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How did you get your start in instrument repair?

Did you apprentice with someone?

Did you go to a a particular school for instrument repair?

Do any of you hold engineering degrees of some sort?

Are there general courses that you would recommend for a novice, like welding or auto repair that have some bearing on what you do?

Thanks in advance for any and all input!
Frank Ortega

Frank,

I started apprenticing in my undergrad, shortly after I figured out that music education wasn't something I was ready to commit to. I went to repair school in Renton, WA (just outside of Seattle) and had a great time and learned a ton. At that point, I'd consider myself deadly, as I knew enough to get myself into trouble, but not enough to get out of trouble if something were to happen.

Most repair schools (can be found on NAPBIRT.org) are meant to get you the basics, but the real-world experience and learning that comes with working with other skilled technicians are the finishing touches. There are many regional conferences, clinics, and national conventions where people learn more skills, but most people have little-to-no engineering training. If any extra skill, it's either in music or in machining.

Let me know if I can help in any way.

I found it very helpful to take a basic machinist class in a community college, also I apprenticed with a good repairman and practised a lot.

ASTuba wrote:Let me know if I can help in any way.

You can get your butt back to Greensboro so we don't have to go all the way to Fayetteville to find a competent low brass tech!

How did I get into it?
Well, I knew from the beginning of High School that I wanted to do something in the line of music as a living. As my time developed, I knew I didn't want to be a band director, and figured out that you don't make money as a tuba player (or at least, unless LOTS of people know who you are. Many of you could probably prove me wrong though). I enjoy tinkering with things, and I enjoy music. Music+tinkering=instrument repair.

Did you apprentice with someone?
No. I went to school...

Did you go to a a particular school for instrument repair?
Yes. I went to Western Iowa Tech Community College for Band Instrument Repair. There are 4 in North America, Keyano College in Fort McMurray Alberta Canada, Renton Technical College in Renton WA, WITCC in Sioux City IA and Minnesota State Southeast Technical at Redwing MN.

Do any of you hold engineering degrees of some sort?
No

Are there general courses that you would recommend for a novice, like welding or auto repair that have some bearing on what you do?
Maybe machining. That would be very helpful, as you can then make any tools you may need that you cannot get from the suppliers. Some repair tools are made by the shop you're in, and you often modify tools you get as well.

It's fun, but it's also a lot of work!

bloke, that's the funniest thing I've seen all day. My wife (who IS actually an artist, recently got her MFA in design) and I laugh at those commercials all the time.

About the repair stuff though... if I had the room to do it, I would practice the heck out of soldering things cleanly. I get the impression that repair work more often than not is all the routine "fix it" types of things we don't get excited about here. And no one wants sloppy solder.

I found my way into this career the same way tubaguy9 described earlier. I knew I wanted to be involved in music by the time I was in grade 9 or 10, I knew I didn't want to teach, and I just don't have the chops to play for a living.

I attended Keyano College and have no other official training. When I finished school I moved back home (northern Ontario) and started a business. For the first few years were pretty tough, spending 20 minutes plus on a 5 minute job and so on. Practice has made me much better and faster. Many on my college friends started their careers in large shops like Cosmo Music. While it wasn't really an apprenticeship they had the chance to work next to other techs. They're learned the ropes, had the chance to get help or ask questions, some have moved on to work for themselves and some are still there today.