Balancing big dreams with real progress—this week, I talk about the challenge of picking a new piece to learn. Beethoven’s Waldstein Sonata? Maybe not yet, but setting ambitious goals keeps the journey exciting! 🚀
I’m also diving into Blackout Blues by Andrew Craggs—my first swing rhythm piece! Plus, I review Newzik, a game-changing tool for digital sheet music 📱🎼.
Check out the full episode now! 🎧✨
Introduction
Welcome to Episode 36 of Piano, Finally, the podcast about learning the piano as an adult. In this episode, David talks about balancing vision and reality in piano learning, a new piece he’s working on, and a useful tool for organizing sheet music.
YouTube Recommendation – Pierre Piscitelli
This week’s featured YouTube channel is run by Pierre Piscitelli, a pianist, educator, and arranger from New York City. His channel includes a mix of educational content and piano tutorials with clear and engaging instruction. He offers arrangements in different levels, making it a great resource for pianists of all skill levels. Check out his channel: Pierre Piscitelli YouTube Channel.
Essay – Vision and Reality
Choosing a new piece to learn can be a challenge, especially when balancing aspirations with current abilities. David reflects on the dream of playing Beethoven’s Waldstein Sonata (Op. 53) while recognizing the reality of his current level. He explores how setting ambitious yet achievable goals can help maintain motivation. You can find the Waldstein Sonata sheet music here: IMSLP – Beethoven Piano Sonata No. 21.
New Piece – Blackout Blues
David has started learning Blackout Blues by Andrew Craggs. The piece introduces swing rhythms, marking a new challenge in his learning journey. He shares his experience with tackling difficult sections and focusing on rhythm and dynamics.
Tool Review – Newzik
Looking for an efficient way to organize sheet music and make annotations? David reviews Newzik, a digital sheet music viewer for iOS devices. It offers features like cloud syncing, PDF annotation, and even page-turning via facial gestures or a pedal. It’s a great tool for digital sheet music management. Find out more: Newzik Official Website.
Progress Update
This week’s practice includes Afternoon Snooze by Andrew Craggs and the first steps of Blackout Blues. David shares insights into articulation, dynamics, and mastering tricky rhythmic phrases. The recordings were made using a Kawai NV10 with Pianoteq 8 modeling a C. Bechstein DG piano.
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.
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