All Episodes
The Bulletproof Musician — 417 episodes
2026.8 | Lorna McGhee
Joanna Fong-Isariyawongse: The Science of Sleep for Musicians
Paul Baxter: Why Bad Habits Keep Coming Back (And a Faster Way to Change Them)
Micah Killion: The One Thing Artist-Level Musicians Do Differently in the Practice Room
How to Start a Performance with More Accuracy (Without the Onstage Warm-Up)
When You Can’t Get Yourself to Start Practicing, Try This
The Central Strategy Expert Musicians Use to Practice Difficult Passages
How a Small Change in Self-Talk Could Improve Performance Under Pressure
A Learning Method That Outperformed Traditional Practice
How Much Perfectionism Do You Really Need to Succeed?
Pallavi Mahidhara: On Practicing for Flexibility, Not Perfection
What Happened When Musicians Slept 90 Minutes More
Why Being Too Quick to Offer Feedback Could Inhibit Learning
Fewer Repetitions….But More Rapid Progress?
Ida Kavafian: Habits That Separate Good Musicians from Great Ones
Can Memorizing Music Make You a More Expressive Performer?
Two Approaches to Memorization (Beware: One Could Leave You Stranded!)
A Hidden Reason You Forget Music on Stage
Jane Ginsborg: On Building Stronger and More Reliable Musical Memory
How to Use Focus Cues to Play More Freely on Stage
Is There Hope for the Most Anxious Performers?
How to Get Your Mind in the Right Place Before Going On Stage
Graham Fitch: On Playful Practice and Muscle Memory You Can Trust
Does Aiming for Perfection Actually Hurt Performance?
Could Performance Anxiety Be Causing Students to Quit?
Worried About a Performance? 4 Reasons Why (And How to Stop)
Double Your Practice Gains With a Nap?
Ignasi Cambra: On Learning, Memorizing, and Interpreting Music
Notes First or Music First? Which Leads to Better Performance?
A Way to Get More Useful Performance Feedback?
How to Unlock Your Students’ Hidden Practice Abilities
Judy Loman: On the Best Advice For an Aspiring Harpist (or Musician)
A Comparison of Three Approaches to Teaching Expressiveness
The Overlooked Skill That Could Make Performing More Enjoyable
How Do Effective Practicers Make the Most of Their Practice Time?
Do We Unconsciously Favor Talent Over Effort?
Cellist Yumi Kendall: On Becoming a More Positive (And Effective) Practicer
How to Keep Your Inner Critic From Getting the Better of You
Pre-Performance Apathy (and the Importance of Mentally Disengaging From Practice)
Your Brain Isn’t Built for Consistency - Here’s How to Make That Work for You
Mitch Abrams: On Trauma and High-Level Performance
Reward vs. Punishment: Which Leads to Faster Learning?
One Way Parents Can Help Their Kids Be Less Anxious
A Self-Talk Tweak to Boost the Odds of Achieving Your Goals
Linda Chesis: On Cultivating a More Beautiful Sound and Becoming a Better Practicer
Finding Your Optimal Anxiety Level: Why Calm Isn’t Always Better
The 70% Rule: Why Practicing Shouldn’t Be Too Easy
Sight Reading: The Ideal Error Rate for Optimal Learning
Why Practicing While Distracted Is Actually Very Important
How to Help Students Remember More From Each Lesson
How to Increase the Likelihood of Being Accepted by Others
Stumped by a Problem in the Practice Room? Try an “Incubation” Break
Perfect Shmerfect. Could More “Mistakes” Accelerate Learning?
Carolyn Christie: On Overcoming Nerves With Healthier Internal Dialogue - and Phrasing!
Can We Train Ourselves to Worry Less About Others’ Opinions?
What Causes "Choking" Under Pressure? And What Can We Do About It?
The Truth About Cramming: Why Your Brain Needs Breaks
Orli Shaham: On Overcoming Setbacks and Learning to Trust the Process
A Backward Strategy for Enhanced Goal-Setting Success
4 Approaches to Goal Setting (And Which Works Best)
Do Extroverts Make Better Performers Than Introverts?
