The Bulletproof Musician
Ever wonder why you can practice for hours, sound great in the practice room, and still be frustratingly hit or miss on stage? Join performance psychologist and Juilliard alumnus/faculty Noa Kageyama, and explore research-based “practice hacks” for beating anxiety, practicing more effectively, and playing up to your full abilities when it matters most.
- Update frequency
- every 7 days
- Average duration
- 17 minutes
- Episodes
- 394
- Years Active
- 2018 - 2025
Tim Topham: On How to Maximize Your Effectiveness When Teaching Lessons Online
Having to go from live in-person lessons, to teaching through a laptop screen overnight can be a stressful experience. In this episode, piano teacher, educator, and podcaster Tim Topham will share so…
Targeted Memory Reactivation: A Hack to Improve Learning During Sleep?
It's well known that sleep is a key ingredient in optimal learning. But a recent study takes things a step further and suggests that we can selectively optimize the learning of certain information wh…
Lynne Aspnes: On Breathing, Singing, and the Value of Cultivating a Diverse Range of Musical Influences
Harpist Lynne Aspnes shares insights on the role of singing in music-making, how to make breathing a more organic part of your playing, and the value of having diverse musical influences.
What Does Science Say About the Notion That We Don't Utilize Our Full Potential?
It's often said that we are capable of more than we realize - but is there any research evidence suggesting that we consistently underestimate our abilities?
Fact or Myth: Does Thinking “Don’t Miss” Really Make Us More Likely to Mess Up?
You've probably heard that saying "don't miss" to yourself makes you more likely to mess up. But is this actually true? Or is it just a myth?
How to Get Better at Detecting Errors - Especially If They’re Hiding in Plain Sight
Are we actually as good at detecting errors and imperfections in our playing as we think? We definitely are on stage - but research suggests we might be missing things in the practice room. Here are …
The Mindsets That Make It Easier (and Harder) to Bounce Back from Mistakes Mid-Performance
Recovering from a poor start to your performance, or bouncing back from a botched excerpt in an audition can be a real challenge - though very much doable. But what separates those who can get back o…
Jennifer Johnson: On Learning to Play More Effortlessly, Through a Better Understanding of the True Design of Your Body
Ever feel like you've reached a wall, and can't get your body to do what it needs to do to produce what you hear in your head? Violinist Jennifer Johnson explains how a better understanding of one's …
Is Videotaping Yourself Worth the Time and Trouble? And If Yes, How So? (Part 2 of 2)
Athletes have been using videotape analysis to enhance learning and performance for years. But is it really worth the investment of time necessary? Does it lead to meaningful benefits above and beyon…
Is Videotaping Yourself Worth the Time and Trouble? And If Yes, How So? (Part 1 of 2)
Athletes have been using videotape analysis to enhance learning and performance for years. But is it really worth the investment of time necessary? What does the research say?
Mental Practice Not Working for You? This Might Be the Reason Why…
Research has found that doing mental practice while watching video could be more effective than imagery alone. But if this sort of thing hasn't worked for you, a recent study has identified a reason …
Nathan Hughes: On Being Honest in the Practice Room, and Learning How to Balance Being Analytical and Being Expressive
Met Opera oboist Nathan Hughes shares insights on how he prepares, so that he can play more confidently on stage, under pressure. Not just in terms of practicing the music, but managing the mental ga…
Structured Vs. Free Practice: Why You Probably Shouldn’t Just Be “Winging It” in the Practice Room
Research suggests that "structured practice" could lead to much more improvement in the same amount of practice time as "free practice" - but how exactly are the two different?
How Do Fear, Anxiety, and Other Negative Emotions Affect the Learning Process?
Whether it's an intimidating conductor or the fear of falling short of expectations in a lesson, there are many moments in our music studies where we might experience anxiety, fear, shame, or other n…
Musical Charades: Should This Be Part of Your Regular Practice Routine?
Doing impressions of famous musicians is a fun game to play with friends when you're in the mood to procrastinate - but could this actually be a useful practice exercise? And have some potentially me…
Erik Ralske: On Developing a Stronger Internal Pulse, and the Paradoxical Benefits of Giving Yourself Permission to Miss Notes
Horn player Erik Ralske (Met Opera) provides insights on how to get into "the zone," and the paradoxical way in which giving yourself permission to miss notes could lead to more accurate playing.
How Long Does It REALLY Take to Form a New Habit?
It's often said that it takes 21 days to form a new habit. But is this actually true?
How Long Does It REALLY Take to Form a New Habit?
More from The Bulletproof Musician
Phonetography: Does This Enhance or Diminish Our Enjoyment of an Experience?
Nowadays, camera phones are everywhere. And we seem to photograph everything. But what effect does this have on our enjoyment of these experiences?
The Misinterpreted-Effort Hypothesis, and Why We Often Practice Less Effectively than We Could
One of my teachers once said that if you sound good in the practice room, you're probably not practicing. Indeed, research suggests that there is actually a lot of truth to this. So why do we natural…
Mike Block: On Discovering Your Musical Identity, “Exploratory” Practice, and Taking Creative Risks
Ever feel creatively stuck, unsatisfied, or inhibited somehow - but can't quite figure out how to get out of your rut? Cellist Mike Block describes some of the experiences that helped him to discover…