CareerGPS

Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners
Summary Occupational Forecast Data for Musical Instrument Repairers and Tuners
Employment Employment Change Average Annual Job Openings Wage & Training Levels
2020 2025 Numerical Percent New Jobs Replacement Jobs Total Median Hourly Median Annual Training Levels
187 183 -4 -1.92% -1 20 19 $15.89 $33,059 High school diploma or equivalent
Description: Repair percussion, stringed, reed, or wind instruments. May specialize in one area, such as piano tuning.
Forecast Data Source: EMSI (4th Quarter 2023)

Occupation Details

The information in this section represents occupational characteristics included in O*NET which defines key features of an occupation as a standardized, measurable set of variables called "descriptors". These distinguishing characteristics of an occupation are described in greater detail in the O*NET Content Model. All items are listed in descending order of importance.

  • 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.
  • Disassemble instruments and parts for repair and adjustment.
  • Inspect instruments to locate defects, and to determine their value or the level of restoration required.
  • Repair cracks in wood or metal instruments, using pinning wire, lathes, fillers, clamps, or soldering irons.
  • Reassemble instruments following repair, using hand tools and power tools and glue, hair, yarn, resin, or clamps, and lubricate instruments as necessary.
  • Compare instrument pitches with tuning tool pitches in order to tune instruments.
  • String instruments, and adjust trusses and bridges of instruments to obtain specified string tensions and heights.
  • Repair or replace musical instrument parts and components, such as strings, bridges, felts, and keys, using hand and power tools.
  • Polish instruments, using rags and polishing compounds, buffing wheels, or burnishing tools.
  • Shape old parts and replacement parts to improve tone or intonation, using hand tools, lathes, or soldering irons.
  • Make wood replacement parts, using woodworking machines and hand tools.
  • Mix and measure glue that will be used for instrument repair.

Knowledge

70%
Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
68%
Mechanical - Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

Skills

75%
Quality Control Analysis - Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
69%
Repairing - Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.
69%
Troubleshooting - Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
65%
Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
62%
Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
60%
Equipment Maintenance - Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
60%
Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
56%
Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
56%
Operation Monitoring - Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
56%
Time Management - Managing one's own time and the time of others.
56%
Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
53%
Service Orientation - Actively looking for ways to help people.
53%
Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
53%
Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
50%
Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
50%
Equipment Selection - Determining the kind of tools and equipment needed to do a job.

Abilities

81%
Manual Dexterity - The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
81%
Arm-Hand Steadiness - The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
81%
Hearing Sensitivity - The ability to detect or tell the differences between sounds that vary in pitch and loudness.
78%
Finger Dexterity - The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
75%
Auditory Attention - The ability to focus on a single source of sound in the presence of other distracting sounds.
66%
Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
66%
Control Precision - The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
62%
Visualization - The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.
62%
Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
62%
Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
62%
Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
60%
Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
60%
Selective Attention - The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
56%
Multilimb Coordination - The ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion.
56%
Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
56%
Flexibility of Closure - The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
53%
Information Ordering - The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
53%
Originality - The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
53%
Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
50%
Category Flexibility - The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
50%
Fluency of Ideas - The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
50%
Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.

Work Activities

80%
Making Decisions and Solving Problems - Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
71%
Handling and Moving Objects - Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
69%
Performing for or Working Directly with the Public - Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
68%
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material - Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
68%
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships - Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
68%
Thinking Creatively - Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
68%
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge - Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
67%
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work - Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
64%
Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment - Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of mechanical (not electronic) principles.
63%
Getting Information - Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
62%
Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People - Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
62%
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events - Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
59%
Scheduling Work and Activities - Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
56%
Communicating with Persons Outside Organization - Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
55%
Controlling Machines and Processes - Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).
53%
Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information - Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.
53%
Monitoring and Controlling Resources - Monitoring and controlling resources and overseeing the spending of money.
51%
Performing Administrative Activities - Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.
Title Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
Overall 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.
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.
Job Zone Examples These occupations usually involve using communication and organizational skills to coordinate, supervise, manage, or train others to accomplish goals. Examples include food service managers, electricians, agricultural technicians, legal secretaries, interviewers, and insurance sales agents.
Education Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.

Interests

Realistic - Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outsi
Artistic - Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.
Investigative - Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
Conventional - Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.

Work Styles

Attention to Detail - Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Integrity - Job requires being honest and ethical.
Dependability - Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Analytical Thinking - Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
Achievement/Effort - Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
Initiative - Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Independence - Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
Persistence - Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.

Work Values

-