Laurie Scott & Cornelia Watkins: On Going From the Stage to the Studio
Does How We Look On Stage Matter More Than How We Sound...?
Does Counting Our Blessings Really Change Anything?
An Easier Way to Get Better at Mental Imagery?
A Better Way to Do Mental Practice?
Not an Optimist? How to Make Pessimism Work for You.
Can Breathing Really Help Reduce Anxiety? Or Is It Just a Cliché?
Go From Procrastination to Productivity With “Temptation Bundling”
A Better Way to Bounce Back From Disappointing Setbacks
Why Giving Students Choices Could Dramatically Enhance Learning
What Are Audition Committees Really Listening For?
The Best Time to Exercise for Maximizing Practice Gains
How Important Is It Really to Practice Every Day?
Improve Coordination With Opposite-Side Practice
Nathan Cole: Lessons From 20 Years of Concertmaster Auditions
An Ironic Strategy to Stay Calmer and Avoid Rushing on Performance Days
How Teachers' Expectations Can Shape Students' Learning & Performance
How Much Do Positive or Negative Expectations Affect Performance?
How to Keep Music Feeling Fresh Through Repeated Performances
Is It Really so Bad to Frown After Making a Mistake?
What’s the Optimal Practice-To-Rest Ratio?
Is There a Way to Make Self-Imposed Deadlines Work?
Does Listening to Music Benefit the Music Learning Process?
A Better Way to Learn, Teach, and Perform New Skills?
Is It Better to Perform With Eyes Open or Closed?
A Teaching Method That Creates Smarter Practicers
The Subtle Habit That Might Be Undermining Your Confidence
Learn More Effectively with This Lesser-Known Mindset Shift
Are You the “Good” or “Bad” Kind of Procrastinator?
Why Practicing for Consistency May Be Less Effective Than You’d Think
Are Great Sight-Readers Born or Made?
Michael Bridge: On Cultivating Expressive (vs Impressive) Virtuosity
How Much of an Effect Does Hydration Have on Practice & Performance?
Feel Like You’re Getting Worse? Here’s Why That May Not Just Be Your Imagination.
An Unconventional Way to Enhance Your Focus in the Practice Room
Frank Almond: On Work, Fun, and the Importance of Both in Dealing with Adversity
How the Wrong Kind of Praise Could Increase a Student’s Feelings of Shame
Can We Learn Faster by Thinking Less?
To Play More Accurately, Change Your Focus?
Why Good Ensemble Playing May Require More Than Just Your Ears
A Gentle Way to Help Kids (or Adults) Build Performance Confidence?
A Simple Strategy for Reducing Worries and Practicing With More Focus
Why the Wrong Kind of Praise Could Heighten a Student's Fear of Failure
Do You Have a Bias Against Creative Students (Without Realizing It)?
Steven Tenenbom: On Rhythm, Phrasing, and the Life Within Each Note
Can Good Luck Charms and Superstitious Rituals Enhance Performance?
A Simple Technique to Prevent Choking (Which Sounds Like it Couldn’t Possibly Work)
WOOP: A Better Way to Set Goals?
How Important Is It to Write Down Your Goals?
How Important Is “Perfect Practice” When Learning Something New?
Why It's Important to Identify (and Use) Your "Signature Strengths"
Jason Shafer: On Healthier Practicing & Strengths-Based Performing
A Mindset Shift That Can Help You Respond to Setbacks With Even Better Performances
Reduce Burnout With a Simple Three-Step Exercise
The Best Way to Breathe for Reducing Stress?
The Best Thing to Listen to Backstage for Reducing Anxiety?
Benjamin Kamins: On Self-Judgment, Slow Practice, and Reed-Making
Why Lowering Standards Can Sometimes Promote Better Learning
“Brain Fatigue” and the Best Thing to Do on Practice Breaks
Why Reflection Should Be Part of Your Daily Practice Routine
How to Practice for More Consistent Performances
Christine Carter & Ellen Hendriksen: On the Perils of “Perfect Practice”
Are Today’s Musicians More “Clone-Like?"
Why Practicing Too Much Could Actually Increase Errors
How Consistent Do Pre-Performance Routines Need to Be?
