Musical Instrument Repairers & Tuners
Repair percussion, stringed, reed, or wind instruments. May specialize in one area, such as piano tuning.
Key Tasks
- Align pads and keys on reed or wind instruments.
- Adjust string tensions to tune instruments, using hand tools and electronic tuning devices.
- 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.
- Inspect instruments to locate defects, and to determine their value or the level of restoration required.
- Adjust felt hammers on pianos to increase tonal mellowness or brilliance, using sanding paddles, lacquer, or needles.
- Shape old parts and replacement parts to improve tone or intonation, using hand tools, lathes, or soldering irons.
- Remove irregularities from tuning pins, strings, and hammers of pianos, using wood blocks or filing tools.
- 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.
- Polish instruments, using rags and polishing compounds, buffing wheels, or burnishing tools.
- Mix and measure glue that will be used for instrument repair.
- 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.
- Adjust the neck angle on fretted instruments.
Skills
Knowledge
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Abilities
Work Activities
Work Context
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?
98%
Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
How much does this job require using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls?
97%
Telephone Conversations
How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
95%
How frequently does your job require you to use E-mail?
94%
Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
How often does this job require working indoors in an environmentally controlled environment (like a warehouse with air conditioning)?
94%
Freedom to Make Decisions
How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?
93%
Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
How frequently does your job require face-to-face discussions with individuals and within teams?
89%
Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
How much freedom does the worker have in determining the tasks, priorities, or goals of the job?
85%
Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions
How much does this job require making repetitive motions?
75%
Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
How often does this job require wearing common protective or safety equipment such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hearing protection, hard hats or life-jackets?
74%
Time Pressure
How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines?
72%
Deal With External Customers or the Public in General
How important is it to deal with external customers (as in retail sales) or the public in general (as in police work) in this job?
70%
Duration of Typical Work Week
Number of hours typically worked in one week.
69%
Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable
How often does this job require working exposed to sounds and noise levels that are distracting or uncomfortable?
69%
Frequency of Decision Making
How often is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization?
69%
Importance of Repeating Same Tasks
How important are continuous, repetitive, physical activities (like key entry) or mental activities (like checking entries in a ledger) to performing this job?
65%
Spend Time Sitting
How much does this job require sitting?
59%
Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results
What results do your decisions usually have on other people or the image or reputation or financial resources of your employer?
58%
Written Letters and Memos
How frequently does your job require written letters and memos?
56%
Contact With Others
How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
55%
Exposed to Contaminants
How often does this job require working exposed to contaminants (such as pollutants, gases, dust or odors)?
55%
Exposed to Hazardous Equipment
How often does this job require exposure to hazardous equipment?
52%
Exposed to Minor Burns, Cuts, Bites, or Stings
How often does this job require exposure to minor burns, cuts, bites, or stings?
44%
Spend Time Standing
How much does this job require standing?
44%
Spend Time Bending or Twisting Your Body
How much does this job require bending or twisting your body?
42%
Exposed to Cramped Work Space, Awkward Positions
How often does this job require working in cramped work spaces that requires getting into awkward positions?
41%
Consequence of Error
How serious would the result usually be if the worker made a mistake that was not easily correctable?
39%
Level of Competition
To what extent does this job require the worker to compete or to be aware of competitive pressures?
39%
Health and Safety of Other Workers
How much responsibility is there for the health and safety of others in this job?
36%
Exposed to Hazardous Conditions
How often does this job require exposure to hazardous conditions?
32%
Physical Proximity
To what extent does this job require the worker to perform job tasks physically close to other people?
32%
Dealing With Unpleasant, Angry, or Discourteous People
How frequently does the worker have to deal with unpleasant, angry, or discourteous individuals as part of the job requirements?
31%
In an Enclosed Vehicle or Operate Enclosed Equipment
How often does this job require working in a closed vehicle or operate enclosed equipment (like a car)?
29%
Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
How important is it to work with or contribute to a work group or team in this job?
29%
Work Schedules
How regular are the work schedules for this job?
28%
Conflict Situations
How frequently are there conflict situations the employee has to face in this job?
25%
Indoors, Not Environmentally Controlled
How often does this job require working in an environment that is not environmentally controlled (like a warehouse without air conditioning)?
24%
Work Outcomes and Results of Other Workers
How responsible is the worker for work outcomes and results of other workers?
22%
Spend Time Kneeling, Crouching, Stooping, or Crawling
How much does this job require kneeling, crouching, stooping or crawling?
19%
Exposed to Extremely Bright or Inadequate Lighting Conditions
How often does this job require working in extremely bright or inadequate lighting conditions?
18%
Spend Time Walking or Running
How much does this job require walking or running?
18%
Coordinate or Lead Others in Accomplishing Work Activities
How important is it to coordinate or lead others (not as a supervisor or team leader) in accomplishing work activities in this job?
17%
Outdoors, Under Cover
How often does this job require working outdoors, under cover (like in an open shed)?
14%
Public Speaking
How frequently does your job require public speaking (one speaker with an audience)?
12%
Exposed to Disease or Infections
How often does this job require exposure to disease/infections?
11%
Exposed to Very Hot or Cold Temperatures
How often does this job require working in very hot (above 90 F degrees) or very cold (below 32 F degrees) temperatures?
11%
Wear Specialized Protective or Safety Equipment such as Breathing Apparatus, Safety Harness, Full Protection Suits, or Radiation Protection
How often does this job require wearing specialized protective or safety equipment such as breathing apparatus, safety harness, full protection suits, or radiation protection?
10%
Exposed to Whole Body Vibration
How often does this job require exposure to whole body vibration (like operating a jackhammer or earth moving equipment)?
8%
Spend Time Keeping or Regaining Balance
How much does this job require keeping or regaining your balance?
8%
Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions
How often does this job require working outdoors, exposed to all weather conditions?
7%
Degree of Automation
How automated is the job?
4%
In an Open Vehicle or Operating Equipment
How often does this job require working in an open vehicle or operating equipment (like a tractor)?
3%
Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment
How important is it to this job that the pace is determined by the speed of equipment or machinery? (This does not refer to keeping busy at all times on this job.)
3%
Dealing with Violent or Physically Aggressive People
How frequently does this job require the worker to deal with physical aggression of violent individuals?
2%
Spend Time Climbing Ladders, Scaffolds, or Poles
How much does this job require climbing ladders, scaffolds, poles, etc.?
2%
Exposed to Radiation
How often does this job require exposure to radiation?
1%
Exposed to High Places
How often does this job require exposure to high places?
0%
Education
Post-secondary certificate
Less than high school diploma
High school diploma or equivalent
Interests
Realistic
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, t
Artistic
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,
Conventional
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 hum
Investigative
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 f
Social
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
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/advertis
Work Styles
Work Values
Resources for Musical Instrument Repairers & Tuners
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