Electronic musical instrument maker

Electronic musical instrument makers create and assemble parts to make electronic instruments according to specified instructions or diagrams. They install and test electric pick-ups, clean and inspect the finished instrument.

The following job titles also refer to electronic musical instrument maker:

electric guitar maker
electric keyboard maker
electronic musical instrument craftsperson
electric guitar builder
electronic musical instrument craftsman
electric keyboard builder
electronic musical instrument craftswoman
electronic musical instrument builder

A high school diploma is generally the minimum required to work as an electronic musical instrument maker.

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

• the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
• the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
• the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Electronic musical instrument maker is a Skill level 2 occupation.

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to electronic musical instrument maker.

musical instrument technician
membranophone musical instruments maker
harpsichord maker
idiophone musical instruments maker
piano maker

These occupations require some skills and knowledge of electronic musical instrument maker. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of electronic musical instrument maker with a significant experience and/or extensive training.

taxidermist
air pollution analyst
product development engineering drafter
art handler
printed circuit board designer

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of electronic musical instrument maker.

• Musical instruments: The different musical instruments, their ranges, timbre, and possible combinations.
• Metalworking: The process of working with metals to create individual parts, assemblies, or large-scale structures.
• Electronics: The functioning of electronic circuit boards, processors, chips, and computer hardware and software, including programming and applications. Apply this knowledge to ensure electronic equipment runs smoothly.
• Tuning techniques: Tuning pitches and techniques and musical temperaments for the various instruments.
• Musical instruments materials: The characteristics of composite materials, felts, glues, leathers and skins, metals and precious metals, woods and wood derivatives to create musical instruments.

These skills are necessary for the role of electronic musical instrument maker.

• Repair musical instruments: Attach new strings, fix frames or replace broken parts of musical instruments.
• Solder electronics: Operate and use soldering tools and soldering iron, which supply high temperatures to melt the solder and to join electronic components.
• Create musical instrument parts: Design and create parts such as keys, reeds, bows, and others for musical instruments.
• Maintain musical instruments: Check and maintain musical instruments.
• Apply a protective layer: Apply a layer of protective solutions such as permethrine to protect the product from damage such as corrosion, fire or parasites, using a spray gun or paintbrush.
• Rewire electronic musical instruments: Rewire any lose wiring or solder any loose ends of electronic musical instruments.
• Assemble musical instrument parts: Assemble parts together such as the body, strings, buttons, keys, and others to create the final musical instrument.

This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of electronic musical instrument maker. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Acoustics: The study of sound, its reflection, amplification and absorption in a space.
• Woodturning: Process of shaping wood on a lathe and its types, namely spindle turning and faceplate turning.
• Conservation techniques: The procedures, instruments, techniques, materials and chemicals used in conservation and archiving.
• Technical drawings: Drawing software and the various symbols, perspectives, units of measurement, notation systems, visual styles and page layouts used in technical drawings.
• Organic building materials: The types and processing of organic materials to build products or parts of products.
• Sales promotion techniques: The techniques used to persuade customers to purchase a product or a service.
• History of musical instruments: The historical background and chronology of various musical instruments.
• Musical instrument accessories: The process of creating musical instrument accessories, such as metronomes, tuning forks or stands.

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of electronic musical instrument maker. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Pass on trade techniques: Pass on knowledge and skills, explain and demonstrate the application of equipment and materials and answer questions about trade techniques for the manufacturing of products.
• Restore musical instruments: Restore old musical instruments to their original condition and conserve them in that state.
• Apply restoration techniques: Select and apply appropriate restoration techniques in order to achieve the required restoration goals. This encompasses preventive measures, remedial measures, restoration processes and management processes.
• Evaluate restoration procedures: Evaluate the outcome of conservation and restoration procedures. Evaluate the degree of risk, success of treatment or activity and communicate the results.
• Decorate musical instruments: Create designs on musical instruments by using methods such as embossing, piercing, painting, woodworking, weaving, and other methods.
• Estimate value of musical instruments: Identify new or second hand musical instruments and estimate the market value of them based on professional judgment and knowledge of musical instruments, or subject them to estimation by a third party.
• Identify customer’s needs: Use appropriate questions and active listening in order to identify customer expectations, desires and requirements according to product and services.
• Verify product specifications: Check heights, colour and other attributes of finished product against specifications.
• Design musical instruments: Develop and design a musical instrument according to customer specification.
• Estimate restoration costs: Estimate the cost implications of restoring and replacing products or parts.
• Select restoration activities: Determine restoration needs and requirements and plan the activities. Consider the desired results, the level of intervention required, evaluation of alternatives, constraints on actions, stakeholder demands, possible risks and future options.
• Trade in musical instruments: Buy and sell musical instruments, or serve as an intermediate between potential buyers and sellers.

8212 – Electrical and electronic equipment assemblers

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References

1. Electronic musical instrument maker – ESCO