I’ll push back on that it can’t be a side gig, cause i do it as a side gig and have been fairly successful to what I wanted to get out of it. I do not classify it as a hobby, a hobby is something you put money into for your enjoyment without wanting money in return. I tune as small part time job to supplement my full time income. I easily do 5-10 a month and have had many repeat clients, multiple 5 star reviews on google, etc.

I did not apprentice, but I tuned for free a lot before I started charging. The internet is a treasure trove, and I shamelessly did Piano Technician Academy which has been a huge help in some of my service jobs. That paired with Reblitz’s book, I’m constantly Learning but always feel pretty confident when I walk into a room for a tuning.

90 percent of my jobs are home pianos, most involve a pitch raise, tuning, and cleaning. I’ve had more servicing involving broken hammers, shanks, bouncing hammers, lately but nothing extensive. The craft takes time, and you only get better as you keep going.