The Surprising Truth about Learning Styles
Difficulty Staying Focused While Practicing? Why “Airplane Mode” May Not Be Enough
A Hack to Boost Your Practice Efficiency
On Building an Audience in 2023: Ken Kubota & Morgan Davison
When Is the Best Time to Start Memorizing a New Piece?
The "Lazy" Person’s Guide to Mastering Self-Control
Two Things Experts Do Differently When Practicing
On Building an Audience in 2023: Sumina Studer & Drew Forde
How to Make Practicing Feel Less Like a Chore
Self-Compassion: Does It Help or Hurt Performance?
Why Singing Could Enhance Your Daily Practice
For More Effective Practice, Try…Longer…Pauses
George Waddell: On the Hidden Consequences of Music Competitions
How to Make Mental Practice Even More Effective
The Superiority of Intentionally Imperfect Practice?
Menahem Pressler: On Following Your Heart
How to Find the Perfect Strings for You and Your Instrument
How to Learn Better From Failures (And Successes Too)
“Productive Failure”: Why Early Floundering Leads to Better Learning
Why Improvisation Should Be Part of Every Young Musician's Training
Two Ways to Simulate Performance Pressure (and Which Works Best)
Aaron Williamon: On Becoming a Better, Happier, and Healthier Musician
How Intentional Errors Could Accelerate Learning
How to Stay in a More Positive Headspace Before Performances
Get Unstuck in the Practice Room With a “Creative Pause”
Hans Jørgen Jensen: On Practicing With the Mind, Not Just the Fingers
How to Give Students Critical Feedback Without Crushing Their Confidence
How to Minimize Intrusive Thoughts When You’re Practicing
Boost Learning and Performance With Naps, Not Coffee!
Robert Duke: On the Value of Errors, and How Learning Really Works
19 Things That Great Teachers Do
How the ‘Gift’ Reframe Could Enhance Performance
How to Nail Shifts and Big Leaps More Consistently
How to Keep Anxiety From Spiraling, on Stage and Off
The Best Type of Goals for More Success in the Year Ahead
A Clever Practice Hack to Make Practicing More Enjoyable
The Problem With Intense Laser-Like Focus in the Practice Room
Why a Little Self-Doubt Before Performing Could Be a Good Thing
Jennifer Montone: On the Unspoken Mental and Emotional Aspects of Being a Musician
Why Telling Yourself to “Calm Down” Backstage May Be Counterproductive
Why Trying to "Think Positive" All the Time Could Make You Feel Worse
Kim Laskowski: On Developing a Beautiful Expressive Sound and Teaching Yourself How to Learn
How Important is Listening to Recordings, Really?
The Practice Strategy That Could “Bulletproof” Your Memory Under PressureThe Practice Strategy That Could “Bulletproof” Your Memory Under Pressure
A Better Way to Do Mental Practice
The Problem With Time and Repetition-Based Practice Goals (And What to Do Instead)
When is the Optimal Time to Start Doing Performance Practice?
What Is More Effective for Learning - Praise or Criticism?
Is It Possible to Increase Your “Immunity” to Nerves? The Research Suggests Yes - And Here’s How to Do It.
Wish You Could Memorize Better? Why a Little Bit of "Verbalization" Might Be the Missing Ingredient.
David Juncos & Elvire de Paiva e Pona: On ACT and a New Approach to Overcoming Performance Anxiety
Optimizing Practice: 2 Things That the Best Performers Do & 1 Thing That the Best “Improvers” Do
Why Ear Training Might Matter More Than You Think
Two Helpful Things to Think About on Stage, Right Before You Start Playing
If You Have Difficulty Staying Focused While Practicing, Could Clutter Be a Factor?
Memory Reconsolidation: A Way to Dump Your Negative Audition and Performance Baggage?
Three Ways to Teach Students How to Play More Expressively (Is There a “Best” Way?)
How Making Mistakes Can Accelerate Learning
The Two Most Efficient (and Two Least Efficient) Memorization Strategies
Brian Alegant: On the Difference Between MUSIC Theory and Music THEORY
Why Your Playing (or Singing) Tends to Become Less Musically Expressive on Stage
Do the Best Performers Also Provide the Best Advice?
