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.

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Piano, finally

Episode 76 - In Public

December 07, 2025 • David Reidy • Season 1 • Episode 76

G’day everyone, I’m David Reidy. Welcome to Piano, Finally, a podcast by an old bloke who’s getting around to learning the piano, finally.

In the lead-up to Christmas, practice opportunities appear and disappear in equal measure. A little more playing happened this week, though not as much as hoped. The 3D printer is busy producing small gifts for the staff party, and while it’s handy for personalised presents, it hasn’t yet found a role at the piano.

🎧 YouTube – Piano Myth or Fact? Do Kids Learn Faster Than Adults?
Ryan Abshear’s new video examines why children appear to learn piano faster than adults — not magic, but time, expectations, and practice hours. Adults often assume quick mastery because we’re used to learning other skills rapidly; a child playing difficult repertoire may already have six years of experience. Ryan’s thoughtful breakdown is well worth watching.
Link: included in your episode

📝 Essay – In Public
This week’s reflections centre on doing things in public — choir rehearsals, student performances at assembly, coaching public speaking, and hearing that the podcast encouraged someone to try something new. Performing publicly isn’t harder than doing it privately; the difficulty comes from the standards we set for ourselves and the fear of judgment.
But most people are kind. Anonymous criticism isn’t worth your attention; genuine listeners are overwhelmingly supportive. Being open about learning — especially when playing piano in front of students — removes pressure and invites encouragement rather than comparison.

🎼 Progress
• Moonlight Sonata continues slowly but steadily.
• The flute piece is developing, though coordinating staccato and legato needs work.
• Wynn-Anne Rossi’s A Wild Chase is nearly complete and improving with the drum machine.

Recorded on the Kawai NV10, Cubase 15, and Pianoteq 9 with a Shigeru Kawai SK-EX model.

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Episode076: 0:00

G’day everyone, I’m David Reidy. Welcome to Piano, Finally, a podcast by an old bloke who’s getting around to learning the piano, finally. Welcome to show number 76. Thank you very much for listening. If you're back for another episode, then thanks for returning. If this is the first time you're hearing the podcast, I hope you enjoy what's in the show. And don't forget to subscribe if you do like it. Are you also learning a musical instrument? If you are, let me know how you're going with it. You can contact me at david@pianofinally.show. You would think that I would have found plenty of time throughout the week to get more practice done. I did get a bit more done than the previous week but nowhere near as much as I had hoped. In the run-up to Christmas, more things keep popping up. Also, I've gone back to swimming a second time each day on the way home. Despite the heart rate study Yuja Wang was part of, I still think I get more exercise swimming than practising. You may hear the 3D printer in the background again this week. It's busy making small presents for the staff Christmas party in two weeks. 3D printing is useful for that sort of thing. It lets you make personalised presents fairly easily. I still haven't found anything to print that might be useful at the piano. Maybe it's best to keep the two separate. I’ve spoken about Ryan Abshear’s videos on the podcast a number of times, mostly because he makes some really interesting content. It also doesn't hurt that he's a huge Beethoven fan and includes a lot of his music. This week, however, Ryan’s video is about something completely different.

Episode076: The full title is: 1:54

Piano Myth or Fact? Do Kids Learn Faster Than Adults?

Episode076: 2:02

It looks at the perception that children learn faster and more easily than adults, and what is actually going on. Ryan notes that people often underestimate how many years a child has already spent practising. A 10-year-old playing a difficult piece may have six years of study behind them. Adults, by comparison, expect rapid progress because we learn other skills quickly. His video is well worth a watch and the link is in the show notes. In Public. A few things this week got me thinking about doing things in public. My thoughts are shaped by experiences that have almost always been positive. The topic is doing things in public. Recent examples include joining the choir, hearing students perform at assembly, coaching for the public speaking competition, and hearing that the podcast encouraged someone to try something new. Doing things in public is apparently scary — that’s what I’ve heard. It isn’t harder than doing something in private. What makes it harder is the expectations we place on ourselves. Turning “scary” into “exciting” is all about your approach. Much fear comes from imagining others will judge your performance. But audiences rarely know the standard you’ve set for yourself. What they do know is that you cared enough to share something meaningful. Negative anonymous feedback? It’s unimportant and best ignored. Most people are kind. Choose the people you associate with online, just as in life. If you keep things grounded and authentic, you’ll attract people who genuinely care. That’s been my experience every time I’ve shared my work. The podcast keeps me on track. And all the feedback so far has been supportive. Approached carefully, the general public is kind. So what are you waiting for? Get out into the public. No new piano purchases this week. AMEB have released the Series 19 books — I’ll look for the new Grade 1. Bamboo Labs have opened an Australian warehouse, so the 3D printer got a boost. There’s also a Christmas song competition — my Year 7s have *Jingle Bells*. If you’d like to share your playing on the show, get in touch — it doesn’t need to be perfect.

Episode076: Email is the best way: 10:53

david@pianofinally.show

Episode076: 11:04

The website is www.pianofinally.show The show is also available on Spotify and YouTube (audio-only). I post each episode as an Instagram Reel as well. Continuing to work on Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata — slow but improving. The flute piece is improving, though hands together slow it down. Wynn-Anne Rossi’s *A Wild Chase* is nearing completion. Music recorded on the Kawai NV10, Cubase 15, and Pianoteq 9 with Pianoteq emulating a Shigeru Kawai SK-EX in concert mode. The End. Thank you.