🎙️ Episode 42 – Devi MamakG’day, and welcome back to Piano, finally—a podcast by an old bloke learning the piano, finally.This week’s episode is a little different. I’m thrilled to share the very first interview on the show, and it’s with someone many of you have heard me mention before—my piano teacher, Devi Mamak. We sat down at her studio to chat about music, teaching, and learning piano as an adult. A big thanks to Devi for taking the time to speak after a full day of teaching.🎹 Links from the episode Check out Devi’s music and teaching via her website: 🔗 https://caravandancecompany.com.au/devi-mamak/📬 Get in touch Let me know how your own piano (or other musical) journey is going. Email me at: david@pianofinally.show Show website: <a href='http://www.pianofinally.show/'>www.pianofinally.show</a>🎧 Coming up next week We’ll be back to the usual format. I’ll chat about how we picked the next four Grade 1 pieces from the AMEB Piano for Leisure and ABRSM Rock School books, and walk through how I set myself up for productive practice sessions.🎵 Progress update I’m working on refining three pieces:<ul><li>Fritz Spindler’s Canon</li><li>Turk’s Bagatelle in F</li><li>Andrew Craggs’ Afternoon Snooze</li></ul>You’ll hear the first take of each—rough edges and all.Thanks again for tuning in. Until next time, may your piano stay in tune and your practice time be rewarding.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2366139/open_sms">Send me a text message.</a>You can contact me: <ul> <li>via email at david@pianofinally.show; this is probably the best option</li> <li>the show website, <a href='https://www.pianofinally.show'>www.pianofinally.show</a> </li> <li>Instagram and Threads @pianofinally</li> <li>and on <a href='https://www.youtube.com/@pianofinally'>YouTube</a> </li> <li>all the podcast directories - <a href='https://pianofinally.buzzsprout.com/share'>list</a> </li> <li>here&apos;s the <a href='https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/2366139.rss'>RSS feed</a> </li> </ul> Some of the links to books and other items mentioned in the podcast are affiliate links for Amazon or other providers. If you use one of these links, a commission may be paid to me at no additional cost to you. Thank you if you use a link. All reviews of products, websites and services are unpaid, and no sponsorship has been received for any content on this podcast.

<description>&lt;p&gt;🎙️ &lt;b&gt;Episode 42 – Devi Mamak&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;G’day, and welcome back to &lt;em&gt;Piano, finally&lt;/em&gt;—a podcast by an old bloke learning the piano, finally.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This week’s episode is a little different. I’m thrilled to share the very first interview on the show, and it’s with someone many of you have heard me mention before—my piano teacher, &lt;b&gt;Devi Mamak&lt;/b&gt;. We sat down at her studio to chat about music, teaching, and learning piano as an adult. A big thanks to Devi for taking the time to speak after a full day of teaching.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;🎹 &lt;b&gt;Links from the episode&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Check out Devi’s music and teaching via her website:&lt;br/&gt;🔗 https://caravandancecompany.com.au/devi-mamak/&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;📬 &lt;b&gt;Get in touch&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Let me know how your own piano (or other musical) journey is going.&lt;br/&gt;Email me at: david@pianofinally.show&lt;br/&gt;Show website: &lt;a href='http://www.pianofinally.show/'&gt;www.pianofinally.show&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;🎧 &lt;b&gt;Coming up next week&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br/&gt;We’ll be back to the usual format. I’ll chat about how we picked the next four Grade 1 pieces from the AMEB Piano for Leisure and ABRSM Rock School books, and walk through how I set myself up for productive practice sessions.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;🎵 &lt;b&gt;Progress update&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br/&gt;I’m working on refining three pieces:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Fritz Spindler’s &lt;em&gt;Canon&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Turk’s &lt;em&gt;Bagatelle in F&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Andrew Craggs’ &lt;em&gt;Afternoon Snooze&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;You’ll hear the first take of each—rough edges and all.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Thanks again for tuning in. Until next time, may your piano stay in tune and your practice time be rewarding.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2366139/open_sms"&gt;Send me a text message.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;You can contact me:&lt;/p&gt; &lt;ul&gt; &lt;li&gt;via email at david@pianofinally.show; this is probably the best option&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;the show website, &lt;a href='https://www.pianofinally.show'&gt;www.pianofinally.show&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;Instagram and Threads @pianofinally&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;and on &lt;a href='https://www.youtube.com/@pianofinally'&gt;YouTube&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;all the podcast directories - &lt;a href='https://pianofinally.buzzsprout.com/share'&gt;list&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;here&amp;apos;s the &lt;a href='https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/2366139.rss'&gt;RSS feed&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;p&gt;Some of the links to books and other items mentioned in the podcast are affiliate links for Amazon or other providers. If you use one of these links, a commission may be paid to me at no additional cost to you. Thank you if you use a link. &lt;br/&gt;All reviews of products, websites and services are unpaid, and no sponsorship has been received for any content on this podcast.&lt;/p&gt;</description>

🎙️ Episode 42 – Devi Mamak G’day, and welcome back to Piano, finally—a podcast by an old bloke learning the piano, finally. This week’s episode is a little different. I’m thrilled to share the very first interview on the show, and it’s with someone many of you have heard me mention before—my piano teacher, Devi Mamak. We sat down at her studio to chat about music, teaching, and learning piano as an adult. A big thanks to Devi for taking the time to speak after a full day of teaching. 🎹 Links ...