Why Thinking Out Loud Could Help You Become a More Efficient Practicer
Peter Keller: On Becoming More Skilled Ensemble Musicians with Insights from Cognitive Science
An “Awkward” Way to Increase Motivation and Make More Progress Towards Your Goals
How to Clear Your Mind of Worries Before a Big Performance (revisited)
Evidence That Performing From Memory May Be More Challenging for Pianists Than Others (What?!)
Do You Struggle With Unreliable Memory on Stage? Perhaps Your Memorization Strategy is Missing This Key ingredient...
Keith Underwood (Part 2): On Breathing and the Problem With Thinking of Air as the Solution to Everything.
Keith Underwood (Part 1): On the Art of Imitation, and How to Glean Transformative Insights From Great Musicians to Level Up Your Playing.
How Mental Imagery Can Help You Become a Better (Or More "Psychic") Chamber Music Partner
How Does One Learn to Play More Musically?
Do We Really Sound as Terrible on Stage as We Sometimes Think We Do?
"Quiet Eye": A Technique to Enhance Performance When You're Nervous
Prone to Procrastinating? Why the Way You Set Deadlines Could Make Things Worse, Not Better.
Having a Bad Practice Day? Turn It Into a Good One With This 3-Step Self-Coaching Technique.
Adina Mornell: On Learning How to Practice in Such a Way That Performing Can Be Something We Enjoy, Rather Than Fear
How to Get Your Brain to Do More Learning BETWEEN Practice Sessions
How to Get Yourself to Practice When You Don't Feel Like It
Why You Get Sucked Down the YouTube Rabbit Hole When Practicing (And How to Prevent This Without Having to Break Up With YouTube)
Joshua Weilerstein: On a Conductor’s Journey, and Why It Might Be Awesome if Every Musician Spent a Day in a Conductor’s Shoes
Research-Tested Practice Strategies That Will Help You Learn New Pieces Faster
How the Things You Say to Your Students Can Change the Positivity (Or Negativity) of Their Inner Voice
Does Perfectionism Really “Kill” Creativity? If So, What’s the Alternative?
A Practice Strategy That Could Potentially Be Twice as Effective as Regular Practice?
How to Be a Little More Awesome in 2022? Try These Top Tips and Insights From 2021.
Why Practicing Practicing from an Early Age is So Important
Two Approaches to Memorization - One of Which Can Leave You Lost and Stranded if You Rely on It Too Much!
Not Sure How to Do Mental Practice? Here's a 7-Point "How-To" Guide
Kristian Steenstrup: On Singing, Solfège, and Cultivating a More Efficient Approach to Learning New Music.
Struggling to Get a Tricky Passage up to Tempo? Why Slow, Accurate Practice May Actually Be the Problem.
Evidence That Too Much Consistency in Practice Could Potentially Hinder the Learning Process (What?!)
Why Too-Short Practice Breaks Could Undermine Your Learning
Vivian Hornik Weilerstein: On Listening, Leading, and Learning How to Be More in Sync With Your Music-Making Partners.
How Do Experts Get Even Better? 5 Lessons From the Practice of Expert vs. Intermediate Athletes.
What to Do When Everyone Thinks You're Great - But You Feel Like a Failure
If We Want to Maximize Learning, is It Better to Focus on Our Failures? Or Our Successes?
Evidence That Listening to a Recording Could Accelerate the Learning Process for New Repertoire
Merry Peckham: On Rehearsing, Performing, and Growing as a Musician (And Person!) in Chamber Music
A 5-Step Strategy for Enhanced Motor Skill Learning (Especially if You're an Older Learner!)
Having Difficulty Turning Off the Worries? Here Are the Strategies That Research Suggests May Work Best.
Feeling a Bit Down and Unmotivated? This Motivation Hack Might Help You Get More Done and Perk Up a Bit.
Daniel Matsukawa: On Cultivating a Great Sound, and Three Components of Becoming a Better Practicer
Difficulty Getting to Sleep? Try “Serial Diverse Imaging” - a Crafty Way to Trick Your Brain Into Going to Sleep.
