The Bulletproof Musician

Have you ever found yourself talking yourself up backstage before a concert, trying to quiet the last-minute doubts and boost your confidence?

Sometimes this works, but sometimes the words just don't…

Even though we know that learning can and does continue throughout our lifespan, it often feels like it's more of a struggle to learn new things as we get older.

So are there practice strategies that…

I think we've all heard that mental practice can help us improve some aspects of our playing. But is shifting or leaping from one note to another one of those areas that visualization can help with?

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This episode is for all of the parents out there who worry when their kids don't practice, or who aren't sure how much to push when the child says they want to quit. There isn't one single correct wa…

You've probably heard that it's helpful to make your own test questions when studying for a test or exam. But is this actually true?

A recent study suggests that there are a couple study strategies t…

You've probably heard the saying that "practice doesn't make perfect; perfect practice makes perfect."

But is that true? Or just a myth?

Research on errors in learning suggest that error-free practic…

Ever have one of those performances that makes you cringe to think of it, even years after the fact? And discover that it still continues to affect you a little bit even in performances today?

A rece…

The "memory palace" or method of loci technique, is a strategy often used by memory champions to achieve some pretty impressive feats of memory. Like being able to memorize the order of a deck of car…

Ever find yourself in a conversation that you think should have ended some time ago, but you're still hanging in there because you think the other person wants to continue, and you don't want to be r…

Have you been experiencing "Zoom fatigue?" There isn't a ton of research on this phenomenon quite yet - but a paper did come out recently identifying four potential causes, and a couple tips on how t…

Some athletes have noted that visualizing past successes has helped them get into a more positive and confident headspace before competition. Which makes perfect sense, but is there any research evid…

Cellist Astrid Schween (Juilliard String Quartet) shares some of the daily routines she relies on to set herself up for a productive day of practice, as well as how to approach new repertoire, remain…

This week we take a look at a study which shows how a teacher's mindset beliefs (growth vs. fixed) can affect the way they try to support or console a student who is struggling. And how we can inadve…

You're probably familiar with the idea of a growth vs. fixed mindset, and how this affects your own learning and performance. But recent research has begun to look at how at teacher's mindset beliefs…

You've probably been told that when setting goals, they need to be SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and timed). But recent research suggests that there are specific times when SMART…

I think all musicians are much more aware of tendonitis and other playing-related injuries than even just 10 or 20 years ago, but one health issue that isn't on many of our radars quite yet is noise-…

We tend to think of music as a sound-based art form (as opposed to dance, for instance, which has more of a visual component). But does a musician's physical movements on stage affect our impression …

Research suggests that in general, we may have a tendency to cut notes or rests short, and come in early, rather than late. If you've found yourself struggling to keep accurate time on long notes or …

Maintaining good rhythm and timing is often a real challenge. Especially since our mind can be pretty squirrely and make us think we're totally playing in time when we're not (and get an earful from …

You know those times when life or stress sucks you into one of those negative thought spirals, where you start getting more and more stressed and worried and can't seem to focus on anything else?

Rec…