Piano Moving Online Course

With over 70 high-def videos and 20 lessons ranging from aural tuning and voicing to common major and minor repairs, our online course is the most comprehensive correspondence training program in the world. The course has been laid out in a very organized way by our in-house learning architect, Jeff Johnson, who has a master’s degree in curriculum and instructional technology, to ensure maximum material retention.

$99.00
View details

Overview

About the course

The Piano Technician Academy’s course, Piano Tuning & Repair, was written by Adam Hayes RPT; Jason Cassel, RPT; Timothy Barnes, RPT; and Michael Stilwell, CPT. It was designed as a training program to not only get people started in the piano service industry but also to train technicians to take the Registered Piano Technician exams given by the Piano Technicians Guild. With over 70 high-def videos and 20 lessons ranging from aural tuning and voicing to common major and minor repairs, our online course is the most comprehensive correspondence training program in the world. The course has been laid out in a very organized way by our in-house learning architect, Jeff Johnson, who has a master’s degree in curriculum and instructional technology, to ensure maximum material retention. Unlike other online mentorship/correspondence training, PTA utilizes technology, world-renowned instructors, and a learning management system that allows our students to get to work in our industry faster than any other training program.

What Makes PTA Different

Unlike other online or correspondence piano tuning and repair programs, the PTA course was written with the Registered Piano Technician (RPT) exams, given by the Piano Technicians Guild (PTG) in mind. Our course has been used by hundreds of technicians aspiring to earn the coveted RPT status which opens countless doors for them in the piano service industry. Our instructors make up some of the most well-known RPTs in the US. They regularly write articles for the PTG journal, exhibit at PTG conferences, and teach at piano industry events. While some schools focus on how quickly they can get students working in the field, PTA focuses on their students actually learning the trade the proper way so that students are adequately prepared when they enter the market. Oftentimes, our students enter the market faster than students from those schools that focus on speed. This is because of our extensive learning management system (LMS). Unlike other online programs, our LMS is interactive and is used by some of the top universities in the USA who require a more professional system than simple plug and play education options found on the internet today. The PTA course is rebuilt every 4–5 years to take advantage of new technologies and build upon what the industry has to offer. With graduates in over 50 countries and an average graduation rate of 90%, our 300-400 student count a year makes PTA the largest piano tuning school in the world.

Course Layout

The course is broken down into 20 lessons. At the end of each lesson, students are required to take an 8–10-question quiz consisting of multiple choice, match the part/tool, and true/false questions. At the end of Lesson 20, students are required to take a 50-question final exam that covers all lessons.

Tuition & Time Frame

The tuition for the course is $1,800 and includes access to the online classroom for 12 months as well as access to downloadable/printable PDF versions of all the lessons for future reference. You will also have regular contact via email or telephone with your instructor both during your studies and after your course is complete. Videos are not downloadable for copyright reasons and are only viewable in the online classroom.Being an online school, the Piano Technician Academy can offer year-round open enrollment. The course is self-paced, allowing students to study when it is convenient for them. PTA does, however, require that you finish the course within 12 months of initial enrollment. Extensions are available upon request. PTA recommends taking longer on the tuning lessons (18–30 hours) before moving on, while others may only take 2–5 hours. That being said, students should plan to spend about 250–380 hours on the course. 

Lessons

Lesson 1 :
Tools of the Trade

Tools Needed

  • Dollies
  • Pads/moving blanket options
  • Straps
  • Types of straps for different purposes
  • Transportation vehicles
  • Types of trucks/ trailers
  • Ramps
  • Lyre brace
  • Stretch wrap & rubber bands
  • Skid boards/ piano boards
  • Piano moving box for stairs
  • Hand held tools

Includes 1 video for a total 30 mins, 2 written exercises, and 1 quiz

Lesson 2 :
Protecting Yourself, the Customer and your Business

Protecting yourself

  • Footwear
  • Back brace
  • Knowing your limits

Protecting your customers home

  • Lipped stairs
  • Tile/ marble/ travertine floors
  • Wood floors

Protecting Your Business

  • Business insurance
  • Insurance terms
  • General liability insurance/ business liability insurance
  • Cargo insurance
  • Preexisting damage/ liability forms
  • Laws

Includes 1 video for a total 30 mins, 2 written exercises, and 1 quiz

Lesson 3 :
Moving Upright Pianos

  • Tools needed
  • Putting piano on dolly
  • Putting piano on skid board
  • Tight turns/ hallways
  • Moving the piano up a flight of stairs
  • Moving the piano down a flight of stairs
  • Securing the piano into the transportation vehicle
  • Rare findings

Includes 1 video for a total 30 mins, 2 written exercises, and 1 quiz

Lesson 4 :
Moving a Grand Piano

  • Tools needed
  • Securing piano to skid board
  • How to remove legs and lyre
  • Packaging legs, bench and lyre for transport
  • Moving piano on skid board and dolly
  • Moving the piano up a flight of stairs
  • Moving the piano down a flight of stairs
  • Tight turns/ hallways
  • Securing the piano into the transportation vehicle
  • Rare findings

FAQ

What is a Certified Piano Mover?

A Certified Piano Mover (CPM) is someone who has taken our online piano moving course and has passed his or her exams with at least an 80% or higher. Once the student has done this they are presented with a certificate and are legally allowed to advertise with our Piano Moving Seal.
What tools will I need and where do I get them?

Obviously having the right equipment for the job is crucial when moving pianos. All the tools we use in the videos are explained in detail in the course itself. With the exception of the Lyre brace (sold direct by PTA) most of these tools can be purchased from standard moving supply houses such as New Haven.
How long does the course take?

The course is self paced allowing students to study when it is convenient for them. PTA does however require that you finish the piano moving course within 3 months of initial enrollment. We recommend spending at least 2-3 hours on each lesson's written material and then about 15-20 hours practicing each lesson's exercises. That being said students should plan to spend about 68-92 hours on the entire course. Most students choose to do one lesson a week but there is no required time frame for each lesson.
How much does the course cost?

The course itself is $99 and includes access to the online learning material for 3 months as well as printable/downloadable PDFs of the material to keep for future reference.

Group Rates are available upon request. For more info please contact support@pianotechnicianacademy.com with the number of students you wish to enroll.
Does PTA offer payment plans?

Payment plans are now available to USA students via PayPal's "PayPal Credit" program. Students subject to credit approval. 6 months free with no interest is offered to most students. To find out more about this program, please check with Paypal prior to enrolling in the course.
How much do piano movers make?

An average piano moving company in the USA will charge about $100-$150 for uprights and $150-$225 for grands/baby grands. These prices typically are calculated for moves with no more than 30 miles between the pick up and drop off location and do not include price increases for stairs or gravel driveways. Most movers charge about $12-$15 a step when stairs are involved.