Wish You Could Be Less Stressed on Concert Days? Try This Unexpected Activity, Used by an Olympic Gold Medalist (and Grandmothers Everywhere 🙂)
Adequate Learning Vs Overlearning: How Many Repetitions Is Enough?
Two Things Experts Do Differently Than Non-Experts When Practicing
Ann Bergeron: On Facilitating a More Positive Learning Experience, More Effective Skill Acquisition, and More Creative Artists
A Simple Practice Scheduling Hack That Couldn’t Possibly Be as Effective as It Seems
Why Thought Stopping Doesn’t Work (And the Paradoxical Strategy That Might Work Better)
Evidence That You Should Probably Be Taking Practice "Micro-Breaks," if You Want to Maximize Learning.
Natasha Brofsky and Roger Tapping: On Learning New Repertoire and Getting to Know a Composer’s Unique Language
Can’t Stop Worrying About an Upcoming Performance? Here’s Why Practicing More Might Not Be the Answer.
What’s the Best Type of Feedback to Provide, if the Goal Is to Increase Students’ Intrinsic Motivation?
Forget White Noise. There May Be a Better Type of Noise That Could Potentially Enhance Memory While You Sleep.
Lori Schiff: On Adapting to Remote Instruction, and Learning to Teach Alexander Technique Online
Which Is Better - A Verbal Pep Talk or a Visualization Pep Talk?
A Test of Three Practice Schedules, and the One That Works Best (Especially for Older Learners)
Need to Work on Shifting or Leaps From One Note to Another? Here’s How Mental Practice Could Help.
The Kantor Family: On Being Effective Music Parents to Musical Children
Finals Coming Up Soon? Here’s Why You Shouldn't Just Read and Review Your Notes.
Is “Perfect” Practice as Essential a Thing As We Tend to Assume It Is?
Having Difficulty Moving Past a Particularly Distressing Audition or Performance? “Just Think Positive” May Not Be the Best Strategy...
Does the “Memory Palace” Strategy Really Work? And Is It Something Musicians Could Use?
Evidence That Most of Us Are Terrible at Knowing When to End Conversations
“Zoom Fatigue” - Why It Happens, and a Couple Things You Can Do About It
A Simple Writing Exercise That Could Help You Perform More Confidently
Astrid Schween: On Cultivating Routines, Curiosity, and 800 Different Spiccatos
How NOT to Support a Student Who Is Struggling (and What TO Do as Well)
Want Your Students to Be More Engaged, Take More Risks, and Get Better Grades in Class? Here’s Why Your Mindset Matters.
Specific Times When Smart Goals Can Be Counterproductive (and What Strategy to Use Instead)
Kris Chesky: On Hearing Health, Earplugs, and How the Best Strategy for Protecting Young Musicians’ Ears Might Help Them Become Better Musicians Too
Does a Musician’s Physical Movements and Gestures Affect How Musical We Think They Are?
How to Cultivate Better Rhythm and Avoid Clipping Notes (and Rests) Short
For Better Rhythm and Timing, Count With Your Body Too, Not Just Your Mind
Stressed and Having Difficulty Getting Out of a Negative Thought Spiral? Here's How (and Why) Mother Nature May Be Able to Help
Make Practicing in 2021 a Little More Effective With These Top Tips From 2020
A Better Way to Present Ourselves on Social Media? A Simple Adjustment for Improved Mood and Greater Well-Being.
Regular Bragging vs. Humblebragging: Which Works Better?
Need a Break? Here’s a Simple Way to Boost Your Mood and Feel More Refreshed After a Long Week of Practice.
David Leisner: On Overcoming Focal Dystonia and Learning to Play With Ease
Toby Appel: On Learning to Trust Yourself
How Effective Is Mental Practice for Memorizing New Pieces?
Stressed, Anxious, and Feeling a Little Burned Out? Here’s How an “Awe Walk” Could Help.
Bob Fisher: On What It Takes to Become Great at Something and Set Multiple World Records (at Age 50+)
Having Long-Term Goals Is Important, but Research Suggests That We Should Enjoy the Little Things Too
Have a Tendency to Play “Too Safe” Under Pressure? Here’s a Daily Habit That Could Help You Play More Fearlessly on Stage.
