September 9, 2025

Feeling some momentum finally. I'm so stoked again. Trying to practice every moment I can! Though I'm noticing that I am constantly worried about being loud and annoying to my neighbors though. Can't wait for the days where I live in my own home and can tune or play piano whenever!!

September 6, 2025

Tuned Grandmom's grand piano today! My first grand complete, Woo! I was in my head at the beginning and had to call Philip and get some help. Took a little longer than I meant to but that's okay. Gonna revisit next sunday! Learned a few things about TuneLab that I think will be helpful going froward. Maybe the answer to my questions from a few days ago! Gonna practice more on my piano this week!

September 3, 2025

Another attempt tuning my piano today. It took me a roughly 2.5-3 hours with an ETD. Which is good progress! Still having trouble with stability. It's gotta be something with my hammer technique but I think it just comes with time and reps. I'm getting better at getting unisons to lock in and wow, it is one of the most satisfying feelings. I think I'm missing some information about TuneLab because it isn't as tuned as it should be. 

August 21, 2025

Okay, only having a basic understanding of some of the higher level concepts is going to have to do for now. I will keep learning. One piano at a time. 

August 6, 2025

Currently becoming quite unmotivated with tuning, giving myself some space and grace.

August 3, 2025

Getting ahead of myself a lot lately. Need to move slowly. It's okay to take a step back to break things down. Learning how to love something new is hard sometimes.

July 16, 2025

IN THE THICK OF IT!!!!

July 10, 2025

I like piano puzzles. Not great at them yet. But I like them. 

July 7, 2025

What if I had a place on my website for the fun thoughts or insights I have while learning? 

July 4, 2025

Overwhelmed by the amount of stuff to organize and learn. Literally just clinging onto Sunday in the Park with George right now. "Bit by bit, putting it together!" 

June 28, 2025

I've made it halfway through my certification course!!! 

May 31, 2025

Spent the day hanging at Philips garage working on key bushings and trying to roughly tune the Kawai upright in his garage. Took me the better part of 4 hours to even get close to finishing the tuning. My ears are tired but good day, really good day.

May 14, 2025

Concussions suck. No tuning for a while.

Also, I got the wrong kind of cauls for replacing key bushings. Feelin' a little silly but hey! now I know!

May 8, 2025

Another PTG meeting. The talk was interesting but elusive. Everything still feels a little bit like it's going over my head. Looking forward to the day when more stuff clicks! 

April 16, 2025

When the tools turn into taunts and the work feels too heavy, it's time to go outside. It's okay to pace yourself. It takes time to build things. 

April 15, 2025

I'm gonna need some good boundary setting skills! Running a business seems so empowering and terrifying at the same time. 

April 10, 2025

My name is on the PTG directory now. I feel like an imposter???

April 7, 2025

First PTG meeting tonight! Woo! 

March 31, 2025

Problem solving = fun. Never really thought I could learn stuff like this.

March 27, 2025

Went out on a call with Philip today! Two Pianos! Tuning the upright and repairing the Grand. Ended up being an impromptu introduction to damper regulation! Key takeaway: every little detail makes a difference. Every small adjustment impacts everything else. I've gotta be careful. 

March 24, 2025

Joined Piano Technicians Guild today! I feel like I'm doing things! 

March 8, 2025

Philip came to bail me out of some dubious work on moms spinet. I was loosing my mind. Make sure the lifter wire goes on the rubber grommet properly. Piano is getting better, but still, something is not quite right. 

January 28, 2025

Put in a dampp-chaser system in an upright with Philip today. Also was introduced to piano refinishing at Josh's shop! Pretty neat stuff. It'll probably be years before I think about any of this.

January 27, 2025

Today I learned that the Bösendorfer 225 has 4 extra keys at the bass end. Pretty neat.

January 23, 2025

Good news! I didn't break it. but oh, do I have so much to learn.

January 20, 2025

Took my mom's spinet apart today. Learned a lot! Think I broke it though. Need to revisit.

January 6, 2025

This may have been slightly presumptuous considering I haven't even started tuning yet but I spent a little bit of money today and got me a nice tuning hammer. 

January 2, 2025

Starting my tuning certification course today!!!!!!!! 

December 31, 2024

Maybe it's too early for this, but maybe not. I think I like "The Key Keeper". Also, "Keep Austin Tuned"??????????? Hell yeah.

November 30, 2024

I took an action out of a grand piano by myself  for the first time today. All I could think the whole time was -- goooooooo slllllooooooooooowwww.

November 26, 2025

I helped clean a piano today. There was a rats nest inside. Who knew that piano felt made for such good nesting material.

November 17, 2025

Spent a while today working in Philips garage polishing capstans and working on key bushings. There was jazz on in the background, it was serene. Also, spoke to Kris and Sloane on facetime while I was there. They said I should livestream this kind of work. Kinda sounds like it'd be a fun hang out. Whenever I can, I think I will! 

October 20, 2024

Shadowed a tuning with Philip (stryketuning.com) for the first time today. I am so excited to study this. 

September 23, 2024

"Philip!  This is Charlie Winckel. I'm becoming interested in piano tuning and was wondering..."