Piano tuning is a really specialised commerce and there are solely an estimated 11 000 certified tuners on this planet. Within the Japanese Cape, there are solely 5 recognised piano tuners. There’s additionally no formal coaching obtainable in South Africa to change into a piano tuner. Yet, their ability is significant to the listening pleasure of tens of millions as composers can’t write music to be performed on piano’s that can’t hit the correct notes.
Reon Brown has a very good ear and is dedicated and captivated with hitting the correct notes. It takes persistence, a unprecedented quantity of it, as he tunes the piano word for word.
“I used to be lucky to have had Eddie Yap as my mentor and tutor. To change into a tuner, it’s a must to be launched to the instrument by somebody who will educate you.”
An skilled tuner is a sought-after commodity.
Established tuners like Brown find yourself travelling a good bit. A lot of the pianos within the Japanese Cape have felt his contact. He has additionally met some well-known individuals alongside the best way.
“Regionally, was Mr Jordaan from soccer (sic). I’ve tuned the painos of the CEO of Volkswagen, Rocco de Villiers. It’s nice if somebody trusts you to do a very good job. After which there was Brian Adams!”
Tuning itself is just not thrilling. It’s a tedious course of with the pianos themselves typically revealing a shock or two.
“I introduced some cash that I discovered below the keys. If I open it up, I’d (see) the tiekies and pennies. Here’s a pennie from 1887. Previous pianos have a cavity on the again. There, I discovered this Smartie field with the value of 6 pennies, which I cherish.”
It appears that pianos may be favoured hiding locations. He was as soon as requested to open a piano to extract a hidden Kruger rand.
The little key bag on the within of the piano is usually a go-to hiding place.
“The mother remembered that 20 years in the past she was a dentist assistant, and a grateful consumer gave the dentist a much bigger gold coin, and he or she obtained a smaller.”
The piano is an impressive instrument and Brown has labored his magic on among the greatest on the market. He even needed to tune pianos on two completely different cruise ships within the harbour.
The final one was on the Queen Victoria.
“Wow, what an expertise! I tuned 4 grand pianos, and was invited for a stunning lunch!”
With the digital world marching ahead at velocity, digital devices rival the actual deal. The query that needs to be requested is: “Will the piano survive and stay widespread?”
“It’s the solely instrument, like guitar and concertina, which expresses emotion. You possibly can play it comfortable or loud. To play on the identical mannequin, it doesn’t really feel and play the identical. Every has its character.
