LaRoy and the Regulation Pyramid: The Genesis of a Tribute Shirt Design

Ed Whitting, RPT and Alan Eder, RPT co-taught a class at the 2025 National Convention of the Piano Technicians Guild. The class is called, “Getting the Drop on High-End Grand Regulation: Micro Adjustments that yield Macro Results.” In it, both Yamaha’s 37 Steps of Grand Piano Regulation and LaRoyhimself figure prominently.

Ed was struck by the inspired idea to arrange the 37 Steps in a quasi-pyramidal structure, with the earliest steps serving as the foundation of the structure upon which the ascending, subsequent steps are built.

From the birth of the notion of making “Regulation Pyramid” shirts, it quickly gathered momentum. Very little gets past Ed and Alan, and they astutely noted that shirts have not one, but two sides (not to mention the sleeves!). So: what to put on the back? They let the ol’ idea wheel spin round and round until it eventually alighted on what we have today: A line-drawing of LaRoy with the caption, “Creator of The 37 Steps of Grand Piano Regulation.”

Susan Edwards, one of LaRoy’s six children, provided the photograph that served as a model for visual artist Lynn McCallion. From Lynn’s wonderful sketch, Chuck Medina-Behring used Adobe Photo Shop to derive a vector line drawing (which, unlike a photograph or sketch, is readily reproduced by the silk screen process on textiles like cotton shirts).

The CalArts Piano Shop Crew served as the “focus group” that guided us in the design of the Regulation Pyramid shirt.They expressed a strong interest in learning more about LaRoyin general and the “37 Steps” in particular. (Not everyone who attends Ed & Alan’s advanced-level class has done a lot of regulating, and Laroy’s venture into meticulous attention to basics is just what they need.) And so it came to pass that we got a QR code that leads to a website in honor of LaRoy, LaRoyPianoTech.com (hey, that’s right here!), and added that to the shirt on the sleeve.

Several other piano technicians also lent a hand in bring the shirt design and website to life. Baran Ehsaei and Jayden Ostlerspent long hours on the shirt design as well as researching and curating content for the website. Jesse Reyes generously consented to create the website, and on unreasonably short notice. Jesse was greatly aided in this by his apprentice, Stefan Borowicz. Bill Brandom, one of LaRoy’s long-time colleagues at Yamaha, provided ready access to stills and videos about LaRoy that were shared at LaRoy’s memorial which took place at Bill’s home in 2023.

As LaRoy’s daughter, Susan, remarked upon seeing the shirt, “It’s wonderful. Dad would be embarrassed, but proud.”

And that is the tale of the class that became a tribute, that hatched the shirt, that spawned the creation of this website, a portal into the life and work of an exceptional human being, LaRoy Edwards.

Enjoy!

P. S. Interested in sporting your very own “LaRoy and the Regulation Pyramid” shirt? If you would like to acquire one, please contact us HERE [“contact us” button].