SOPP633: I printed the paper pedal board that you made available on your website!

Vidas: Hello and welcome to Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast!

Ausra: This is a show dedicated to helping you become a better organist.

V: We’re your hosts Vidas Pinkevicius...

A: ...and Ausra Motuzaite-Pinkeviciene.

V: We have over 25 years of experience of playing the organ

A: ...and we’ve been teaching thousands of organists online from 89 countries since 2011.

V: So now let’s jump in and get started with the podcast for today.

A: We hope you’ll enjoy it!

V: Hi guys!  This is Vidas.

A:  And Ausra.

V: Let’s start episode 633 of Secrets of Organ Playing Podcast. This question was sent by André, and he writes,

Hello dear Vidas, I received the statement from Patreon about your support. I am extremely honored and grateful for your help, which means a lot to me. First, because I’ve been following your channel for many years, long before you started using Hauptwerk. In fact, many years ago you recorded a video about possible works to study with only a manual, which was a starting point for me in the organ. And finally, I printed the paper pedal board that you made available on your website! Anyway, receiving your support means a lot because you have always been a person who inspired me! Here in Brazil things are scarce in relation to the practice of the organ, but I was never discouraged, I was always positive. And now with Hauptwerk, and with my future equipment, I will be able to study this instrument that I love so much more!

Thank you very much, affectionately,
André Barbosa

V:  André later wrote that he is looking forward to receiving his two keyboards and MIDI pedalboard later, in a few months.  So this will really enable him to start playing real organ repertoire.

A:  Yes, this is such inspiring story for people showing that you just don’t have to give up.  If you don’t have something available for you for a moment, that you still can do something and practice something.  Maybe just do manual work first of all, and to have like a paper pedalboard, and with time, your dreams will come true.  The most important thing is to do something constantly, to be very consistent and work on it on a regular basis.

V:  Sometimes I get to see people’s questions on various social media sites, and they ask, “What can I do?  I don’t have an access to the organ anymore.  My church is closed, so I don’t have a place to play and practice. My basically organ playing career is over.”  And just recently I discovered this question on the forum, and suggested, “Maybe you need to start thinking about getting Hauptwerk organ of your own at home.  Very affordable.”  And the person wrote that she’s broke.  And then I said, “Maybe you need to think about some revenue stream first,”  instead of getting access to the organ, and only then about instrument.  But as it turns out, organ and revenue is not mutually exclusive.  You can get one and the other at the same time.  I’m talking about a platform called Emanate now.  Emanate is a platform which rewards musicians fairly instantly and directly.  So if you upload your recordings, and with Hauptwerk you would get really high quality recordings right away, you share those links, your recordings with your friends, family, and work fans, and you will start getting real revenue.

A:  I think you know, if you really want to play organ, if it’s really important for you, you will find a way to do it if it’s really important for you.  And if you don’t, maybe it wasn’t that important.

V:  Yeah.  I think people are sometimes just looking for excuses instead of solutions.

A:  Yes, and sometimes people just like to complain.  Some people complain about things all the time, like my mom, for example.

V:  But she cooks well!

A:  (laughs) Yes, I can see that, looking at you and at myself of course.  She could cook much less.

V:  We look healthy, you mean.

A:  I don’t think we would look healthy for cardiologist.

V:  Yes, but she listens to our organ playing.  That’s a good sign.

A:  Yes.  We are educating her a little bit.

V:  And she uses tablet, internet.

A:  Very advanced.

V:  Yes.  Can swipe with her finger from left to right.

A:  Okay, don’t make fun of my mother.  Don’t want me to start talking about your mother.

V:  What did my mother do?  My mom is teaching also online, like you.

A:  So she’s much more advanced, comparing to my mother.  But she doesn’t cook for us, so….

V:  Yeah, too bad.

A:  I prefer my mother.

V:  What if both of our moms could cook for us.  (laughs)

A:  Hardly to imagine that - your mother cooking all the time for us.

V:  And listening to organ music in the background.  So, wonderful question.  Yeah - André really made my day with this answer on Patreon.  Sometimes, sometime ago, when I decided to support more organists on Patreon, I was looking for other small channels.  And apparently there are not many.  There are a few big names which have at least hundred subscribers, which really don’t need much support from outside right now, because they are already flying well.  And there are a few of us who are doing small work, like André Barbosa, Paul Fey, James Flores, our channel, and that’s about it.  You know, there are a few amateur organists who don’t play organ repertoire, but just play pop music on the organ.  So I was not compelled to support them, because they’re not really organists.

A:  Maybe they have more even followers than we do, don’t you think so?

V:  No, no.

A:  Oh, good.  I’m so much relieved.

V:  Yeah.  At first I thought maybe, but I didn’t feel any emotional connection with their music, so… so I guess Barbosa is one of them who is connected with us.

A:  Yes, I really like his playing and I’m following his YouTube channel.

V:  And he only has one keyboard right now!  One MIDI keyboard.  Anybody can have a keyboard at home, you know, like it costs, let’s say for argument’s sake the cheapest one is less than $100.  You can find $50 keyboard  right now.  Or a used one you can get for $20 or $30 - very cheap.  If you install Hauptwerk, or if you don’t have resources for Hauptwerk, you can install Grand Orgue - it’s free.  And you can start making music from your home with virtual pipe organ software, with beautifully sampled pipe organ sounds - virtual pipe organ sounds.  And you’re no longer stuck - you’re starting, you have a starting point.  Then later, little by little, you can earn more money, and later you can buy a pedalboard.

A:  Yes, and the rest is up to you, right?

V:  Yes, the rest is history.  Excellent.  So guys, don’t give up, even if you’re in a country where organ culture is not popular.  You just have to keep positive mentality and look for solutions to your challenges, and not for excuses.  Thank you guys!  This was Vidas.

A:  And Ausra.

V:  Please send us more of your questions.  We love helping you grow.  And remember, when you practice,

A:  Miracles happen.

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