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
Jeff Huber: On Preparing Mentally for Competition
Listen in as 3-time US Olympic diving coach Jeff Huber shares some tips on how to make the most of your practice time, and prepare more effectively for competition.
A Childhood Pastime That Could Help You Reduce Stress and Manage Audition-Day Nerves
The wait backstage can be torturous, as you feel the anxiety build, and wish you could just go out and play already. What are we supposed to do with all that time anyway? Listen to music? Visualize? …
Can We Really Trust Our Intuition When Making Difficult Decisions?
When faced with a tough decision, people often advise us to "sleep on it" or "go with your gut." But what does the research say? Is there any evidence that we can actually trust our intuition in mome…
Two Different Kinds of Nerves? How One Type Helps and the Other Type…Not so Much
Most people think nerves are bad. But some people say nerves and pressure can be good. So...which is it?
Two Different Kinds of Nerves? How One Type Helps and the Other Type…Not so Much
More from The …
Could This Working Memory Exercise Help Offset the Effect of Nerves on Performance?
Many of the brain-training apps and games out there don't seem to be as effective as one might hope. But there's one type of mental training that does seem to improve performance under pressure...
Stereotype Threat: The Paradox of Becoming Exactly What You’re Trying to Prove That You’re Not. (Huh?!)
Have you ever performed poorly at something because you put too much pressure on yourself to prove that you are totally awesome at that thing? A phenomenon known as "stereotype threat" is one reason …
Need a Little Shot of Optimism? Try the "Best Possible Self" Exercise
It's easy to start losing confidence and start doubting yourself in the week leading up to a big performance or audition. But research suggests that the "best possible self" exercise could help us st…
Can We Train Ourselves to Be Less Anxious?
"Just think positive" never seems to work - but only focusing on doom and gloom sure doesn't help either. Research suggests that the key may lie in not making up positive things, but training ourselv…
Just Thinking You Don't Have Enough Time (Even If That's Not True) Negatively Affects Performance
Nowadays, we all seem to be going through each day, rushing from one thing to the next. And sometimes, this just becomes a habit, where we feel the pressure of time no matter what we are doing. But r…
Power Posing vs. Yoga. Yay or Nay?
Can a little backstage yoga or power posing help us manage our anxiety and walk out on stage a little more calm and composed? What does the research say?
Power Posing vs. Yoga. Yay or Nay?
More from Th…
How to Keep Your Cool in Stressful Lessons, Rehearsals, and More
The motivational climate that leads to more anxious, stressed-out learners. And the motivational climate that leads to more resilient learners.
Why Do We Have Such a Hard Time Accepting Compliments?
Do you have a hard time accepting and internalizing compliments from others? Here's a 3-step technique for taking it in - without turning into an overconfident, self-congratulating #$&@.
The Problem with Taking Excessively Long Practice Breaks
Why taking a practice break too soon, and for too long, could slow down the learning process.
The Problem with Taking Excessively Long Practice Breaks
More from The Bulletproof Musician
Why It’s Probably Not a Good Sign If Practicing Starts to Feel Easy
Research suggests that my teacher may have been onto something when he said "if practicing feels easy, you’re probably not doing it right.”
Why It’s Probably Not a Good Sign If Practicing Starts to F…