Episode 42 - Devi Mamak

🎙 Episode 41 – Pianos and Keyboards G’day, and welcome back to Piano, Finally – the podcast by an old bloke, finally learning piano. In this episode, we take a look at a curious music theory making the rounds on YouTube, dip a toe into the world of electronic keyboards, and review a more contemporary collection of piano pieces from AMEB’s Rock School.🎵 A Conspiracy in Classical Music? It started with a video about using a metronome and ended with a full-blown theory claiming we’re all playing classical music twice as fast as intended. This “Whole Beat Theory” suggests tempo markings were meant for both ticks and tocks of a metronome, not just ticks. It’s an interesting idea… but does it hold up to scrutiny?Turns out, not really. Performances by pianists like Ashkenazy and Yunchan Lim show that Chopin’s intended tempo for the Revolutionary Etude is quite playable the conventional way. We also get into why this theory falls apart when applied to opera or examined historically. You won’t find a link to the video here, but if you&apos;re curious, a quick search for “Whole Beat Conspiracy” should do the trick.🎹 Essay – Getting Curious About Keyboards Thanks to a few YouTube suggestions (and maybe a recent headphone search), I’ve found myself watching videos about electronic keyboards. Turns out, there&apos;s a whole universe of buttons, knobs and sliders up there beyond the keys.A couple of videos worth checking out:<ul><li><a href='https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWWKKQtJAKE'>How to sound like Elton John on a Nord Stage 3</a></li><li><a href='https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVa86ze5tIA'>Patch walkthrough for iconic pop song sounds</a></li></ul>It’s fascinating stuff – especially how a traditional piano performance can be shaped by modern tech. I’m definitely intrigued, and a stage piano might be on the wishlist now.🎧 Review – AMEB Rock School Grade 1 If you’re looking for graded music that’s a bit more modern, the Rock School syllabus might be worth a look. I picked up the Grade One book and found pieces by the likes of Taylor Swift, The Beatles, and Sir Elton John. The pieces are short, approachable, and well within reach after a year of playing.You can hear them before you buy too:<ul><li><a href='https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJmdXU7MTtSNTKIbEScqaKWnZN9B5Hj2m'>Summit School of Music&apos;s Grade 1 playlist</a></li><li><a href='https://www.ameb.edu.au/rockschool-piano-grade-1?utm_source=google_shopping&amp;srsltid=AfmBOop79Yqh4D0opcEEhDWYnp9cN59M1YYp2lKG4abdHVbm1JyxHEf1028'>Buy the book at AMEB</a></li></ul>🎼 Progress &amp; Practice This week, I was a bit out of sorts with my routine – left my practice notes at work – but still made some headway. Working on Blackout Blues by Andrew Craggs and a Mozart piece (Die Zauberflöte arrangement) with a focus on hands separately. Played on the Kawai <a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2366139/open_sms">Send me a text message.</a>You can contact me: <ul> <li>via email at david@pianofinally.show; this is probably the best option</li> <li>the show website, <a href='https://www.pianofinally.show'>www.pianofinally.show</a> </li> <li>Instagram and Threads @pianofinally</li> <li>and on <a href='https://www.youtube.com/@pianofinally'>YouTube</a> </li> <li>all the podcast directories - <a href='https://pianofinally.buzzsprout.com/share'>list</a> </li> <li>here&apos;s the <a href='https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/2366139.rss'>RSS feed</a> </li> </ul> Some of the links to books and other items mentioned in the podcast are affiliate links for Amazon or other providers. If you use one of these links, a commission may be paid to me at no additional cost to you. Thank you if you use a link. All reviews of products, websites and services are unpaid, and no sponsorship has been received for any content on this podcast.

