Behind the Scenes – Learning Piano

An Inside Look at the Creative Process

During one of The Hangs, back in November, someone spotted the piano that I have in my studio. They asked if I knew how to play. I responded that with the friends I have – grammy nominated and award winning musicians – I couldn’t say that I knew how to play. My friends did, I didn’t. They challenged me – why not start?

Ugh.

This felt a little like a nudge and a little like a gut punch. I’ve owned this particular piano for more than 20 years and at best have plunked out melodies on it. I felt a kind of guilt. “Learning the piano” had become like climbing Mount Fuji. Possible, yet improbable. I knew that if I was ever going to do something about it, I would have to decide to work it out. If there ever was a time to work it out, now was the time. I accepted the challenge and said that by the time of the next Hang I would have something to show. I gave myself one month.

Three months later…