About
Our Certified Piano Technician
Meet our founder and technician
Ashley Blaha, RPT
The Artful Key LLC was founded and is fully owned and operated by professional piano technician, Ashley Blaha, RPT. Ashley comes from a family of musicians and began her training learning to tune by ear at age 13. She fell in love with the field and has been tuning pianos 100% aurally ever since.
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Ashley has 7+ years experience working with in-home clients along with time working for Steinway & Sons NY, Bradfield Piano Restoration, and Piano Gallery Dallas. She has training from the C.F. Theodore Steinway Academy in New York, Kawai USA, QRS Music Technologies, and Dampp-Chaser.
In 2018, Ashley earned her Registered Piano Technician credential by passing three standardized exams offered by the Piano Technicians Guild, and she regularly attends national and regional Piano Technicians Guild conventions to further her education. In 2022, Ashley went further to complete TEC training, certifying her to give the RPT technical exam to qualified candidates.
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Ashley graduated Summa Cum Laude from UT-Dallas with a degree in Marketing and Business Administration and has been in the DFW area since 2014. In that time, she has been able to build a loyal client base that exclusively trusts her with their most prized pianos.
Training, Credentials & Certifications
C.F. Theodore Steinway Academy
New York City
Touch & Tone Seminar (2020)
Voicing & Tone Building Seminar (2022)
Based at the Steinway & Sons factory in Queens, NYC, the academy offers continuing education for piano technicians desiring Steinway training to further their careers. Seminars are one week long and focused on servicing Steinway pianos at the highest level, with the goal of keeping the piano true to its makers. Classes are limited to only four technicians at a time, each with their own Steinway to work with and practice new techniques on. Ashley has completed two Steinway training sessions: Touch and Tone, which is about regulating the Steinway action, and Voicing and Tone Building, which is about developing the Steinway tone.
Offered only once a year to selected technicians, the Shigeru Kawai Technical Academy is held in downtown LA by Kawai America. It is a week of intensive training on Kawai's premium line, the handmade Shigeru Kawai. Coursework covers regulation, voicing, tuning, and concert work for discriminating pianists, focusing on what makes the Shigeru Kawai different and how to bring them to their best.
Shigeru Kawai Technical Academy
Los Angeles, CA
June 2023
August 2024
Scottsdale, AZ
The Renner Academy is a week-long training in the Phoenix area focused on exclusively on higher level piano service including parts replacement, action geometry analysis, regulation, and voicing. The instructors are some of the best in the industry, who build pianos themselves and design the voicing processes for the esteemed Fazioli pianos. It is considered nationally the best training for rebuilding pianos, offered by Renner USA, the US distributor of the well-known Renner piano parts, found in Steinway pianos and many other quality brands.
The Piano Technicians Guild is the largest trade organization of piano technicians in the U.S. and offers both educational opportunities and certification exams.
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Registered Piano Technician, or RPT, is the Guild's optional industry credential. It indicates the technician has core competencies in piano technology by passing three objective exams and it is considered the standard around the world for certifying technicians.
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The Certified Technical Examiner, or TEC, is a credential that means the RPT has completed training for and is certified to give technical exams to qualified candidates.
Ashley regularly attends the annual conventions and regional seminars offered by the PTG to continue advancing in the field. The most recent convention she attended was in August 2022 in Anaheim, CA.​
Member since 2013
RPT since 2018
TEC since 2022
QRS Music offers the most-recognized aftermarket (non-factory installed) player piano systems in the industry. In their three-day hands-on training, technicians learn how QRS player systems work, how to correctly install and how to properly service the systems in the home. Ashley is happy to give consultations about installations and upgrades to the current systems, or service existing systems.
Dampp-Chaser is the leading manufacturer of piano humidity control systems and has been for many years. Specialized training offered by the company to install these is recommended and it covers everything from how humidity affects pianos to best practices with installing the systems when they are needed. Ashley regularly consults with clients about humidity-related issues and how the piano's environment can be controlled for long-term protection with greater tuning stability and mechanical consistency.
Certified Installer since 2020
