🎙 Episode 55 – Play Like No One Is Listening
G’day and welcome back to Piano, Finally, where an old bloke keeps learning the piano, one step (and one podcast) at a time.
This week’s script was written in the foyer of Carriageworks ahead of Aphrodite, a world premiere chamber opera by Nico Muhly. The venue, with its industrial charm and bold programming, is perfect for discovering new voices—and maybe a future Taylor Swift. More on the opera at the end of the episode.
🎠Aphrodite at Carriageworks
🎸 Friday’s school carnival featured the annual Battle of the Bands—loud, fun, and featuring some talented Year 8 students. I only caught one band in between dunk tank duties, but it was great to see so many students skipping the rides and cheering on their friends.
🎧 This episode sounds a little different again—thanks to a second Rode NT1 mic that lets me speak and play at the same time. We’ll see how it goes.
📺 YouTube Spotlight – Zarty – Music
Discovered via algorithm magic, Zarty’s video “STOP PLEASE 21 Classical Accompaniments that are not Alberti Bass” was a revelation. Zarty breaks down alternatives to the classic Alberti pattern, showing each one in isolation and in Mozart context. His clear explanations and clean presentation make it easy to understand how accompaniment shapes the feel of a piece. Highly recommended for anyone struggling with left-hand patterns (like me on a bad day).
📝 Essay – Play Like No One Is Listening
Inspired by that old quote about dancing, I reflect this week on playing the piano as if no one is listening—even when they are. As hobbyist pianists, we’re lucky. No exams, no assessments, just the joy of learning and sharing music. Whether it's sneaking in a few bars during a music class cover or trying out the school grand piano after hours, I’ve learned that playing publicly—even informally—can be liberating and fun when there’s no pressure. Don’t wait for perfection. Share the music.
🎹 Nord Stage 4 Review – The Organs
We continue our Nord Stage 4 deep dive with the organ section. With two independent organs, full drawbar control, and models like the Hammond B3, Vox Continental, Farfisa, and two pipe organs, there’s plenty to explore. You can blend layers, apply vibrato and chorus, and even use pitch bend and sustain creatively. Nord Stage 4 Overview
🎼 Progress & Piano Talk
This week’s practice includes four pieces I’ve been maintaining, now played using a new virtual instrument—Claire by Native Instruments, sampling the legendary Fazioli f308. It’s not the $400k real thing, but it’s close enough through headphones. Claire Bundle
Until next week, play like no one is list
You can contact me:
- via email at david@pianofinally.show; this is probably the best option
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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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