A Counterintuitive Way to Build Confidence, a Tiny Bit Each Day
Jason Sulliman: On Why Fast, At-Tempo Practice Can Be More Efficient and Effective Than Slow Practice
How Using Social Media Apps Before Practicing Could Sabotage Practice Quality (and Performance) Over Time
What Does the Research Say About Having a Couple Drinks Before Performing?
8 Things Top Practicers Do Differently
Minna Chung: On the Mysteries of Intonation and a Few Things We Can Do to Play Better in Tune
How Many of Our Mistakes Do Audiences (and Other Musicians) Actually Notice?
Handling Conflicts in Ensembles: A Few Things We May Be Able to Learn From the Research on Marital Satisfaction...?
Is This Really a Significant Factor in How We Choose Our Teachers and Mentors?
Why It May Be Useful to Laugh a Bit More in the Months Ahead
Stephen Hough: On the Question “Is Memorizing Music Really All That Important?”
How to Keep the Critic in Your Head From Wrecking Your Practice Session
Why the Progress You Make in the Practice Room Seems to Disappear Overnight - PART 2
An Email Hack That Could Increase the Likelihood of Getting a Reply (and Possibly Make the World a Slightly Better Place for Everyone Too)
Jason Haaheim: On “Deliberate Lessons” and How to Become a Better Teacher to Yourself
3 Questions to Ask Yourself That Could Boost the Effectiveness of Your Next Practice Session
Having Difficulty Motivating Yourself to Practice? Research Suggests That Copycatting a Friend Could Help.
Evidence That You're Probably Not Great at Performing and Critiquing Your Performance at the Same Time
Christian Howes: On Overcoming Improvisation Anxiety, Making Technical Practice More Creatively Satisfying, and Becoming a Better Friend to Yourself
How the Things You Think about Backstage Could Carry over into Your Performance
How to Talk to Yourself When You’re Having a Bad Practice Day (or Week)
Having Difficulty Believing in Yourself? Here’s a Confidence-Building Technique That Doesn’t Feel Like You're Lying to Yourself.
Struggling with Practice Apathy? You Might Be Neglecting “Psychological Rest”
Howard Nelson & Pamela Frank: On Recovering from Injury, the Importance of Being Non-Judgmental, and Practicing with 1000% Expression
Sarah Lewis: On Thinking Useful Thoughts, Gratitude, and the Challenge of Juggling Auditions and a 3-Month Old
Amanda Blaikie: On Believing in Yourself, Letting Go of Attachments, and Giving Yourself Permission to Be Kind to Yourself
Caroline Coade: On Being Flexible and "Practicing to Bulletproof”
A Mental Time Travel Technique That Could Reduce Anxiety and Enhance Performance
Molly Gebrian: On Efficient, Effective, and Reliable Memorization Strategies for Musicians
Nicole Newman: On Using Yoga to Develop Sustained Focused Attention, and Practice Getting into the Zone
Tim Topham: On How to Maximize Your Effectiveness When Teaching Lessons Online
Targeted Memory Reactivation: A Hack to Improve Learning During Sleep?
Lynne Aspnes: On Breathing, Singing, and the Value of Cultivating a Diverse Range of Musical Influences
What Does Science Say About the Notion That We Don't Utilize Our Full Potential?
Fact or Myth: Does Thinking “Don’t Miss” Really Make Us More Likely to Mess Up?
How to Get Better at Detecting Errors - Especially If They’re Hiding in Plain Sight
The Mindsets That Make It Easier (and Harder) to Bounce Back from Mistakes Mid-Performance
Jennifer Johnson: On Learning to Play More Effortlessly, Through a Better Understanding of the True Design of Your Body
Is Videotaping Yourself Worth the Time and Trouble? And If Yes, How So? (Part 2 of 2)
Is Videotaping Yourself Worth the Time and Trouble? And If Yes, How So? (Part 1 of 2)
Mental Practice Not Working for You? This Might Be the Reason Why…
Nathan Hughes: On Being Honest in the Practice Room, and Learning How to Balance Being Analytical and Being Expressive
Structured Vs. Free Practice: Why You Probably Shouldn’t Just Be “Winging It” in the Practice Room
How Do Fear, Anxiety, and Other Negative Emotions Affect the Learning Process?