<description>&lt;p&gt;🎙 &lt;b&gt;Episode 41 – Pianos and Keyboards&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br/&gt;G’day, and welcome back to &lt;em&gt;Piano, Finally&lt;/em&gt; – the podcast by an old bloke, finally learning piano. In this episode, we take a look at a curious music theory making the rounds on YouTube, dip a toe into the world of electronic keyboards, and review a more contemporary collection of piano pieces from AMEB’s Rock School.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;🎵 &lt;b&gt;A Conspiracy in Classical Music?&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br/&gt;It started with a video about using a metronome and ended with a full-blown theory claiming we’re all playing classical music twice as fast as intended. This “Whole Beat Theory” suggests tempo markings were meant for both ticks and tocks of a metronome, not just ticks. It’s an interesting idea… but does it hold up to scrutiny?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Turns out, not really. Performances by pianists like Ashkenazy and Yunchan Lim show that Chopin’s intended tempo for the Revolutionary Etude is quite playable the conventional way. We also get into why this theory falls apart when applied to opera or examined historically. You won’t find a link to the video here, but if you&amp;apos;re curious, a quick search for “Whole Beat Conspiracy” should do the trick.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;🎹 &lt;b&gt;Essay – Getting Curious About Keyboards&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Thanks to a few YouTube suggestions (and maybe a recent headphone search), I’ve found myself watching videos about electronic keyboards. Turns out, there&amp;apos;s a whole universe of buttons, knobs and sliders up there beyond the keys.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;A couple of videos worth checking out:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href='https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWWKKQtJAKE'&gt;How to sound like Elton John on a Nord Stage 3&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href='https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVa86ze5tIA'&gt;Patch walkthrough for iconic pop song sounds&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;It’s fascinating stuff – especially how a traditional piano performance can be shaped by modern tech. I’m definitely intrigued, and a stage piano might be on the wishlist now.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;🎧 &lt;b&gt;Review – AMEB Rock School Grade 1&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br/&gt;If you’re looking for graded music that’s a bit more modern, the Rock School syllabus might be worth a look. I picked up the Grade One book and found pieces by the likes of Taylor Swift, The Beatles, and Sir Elton John. The pieces are short, approachable, and well within reach after a year of playing.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;You can hear them before you buy too:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href='https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJmdXU7MTtSNTKIbEScqaKWnZN9B5Hj2m'&gt;Summit School of Music&amp;apos;s Grade 1 playlist&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href='https://www.ameb.edu.au/rockschool-piano-grade-1?utm_source=google_shopping&amp;amp;srsltid=AfmBOop79Yqh4D0opcEEhDWYnp9cN59M1YYp2lKG4abdHVbm1JyxHEf1028'&gt;Buy the book at AMEB&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;🎼 &lt;b&gt;Progress &amp;amp; Practice&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br/&gt;This week, I was a bit out of sorts with my routine – left my practice notes at work – but still made some headway. Working on &lt;em&gt;Blackout Blues&lt;/em&gt; by Andrew Craggs and a Mozart piece (&lt;em&gt;Die Zauberflöte&lt;/em&gt; arrangement) with a focus on hands separately. Played on the Kawai &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2366139/open_sms"&gt;Send me a text message.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;You can contact me:&lt;/p&gt; &lt;ul&gt; &lt;li&gt;via email at david@pianofinally.show; this is probably the best option&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;the show website, &lt;a href='https://www.pianofinally.show'&gt;www.pianofinally.show&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;Instagram and Threads @pianofinally&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;and on &lt;a href='https://www.youtube.com/@pianofinally'&gt;YouTube&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;all the podcast directories - &lt;a href='https://pianofinally.buzzsprout.com/share'&gt;list&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;here&amp;apos;s the &lt;a href='https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/2366139.rss'&gt;RSS feed&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;p&gt;Some of the links to books and other items mentioned in the podcast are affiliate links for Amazon or other providers. If you use one of these links, a commission may be paid to me at no additional cost to you. Thank you if you use a link. &lt;br/&gt;All reviews of products, websites and services are unpaid, and no sponsorship has been received for any content on this podcast.&lt;/p&gt;</description>

🎙 Episode 41 – Pianos and Keyboards G’day, and welcome back to Piano, Finally – the podcast by an old bloke, finally learning piano. In this episode, we take a look at a curious music theory making the rounds on YouTube, dip a toe into the world of electronic keyboards, and review a more contemporary collection of piano pieces from AMEB’s Rock School. 🎵 A Conspiracy in Classical Music? It started with a video about using a metronome and ended with a full-blown theory claiming we’re all playin...

