Yamaha and Bösendorfer systems. While Bösendorfer is within the Yamaha family, their unique design implies their own considerations for the damper system.
Proper damper regulation and function brings fear to many piano technicians. This class will present regulation procedures and descriptions of Yamaha’s damper system as well as compare and contrast the function of the Yamaha and Bösendorfer systems. While Bösendorfer is within the Yamaha family, their unique design implies their own considerations for the damper system.
About Kevin Suzuki:
Kazuma Suzuki came to Yamaha Corporation of America in October of 2018. Having joined Yamaha Corporation of Japan in 2006, Kazuma served at Yamaha Artist Services Europe in 2012, 2013, and Yamaha Music Europe in Germany from 2013 to 2015. Since then he has been at the Piano Technical Services group at YCJ.
Ed Whitting, RPT, Paul McCloud, RPT, Steven Norsworthy, M.Mus., PhD
Raising the Bar: A New Tool for Tuning Accuracy Within a Fraction of a Cent
It is now possible to tune perfect unisons to within a fraction of a cent without playing two strings simultaneously and matching them by ear. This is accomplished by using a new electronic sensor which directly isolates and measures the vibration characteristics of a single string or a combined unison set. With this new technology, we are able to dispel long held myths about tuning and piano string behavior by showing what is actually happening as strings vibrate. Resulting benefits include: 0.1 cents accuracy tuning unisons, no loss of tuning quality in a noisy environment, better false beat detection and resolution, and consistent measurement, no longer dependent on placement of a mic. Comparisons are made showing why there is currently no better way to accurately tune unisons and measure inharmonicity. The sensor works with existing ETD’s and has been field tested on various pianos.
About Steven Norsworthy: Steven Norsworthy is a world authority of signal processing engineering. He holds advanced degrees in both engineering and music and has held university teaching positions and professional appointments in both fields. As an engineer, holds 137 patents in subjects related to signal processing, communications electronics, and data conversion, spanning both audio and radio frequency. He is the father of many ‘firsts’ in cellular communications technologies, including the world’s first single tooth Bluetooth, and the first single-chip digital cellular modem. He has authored the most cited textbook on data conversion with over 5000 citations. As a musician, he is highly proficient in both piano, brass instruments, and conducting. He has recently invented a new electronic sensor for piano tuning and calibration, with unprecedented dynamic range and directional focus. He also invented a new concept of ‘freeze frame tuning’ for ETD’s, which accurately allows measuring tuning after a specified duration of time after the initial attack. He owns a Fazioli F308 piano that was used in competitions and professional recordings.
About Paul McCloud: Paul McCloud is a Registered Piano Technician living in San Diego, CA. He originally apprenticed at Piano Exchange beginning in 1988. Continued employment until 2007 as Head Technician, then same position until 2010 when the business went out. Self-Employed since 2010. Piano Technicians Guild Member since 1991, RPT status achieved in 1993. Frequent contributor to Pianotech list-server. Vice President of local chapter over 10 years.
About Ed Whitting: Ed Whitting is a second-generation piano tuner/technician who graduated from Sims School of Piano Technology in 1970. Corporately, he worked for Yamaha International Corp., as a Piano Service Consultant and was Assistant Technical Manager at Kawai America Corp. In 1979, he accepted the position of Principle Piano Technician at the Los Angeles Philharmonic. In 1987 he resigned from that position to become National Director of Technical Services for Young Chang America Corp. He has acted as a Technical Service Consultant for all major piano manufacturers including Baldwin, Schimmel, Fazioli, Bosendorfer, Samick, Kawai, Yamaha, Steinway, and others. Some of the Artists Ed has worked with include Van Clyburn, Prince, Emanuel Ax, Andre Previn, Henry Mancini, Frank Sinatra, Michael Tilson Thomas, Alicia de Larrocha, Iron Maiden, Sara Gazarek, Andre Watts, Leonard Bernstein, Bill Evans, George Shearing, Paul Smith, Leon Fleisher, Dave Brubeck, Chick Corea, Maurizio Pollini, Josh Nelson, Andy Williams, and Alfred Brendel. Ed’s piano recording work is heard on Classical, Jazz, Pop, Rock, and Christian radio stations. Ed is Past President of the South Bay Chapter, a member of Music Teacher’s Assn. of California, a Sigma Alpha Iota “Friend of the Arts” and has been a contributor to PianoBuyer.com
Randy Woltz, RPT, M.Mus
Understanding the Drop-Action Spinet
A complete overview of spinet pianos. Different types of actions, repairs, removing the action, plastic elbows, things to be aware of. This class was a hit at the annual convention!.
About Randy Woltz:
Randy has been an RPT since 1973 and he knows his stuff! A popular chapter instructor and regional conference instructor, Randy has taught on many subjects which have edified the field piano technician. He is also a gifted church musician, organist and pianist with another specialty in theatre organ, a regular at the El Segundo “Mighty Wurlitzer” at the Old Town Music Hall, and composer/arranger