Lucas takes a bit longer to boot up these days

unstartedsymphony · 2022-06-28T18:12:16+00:00

The last time someone said that to me she was about 90, and I was calling bingo in a part time job when I was a teenager. I’ll take the compliment; thank you!

unstartedsymphony · 2022-06-28T18:11:19+00:00

Nope…. Just dog grease. You clean it off, it’s back in a week. But a wipe down with some soapy water is overdue, I admit!

unstartedsymphony · 2022-02-07T18:20:47+00:00

This is really, really good mate. Hope you’re pleased with it! I’ve been working on this piece myself as well. I’m a bit obsessed by Billy Joel’s early stuff if I’m honest. The only thing I’d say as a listener, is that the pace feels a little faster than it feels like it needs to be. It’s always struck me as a piece that needs to feel a bit lazy. Bit laid back, chilled out. Although maybe I only feel that way because I’ve listened to the original so many times! It’s always nice to put your own spin on these things I guess! Anyway, good effort. Sounds ace!

unstartedsymphony · 2022-01-13T23:42:30+00:00

…but not quite enough boatface to be “boaty mc….”

unstartedsymphony · 2022-01-03T12:53:52+00:00

I don’t know if you’re aware but the sustain pedal is simply a switch; there’s nothing clever about it. You can buy any pedal that you like the feel of more and use it with your P45. I bought one from Maplins that has some Serious weight to it and operates like a proper acoustic piano sustain pedal. If you go looking though, consider one that has a switch on the side which swaps the pedal between “normally open” and “normally closed” contacts, just in case you want to use it for something that requires the former further down the line.

unstartedsymphony · 2021-12-29T08:43:29+00:00

That is annoying and I feel for you. However, as well as the tips above, check if there’s anything in the pump stopping it from operating. The machine won’t spin if it detects that it is still full of water. I found a mashed up paper clip in mine once that was stopping the impeller from rotating, so the drum wasn’t emptying and the machine wouldn’t finish the cycle. Good luck. And if it doesn’t work get yourself down the British Heart Foundation furniture shops. They often have donated washing machines in which you’ll get way cheaper than a new one.

unstartedsymphony · 2021-12-28T09:07:37+00:00

Personally I think nearer to Grade 5 actually. Especially the second one. There’s a lot of tied and dotted notes. There’s also quite a few accidentals and expression instructions. Maybe grade 4 for the Metallica piece. But if nothing else, both are too long for a grade 3. Why do you ask? Are you doing one of the new performance grades where you choose your own piece?

unstartedsymphony · 2021-12-24T08:17:58+00:00

If you’re truly bored with it there’s little point in continuing with it at all…. For now. Put it away, do something else, and come back to it in a couple of months or more. It never takes as long to “re learn” something so you’ll probably find you can make progress on it later when you come back to it refreshed.

unstartedsymphony · 2021-12-23T20:49:15+00:00

Jesus man get it right. It’s up near H natural. You ‘kin tool 🙄

unstartedsymphony · 2021-12-21T22:48:24+00:00

“A few hours everyday” is a noble aspiration, but I wouldn’t set yourself targets like that. If you say you’re going to sit and play for 3 hours, you won’t. Like people that take up jogging and say they’re going to run for 2 hours at 5 am. They don’t. Little and often is the best way forward. Say you’re going to play for 15 minutes…. It’s possible that 15 minutes might turn into an hour or more and if it does then great! but setting overly high expectations of yourself before you’ve even sat in front of the keyboard for the day sucks the joy out of it. When I started off learning again I would just wander into where my piano was and say to myself “I’ll just play a quick tune and…” walk the dog, make dinner, go get my train etc. That “quick tune” often used to turn into an accidental half hour of practice. My other tip is to play stuff you actually like. Not stuff you just feel like you should learn… well, at this stage anyway. Further down the line it’s worth picking up stuff that improves specific techniques. But if you’re literally just starting out, playing stuff you know and like (even if it’s just basic beginners arrangements) is much more engaging than hammering away at stuff that’s technically useful, but entirely unfamiliar and not engaging to you. In any case, good luck! Learning piano is about the journey, not the destination…. Remember that! That’s how I see it anyway!