Episode 41 - Pianos and Keyboards

Welcome Welcome to episode 40 of Piano, Finally! If you&apos;re new here, I hope you enjoy the show. If you’re a returning listener, thanks for coming back! If you&apos;re learning piano or another instrument, I&apos;d love to hear how you&apos;re going—drop me an email at david@pianofinally.show.This week, I prepared part of this episode at the Sydney Opera House before attending Bell Shakespeare’s Henry V. It’s one of my favorite Shakespeare history plays, and this production was excellent.YouTube Spotlight: Jameson Nathan Jones Jameson Nathan Jones is a composer and performer with a unique approach to music composition. His YouTube channel stands out with video titles like Key Signatures Aren’t Prisons and Music Theory that Composers Actually Use. His training in classical piano and organ makes his teaching particularly relevant. If you&apos;re interested in composing as well as playing, his channel is worth checking out: <a href='https://www.youtube.com/@JamesonNathanJones'>Jameson Nathan Jones</a>.Essay – External Memory Balancing learning the piano with a busy life means finding ways to stay organized. This week, I focused on improving my practice efficiency. My system includes:<ul><li>A leather briefcase with printed scores and backup reading glasses</li><li>An iPad with Newzik for digital scores (though I often forget to charge it!)</li><li>A big hardcover notebook where my teacher, Devi, writes key practice points</li></ul>Taking notes during and after practice has helped make my sessions more productive and given me a clearer sense of progress. Keeping track of improvements is a great way to stay motivated, especially when frustration strikes (like hitting unintended black keys!).Review – AMEB Piano for Leisure I’ve been looking for repertoire to challenge myself, and while browsing a music store, I came across the AMEB Piano for Leisure series. Unlike the traditional classical syllabus, Piano for Leisure offers a more varied selection of pieces but maintains the same technical requirements.I picked up the Series 1, First Grade book, which includes 11 diverse pieces—from boogie woogie to Mozart. The structured difficulty makes it a great choice for learners. If you’re considering it, you can preview the pieces online: <a href='https://www.ameb.edu.au/shop/music/keyboard/piano?search=PIANO+FOR+LEISURE'>AMEB Piano for Leisure</a>.I also found complete YouTube playlists for these books, making it easy to hear how the pieces should sound: <a href='https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKtQ301GhcPYosj5QjJa8iA'>AMEB Repertoire</a>.ClosingBy the way, Henry V was a fantastic production—if you get the chance to see it, I highly recommend it.Progress Update This week, I focused on refining my articulation in Baga<a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2366139/open_sms">Send me a text message.</a>You can contact me: <ul> <li>via email at david@pianofinally.show; this is probably the best option</li> <li>the show website, <a href='https://www.pianofinally.show'>www.pianofinally.show</a> </li> <li>Instagram and Threads @pianofinally</li> <li>and on <a href='https://www.youtube.com/@pianofinally'>YouTube</a> </li> <li>all the podcast directories - <a href='https://pianofinally.buzzsprout.com/share'>list</a> </li> <li>here&apos;s the <a href='https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/2366139.rss'>RSS feed</a> </li> </ul> Some of the links to books and other items mentioned in the podcast are affiliate links for Amazon or other providers. If you use one of these links, a commission may be paid to me at no additional cost to you. Thank you if you use a link. All reviews of products, websites and services are unpaid, and no sponsorship has been received for any content on this podcast.

