Welcome to YY and Me — a podcast about identity, imagination, and learning out loud.
This opening episode is both manifesto and experiment. Ben introduces the concept behind YY and Me, blending memoir, sound design, and emotional inquiry. You’ll hear why he’s shifting from viral YouTube violinist to sovereign audio creator — and how stuffed animals, language immersion, and vulnerability are central to the structure.
This episode outlines four creative experiments:
- Mnemonic memory cues using violin plucks
- Intimate storytelling focused on identity, growth, and repair
- Original music performance as narrative language
- Diegetic sponsorship: ads fully integrated into the world of the story
Whether you’re a creator, a parent, or someone rebuilding your voice, this episode lays the foundation.
Keywords: emotional storytelling, podcast structure experiments, digital legacy, identity through sound, learning in public, creator transition, violin podcast, narrative design
🎧 Listen above, and please leave your feedback. Your voice is the signal I need most right now.
Full Transcript:
Welcome to YY and Me!
This podcast is for adults looking to reconnect with their inner kid.
For creators looking for a kindred spirit.
For builders itching to try new stuff.
And of course, for my kids, especially once they’re all grown up.
Full disclosure: I’ve rewritten this introduction no less than 4 times. I guess I’m still trying to find my voice. Trying to figure out exactly what it is I want out of this podcast.
Let’s call this what it is: an experiment. An unpolished, best effort to create something new. A platform for me to showcase my talents and professional ambition, through YY as my primary lens.
But Ben, don’t you already have a YouTube Channel? True: since 2007, I have created over 300 violin videos and received over 16 million views. The truth is, I got lucky; I was one of the first violinists on the platform, first mover privilege. Nowadays, my videos are much harder to find in the rising sea of competition. I’m no longer young; video is not as kind to this ol’ mug.
I do plan to continue posting new videos, but I also feel like I need a change of pace, a separate creative outlet where I can explore other domains. This podcast gives me the opportunity to improve where I’m weak, underdeveloped, and turn those weaknesses into strengths in plain sight, for you and my kids to witness in real-time.
I fell in love with podcasts after picking up a pair of Airpods a few years back. The best part is that I can listen to them while doing all kinds of useful stuff. Chores, showering, eating, driving – all converted into classrooms on the go. I’ve strengthened my French and Spanish, picked up some German, and even survived 4 levels of introductory Russian before throwing in the towel (for now). It feels like I’ve unlocked a new superpower, and I’m thrilled to continue learning at my own pace.
One of my favorite shows is called TeaTime Chinese, 茶歇中文, by Nathan Rao who was also my first Mandarin tutor. His voice is engrained in my ABC DNA, and I’m proud to say that I’m finally conversant and literate in the language of my immigrant ancestors, thanks in large part to him. 感谢你，Nathan老师！
As the owner of Ben Chan Tech LLC, I’m choosing to cover the initial costs of this project up front. If any IRS agents are listening, hear this loud and clear: I intend to make money, eventually. I’m tracking my hours and expenses separately. I have dozens of monetization plans in my Google Drive, ready to go with the right signals. For you creators and builders especially, help me understand what you’re looking for. Please be clear and direct; feel free to contact me. I’ll do the same, if you’re willing. For everyone else, please keep multitasking, and enjoy the show!
This next bit is really important to me, so I encourage you to listen carefully. Remember how I said that this is an experiment, an unpolished, best effort to create something new? So what’s new, you ask? Here are four experimental ideas that I’m testing in the first Arc of YY and Me:
Idea #1: Mnemonic memory recall: each episode starts with me plucking some notes on my violin. If you’re a musician, they’ll sound very familiar – I hear them pretty much every time I pull my violin out of its case. My theory is that the feelings and thoughts you get while listening to my episodes can be retriggered simply with common sounds.
Idea #2: Building trust through vulnerability: I’ve written my first episodes around identity, practice, tension, and regret. As I gain more confidence over time, I’ll continue to explore deeper and more intimate topics. It’s been pretty cathartic, actually! And my kids are probably giggling right now - the word cathartic is a family favorite because of how weird it sounds when repeated nonstop. What’s really weird is how good it feels when done properly.
Idea #3: Musical expression: this is my element and most fluent language. I believe it’ll set me apart from other podcasts, as all violin and piano will be performed by me personally. Spoiler alert: listen to Episode 4 for the premiere of a short composition and a pretty shocking revelation.
Idea #4: Diegetic sponsors: instead of rolling ads during the episode, which I find to be especially interruptive at times, I’m planning to only include paid ads in the form of in-world interaction, woven directly into the story. This requires a high level of creativity and alignment with sponsors, but I believe it can be done with the right fit.
As this podcast gains listeners – and I appreciate any and all efforts to spread the word – I’ll continue to share what I’m learning so you can try it, too. I plan to drop an episode like this one in between arcs so I can revisit what went right, what went sideways, and what I plan to do differently in the next one. I believe I’ll be successful because I’m not afraid to fail.
Please bookmark yyand.me (that’s Y-Y-A-N-D-dot-M-E) and participate in polls and other activities. With your permission, I will collect and use your feedback to improve my podcast and paid offerings over time.
Oh, and remember to subscribe to this podcast, too! Thanks for your support, everyone!
This is YY and Me. Let’s begin.