Musical Charades: Should This Be Part of Your Regular Practice Routine?
Erik Ralske: On Developing a Stronger Internal Pulse, and the Paradoxical Benefits of Giving Yourself Permission to Miss Notes
How Long Does It REALLY Take to Form a New Habit?
Phonetography: Does This Enhance or Diminish Our Enjoyment of an Experience?
The Misinterpreted-Effort Hypothesis, and Why We Often Practice Less Effectively than We Could
Mike Block: On Discovering Your Musical Identity, “Exploratory” Practice, and Taking Creative Risks
Why Highly “Representative” Practice Is so Important (Except When It Isn’t)
Change This One Word to Get More Useful Feedback From Peers and Colleagues
Can Young Students Be Taught to Engage in Deliberate Practice Too?
Angela Beeching: On the Keys to Developing a Career That’s Totally “You”
Quirky Pre-Performance Rituals: Do They Really Work?
Get into a Better Pre-Audition Headspace with a "Heroic" Playlist
Why the “Task Completion Bias” Could Give You the Illusion of Productive Practice, but Make You Less Productive in the Long-Term
A Simple Technique That Could Help You Give Better Advice to Your Students
Claire Stefani: On Chinrests, Shoulder Rests, and How the Right Setup Can Facilitate More Effortless, Tension-free Playing
How to Use Positive “Trigger Words” for More Expressive Performances
The “Gesturing Effect": A Way to Learn New Skills More Quickly?
How Many of Our Worries Actually Come True?
Blaise Dejardin: On Emotion, Technique, and the Kind of Practice That Facilitates Consistently Beautiful Performances
Your “Stress Mindset,” and How This Could Make Stress Work For or Against You
Why Day-of-Performance Butterflies May Actually Be a Good Thing
"Action Observation," And How to Get More out of Your Mental Imagery Practice
Tom Hooten: On Being Curious, and Elevating Learning and Growth Above Ego
How to "Reset" Your Body Clock and Shift Your Peak Performance Window (& Thrive in AM Rehearsals)
Are Coffee Naps Legit?
The Role of Self-Compassion in Overcoming Setbacks and Cultivating Mental Toughness
Conflicted Between Two Different Choices? Here’s a “Random” Way to Accelerate the Decision-Making Process.
Uri Vardi: On the Way Unconscious Habits Shape Our Playing, and How Feldenkrais Can Help Us Unlock More of Our Potential
Self-Monitoring, and How “Happy Face” May Have Been a More Potent Practice Strategy than I Realized…
Three Different Types of Practice Strategies - Which One Works Best?
A Way to Amplify (or Weaken) the Effect of Self-Talk on Performance
Menahem Pressler: On Following Your Heart
A Goal-Setting Tweak That Could Be the Difference Between an OK Performance and a Great Performance?
How Exaggerating Technical Errors Could Improve Your Technique
Should Phones and Laptops Be Banned in the Classroom? Or Is This Just Much Ado about Nothing?
Margo Drakos: On Creating a Safety Net and Taking a Chance on Yourself
Why Learning the Wrong Way to Play Could Enhance Performance (and Confidence Too)
The Potential Upside of Having a "Rival"
How to Keep Your Cool Backstage Before Auditions and Performances
8 Strategies for Breaking Out of a Performance Slump
Catherine Cho: On Developing Great Rhythm (and Why Old-School Metronomes Are the Way to Go)
The Performance Post-Mortem: A Review Process to Bounce Back Better and Faster
A Visualization Hack to Get More Out of Your Mental Practice
A Mental Tweak to Reduce the Gap Between Your Best Playing and What Happens Under Pressure
David Kim: On Letting Go and Being Yourself
A Scientific Rationale for Keeping Photos of Friends and Family in Your Case
Get Into "The Zone" More Frequently with This Subtle Mental Adjustment
A Comparison of Two Types of Anti-Choking Strategies
Lori Schiff: On How Alexander Technique Can Enhance Learning and Performance Under Pressure
How Perfect Does Your Intonation Have to Be?
Does Focusing on Musical Expressiveness in Performance Come at the Expense of Technical Precision?