<description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Welcome&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Welcome to episode 40 of &lt;em&gt;Piano, Finally!&lt;/em&gt; If you&amp;apos;re new here, I hope you enjoy the show. If you’re a returning listener, thanks for coming back! If you&amp;apos;re learning piano or another instrument, I&amp;apos;d love to hear how you&amp;apos;re going—drop me an email at david@pianofinally.show.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This week, I prepared part of this episode at the Sydney Opera House before attending Bell Shakespeare’s &lt;em&gt;Henry V.&lt;/em&gt; It’s one of my favorite Shakespeare history plays, and this production was excellent.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;YouTube Spotlight: Jameson Nathan Jones&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Jameson Nathan Jones is a composer and performer with a unique approach to music composition. His YouTube channel stands out with video titles like &lt;em&gt;Key Signatures Aren’t Prisons&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;Music Theory that Composers Actually Use.&lt;/em&gt; His training in classical piano and organ makes his teaching particularly relevant. If you&amp;apos;re interested in composing as well as playing, his channel is worth checking out: &lt;a href='https://www.youtube.com/@JamesonNathanJones'&gt;Jameson Nathan Jones&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Essay – External Memory&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Balancing learning the piano with a busy life means finding ways to stay organized. This week, I focused on improving my practice efficiency. My system includes:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;A leather briefcase with printed scores and backup reading glasses&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;An iPad with &lt;em&gt;Newzik&lt;/em&gt; for digital scores (though I often forget to charge it!)&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;A big hardcover notebook where my teacher, Devi, writes key practice points&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;Taking notes during and after practice has helped make my sessions more productive and given me a clearer sense of progress. Keeping track of improvements is a great way to stay motivated, especially when frustration strikes (like hitting unintended black keys!).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Review – AMEB Piano for Leisure&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br/&gt;I’ve been looking for repertoire to challenge myself, and while browsing a music store, I came across the &lt;em&gt;AMEB Piano for Leisure&lt;/em&gt; series. Unlike the traditional classical syllabus, &lt;em&gt;Piano for Leisure&lt;/em&gt; offers a more varied selection of pieces but maintains the same technical requirements.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;I picked up the &lt;em&gt;Series 1, First Grade&lt;/em&gt; book, which includes 11 diverse pieces—from &lt;em&gt;boogie woogie&lt;/em&gt; to &lt;em&gt;Mozart.&lt;/em&gt; The structured difficulty makes it a great choice for learners. If you’re considering it, you can preview the pieces online: &lt;a href='https://www.ameb.edu.au/shop/music/keyboard/piano?search=PIANO+FOR+LEISURE'&gt;AMEB Piano for Leisure&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;I also found complete YouTube playlists for these books, making it easy to hear how the pieces should sound: &lt;a href='https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKtQ301GhcPYosj5QjJa8iA'&gt;AMEB Repertoire&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Closing&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;By the way, &lt;em&gt;Henry V&lt;/em&gt; was a fantastic production—if you get the chance to see it, I highly recommend it.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Progress Update&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br/&gt;This week, I focused on refining my articulation in &lt;em&gt;Baga&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2366139/open_sms"&gt;Send me a text message.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;You can contact me:&lt;/p&gt; &lt;ul&gt; &lt;li&gt;via email at david@pianofinally.show; this is probably the best option&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;the show website, &lt;a href='https://www.pianofinally.show'&gt;www.pianofinally.show&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;Instagram and Threads @pianofinally&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;and on &lt;a href='https://www.youtube.com/@pianofinally'&gt;YouTube&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;all the podcast directories - &lt;a href='https://pianofinally.buzzsprout.com/share'&gt;list&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;here&amp;apos;s the &lt;a href='https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/2366139.rss'&gt;RSS feed&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;p&gt;Some of the links to books and other items mentioned in the podcast are affiliate links for Amazon or other providers. If you use one of these links, a commission may be paid to me at no additional cost to you. Thank you if you use a link. &lt;br/&gt;All reviews of products, websites and services are unpaid, and no sponsorship has been received for any content on this podcast.&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Welcome Welcome to episode 40 of Piano, Finally! If you're new here, I hope you enjoy the show. If you’re a returning listener, thanks for coming back! If you're learning piano or another instrument, I'd love to hear how you're going—drop me an email at david@pianofinally.show. This week, I prepared part of this episode at the Sydney Opera House before attending Bell Shakespeare’s Henry V. It’s one of my favorite Shakespeare history plays, and this production was excellent. YouTube Spotlight:...

Episode 40 - External Memory

🎹 Episode 39 – Choosing Music 🎶Welcome! Thanks for tuning in to Episode 39 of Piano, finally! Whether you&apos;re a first-time listener or a returning friend, I appreciate you being here. If you&apos;re on your own piano-learning journey, feel free to share your progress with me at david@pianofinally.show.🎧 Piano News &amp; Resources<ul><li>🎼 Chopin Podcast Returns! Ben Laude announced that The Chopin Podcast is back with a monthly release schedule leading up to the International Chopin Competition. Check it out <a href='https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnSFlVqRyNfIJDsmpkcY57w/community?lb=UgkxxsHi2WRsEjM6Mf_J92xlJiuSif_68KKs'>here</a>.</li><li>🎵 ABRSM&apos;s Start Here Podcast The second season of ABRSM’s Start Here podcast, hosted by Alexis Ffrench, is now available. It explores different musical genres and is a great way to discover new sounds. Listen <a href='https://www.abrsm.org/en-gb/news/our-new-podcast-for-the-musically-curious'>here</a>.</li><li>🎹 Howard Piano Industries YouTube &amp; Podcast If you&apos;re into piano care and maintenance, Howard Piano Industries has a fantastic collection of videos and a new podcast. Learn about tuning, repairs, and piano history. Find it <a href='https://www.youtube.com/@howardpianoind'>here</a>.</li></ul>📝 Essay – Choosing MusicFinding the right music as an adult learner can be a challenge. Many beginner books are geared towards children, but there are great alternatives:✔️ Easy Piano Books – Look for Easy Piano or Really Easy Piano editions of music you love. These books often include a range of difficulties, allowing you to progress naturally.✔️ Exam Syllabuses – Music examination boards publish graded lists of pieces that are great for structured learning. Some useful ones:<ul><li>ABRSM Piano Syllabus 2025/26 – Download here.</li><li>ANZCA Piano Syllabus – <a href='https://anzca.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/2022-24-ANZCA-Piano-Syllabus.pdf'>View here</a>.</li><li>RCM Piano Syllabus – Check it out.</li></ul>If you&apos;re looking for pieces that are not too easy, not too hard, these syllabuses are a great place to start!🔧 Review - The Piano Doctor’s Tuning KitInterested in learning how to tune a piano? I picked up The Piano Doctor’s tuning kit and gave it a try. The set includes:<ul><li>A sturdy tuning hammer with a fixed-angle head</li><li>Rubber mutes to silence strings</li><li>Additional rubber mute ends</li></ul>For beginners looking for a reliable kit, this is a solid option. Check it out <a href='https://thepianodoctor.shop/?srsltid=AfmBOorBLmXvsoklmcgMYehNTZ8hwXdPRzQkJF_Yzn795Q8PrpNE1WBZ'>here</a>.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2366139/open_sms">Send me a text message.</a>You can contact me: <ul> <li>via email at david@pianofinally.show; this is probably the best option</li> <li>the show website, <a href='https://www.pianofinally.show'>www.pianofinally.show</a> </li> <li>Instagram and Threads @pianofinally</li> <li>and on <a href='https://www.youtube.com/@pianofinally'>YouTube</a> </li> <li>all the podcast directories - <a href='https://pianofinally.buzzsprout.com/share'>list</a> </li> <li>here&apos;s the <a href='https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/2366139.rss'>RSS feed</a> </li> </ul> Some of the links to books and other items mentioned in the podcast are affiliate links for Amazon or other providers. If you use one of these links, a commission may be paid to me at no additional cost to you. Thank you if you use a link. All reviews of products, websites and services are unpaid, and no sponsorship has been received for any content on this podcast.

