Piano, finally
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.
Piano, finally
Episode 45 - Playing
Welcome to Episode 45 of Piano, Finally
This week, David reflects on what it really means to “play” the piano—not just as a technical activity but as a source of joy, creativity, and fun.
🚗 Road Trip & Piano Concert
The episode begins with a musical journey—literally—to Armidale for the Piano Plus Showcase Concert, part of the Autumn Piano School. The highlight? Watching Coady Green blaze through two of Anton Rubenstein’s études with jaw-dropping precision.
🎶 Listen to the études: YouTube Link
🥁 Practising with Rhythm
David shares his experiment with using a drum machine instead of a metronome. Inspired by the idea that bands keep time with drummers, he’s testing this approach to add energy to his practice sessions. More updates coming in the next episode!
🎧 Podcast Pick: Start Here (Season 2)
A glowing recommendation for the Start Here podcast from ABRSM, hosted by Alexis Ffrench. It dives into musical genres beyond classical, including Drum & Bass, Drill, Gaming Music, and Opera—with expert guests each week.
🎹 Essay: What Does It Mean to "Play" the Piano?
In a thoughtful essay, David considers how different languages express playing music—and why in English we use the word “play.” Whether it’s for pleasure, growth, or expression, choosing to play is a powerful act. He reflects on the tension between delayed gratification and having fun now, and how tools like the Nord Stage 4 bring extra joy to learning.
🎵 Practice Progress
David continues work on preparatory pieces Afternoon Snooze and Blackout Blues, and starts a new piece from Grade 1: Der Vogelfänger bin ich ja from Mozart’s The Magic Flute, arranged by Barrie Carson Turner.
🏞️ Bonus Music Outing
A surprise chamber music concert at the Megalong Music Festival offered a magical Sunday and will be featured in more detail in the next episode.
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 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.
[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: david@pianofinally.show.
[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:
📩 david@pianofinally.show
🌐 http://www.pianofinally.show
Subscribe via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube. And don’t forget the Instagram reels!
[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.