A Mental Shift That Could Help You Produce a More Beautiful Sound on Stage
Can’t Shut Off Your Brain and Get to Sleep? This 5-min Exercise Could Help.
Mark Kosower: On Learning Music, Slow Practice, and the Kind of Focus That's Associated With His Best Performances
A "Backwards" Strategy for Cultivating More Passion about Music You're Not in Love With
Should You Be Using a Metronome When You Do Mental Practice?
Why Worrying about Shaky Bow Just Makes Things Worse (and What You Could Focus on Instead)
Jason Haaheim: On Practice, Talent, Motivation, and Playing the "Long Game"
How to Minimize Jet Lag and Perform Your Best When Crossing Multiple Time Zones
Do Other People Really Learn As Quickly As It Seems Like They Do?
2 Ways to Shrink the “Intention-Behavior Gap,” Improve Your Follow-through, and Get Things Done
Jay Larranaga: On Becoming the Best Version of Yourself That You Can Be
Why an “Improvisational Mindset” Could Be Vital to Reducing Performance Anxiety and Increasing Audience Engagement
How a Post-Practice Workout Could Help Boost Learning and Retention
Do Classical Musicians Get More Nervous Than Non-Classical Musicians? (And If so, Why?)
8 Strategies Musicians Use to Create Their Own Unique Interpretation of a Piece
Nathan Cole and Akiko Tarumoto: On Practice, Lifelong Learning, and Balancing Life With Work and Audition Preparation
Have Difficulty Staying Awake During Mental Practice? Try "Dynamic" Mental Imagery Instead! Have Difficulty Staying Awake During Mental Practice? Try "Dynamic" Mental Imagery Instead!
The Correct Way to Sit in a Chair (and How This Could Help Your Performance in More Ways Than You’d Think)
An Easy-to-Overlook “Hack” for Enhancing Concentration in the Practice Room
Carol Rodland: On Learning to Work with Your Body, Not Against It
The “Urgency Effect” and How to Prioritize More Effectively in the Practice Room
Does It Help (or Hurt) to Have Friends and Family in the Audience?
Perform Better Under Pressure with This Subtle Adjustment to Your Self-Talk
Julie Landsman: On Getting into the Zone and Developing Trust in Your Playing
Research Suggests That While Mental Practice Is Good, This Hybrid Approach Is Even Better
What's the Most (and Least) Helpful Thing to Text a Friend Before Their Audition?
Janet Horvath: On Preventing Overuse Injuries and Playing Pain-Free
A Better Way to Teach Complex Skills, Borrowed From…Doggy Training?
Listening to Music While Studying: Ok or Not Ok?
Memorize More Music by Remembering to Press "Pause"?
Rob Knopper: On Overcoming the Fear of Recording Yourself (and Making It Your New Favorite Practice Tool)
“Mistake Rituals” and Why it's Important to Prepare for On-Stage Surprises
Does Stress Make Us More Susceptible to Injury?
Creativity Sounds Important…but at the Elite Level, How Valuable Is It Really?
Peter Miksza: On the Overlooked Value of Improvisation in Musical Training
Jeff Huber: On Preparing Mentally for Competition
A Childhood Pastime That Could Help You Reduce Stress and Manage Audition-Day Nerves
Can We Really Trust Our Intuition When Making Difficult Decisions?
Two Different Kinds of Nerves? How One Type Helps and the Other Type…Not so Much
Could This Working Memory Exercise Help Offset the Effect of Nerves on Performance?
Stereotype Threat: The Paradox of Becoming Exactly What You’re Trying to Prove That You’re Not. (Huh?!)
Need a Little Shot of Optimism? Try the "Best Possible Self" Exercise
Can We Train Ourselves to Be Less Anxious?
Just Thinking You Don't Have Enough Time (Even If That's Not True) Negatively Affects Performance
Power Posing vs. Yoga. Yay or Nay?
How to Keep Your Cool in Stressful Lessons, Rehearsals, and More
Why Do We Have Such a Hard Time Accepting Compliments?
The Problem with Taking Excessively Long Practice Breaks
Why It’s Probably Not a Good Sign If Practicing Starts to Feel Easy