Registered Piano Technician Examinations

All examinations for the Registered PianoTechnician certification will be offered at the 2005 PTG Convention & Training Institute. A variety of exam preparation activities are also scheduled.

To register for an exam:
1. Fill out a convention registration form for the 2005 PTG Convention & Training Institute and return it to the Home Office in Kansas City, Kansas.
2. Fill out an exam registration form and return it to the address listed on the exam form.
3. You will be contacted before the convention with a date and time for your tuning and/or technical exam. See the class schedule for the time and date of the written exam.

Examination choices

Written Examination: No charge

Technical Examination: $90

Tuning Examination: $90

Download a copy of the RPT Exam Registration Form.

PTGF Associate Scholarship

The Piano Technicians Guild Foundation offers up to two scholarships each year for Associates who havepassed two RPT examinations and plan to take the third exam at the annual convention each summer. Scholarship winners are awarded free convention registration and no fee for their exam. Applications must be received no later than April 1 to be considered.

RPT Exam Preparation Activities
Associate Seminar
Wednesday, June 15, 2005
Fees- $50.00 Early/$65.00 Late (Includes lunch) You must pre-register for this class. You must complete and return the Associate Seminar registration form below along with your convention registration form. This all-day seminar presents a day of training for those preparing to take the PTG Technical Exam and the PTG Tuning Exam. Practical, hands-on learning is emphasized. Lunch is included with the Association Seminar registration fee. Bring your tuning hammers, ETD's, and the tools for the technical tasks you wish to practice.
The Associate Seminar includes the following:
Tuning Exam Hands-On and Ears-On Mentoring
Paul Brown, RPT, Audrey Karabinus, RPT Eric Nikiforoff, RPT Jack Stebbins, RPT
These four instructors are dedicated to helping you build aural tuning skills to prepare for the exam. Your hard work and persistence will bring results, even in the challenging midrange. After an orientation session, 12 of you to a group will apply yourselves in each of the 40-minute skill segments. Please bring your tuning hammers and your ETDs to get the most from these practical sessions.
Orientation to the Tuning Exam
Taught by the mentors leading the skill segments to follow, this brief exam walkthrough will help you get your bearings and roll up your sleeves for the work to come.
Where’s the Beat
Jack Stebbins, RPT
Learn to set and check A440 accurately, locate beats, and test intervals in aural midrange tuning. Observe an interval being tuned and tested, do it yourself, and review by watching others.
Plug in to Aural Tuning
Eric Nikiforoff, RPT
Who programs whom? Fire up your ETD to help train your aural tuning. Learn both: aural tuning techniques to cross check your ETD, and ETD checks for your aural tuning. Its a win win situation! (Those who don’t use ETDs may opt to repeat a different segment or visit the tutoring station, yet would review coincidental partials of intervals by staying.)
Nitpicking in the Midrange
Audrey Karabinus, RPT
How do you refine your temperament and midrange to make it exam-ready? Try out checks that help you decide which notes must be moved to smooth out the rough spots.
Tutoring Station
Paul Brown, RPT
This additional option will be available for the duration of the other three skill segments. Bring your particular concern to the expertise of Paul’s coaching, or ask for feedback on your exam preparations.
Technical Exam Hands-On Preparation And Mentoring
Israel Stein RPT - San Francisco, CA Chapter. Jack Stebbins, RPT - Western Massachusetts/Boston Chapters, Martin Wisenbaker, RPT - Houston TX Chapter, Debbie Cyr, RPT - Boston, MA Chapter, Eric Nikiforoff, RPT - North Dakota Chapter, Baoli Liu, RPT Madison, WI Chapter, and others.
This is your opportunity to prepare for the PTG Technical Exam, using actual exam equipment, with the help of Certified Technical Examiners and experienced RPT instructors. You will have your own individual jig or action model on which to practice. Multiple instructors will be available to offer demonstrations, individual assistance, tips and feedback on your work. You may spend the entire class working on the same repair or regulation task - or switch tasks in the middle, as many times as you wish. Class is open only to PTG Associate members, pre-registered for the Associate Seminar. You must state your choice of exam tasks for this class (in order of preference) on the Associate Seminar pre-registration form (nstitute brochure, page 11 or click here). Bring your own tools for the task(s) you wish to practice.

Exam Classes
If you are interested in upgrading your PTG status or involvement in the testing program, you will want to attend these classes.

Written
(E) Preparing for the RPT Written Exam
Jack Stebbins, RPT, Western Massachusetts, Chapter
This Wednesday evening class helps you to prepare to take the RPT Written Exam. Jack discusses the purpose of the exam and explains the six sections of the exam: tuning theory, action regulation, tone regulation, repairs, piano design and construction, and general information. He also gives some sample questions similar to those in each section of the exam. The exam itself will be offered the following morning.

Technical
(E) Introduction to the PTG Technical Exam
Israel Stein, RPT, San Francisco, CA Chapter
A walkthrough of the requirements of the technical exam and a survey of test equipment and procedures. Find out what to learn and how to prepare for the exam, what tools and supplies you need to bring to the test site, what examinees are entitled to before and during the test, plus the physical and psychological skills and strategies necessary to pass the exam. For PTG Associate members only (open to all Associates - registration for the Associate Seminar is NOT REQUIRED to attend this class).

Tuning
(E) Preparing for the RPT Tuning Exam
Dean Reyburn, RPT Western MI Chapter, and Mitch Kiel, RPT, Puget Sound, WA Chapter
Are you worried about what goes on inside the Tuning Exam room? Then this is your class. We’ll explain how to practice for the exam, how the examiners master tune the exam piano, how long (short) are the exam time limits, what is detuning, and what are the scoring procedures. We'll show you some aural verification techniques , especially important to examinees using an electronic tuning
device. Questions encouraged.

Examiner Training
Instructor Training • Exam Preparation (RPT's only)
The need for instructors skilled in guiding Associates through Technical Exam preparation is growing, with both the Chapter Resources and the Examination and Test Standards Committees developing training classes for Associates. RPT's can prepare themselves for teaching such classes at the Chapter level or at State/Regional conventions by observing and assisting experienced instructors at the Associate Seminar Technical Exam Hands-On Preparation and Mentoring class. Sign up at the Convention Exam office or come to the class site 20 minutes before class starting time.

(A) Technical Examiner Training
Israel Stein, RPT, San Francisco, CA Chapter
As of this past year, Technical Examiners need to be certified as TECs - (Technical Examiner, Certified) in order to administer Technical Exams - just like CTEs on Tuning Exams - and some training is now required. All RPTs with an interest in Technical Testing - from veteran certified TECs to RPTs just thinking about getting involved in testing – are invited to attend. We will demonstrate exam equipment, discuss test procedures, analyze the skills and attitudes required of a successful Technical Examiner, review methods of helping Associates prepare for the exam and clarify the certification process. Experienced examiners who have not yet become certified as TEC’s are especially urged to attend. (TECs, trainees and RPTs only, please.)

A) Tuning Examiner Training
Marc Poulin, RPT, Vermont Chapter
The recipe for a well seasoned CTE is one part manual knowledge, one part tuning, and four parts experience! This class will cover basic topics such as piano selection and placement, master tuning, and documentation procedures. We will discuss any recent changes to the Exam procedure, including all approved measuring, scoring, and test-blow devices. We will finish with an open discussion of the latest problems from CTE's around the country, as well as other related questions. (CTEs, Trainees, and RPTs only please)