Life As a Musical Instrument Repairer or Tuner
Occupation Description Repair percussion, stringed, reed, or wind instruments. May specialize in one area, such as piano tuning.
A Day in the Life of a Musical Instrument Repairer or Tuner
- Adjust string tensions to tune instruments, using hand tools and electronic tuning devices.
- Clean, sand, and paint parts of percussion instruments to maintain their condition.
- Assemble and install new pipe organs and pianos in buildings.
- Remove irregularities from tuning pins, strings, and hammers of pianos, using wood blocks or filing tools.
- Remove material from bars of percussion instruments to obtain specified tones, using bandsaws, sanding machines, machine grinders, or hand files and scrapers.
- Cut new drumheads from animal skins, using scissors, and soak drumheads in water to make them pliable.
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What Skills Do You Need to Work as a Musical Instrument Repairer or Tuner?
Below is a list of the skills most Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners say are important on the job.
Repairing: Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.
Troubleshooting: Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
Quality Control Analysis: Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Time Management: Managing one’s own time and the time of others.
Related Job Titles
- Violin Mechanic
- Instrument Repair Technician
- Pipe Organ Tuner and Repairer
- Luthier
- Tuner
What Kind of Musical Instrument Repairer or Tuner Job Opportunities Are There?
There were about 8,300 jobs for Musical Instrument Repairer or Tuner in 2016 (in the United States). New jobs are being produced at a rate of 1.2% which is below the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 100 new jobs for Musical Instrument Repairer or Tuner by 2026. The BLS estimates 700 yearly job openings in this field.
The states with the most job growth for Musical Instrument Repairer or Tuner are Tennessee, Iowa, and Florida. Watch out if you plan on working in Kansas, Massachusetts, or Connecticut. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
How Much Does a Musical Instrument Repairer or Tuner Make?
Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners make between $22,700 and $59,020 a year.
Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners who work in New Mexico, Vermont, or New Jersey, make the highest salaries.
How much do Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners make in each U.S. state?
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $31,480 |
Arizona | $33,500 |
California | $41,720 |
Colorado | $34,990 |
Connecticut | $37,900 |
Florida | $30,710 |
Georgia | $49,330 |
Illinois | $49,720 |
Indiana | $31,930 |
Iowa | $42,540 |
Kansas | $32,320 |
Kentucky | $36,630 |
Louisiana | $33,890 |
Maryland | $41,030 |
Massachusetts | $37,850 |
Michigan | $32,970 |
Minnesota | $36,670 |
Mississippi | $34,750 |
Missouri | $35,990 |
New Jersey | $43,000 |
New Mexico | $87,200 |
New York | $39,200 |
North Carolina | $35,720 |
Ohio | $33,250 |
Oklahoma | $39,220 |
Oregon | $32,710 |
Pennsylvania | $40,620 |
South Carolina | $38,840 |
Tennessee | $38,550 |
Texas | $39,300 |
Utah | $36,990 |
Vermont | $52,020 |
Virginia | $36,480 |
Washington | $43,000 |
West Virginia | $35,470 |
Wisconsin | $36,590 |
What Tools do Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners Use?
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners may use on a daily basis:
How do I Become a Musical Instrument Repairer or Tuner?
Individuals working as a Musical Instrument Repairer or Tuner have obtained the following education levels:
How Long Does it Take to Become a Musical Instrument Repairer or Tuner?
Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners Sector
The table below shows the approximate number of Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners employed by various industries.
References:
Image Credit: Phasmatisnox via CC BY 3.0
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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