Episode 80 - Not planning, not failing

G'day everyone! Welcome to show number eighty. It's the new year, and despite a rocky start with unseasonably cold morning swims, everything is going well here. I've been busy tidying up the house, potentially making room for a new keyboard once the driveway is sorted!

Podcast Update: The Rest is History I need to make a quick correction to last week’s episode. The new musical episodes of The Rest is History, covering Tchaikovsky and Wagner live from the Royal Albert Hall, are available now. They are excellent listens, exploring the lives, scandals, and music of these giants—even if, like me, you aren't Wagner's biggest fan.

Essay: Not planning, not failing As we head into the new year, I discuss why I have no intention of making a strict plan for my piano playing. For adult learners, "failing to plan" isn't planning to fail; it's simply giving ourselves permission to take detours and have fun. My only goal is to enjoy the process, whether that means sticking to the syllabus or getting distracted by Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata.

Review: YouTube Keyboardists Continuing my review of YouTube channels, this week I look at the keyboard players I follow for inspiration and education:

• My Keys to Music: Run by Marc Larochelle, this is a must for Nord keyboard owners, covering everything from sound emulation to in-depth setups.https://www.youtube.com/@MyKeysToMusic
• DSoundman: Douglas, a worship leader, reviews and demonstrates a huge range of keyboards beyond just the piano, including Nord, Yamaha, and Arturia.https://www.youtube.com/@DSoundman
• The Salisbury Organist: Ben Maton travels the UK playing organs in quaint village churches. It’s part travelogue, part performance, and completely unique.https://www.youtube.com/@SalisburyOrganist
• Paul Fey: Similar to Ben but focusing on the grander sounds of cathedral organs. Paul often includes technical details and history in his videos.https://www.youtube.com/@PaulFey

Progress, I'm continuing my experiment of recording my entire practice session to beat the "performance effect," and it seems to be working! A Wild Chase is improving, and I'm slowing down the Trumpet Tune to get the articulations right. I've also started a lovely new piece, Sea Song by Australian composer Christopher Healey—chosen via the rigorous method of "it was on the right-hand page!"

If you'd like to share your own piano journey on the show, drop me an email at david@pianofinally.show.

Send me a text message.

You can contact me:

• via email at david@pianofinally.show; this is probably the best option
• the show website, www.pianofinally.show
• Instagram and Threads @pianofinally
• and on YouTube
• all the podcast directories - list
• here's the RSS feed

Some of the links to books and other items mentioned in the podcast may 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.