Application
This unit of competency covers voicing a piano to change the tone from harsh to soft or soft to harsh, and making the tone even after tuning and may include needling, reshaping and hardening hammers to change the tone. It applies in workplace and on-site environments for small to large scale enterprises.
No licensing, legislative or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication.
Elements and Performance Criteria
Elements describe the essential outcomes. | Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. | ||
1 | Plan for voicing a piano | 1.1 | Work health and safety (WHS) requirements, legislative requirements and workplace practices relevant to voicing pianos are verified and complied with |
1.2 | Customer requirements are received, analysed and confirmed with appropriate personnel | ||
1.3 | Communication with others involved with the work is established and maintained to ensure efficient work flow, coordination, personnel cooperation and safety | ||
2 | Prepare for voicing a piano | 2.1 | Tools, equipment and materials are selected consistent with the needs of the job |
2.2 | Selected tools and equipment are checked for service ability and safety and any faults repaired and reported according to workplace practices | ||
2.3 | Personal protective equipment is correctly fitted and used | ||
2.4 | Piano is tuned and regulated to industry standards and customer requirements before voicing is commenced | ||
3 | Voice a piano | 3.1 | Correct posture for tuning is demonstrated which minimises fatigue and promotes muscular control |
3.2 | Undesirable tonal qualities are identified using customer requirements | ||
3.3 | Surface felt is reshaped to ensure a clean and square striking surface | ||
3.4 | Hammers are needled, as required, to achieve particular tonal effects and to balance tonal response | ||
3.5 | Hammers are reshaped after needling to ensure correct shape and surface texture | ||
3.6 | Hammers are ironed or hardened, as necessary | ||
3.7 | Final tonal quality is assessed against customer requirements and any adjustments made | ||
4 | Clean up work area | 4.1 | All tools, materials and other equipment are checked, cleaned and returned to their appropriate location. |
4.2 | Work area is cleared and waste removed | ||
4.3 | Workplace documentation is completed and filed |
Evidence of Performance
Interpret work order and locate and apply relevant information
Apply safe handling requirements for equipment, products and materials, including use of personal protective equipment
Identify materials used in the work process
Follow work instructions, operating procedures and inspection processes to:
minimise the risk of injury to self or others
prevent damage to goods, equipment and products
maintain required production output and product quality
Voice an upright and a grand piano
Use mathematical ideas and techniques to correctly complete measurements, calculate area and estimate material requirements
Communicate ideas and information to enable confirmation of work requirements and specifications and the reporting of work outcomes and problems, interpret basic plans and follow safety procedures
Avoid backtracking, work flow interruptions or wastage
Work with others and in a team by recognising dependencies and using cooperative approaches to optimise work flow and productivity
Evidence of Knowledge
State or territory WHS legislation, regulations, standards and codes of practice relevant to the full range of processes for tuning and voicing pianos
Organisational and site standards, requirements, policies and procedures for tuning and voicing pianos
Reading and interpreting workplace documents, including work orders, work instructions and operator instructions
Environmental protection requirements relating to the disposal of waste material
Established lines of communication and protocols
Knowledge of piano tuning and regulation methodologies
Types, characteristics, uses, limitations and preparation of materials and equipment used in piano tuning and voicing
Types of tools and equipment used to tune and voice pianos and procedures for their safe use, operation and maintenance
Relevant problem identification and resolution
Set-up and operation of tools and equipment used for tuning pianos
Storage systems and labelling
Procedures for the recording, reporting and maintenance of workplace records and information
Appropriate mathematical procedures for estimation and measurement
Assessment Conditions
Assessors must:
hold training and assessment competencies as determined by the National Skills Standards Council (NSSC) or its successors
have vocational competency in the furnishing industry at least to the level being assessed with broad industry knowledge and experience, usually combined with a relevant industry qualification
be familiar with the current skills and knowledge used and have relevant, current experience in the furnishing industry.
Assessment methods must confirm consistency of performance over time rather than a single assessment event and in a range of workplace relevant contexts.
Assessment must be by observation of relevant tasks with questioning on underpinning knowledge and, where applicable, multimedia evidence, supervisor’s reports, projects and work samples.
Assessment is to be conducted on single units of competency or in conjunction with other related units of competency. Foundation skills are integral to competent performance in the unit and should not be assessed separately.
Assessment must occur on the job or in a workplace simulated facility with relevant process, equipment, materials, work instructions and deadlines.
Access is required to hand tools and equipment used in the tuning of pianos, safety and personal protective equipment, holding and supporting equipment, and upright and grand pianos.
Foundation Skills
Foundation skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit of competency. Detail on appropriate performance levels for each furnishing unit of competency in reading, writing, oral communication and numeracy utilising the Australian Core Skills Framework (ACSF) are provided in the Furnishing Training Package Implementation Guide.
Range Statement
Specifies different work environments and conditions that may affect performance. Essential operating conditions that may be present (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) are included. Range is restricted to essential operating conditions and any other variables essential to the work environment. | |
Unit context includes: | WHS requirements, including legislation, building codes, material safety management systems, hazardous and dangerous goods codes, and local safe operating procedures or equivalent work is carried out in accordance with legislative obligations, environmental legislation, relevant health regulations, manual handling procedures and organisation insurance requirements work requires individuals to demonstrate some discretion, judgement and problem solving |
Tools, equipment and materials include: | screwdrivers voicing needles voicing tools and blocks hammer iron lacquer and brush sandpaper hammer lifting tool tuning wedge string level tool string lifting tool |
Correct posture includes: | standing or seated according to type of piano and height of individual evenly distributing body weight between both feet while standing to reduce fatigue resting arm where available to aid control during tuning and reduce tiredness |
Undesirable tonal qualities include: | harsh/soft noise which may occur when there is a loose hammer head, loose centre pins or uneven level strings string noises false strings – string has its own beat nasal or metallic sound due to hard hammers |
Needling techniques include: | correct method of supporting the hammers to avoid damage to action centres selecting the appropriate needling zones to achieve particular tonal effects |
Hardening processes include: | lacquers irons collodian |
Personal protective equipment includes: | that prescribed under legislation, regulations and enterprise policies and practices |
Information and procedures include: | workplace procedures relating to the use of tools and equipment work instructions, including job sheets, cutting lists, plans, drawings and designs workplace procedures relating to reporting and communication manufacturer specifications and operational procedures |
Sectors
Piano Technology