Piano Technology at FSU

Check out what is inside a piano at wfsu.org/keysandhammers!

The piano is a cornerstone instrument in Western music, as well as being the most technologically complex. Maintaining pianos is the job of the piano technician, who is part carpenter, part engineer, and part musician. It's not a job a lot of people set out to do, but is one that is crucial to keeping these elegant instruments making beautiful music. For the most part, a technician falls into the job "accidentally," following a circuitous, nonlinear path.

Florida State University has made the path a little more linear with its new Master of Arts program in Piano Technology. Under the direction of Anne Garee (FSU's Director of Piano Technology), two students get intensive training- responsible for upkeep of 50 pianos each, as well as historical keyboard instruments like harpsichords and forte pianos. In addition to these duties, Amy Porter and Jen Roberts had to restore a 1954 Mason & Hamlin grand piano.

Florida State University is an ideal location for the program, with a top music school featuring talented students and musicians and with hundreds of concerts held yearly. Two hundred and forty pianos grace classrooms and concert halls. Pianos have to be kept in shape for performances featuring Grammy award winning faculty like Marcus Roberts, distinguished visitors like Chick Corea, or for national television shows like Peanuts Gallery (featuring music composed by Pulitzer Prize winning alumnus Ellen Taaffe Zwilich no less).

In this video, you'll see some of the restoration that started in Fall of '06 and was just completed in February of 2008. You'll also hear the piano being tested out by FSU graduate student Xu Hui. It's a fascinating look into an aspect of music that not a lot of people get to see.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• classical
• Florida
• State
• University
• FSU
• piano
• technology
• restoration
• College
• of
• music
• WFSU

[godsloved3]

what is that one lady talking about? i want to be a piano technician when i get older. or a member of the symphony

[wfsuoutloud]

I think what she was trying to say is that most people who end up being technicians start out wanting to be piano players rather than technicians, but then they may be commenting more on their own experiences.

[ronnieericsson]

Hi! Would you have a look at my squeaky, heavy played piano action?

I have a video clip of it on my page.

[lovesGenet]

A semester should be required for piano students.We should know something about the instrument.I didn't find out about the 3 diff weights in regions of till after I graduated . Strange ,Hofmann knew everything about the piano :that complemented his formidable technique .

[Cadw]

Never have I seen so many women piano technicians in one place WOW! Any room for a male PTT : ) Heaven!

[yazatintswe]

Sorry, me, again,... but... it took me a while to trace her down of where she might be. I can't find your number or email yet... FSU is great.

[yazatintswe]

Phie....

I just saw you here! Thanks, YouTube.

[hades15000]

well put together documentary.

[kcoolrule]

Go on FSU's website and look up College of Music. You're not going to get all those questions answered over youtube. This was merely a documentary.

[arg13415]

I certainly agree with her when she says there are not enough people in the field doing their job well.

I am sure any graduate from FSU will get a job tuning pianos at universities and concert halls. But, unfortunately piano technician is a dying field since people are really beginning to switch to ultra realistic electronic pianos in their homes.

[ink24571]

do you get blisters easily on your fingers and hands doing this work?

[ink24571]

what is it like being a piano tuner? Do you make enough money? Where can you live, what is your lifestyle, is it easy to get clients? How long does it take to get the degree/certificate? Can you work immediately within a few months? How long does it usually take for certified technician to find work, and what is majority of starting salary for entry level?