Summary for:
Musical Instrument Repairers and TunersDescription:
Repair percussion, stringed, reed, or wind instruments. May specialize in one area, such as piano tuning.Sample of reported job titles:
Sample of reported job titles: Piano Tuner, Piano Technician, Luthier, Banjo Repair Person, Fretted String Instrument Repairer, Guitar Builder, Guitar Repairer, Mandolin Repair Person, Stringed Instrument Repairer, Band Instrument Repair Technician
Tasks | Knowledge | Skills | Abilities | Activites | Experience | Example | Education | Work Style | Work Values | Related Jobs | Wage | Employment | Expected Growth | Expected Need
Tasks:
- 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.
- Disassemble instruments and parts for repair and adjustment.
- Inspect instruments to locate defects, and to determine their value or the level of restoration required.
- Repair cracks in wood or metal instruments, using pinning wire, lathes, fillers, clamps, or soldering irons.
- Reassemble instruments following repair, using hand tools and power tools and glue, hair, yarn, resin, or clamps, and lubricate instruments as necessary.
- Compare instrument pitches with tuning tool pitches in order to tune instruments.
- String instruments, and adjust trusses and bridges of instruments to obtain specified string tensions and heights.
- Repair or replace musical instrument parts and components, such as strings, bridges, felts, and keys, using hand and power tools.
- Polish instruments, using rags and polishing compounds, buffing wheels, or burnishing tools.
Knowledge:
| Arm-Hand Steadiness ó The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position. |
| Hearing Sensitivity ó The ability to detect or tell the differences between sounds that vary in pitch and loudness. |
| Manual Dexterity ó The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects. |
| Finger Dexterity ó The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects. |
| Auditory Attention ó The ability to focus on a single source of sound in the presence of other distracting sounds. |
| Control Precision ó The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions. |
| Problem Sensitivity ó The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem. |
| Deductive Reasoning ó The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense. |
| Inductive Reasoning ó The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events). |
| Near Vision ó The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer). |
Skills:
| Making Decisions and Solving Problems ó Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems. |
| Handling and Moving Objects ó Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things. |
| Performing for or Working Directly with the Public ó Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests. |
| Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships ó Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time. |
| Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material ó Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects. |
| Thinking Creatively ó Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions. |
| Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge ó Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job. |
| Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work ó Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work. |
| Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment ó Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of mechanical (not electronic) principles. |
| Getting Information ó Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources. |
Abilities:
| Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls ó How much does this job require using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls? |
| Telephone ó How often do you have telephone conversations in this job? |
| Face-to-Face Discussions ó How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job? |
| Importance of Being Exact or Accurate ó How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job? |
| Freedom to Make Decisions ó How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer? |
| Structured versus Unstructured Work ó To what extent is this job structured for the worker, rather than allowing the worker to determine tasks, priorities, and goals? |
| Time Pressure ó How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines? |
| Indoors, Environmentally Controlled ó How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions? |
| Deal With External Customers ó How important is it to work with external customers or the public in this job? |
| Exposed to Contaminants ó How often does this job require working exposed to contaminants (such as pollutants, gases, dust or odors)? |
Work Activities:
| Title | Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed |
| Overall 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. |
| 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. |
| Job Zone Examples | These occupations usually involve using communication and organizational skills to coordinate, supervise, manage, or train others to accomplish goals. Examples include funeral directors, electricians, forest and conservation technicians, legal secretaries, interviewers, and insurance sales agents. |
| SVP Range | (6.0 to < 7.0) |
| Education | Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree. Some may require a bachelor's degree. |
Work Style:
| 49-2092.00 | Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers |
| 49-3052.00 | Motorcycle Mechanics |
| 49-9031.00 | Home Appliance Repairers |
| 49-9091.00 | Coin, Vending, and Amusement Machine Servicers and Repairers |
| 51-4052.00 | Pourers and Casters, Metal |
| 51-6031.00 | Sewing Machine Operators |
| 51-9131.00 | Photographic Process Workers |
| 51-9195.07 | Molding and Casting Workers  |
Slower than average (3% to 6%)