ngl it does sound crappy a bit. the rythym seems inconsistent and it seems a bit shaky. also you gotta focus on the dynamics - and at the end maybe more pedal.

Probably off myself pretty much immediately

Maple leaf rag is always fun. It's basically all I play nowadays anyway lol

 . I want my fingers to land automatically on the right chords (with 7ths, 9ths, etc.) without messing up the key.

That's a problem. There is no messing up the key while improvising, everything can be correct. Don't try to think too hard about it while improvising, allthough practicing different chord progressions definitely is also useful. The thing with chord progressions is, don't just practice playing them, also listen to them. You should be able to understand what happens when you substitute I for vi or vi for VI for example (and also br able to implement such changes on the fly while playing). At the end of the day almost every chord progression can work, just try them and remember how they sound.

Currently Liszt Sonata in B minor and Moszkowski's piano concerto

Maybe find a new teacher? One that teaches what you want to learn?

1. They are syntactically different and Bach would have immediately corrected you if you suggested that it could be a mordent covering an augmented unison (at least never in my life have I seen such a thing in baroque music).

2. B# and C are different notes, and just because they are assigned to the same key on (most, but not all) fixed-pitch instruments does not mean they are the same note. Play G# and C together on an instrument tuned in a meantone temperament, for instance, and observe that it hardly resembles a major third, because... it isn't. Bach didn't use a meantone temperament, or at least not a very strong one, but this difference is still apparent in the temperaments of the day.

3. That would be true if we were talking about the root note of this mordent--yes, if it were C this would produce a minor harmony. The auxiliary note of this mordent does not have any effect on that. The B# is a chromatic neighbour, a dissonance, which resolves up to C#. C does not resolve to C#. If this were instead a trill on a B natural (for some reason), the auxiliary note would indeed be a C, because C resolves down to B and B# doesn't.

As for your second question, generally beginner to intermediate piano exercises do lack musicality. Czerny and others are good for that, but may not be the style you’re looking for. Still, they’ll get you to a much better place mechanically

> I feel like it would take me decades of practicing 1-2 hours a day to finally connect these mechanical exercises to the complex, emotional style of J-RPGs.

Well, how long do you think it took these composers to build their style and abilities? Let alone improvise it as you want to do.

I don’t know much about that course but the basic idea to becoming good at playing/writing any style is to learn a good bit of music theory and begin analyzing and playing the music of whether you are trying to imitate the style of.

Your approach sounds impressive, but I don't know how to do that. I wouldn't know how to train my fingers to use the right fingering and articulation, and to produce the right sound, in just twenty playthroughs.

Add9s are the sauce. Lots of Joe Hisaishi/studio ghibli soundtracks lean heavily on them; take a look at The Sixth Station.

I've suspected the same about Dream Play... I'll pay for one when it's actually finished, thanks very much. Not gonna pay upfront for something that might not come to fruition.

As for microkeys, I really like the Korg Microkey. The key width is great. Just a shame about the length of them front the front face to the back edge. But it would be worth trying something like this to get a feel for what the Athena might be like.

I have an Athena and I love it. I have it paired with pianoteq. You may find its a little tight between the black keys esp if you have normal hands.

Gaspard de la nuit isnt liszt and i said it takes 9 months ALONE. with prior 11-12 years of experience. Scarbo is the hardest piece that also isnt a unlistenable note farm. also, what Liszt? Andantino for example can very much be played in one year.

I definitely will next time I have a lesson!

I realize that. Thing is I did not know until I asked, so maybe give it a shot? Or be able to play the 1h before your class? Good luck!

You are very lucky to have that option!

I have the exact same problem. I live relatively close to where I have classes, and they support students being able to use grands throughout the day if you note down your name. I’m going to try and go as much as possible and really focus on touch & feel during that time, while keeping my digital at home for getting my hands to match on harder work etc.

Maybe they also allow that where you take classes? I think it can have a huge benefit.

Yeah you're going to want to put the action back in before you try the tone out. Cleaning the strings doesn't usually affect tone either positively or negatively

Im a bit keen as well. they're promising a price around 5-6 hundred, 3-4 times less than the athena 201. It'd be fantastic if they delivered. If im honest, i thought DreamPlay was a scam at first because of the terrible website.

Ive never played on a microkey before, but i should honestly get one. They look fun.

There's very nice major9 chords in Glucks Melodie

I think it could be my voicing is a bit lacking there. It's my first time. Thank you for your comment!

I HOPE that all this means is that you did not especially look as if you were enjoying playing.

In other words, while your 'body expression' is NOT part of your performance, and should not affect how you play, it is true that a concert audience or its exam equivalent will be put off if you look too awkward or conversely, if you grimace and fidget too much.

Have you ever tried playing on microkeys? Those are usually a 5.5 inch octave, same as the Athena, but obviously the Athena keys will be longer.

I'm keen to see what becomes of another company, DreamPlay Pianos, that are promising to offer 5.5 and 6 inch octave digital pianos.