So you want to become an RPT?

The RPT exams are available exclusively to PTG members in good standing and consist of three parts: a Written Exam, Tuning Exam, and Technical Exam.

The practical exams are administered by panels of RPTs under the leadership of examiners trained and certified in standardized exam procedures. Exam procedures are designed to comply with standards of objectivity mandated by US anti-trust legislation, thus assuring that exams are fair and equivalent regardless of where or by whom they are administered.

The Written Exam tests basic knowledge of piano design, tuning theory, repair techniques and various other topics relevant to piano technology.

On the Tuning Exam, the candidate must match as closely as possible a "master tuning" created by a panel of examiners who have agreed - after painstaking experimentation and analysis - on an optimal tuning for the test piano. The exam is scored by using extremely sensitive electronic equipment to measure the deviation of the candidate's tuning from the standard thus established. Candidates who use electronic tuning devices in their work must nevertheless demonstrate their ability to tune by ear, unaided by electronics in the temperament area of the keyboard.

The Technical Exam requires the candidate to demonstrate professional-level skills in assembling a grand and a vertical piano action (the mechanical component of the piano) and in making all the complicated adjustments (called "regulation") so that they function properly. The candidate must also demonstrate facility in various common repairs involving wood, cloth, felt, piano wire and other materials commonly used in pianos. All the procedures on these exams must be completed in prescribed time periods - thus demonstrating the fluency required of a professional.

Interested? Questions? Check out the Exam Prep classes at this year’s convention!

Exam Fees

The Piano Technicians Guild Foundation offers scholarships each year to members intending to take their final RPT examination during the current year's PTG Annual Convention & Technical Institute.

The scholarships provide individual recipients with funds for the convention member registration fee, as well as examination fees to cover the applicant’s choice of either the PTG Technical Examination or the PTG Tuning Examination. Up to eight scholarships are awarded annually. Applications are due by April 30, 2024.

To be considered, an applicant must:

• Have passed two RPT exams (Written, Tuning, or Technical)

• Take the third test at the upcoming PTG convention

How to Register