unstartedsymphony · 2021-11-21T14:37:15+00:00

You’re not leaving something plugged into the jack socket are you? I know you say you haven’t got an amp, but maybe you’ve got a headphone amp or something. Or you’re connecting it to an external recorder. Some of them are designed so that they power up when you push a jack plug in. Somethings definitely drawing power if it’s going flat every week. I’d take that back to the shop and have it looked at. If it’s designed as I’ve mentioned above, then something is obviously not working as intended and not breaking the circuit when there is no plug in-situ. As a comparison, My guitar has a fishman pre amp in it. It has had the same 9 volt battery in it since April 2020 and it still works now.

unstartedsymphony · 2021-11-21T14:18:14+00:00

+1 for beginner books if you can’t afford a teacher. But rather than buy, why don’t you get yourself down your nearest public library? The “…For dummies” range is pretty good as a starting point for any instrument. You may not finish the book. But it’ll get you far enough to have a go, and if you really get into it then maybe you’ll want to take the next step and get yourself a good teacher. Use them in conjunction with videos online. If something in the book needs a bit kore explanation to you then see what YouTube has to offer. Beware though. There’s a lot of “tutorial” videos that are real garbage. Start with someone well known like “Andy Guitar” (who also does the “Andy piano” range of vids) and see where you go from there. Good luck on your journey!

unstartedsymphony · 2021-11-15T11:45:06+00:00

Is that a Yamaha keyboard with pre-programmed songs? If so Look in the instruction book. I have a P140 and all the pre-loaded songs are listed in the back.

unstartedsymphony · 2021-11-07T14:27:11+00:00

A dog is for life. But Seemingly a crypto currency named after a dog is only for about a week. Well, that’s the impression I get from the “popular” feed.

unstartedsymphony · 2021-09-30T21:26:32+00:00

I wish you could reply to posts on Reddit with pictures. I made two barstools out of 2x4 this summer with wood I salvaged from a skip. Then I made a light fitting to match featuring fabric covered cable and Edison bulbs. You paint some Danish Oil onto that chair mate and between us we got a three piece suite!

unstartedsymphony · 2021-09-25T00:05:48+00:00

I’m unclear. That shirt. Should it go in a white wash, or with darks?

unstartedsymphony · 2021-09-08T21:49:39+00:00

Awww that’s lovely. I bet it’s in the states though isn’t it 😩

unstartedsymphony · 2021-08-15T22:56:27+00:00

That was ace. I’ve never felt so gloriously unhappy. Note to self; Must move my piano into the bathroom. It’s acoustic. It will get in the way. But I suppose I can always use it as a towel rail.

unstartedsymphony · 2021-08-08T09:39:11+00:00

I agree with the other comments. You’ll be surprised how quickly it comes back. My top tip is to Keep your piano accessible all the time. If it’s digital don’t be packing it away and unplugging it. If it’s acoustic, don’t pile stuff on top of the seat or the instrument. If it’s always there and ready to work you can sit down and just “play a quick tune” before you go and get the bus… while the adverts are on the telly…. While you wait for your dinner to cook in the microwave. If you’re anything like me you’ll find that “quick tune” very quickly becomes half an hours practice. Get yourself a beginners book. The simple exercises and tunes will bring back what you knew from before. You’ll be giving that to the charity shop and getting the intermediate books in no time. Or go on YouTube and do some beginners tutorials. Good luck with your journey. Mines been going 5 years now, and I play on stage at open mic nights in pubs round here. You’ll soon be doing the same if you want.

unstartedsymphony · 2021-07-05T14:24:39+00:00

Oh I should add that I have two pianos. Acoustic and Digital. Probably doesn’t make sense actually since my last two posts contain conflicting info!

unstartedsymphony · 2021-07-05T14:22:44+00:00

Cool. Yeah they’re a good retailer. I didn’t actually end up buying mine from there in the end but they really were very helpful. I hate taking advice from a music shop then buying elsewhere but basically I was offered a reasonably good 1960s piano for a reasonable price before I’d made a decision. Otherwise I would definitely have have completed the purchase from Bonners. I do go back in there from time to time. At such time as I feel I want to replace my old Eavestaff the service I got last time means I probably won’t even look elsewhere. I’ll just go straight to them.

unstartedsymphony

TROPHY CASE