[00:00] – Intro
G’day, everyone. I’m David Reidy; welcome to Piano, Finally, a podcast by an old bloke who is getting around to learning the piano—finally.
[00:12] – Welcome
Welcome to show forty-five. Thanks for joining me! If you’re new, I hope you enjoy what you hear. If you’ve returned, thanks again. And if you're learning an instrument, let me know how it's going: [email protected].
[00:42] – Holiday Travel & Armidale Piano Concert
The first week of the holidays was packed with music. I travelled to Armidale for a piano concert—a six-hour drive from Sydney, which turned into eight with stops. It was scenic, and with more electric car chargers now, the trip was smooth.
[01:42] – Drum Machine Instead of Metronome
I’ve been thinking about metronomes. Mine is too quiet and not very musical. Real bands have drummers, not metronomes—so I bought a drum machine and gave it a go. Early impressions: it’s promising! I’ll report back next week.
[02:42] – Podcast Recommendation: Start Here (Season 2)
I’ve been enjoying Start Here, ABRSM’s podcast hosted by Alexis Ffrench. It explores a wide range of genres—from Drum & Bass and Drill to Folk and Opera. Each episode features a guest expert with musical insight and listening suggestions.
🎧 https://shows.acast.com/abrsm-start-here
[04:15] – Essay: What Does It Mean to 'Play'?
In Spanish, to play the piano is toco el piano—literally, I touch the piano. The verb “jugar” isn’t used. That got me wondering why we say “play” in English and what that means. Most pianists aren’t doing it for work. So—why are they there?
Some are made to do it, like two kids I know—one enjoys it, one’s ready to quit. Maybe they’re enduring the piano, not playing it.
[05:52] – Finding Joy in Playing
“Play” should mean joy. Whether it’s immediate pleasure, improvisation, or the satisfaction of progress, it should feel good. Practising scales or a new Mozart piece can still be fun if you know improvement is coming.
So how do we keep the fun alive?
[06:55] – Enter the Nord Stage 4
I decided to get a Nord Stage 4—not just because it’s a great keyboard, but because it’ll make playing even more fun. I want to use the piano skills I’m learning on the Kawai across different sounds—organs, synths, and more.
And yes, it’ll help me get closer to the sound of Elton John, which is part of the fun, too.
[08:00] – Other Languages Play Too
Fun fact: Italians suonano, French jouent, and Germans spielen—they all “play” the piano too. So the joy is universal.
And in Latin? Claves cano—“I sing the keys.” If only the piano had been invented earlier!
[08:30] – Review: Piano Plus Showcase Concert
Back to Armidale—where I saw the Piano Plus Showcase Concert. Six tutors from the Autumn Piano School performed. The highlight? Two études by Anton Rubenstein, played by Coady Green.
🎵 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NgZwW-FREKI
[09:35] – Spotlight: Rubenstein & Coady Green
Rubenstein, a 19th-century Russian virtuoso, taught Tchaikovsky and wrote études for students. They’re seriously tough! Watching Coady perform them up close—especially those 64th notes—was astonishing. It made the whole trip worthwhile.
[10:45] – About the Autumn Piano School
The Autumn Piano School caters for all—from primary kids to adults. The adult stream starts at Grade 6, so I’m not quite ready. Maybe in a decade!
🎓 https://www.pianoplus.com.au/autumn-piano-school-2025/
[11:20] – Bonus: Megalong Music Festival
Just as I wrapped up this episode, I found a local chamber concert at the Megalong Music Festival. It was beautiful—I’ll share more in the next episode.
🎶 https://www.megalongmusicfestival.com.au
[11:55] – Closing & Contact Info
If you’d like to reach out, email me:
📩 [email protected]
🌐 http://www.pianofinally.show
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[12:30] – Practice Progress & Setup
This week I’m still working on Afternoon Snooze and Blackout Blues, plus a new Grade 1 piece: Der Vogelfänger bin ich ja from Mozart’s The Magic Flute. I’ve just started—hands separate so far.
These were recorded in one take on the Kawai NV10 using Pianoteq 8 and a Bösendorfer 280VC emulation.