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.
Episodes
371 episodes
The 70% Rule: Why Practicing Shouldn’t Be Too Easy
Somewhere along the line we learn that mistakes are bad, and perfect is good - but what if this is actually not true when it comes to learning?What if mistakes are actually an essential part of learning? And what if we actually le...
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Episode 371
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7:52
Sight Reading: The Ideal Error Rate for Optimal Learning
When you're practicing sight-reading, how difficult should the music be?Should it be easy enough that you can read it more or less perfectly, without any mistakes?Should it be difficult enough that you're making lots of mistakes, ...
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Episode 370
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6:36
Why Practicing While Distracted Is Actually Very Important
Have you ever found yourself getting irritated or see your performance get derailed by distractions on stage? Maybe it was noises backstage, or movement in the audience, or people coughing and loudly unwrapping candy in the quiet moments?
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Episode 369
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7:13
How to Help Students Remember More From Each Lesson
A one-hour lesson can often go by really quickly, but also be packed with lots and lots to remember.Have you ever found yourself repeating yourself from one week to the next? Having to remind students about things you've already talked a...
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Episode 368
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6:35
How to Increase the Likelihood of Being Accepted by Others
It's human nature to want to be liked and accepted by others. But while some seem to have a knack for it, for many of us, fear of rejection or fear of negative evaluation can get in the way.Whether it's walking into a room for a job inte...
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Episode 367
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8:42
Stumped by a Problem in the Practice Room? Try an “Incubation” Break
Have you ever had one of those "aha" moments when a solution to a problem spontaneously popped into your head?Wouldn't it be nice if we could have those moments more often? Well, a 2012 study suggests that you may be able to ...
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Episode 366
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9:10
Perfect Shmerfect. Could More “Mistakes” Accelerate Learning?
Ever notice how some folks seem to learn faster than others? What’s their secret? Is it just natural ability? Sure, maybe there’s some of that.But could it also be that they’re doing something different in the practice room? Like is ther...
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Episode 365
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8:21
Carolyn Christie: On Overcoming Nerves With Healthier Internal Dialogue - and Phrasing!
Ever notice how mean the voice in your head can become on stage? Where it generates YouTube comment section-like levels of criticism and abuse?Or maybe you haven’t even gotten on stage yet. But as you’re waiting your turn, you overhear t...
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Episode 364
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44:46
Can We Train Ourselves to Worry Less About Others’ Opinions?
I came across a study years ago which found that fear of negative evaluation was one of the key drivers of performance anxiety in musicians. Which of course makes perfect sense, as we're being evaluated all the time. Often, with meaningful cons...
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Episode 363
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9:54
What Causes "Choking" Under Pressure? And What Can We Do About It?
Have you ever had one of those days on stage where you suddenly can't seem to do a thing that normally is never an issue? Or maybe it's one of those days where everything just spontaneously falls apart? And for seemingly no reason at al...
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Episode 362
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10:50
The Truth About Cramming: Why Your Brain Needs Breaks
Taking breaks in the middle of practice or study sessions can be a pain. Often, it's a lot easier and more convenient to just power through and get it over with.But what price do we pay by not spacing out our learning, over multiple day...
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Episode 361
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9:07
Orli Shaham: On Overcoming Setbacks and Learning to Trust the Process
Ever had one of those “I’m a total failure, and I’m never going to be invited to play with these folks again” moments?In this month’s chat, pianist Orli Shaham shares a deeply personal story about a performance at the Spoleto Festival in...
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Episode 360
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54:00
A Backward Strategy for Enhanced Goal-Setting Success
Maybe you've set some goals for the coming year, but you're not quite sure where to start, and feeling a little overwhelmed? Or maybe you have a history of setting goals but not following through?A 2017 study looked at a "backwards" str...
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Episode 359
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8:07
4 Approaches to Goal Setting (And Which Works Best)
Are you a little overwhelmed by all of the different year-in-review and goal-setting methods you're getting in your inbox? If you're confused by the variety and range of approaches out there and just want a bare-bones minimalist option ...
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Episode 358
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7:49
Do Extroverts Make Better Performers Than Introverts?
Have you ever wondered if there's an advantage to being an extrovert or introvert when it comes to performing?Well, I'm afraid you're going to have to keep wondering, because I couldn't find a definitive answer one way or the other from...
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Episode 357
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7:09
Laurie Scott & Cornelia Watkins: On Going From the Stage to the Studio
“See one, do one, teach one” is a model for learning that’s been utilized in medicine for many generations.It’s quite a helpful model, but if you’ve ever tried your hand at teaching, you know how incredibly challenging that can be. Often...
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Episode 356
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51:05
Does How We Look On Stage Matter More Than How We Sound...?
Have you ever wondered how much the visual aspect of a performance matters to the listener?Like, if you were going to enter two competitions, where one required submitting an audio recording and the other required a video recording, whi...
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Episode 355
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11:42
Does Counting Our Blessings Really Change Anything?
Thanksgiving is just a few days away, so whether your holiday will be of the turkey, turducken, or Tofurky variety, the one thing we all have in common is that someone will suggest that we go around the table and share one thing that we're grat...
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Episode 354
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6:57
An Easier Way to Get Better at Mental Imagery?
You've heard that mental practice and mental imagery can help enhance your learning - but what if your images are fuzzy and this is difficult for you? Is this something that you can get better at with practice?Spoiler alert: yes - and a...
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Episode 353
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9:59
A Better Way to Do Mental Practice?
The use of mental practice or mental imagery to enhance learning and performance is extremely common amongst athletes in sports. And it’s something that musicians like Horowitz, Rubinstein, Glenn Gould, and learners at all levels have bee...
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Episode 352
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8:30
Not an Optimist? How to Make Pessimism Work for You.
Do optimists have an advantage when it comes to performing better under pressure? Not necessarily! The research suggests that there are multiple types of pessimism. And that the right kind of pessimism can work too!Get all the n...
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Episode 351
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7:23
Can Breathing Really Help Reduce Anxiety? Or Is It Just a Cliché?
Can the right sort of breathing really reduce anxiety? The short answer is yes - but why?A 2017 study illustrates how breathing could help reduce stress/anxiety, another 2017 study explains why, and a 2023 study highlights an unusual br...
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Episode 350
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8:52
Go From Procrastination to Productivity With “Temptation Bundling”
Have you ever struggled to maintain a new habit? Like exercising, or recording yourself more often, or transcribing lesson recordings?A 2013 study found that a strategy called "temptation bundling" could boost your likelihood of stickin...
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Episode 349
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6:58
A Better Way to Bounce Back From Disappointing Setbacks
A 2008 study highlights the two ways we often respond to disappointments and setbacks. They both work ok in the short term, but one is more effective in the long term.So what determines which one we choose? And how can we ensure we choo...
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Episode 348
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9:12
Why Giving Students Choices Could Dramatically Enhance Learning
🎓 In this episode, we'll take a look at at 2017 ballet study which suggests that the simple element of choice could dramatically enhance learning outcomes.🧠 Discover:- Why giving students control over their learning process leads to...
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Episode 347
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7:17