Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners
Overview
SaveJob Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
Experience
Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
Education
Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Job Training
Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
Examples
These occupations usually involve using communication and organizational skills to coordinate, supervise, manage, or train others to accomplish goals. Examples include hydroelectric production managers, desktop publishers, electricians, agricultural technicians, barbers, court reporters and simultaneous captioners, and medical assistants.
Repair percussion, stringed, reed, or wind instruments. May specialize in one area, such as piano tuning.
Yearly Salary
| High: | $60K |
| Median: | $36K |
| Low: | $23K |
Demand
Core Tasks
- Adjust string tensions to tune instruments, using hand tools and electronic tuning devices.
- Align pads and keys on reed or wind instruments.
- Solder posts and parts to hold them in their proper places.
- Compare instrument pitches with tuning tool pitches to tune instruments.
- Play instruments to evaluate their sound quality and to locate any defects.
- Disassemble instruments and parts for repair and adjustment.
- Repair or replace musical instrument parts and components, such as strings, bridges, felts, and keys, using hand and power tools.
- Reassemble instruments following repair, using hand tools and power tools and glue, hair, yarn, resin, or clamps, and lubricate instruments as necessary.
- Remove dents and burrs from metal instruments, using mallets and burnishing tools.
- Adjust felt hammers on pianos to increase tonal mellowness or brilliance, using sanding paddles, lacquer, or needles.
- Inspect instruments to locate defects, and to determine their value or the level of restoration required.
- Remove irregularities from tuning pins, strings, and hammers of pianos, using wood blocks or filing tools.
- Shape old parts and replacement parts to improve tone or intonation, using hand tools, lathes, or soldering irons.
- Strike wood, fiberglass, or metal bars of instruments, and use tuned blocks, stroboscopes, or electronic tuners to evaluate tones made by instruments.
- String instruments, and adjust trusses and bridges of instruments to obtain specified string tensions and heights.
- Repair cracks in wood or metal instruments, using pinning wire, lathes, fillers, clamps, or soldering irons.
- Mix and measure glue that will be used for instrument repair.
- Polish instruments, using rags and polishing compounds, buffing wheels, or burnishing tools.
- Make wood replacement parts, using woodworking machines and hand tools.
- Refinish instruments to protect and decorate them, using hand tools, buffing tools, and varnish.
- Assemble and install new pipe organs and pianos in buildings.
- Deliver pianos to purchasers or to locations of their use.
- Wash metal instruments in lacquer-stripping and cyanide solutions to remove lacquer and tarnish.
- Refinish and polish piano cabinets or cases to prepare them for sale.
Technology Skills
Technology
Example
Hot Technology
Tools Used
Tool
Example
Top 10 Knowledge Required
Customer and Personal Service
87%
Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Mechanical
77%
Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
Fine Arts
70%
Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.
English Language
69%
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar.
Administration and Management
59%
Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
Sales and Marketing
59%
Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
Engineering and Technology
57%
Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
Education and Training
55%
Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
Physics
55%
Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub-atomic structures and processes.
Administrative
52%
Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
Top 10 Skills
Quality Control Analysis
78%
Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
Repairing
75%
Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.
Troubleshooting
75%
Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
Critical Thinking
73%
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Complex Problem Solving
63%
Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Judgment and Decision Making
63%
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Service Orientation
63%
Actively looking for ways to help people.
Active Listening
60%
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Equipment Maintenance
60%
Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
Equipment Selection
60%
Determining the kind of tools and equipment needed to do a job.
Top 10 Abilities
Hearing Sensitivity
88%
The ability to detect or tell the differences between sounds that vary in pitch and loudness.
Arm-Hand Steadiness
80%
The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
Finger Dexterity
80%
The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
Manual Dexterity
80%
The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
Near Vision
80%
The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
Auditory Attention
75%
The ability to focus on a single source of sound in the presence of other distracting sounds.
Control Precision
75%
The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
Problem Sensitivity
73%
The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
Visualization
73%
The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.
Deductive Reasoning
70%
The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Top 10 Work Activities
Making Decisions and Solving Problems
85%
Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
Getting Information
79%
Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Handling and Moving Objects
75%
Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People
75%
Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
Thinking Creatively
75%
Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
73%
Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
71%
Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
71%
Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
70%
Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
Performing for or Working Directly with the Public
70%
Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
Detailed Work Activities
- Adjust tuning or functioning of musical instruments.
- Adjust equipment to ensure optimal performance.
- Test mechanical equipment to ensure proper functioning.
- Disassemble equipment for maintenance or repair.
- Replace worn, damaged, or defective mechanical parts.
- Repair worn, damaged, or defective mechanical parts.
- Reassemble equipment after repair.
- Lubricate equipment to allow proper functioning.
- Inspect mechanical equipment to locate damage, defects, or wear.
- Smooth surfaces of objects or equipment.
- Prepare compounds or solutions to be used for repairs.
- Align equipment or machinery.
- Solder parts or connections between parts.
- Remove dents from equipment, materials, tools or structures.
- Fabricate parts or components.
- Refinish wood or metal surfaces.
- Assemble products or production equipment.
- Install instrumentation or electronic equipment or systems.
- Travel to work sites to perform installation, repair or maintenance work.
- Clean equipment, parts, or tools to repair or maintain them in good working order.
- Polish materials, workpieces, or finished products.
Education
Interests
Realistic
92%
Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services.
Artistic
51%
Work involves creating original visual artwork, performances, written works, food, or music for a variety of media, or applying artistic principles to the design of various objects and materials. Artistic occupations are often associated with visual arts, applied arts and design, performing arts, music, creative writing, media, or culinary art.
Conventional
49%
Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or human resources.
Investigative
37%
Work involves studying and researching non-living objects, living organisms, disease or other forms of impairment, or human behavior. Investigative occupations are often associated with physical, life, medical, or social sciences, and can be found in the fields of humanities, mathematics/statistics, information technology, or health care service.
Social
24%
Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities.
Enterprising
15%
Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertising, finance, management/administration, professional advising, public speaking, politics, or law.
Work Values
Achievement
62%
Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
Independence
62%
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
Working Conditions
46%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
Recognition
39%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.
Relationships
39%
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
Support
39%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.