Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners
Human Advantage 66%
Significant human skills needed
AI Automation Risk Moderate Risk
3.1 / 10
Some tasks in this role may be augmented by AI, but human oversight and interpersonal skills remain important.
Repair percussion, stringed, reed, or wind instruments. May specialize in one area, such as piano tuning.
Also Known As: Accordion Repairer, Accordion Tuner, Band Instrument Repair Technician, Band Instrument Repairer, Banjo Repair Person, Banjo Repairer, Bow Rehairer, Brass Instrument Repair Technician +48 more
Core 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.
- Reassemble instruments following repair, using hand tools and power tools and glue, hair, yarn, resin, or clamps, and lubricate instruments as necessary.
- Disassemble instruments and parts for repair and adjustment.
- Repair or replace musical instrument parts and components, such as strings, bridges, felts, and keys, using hand and power tools.
- Inspect instruments to locate defects, and to determine their value or the level of restoration required.
- Compare instrument pitches with tuning tool pitches to tune instruments.
- String instruments, and adjust trusses and bridges of instruments to obtain specified string tensions and heights.
- Polish instruments, using rags and polishing compounds, buffing wheels, or burnishing tools.
- Repair cracks in wood or metal instruments, using pinning wire, lathes, fillers, clamps, or soldering irons.
- Mix and measure glue that will be used for instrument repair.
- Shape old parts and replacement parts to improve tone or intonation, using hand tools, lathes, or soldering irons.
- Refinish instruments to protect and decorate them, using hand tools, buffing tools, and varnish.
- Make wood replacement parts, using woodworking machines and hand tools.
Supplemental Tasks (15)
- Align pads and keys on reed or wind instruments.
- Solder posts and parts to hold them in their proper places.
- Remove dents and burrs from metal instruments, using mallets and burnishing tools.
- Test tubes and pickups in electronic amplifier units, and solder parts and connections as necessary.
- Adjust felt hammers on pianos to increase tonal mellowness or brilliance, using sanding paddles, lacquer, or needles.
- Remove irregularities from tuning pins, strings, and hammers of pianos, using wood blocks or filing tools.
- Strike wood, fiberglass, or metal bars of instruments, and use tuned blocks, stroboscopes, or electronic tuners to evaluate tones made by instruments.
- Wash metal instruments in lacquer-stripping and cyanide solutions to remove lacquer and tarnish.
- Deliver pianos to purchasers or to locations of their use.
- Remove drumheads by removing tension rods with drum keys and cutting tools.
- Solder or weld frames of mallet instruments and metal drum parts.
- Repair breaks in percussion instruments, such as drums and cymbals, using drill presses, power saws, glue, clamps, grinding wheels, or other hand tools.
- Assemble bars onto percussion instruments.
- Clean, sand, and paint parts of percussion instruments to maintain their condition.
- Replace xylophone bars and wheels.
Education & Training
Job Zone 3 Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
Education: Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
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.
On-the-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. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
Education Level Distribution
Percentage of workers in this occupation with each education level.
Technology & Tools
Software (10)
Tools & Equipment (250)
Where This Career Leads
Career progression organized by specialty track and experience level.
Engineering Advanced Manufacturing
Zone 3
Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners You are here
Zone 4
Zone 5
Microsystems Engineers 73% match
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