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Musical Instrument Repairers & Tuners

Also called: Banjo Repair Person, Luthier, Piano Technician, Piano Tuner

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What they do:
Repair percussion, stringed, reed, or wind instruments. May specialize in one area, such as piano tuning.
On the job, you would:
  • Play instruments to evaluate their sound quality and to locate any defects.
  • Adjust string tensions to tune instruments, using hand tools and electronic tuning devices.
  • Reassemble instruments following repair, using hand tools and power tools and glue, hair, yarn, resin, or clamps, and lubricate instruments as necessary.

Knowledge

Business
  • customer service
Arts and Humanities
  • music, dance, visual arts, drama, or sculpture
  • English language
Engineering and Technology
  • mechanical

Skills

Basic Skills
  • thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem
  • listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions
Problem Solving
  • noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it

Abilities

Hand and Finger Use
  • hold or move items with your hands
  • keep your arm or hand steady
Ideas and Logic
  • make general rules or come up with answers from lots of detailed information
  • use rules to solve problems
Hearing and Speech
  • tell the difference between sounds
  • pay attention to one sound while there are other distracting sounds
Verbal
  • communicate by speaking

Personality

People interested in this work like activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions.
They do well at jobs that need:
  • Attention to Detail
  • Dependability
  • Integrity
  • Persistence
  • Independence
  • Achievement/Effort

Technology

You might use software like this on the job:

Analytical or scientific software
  • Katsura Shareware KS Strobe Tuner
  • Veritune Verituner

Education

Education: (rated 3 of 5)
certificate after high school or
high school diploma/GED
usually needed

Get started on your career:

Find Training Find Certifications Apprenticeship.gov

Job Outlook

Below Average Outlook
New job opportunities are less likely in the future.
Salary
$37,160
$24,420
$59,120
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See more details at O*NET OnLine about musical instrument repairers and tuners.