<description>&lt;p&gt;🎹 &lt;b&gt;Episode 39 – Choosing Music&lt;/b&gt; 🎶&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Welcome!&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Thanks for tuning in to Episode 39 of &lt;em&gt;Piano, finally&lt;/em&gt;! Whether you&amp;apos;re a first-time listener or a returning friend, I appreciate you being here. If you&amp;apos;re on your own piano-learning journey, feel free to share your progress with me at david@pianofinally.show.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;🎧 Piano News &amp;amp; Resources&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;🎼 &lt;b&gt;Chopin Podcast Returns!&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Ben Laude announced that &lt;em&gt;The Chopin Podcast&lt;/em&gt; is back with a monthly release schedule leading up to the International Chopin Competition. Check it out &lt;a href='https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnSFlVqRyNfIJDsmpkcY57w/community?lb=UgkxxsHi2WRsEjM6Mf_J92xlJiuSif_68KKs'&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;🎵 &lt;b&gt;ABRSM&amp;apos;s Start Here Podcast&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br/&gt;The second season of ABRSM’s &lt;em&gt;Start Here&lt;/em&gt; podcast, hosted by Alexis Ffrench, is now available. It explores different musical genres and is a great way to discover new sounds. Listen &lt;a href='https://www.abrsm.org/en-gb/news/our-new-podcast-for-the-musically-curious'&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;🎹 &lt;b&gt;Howard Piano Industries YouTube &amp;amp; Podcast&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br/&gt;If you&amp;apos;re into piano care and maintenance, Howard Piano Industries has a fantastic collection of videos and a new podcast. Learn about tuning, repairs, and piano history. Find it &lt;a href='https://www.youtube.com/@howardpianoind'&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;📝 Essay – Choosing Music&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Finding the right music as an adult learner can be a challenge. Many beginner books are geared towards children, but there are great alternatives:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;✔️ &lt;b&gt;Easy Piano Books&lt;/b&gt; – Look for &lt;em&gt;Easy Piano&lt;/em&gt; or &lt;em&gt;Really Easy Piano&lt;/em&gt; editions of music you love. These books often include a range of difficulties, allowing you to progress naturally.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;✔️ &lt;b&gt;Exam Syllabuses&lt;/b&gt; – Music examination boards publish graded lists of pieces that are great for structured learning. Some useful ones:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;ABRSM Piano Syllabus 2025/26&lt;/b&gt; – Download here.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;ANZCA Piano Syllabus&lt;/b&gt; – &lt;a href='https://anzca.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/2022-24-ANZCA-Piano-Syllabus.pdf'&gt;View here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;RCM Piano Syllabus&lt;/b&gt; – Check it out.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;If you&amp;apos;re looking for pieces that are &lt;em&gt;not too easy, not too hard&lt;/em&gt;, these syllabuses are a great place to start!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;🔧 Review - The Piano Doctor’s Tuning Kit&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Interested in learning how to tune a piano? I picked up &lt;em&gt;The Piano Doctor’s&lt;/em&gt; tuning kit and gave it a try. The set includes:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;A &lt;b&gt;sturdy tuning hammer&lt;/b&gt; with a fixed-angle head&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;Rubber mutes&lt;/b&gt; to silence strings&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Additional rubber mute ends&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;p&gt;For beginners looking for a reliable kit, this is a solid option. Check it out &lt;a href='https://thepianodoctor.shop/?srsltid=AfmBOorBLmXvsoklmcgMYehNTZ8hwXdPRzQkJF_Yzn795Q8PrpNE1WBZ'&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2366139/open_sms"&gt;Send me a text message.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;You can contact me:&lt;/p&gt; &lt;ul&gt; &lt;li&gt;via email at david@pianofinally.show; this is probably the best option&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;the show website, &lt;a href='https://www.pianofinally.show'&gt;www.pianofinally.show&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;Instagram and Threads @pianofinally&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;and on &lt;a href='https://www.youtube.com/@pianofinally'&gt;YouTube&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;all the podcast directories - &lt;a href='https://pianofinally.buzzsprout.com/share'&gt;list&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;here&amp;apos;s the &lt;a href='https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/2366139.rss'&gt;RSS feed&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;p&gt;Some of the links to books and other items mentioned in the podcast are affiliate links for Amazon or other providers. If you use one of these links, a commission may be paid to me at no additional cost to you. Thank you if you use a link. &lt;br/&gt;All reviews of products, websites and services are unpaid, and no sponsorship has been received for any content on this podcast.&lt;/p&gt;</description>

