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2024 Tune Up Arizona Annual Seminar | Tempe, Arizona
Friday, February 2 – Sunday, February 4, 2024

Join us for a Friday night Reception and a 2-day, Saturday + Sunday Seminar in Tempe, Arizona with Instructors, Jim Busby, RPT and François-Jérôme Vincent.

Register

Friday Night Reception | Southwest Pianos | February 2 at 5:00 PM

Schedule

Please join us for some food, drinks and good conversation. Arrive at 5PM for registration, meet & greet, with food, beverages and other actvities taking place at 6PM.

Location

Southwest Pianos
2155 E University Dr #108
Tempe, AZ 85281

(480) 955-9133

Saturday & Sunday Seminar | Arizona State University Music Building

Our 2-day Seminar at the Arizona State University Music Building

Saturday, February 3rd Schedule

8:00 AM Registration in Lobby
8:30-10:30 Jim Busby 10 Piano Service Tips
10:30-10:45 Break
10:45-12:00 Jim Busby 10 Piano Service Tips
12:00-1:30 Lunch
1:30-3:30 Francois Vincent - Innovative Piano Design
3:30-3:45 Break
3:45-5:30 Innovative Design

Sunday, February 4th Schedule

8:30-10:30 AM Francois Vincent: Innovative Piano Design and Part Optimization
10:30-10:45 Break
10:45-12:00 Francois Vincent: Innovative Piano Design and Part Optimization
12:00-1:00 Lunch
1:00-3:00 Jim Busby Ten Practical Piano Tips and More
3:00-3:15 Break
3:15-5:00 Jim Busby Ten Practical Piano Tips and More

Class descriptions 

Jim Busby: Jim’s Top Ten Tips. Tools Included!

In this fast moving and fun class (1/2 on first day and 2nd half on second day) Jim will teach 10 Mini lessons on a variety of topics. With each topic you will receive a free tool, and instructions on how to use it! These are time saving tricks and tools that Jim has refined over many years. Topics include tips that help you with: keyframe bedding, damper timing, grand regulation, voicing Asian pianos, hammer shaping, and more. Must be present to receive tools.

François-Jérôme Vincent: Innovative Piano Design

Over two half-days, François-Jérôme will explain how each element of the grand piano action is designed, and show how to replace and optimize an action. Some drawings will be provided to the attendees.This class is useful for anyone wishing to carefully replace hammers, actions or back actions, taking greater account of the geometry of the piano and its parts.  He will show his own spreadsheets for checking grand piano action, some of which will be given for free to the attendees.

Instructors

Jim Busby, RPT



Jim Busby, RPT has had a varied career as a piano technician for more than 40 years. He has combined home service, and rebuilding with over 30 years of university work as a concert technician at BYU and Snow College. Extensive training from Steinway, Yamaha, Kawai and Renner has given Jim a unique perspective that few technicians have been afforded. Jim's experience in education, coupled with his high level piano technician skills have helped him become a sought after instructor at Piano Technicians Guild conventions, regional PTG conferences,
and local meetings.

Jim also offers extensive piano technician training through his program at Piano Technician Tutorials: www.pianotechniciantutorials.com

François-Jérôme Vincent



François-Jérôme studied piano making in France, and quickly became interested in design and manufacturing. He spent 5 years working for a French piano maker, with whom he worked on some very unusual projects in rebuilding and new pianos manufacturing. He later moved to New Zealand to work as a technician and study engineering and Computer-Aided-Design. Since then, he has set up his own business based in Switzerland, dedicated to designing pianos for factories and technicians. He offers his services as a consultant, replacing piano actions, scaling... and he is manufacturing his own spare parts and tools with CNC or 3D printing. Tools will be on sale at discounted prices for attendees. 


Location

Arizona State University School of School of Music, Dance and Theatre
Music Building

50 E Gammage Pkwy
Tempe, AZ 85281

Registration & Payment

Please register at www.PhoenixPTG.org/seminar-registration. We are not collecting online payments - please see below for payment information.

Register

Cost if you register by January 31st:

PTG Members: $55.00
Non-members: $80.00

Cost if you do not register by January 31st:

PTG Members: $75.00
Non-members: $100.00

Pay at the Door

Pay with Cash, Check or Money Order at either of the following times and locations:

  • Friday, February 2, 5:00 PM | Southwest Pianos
  • Saturday, February 3, 8:00 AM | ASU Lobby

Make Check or Money Order payable to "Phoenix PTG".

Parking

Cost

All-day Parking: $16.00. Pay at a meter with Credit Card.

Location

ASU Gammage Auditorium Parking Lot
1200 S Forest Ave
Tempe, AZ 85281

Located across the street, just South of the Music Building.

Lodging

Several hotel rooms will be reserved until 1/31/2024 at 2 hotels, in the name of Eliot Lee. Please call Eliot at (602) 481-9684 if you’d like to stay at one of these hotels.

Hotels

Comfort Suites Phoenix Airport
1625 S 52nd St, Tempe, AZ 85281
(480) 446-9500

6 rooms reserved until 1/31/2024: 4 rooms with Sunday 2/4/2024 check-out, and 2 rooms with Monday 2/5/2024 check-out. Rooms have 1 single + 1 double bed.

Motel 6 Tempe, AZ - Scottsdale South
1612 N Scottsdale Rd, Tempe, AZ 85288
(480) 945-9506

10 rooms reserved until 1/31/2024.

Airbnb

Search Airbnb for Tempe, AZ Rentals

Meals

Food and beverages will be provided at the Friday Reception at Southwest Pianos.

Contact

Eliot Lee, RPT
(602) 481-9684
seminar@phoenixptg.org