Episode 54 - Under Pressure

🎙 Episode 54 – Under Pressure

Welcome to Episode 54 of Piano, Finally, the podcast of one old bloke making his way—note by note—through learning the piano.

It’s been a big week at school with the Creative and Performing Arts Showcase on Wednesday and a packed end-of-term schedule coming up, featuring the walkathon, carnival, and Battle of the Bands (yes, I’ll be in the dunk tank again). The week also brought a tech upgrade with a new Mackie Big Knob Studio+ audio interface—so if the show sounds a bit different, that’s why. A review of it is on the way.

🎧 Video Feature – Best Piano VSTs of 2025
This week’s recommended video comes from Stu Harrison at Merriam Music, who reviews five top-tier piano VSTs: Keyscape, CFX Garritan, Addictive Keys, Pianoteq 8, and Claire. If you’re building out a virtual piano rig or just want to know what’s new, this is a thorough and insightful look. I’ve even added one of them to my own setup—hint: Mi piacciono i pianoforti italiani.

📝 Essay – Under Pressure
The Showcase performances sparked a reflection on pressure in music. While student performers juggle nerves, grading systems, and the looming ATAR, adult learners like me have the luxury of learning purely for enjoyment. No exams, no deadlines, just curiosity and flexibility. That freedom—especially to take detours like learning synthesis and adding stage keyboards—has been a huge part of the fun. I’m still debating whether to join the September recital, but if I do, I’ll choose something that keeps it enjoyable rather than stressful.

🎹 Gear Review – The Nord Stage 4 Pianos
We start a new review series on the Nord Stage 4 by looking at its piano section. Unlike traditional keyboards, the NS4 includes both modelled and sampled pianos (the latter via the synth engine). With limited memory, you have to choose your sounds carefully—but Nord makes it easy to load and swap models. I explore the grand, upright, electric, clavinet, and digital categories, including gems like the Velvet Grand, Amber Upright, and even a DX7. The Nord Sound Library offers many more. If you’re interested in purchasing the Stage 4 locally, here’s a link to Turramurra Music.

A standout feature? Layering. Up to seven sounds can be blended—say, an acoustic and electric piano—to create rich textures like those used by Elton John. Add in dynamic compensation, touch adjustments, and even pitch bending, and you’ve got a remarkably flexible performance tool.

🎼 Progress
This week’s practice focused on tricky passages from two pieces: Der Vogelfänger bin ich ja (Mozart) and Wild Chase(Wynn-Anne Rossi). Recorded using the Kawai NV10 and Pianoteq 8 with the New York Steinway D in Classical mode.

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