🎹 Episode 39 – Choosing Music 🎶 Welcome! Thanks for tuning in to Episode 39 of Piano, finally! Whether you're a first-time listener or a returning friend, I appreciate you being here. If you're on your own piano-learning journey, feel free to share your progress with me at david@pianofinally.show. 🎧 Piano News &amp; Resources 🎼 Chopin Podcast Returns! Ben Laude announced that The Chopin Podcast is back with a monthly release schedule leading up to the International Chopin Competition. Check i...

Episode 39 - Choosing Music

WelcomeG’day, and welcome to Episode 38 of Piano, Finally! If you’re new here, I hope you enjoy the episode. If you’re a returning listener, thanks for coming back!This week, I’m recording on Saturday instead of Sunday because tomorrow, I’ll be attending my first Sydney Symphony Orchestra concert of the year. The program includes a new work by Australian composer Carl Vine, the Elgar Violin Concerto, and Vaughan Williams’ Symphony No. 3, plus a pre-concert lecture. I’ll share all the details in next week’s episode!YouTube Recommendation – Words UnravelledI recently came across the YouTube channel Words Unravelled, presented by Rob Watts and American academic Jess Zafarris. Like RobWords, it delves into language origins, and the episode I watched was What’s the Difference Between a Violin and a Fiddle?.The episode explores the history of instrument names, including how piano is a contraction of pianoforte, which itself comes from gravicembalo col piano e forte. It also looks at the names of string and brass instruments—you might be surprised where trumpet fits in!Check out the episode here: <a href='https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kbvsg8ZPstg'>Watch on YouTube</a>Essay – Move OnThis week’s essay is inspired by one of my favorite Stephen Sondheim songs, Move On, from Sunday in the Park with George. The song encourages artists to keep moving forward despite external opinions—a message that resonates deeply with me as a piano learner.One of the biggest challenges I face is transitioning from learning a piece to performing it. In practice, I stop and correct mistakes, but in performance mode, I need to move on without disrupting the flow. It’s a skill I’m still working on, and it’s reassuring to know that even professional pianists make the occasional slip but recover seamlessly.Book Review – The Musician’s WayMy piano teacher, Devi, recently lent me The Musician’s Way: A Guide to Practice, Performance, and Wellness by Gerald Klickstein. Written by a performer and teacher with over 30 years of experience, this book offers practical advice for musicians.It divides practice into three phases:<ol><li>New material – Understanding the piece before even touching the instrument.</li><li>Developing material – Refining technique, articulation, and dynamics.</li><li>Performance material – Preparing for a confident and seamless presentation.</li></ol>One of Klickstein’s key insights is to include articulation and dynamics from the start, so you don’t learn an incorrect version first—a piece of advice Devi often gives me!If you&apos;re interested, the book is available here: <a href='https://a.co/d/bpU2hvs'>The Musician’s Way on Amazon</a>Progr<a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2366139/open_sms">Send me a text message.</a>You can contact me: <ul> <li>via email at david@pianofinally.show; this is probably the best option</li> <li>the show website, <a href='https://www.pianofinally.show'>www.pianofinally.show</a> </li> <li>Instagram and Threads @pianofinally</li> <li>and on <a href='https://www.youtube.com/@pianofinally'>YouTube</a> </li> <li>all the podcast directories - <a href='https://pianofinally.buzzsprout.com/share'>list</a> </li> <li>here&apos;s the <a href='https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/2366139.rss'>RSS feed</a> </li> </ul> Some of the links to books and other items mentioned in the podcast are affiliate links for Amazon or other providers. If you use one of these links, a commission may be paid to me at no additional cost to you. Thank you if you use a link. All reviews of products, websites and services are unpaid, and no sponsorship has been received for any content on this podcast.

<description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Welcome&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;G’day, and welcome to Episode 38 of &lt;em&gt;Piano, Finally&lt;/em&gt;! If you’re new here, I hope you enjoy the episode. If you’re a returning listener, thanks for coming back!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This week, I’m recording on Saturday instead of Sunday because tomorrow, I’ll be attending my first Sydney Symphony Orchestra concert of the year. The program includes a new work by Australian composer Carl Vine, the &lt;em&gt;Elgar Violin Concerto&lt;/em&gt;, and &lt;em&gt;Vaughan Williams’ Symphony No. 3&lt;/em&gt;, plus a pre-concert lecture. I’ll share all the details in next week’s episode!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;YouTube Recommendation – Words Unravelled&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;I recently came across the YouTube channel &lt;em&gt;Words Unravelled&lt;/em&gt;, presented by Rob Watts and American academic Jess Zafarris. Like &lt;em&gt;RobWords&lt;/em&gt;, it delves into language origins, and the episode I watched was &lt;em&gt;What’s the Difference Between a Violin and a Fiddle?&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The episode explores the history of instrument names, including how &lt;em&gt;piano&lt;/em&gt; is a contraction of &lt;em&gt;pianoforte&lt;/em&gt;, which itself comes from &lt;em&gt;gravicembalo col piano e forte&lt;/em&gt;. It also looks at the names of string and brass instruments—you might be surprised where &lt;em&gt;trumpet&lt;/em&gt; fits in!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Check out the episode here: &lt;a href='https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kbvsg8ZPstg'&gt;&lt;b&gt;Watch on YouTube&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Essay – Move On&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This week’s essay is inspired by one of my favorite Stephen Sondheim songs, &lt;em&gt;Move On&lt;/em&gt;, from &lt;em&gt;Sunday in the Park with George&lt;/em&gt;. The song encourages artists to keep moving forward despite external opinions—a message that resonates deeply with me as a piano learner.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;One of the biggest challenges I face is transitioning from learning a piece to performing it. In practice, I stop and correct mistakes, but in performance mode, I need to &lt;em&gt;move on&lt;/em&gt; without disrupting the flow. It’s a skill I’m still working on, and it’s reassuring to know that even professional pianists make the occasional slip but recover seamlessly.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Book Review – The Musician’s Way&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;My piano teacher, Devi, recently lent me &lt;em&gt;The Musician’s Way: A Guide to Practice, Performance, and Wellness&lt;/em&gt; by Gerald Klickstein. Written by a performer and teacher with over 30 years of experience, this book offers practical advice for musicians.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;It divides practice into three phases:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ol&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;New material&lt;/b&gt; – Understanding the piece before even touching the instrument.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;Developing material&lt;/b&gt; – Refining technique, articulation, and dynamics.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;&lt;b&gt;Performance material&lt;/b&gt; – Preparing for a confident and seamless presentation.&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ol&gt;&lt;p&gt;One of Klickstein’s key insights is to include articulation and dynamics from the start, so you don’t learn an incorrect version first—a piece of advice Devi often gives me!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;If you&amp;apos;re interested, the book is available here: &lt;a href='https://a.co/d/bpU2hvs'&gt;&lt;b&gt;The Musician’s Way on Amazon&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Progr&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a target="_blank" href="https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/2366139/open_sms"&gt;Send me a text message.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;You can contact me:&lt;/p&gt; &lt;ul&gt; &lt;li&gt;via email at david@pianofinally.show; this is probably the best option&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;the show website, &lt;a href='https://www.pianofinally.show'&gt;www.pianofinally.show&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;Instagram and Threads @pianofinally&lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;and on &lt;a href='https://www.youtube.com/@pianofinally'&gt;YouTube&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;all the podcast directories - &lt;a href='https://pianofinally.buzzsprout.com/share'&gt;list&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/li&gt; &lt;li&gt;here&amp;apos;s the &lt;a href='https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/2366139.rss'&gt;RSS feed&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/li&gt; &lt;/ul&gt; &lt;p&gt;Some of the links to books and other items mentioned in the podcast are affiliate links for Amazon or other providers. If you use one of these links, a commission may be paid to me at no additional cost to you. Thank you if you use a link. &lt;br/&gt;All reviews of products, websites and services are unpaid, and no sponsorship has been received for any content on this podcast.&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Welcome G’day, and welcome to Episode 38 of Piano, Finally! If you’re new here, I hope you enjoy the episode. If you’re a returning listener, thanks for coming back! This week, I’m recording on Saturday instead of Sunday because tomorrow, I’ll be attending my first Sydney Symphony Orchestra concert of the year. The program includes a new work by Australian composer Carl Vine, the Elgar Violin Concerto, and Vaughan Williams’ Symphony No. 3, plus a pre-concert lecture. I’ll share all the detail...

Episode 38 - Move On

Piano Finally is a podcast by an old bloke who is learning the piano, finally. I cover the process of learning the piano and music theory as an adult learner. I also review piano books, hardware and other materials from an adult learner's perspective.

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