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.

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 cultivate these kinds of moments and increase your creative problem-solving abilities by taking a short break from the task. But not any old break will do - it has to be a specific type of break!Get all the nerdy details here:<a href='https://bulletproofmusician.com/the-unheralded-benefits-of-mindlessness-mind-wandering-and-daydreaming/'>Stumped by a Problem in the Practice Room? Try an “Incubation” Break </a>* * * Have you ever wondered why it is exactly that things often sound better at home than they do on stage? If you’ve been confused (and frustrated) by the inconsistency of your performances, I put together a FREE 4-minute quiz called the Mental Skills Audit, which will help you pinpoint your mental strengths and weaknesses, and figure out what exactly to adjust and tweak in your preparation for more consistently optimal performances. It’s 100% free, takes only 4 minutes, and you’ll get a downloadable PDF with a personalized breakdown of where you stand in six key mental skill areas. You'll also get the Pressure Proof Practice Challenge, a free 7-day email course where you'll learn specific practice strategies that will help you perform your best, even under pressure. Take the quiz here: <a href='https://bulletproofmusician.com/msa'>bulletproofmusician.com/msa</a>

The Bulletproof Musician

Stumped by a Problem in the Practice Room? Try an “Incubation” Break

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 there some sort of newfangled cutting-edge practice strategy they’re using that you’re not?Well, these faster learners may be doing something quite different than what you’d expect. As a 2014 Harvard study found when they tested a strategy utilized by…birds. 🤔Get all the nerdy details here:<a href='https://bulletproofmusician.com/perfect-shmerfect-the-stage-of-practicing-when-more-mistakes-is-better-for-learning/'>Perfect Shmerfect. Could More “Mistakes” Accelerate Learning?</a>* * * Have you ever wondered why it is exactly that things often sound better at home than they do on stage? If you’ve been confused (and frustrated) by the inconsistency of your performances, I put together a FREE 4-minute quiz called the Mental Skills Audit, which will help you pinpoint your mental strengths and weaknesses, and figure out what exactly to adjust and tweak in your preparation for more consistently optimal performances. It’s 100% free, takes only 4 minutes, and you’ll get a downloadable PDF with a personalized breakdown of where you stand in six key mental skill areas. You'll also get the Pressure Proof Practice Challenge, a free 7-day email course where you'll learn specific practice strategies that will help you perform your best, even under pressure. Take the quiz here: <a href='https://bulletproofmusician.com/msa'>bulletproofmusician.com/msa</a>

Perfect Shmerfect. Could More “Mistakes” Accelerate Learning?

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 the person playing right before you, who sounds amazing? And then the voice suddenly makes you question and doubt everything?Yeah, the voice that lives in our head is not always such a good friend. But what can we do about it? How can we turn that off when it’s not helping us?In this month’s episode, flutist Carolyn Christie explains how she overcame her own experience with “terrifying” nerves when she was a member of the Montreal Symphony, and shares other insights on practice planning, how to avoid overthinking, and staying in a more positive headspace with “clinical” self-evaluation.Get all the nerdy details and learn how to cultivate these essential mental skills for performance: <a href='https://bulletproofmusician.com/carolyn-christie-on-overcoming-nerves-with-healthier-internal-dialogue-and-phrasing/'>Carolyn Christie: On Overcoming Nerves With Healthier Internal Dialogue - and Phrasing!</a>* * * Have you ever wondered why it is exactly that things often sound better at home than they do on stage? If you’ve been confused (and frustrated) by the inconsistency of your performances, I put together a FREE 4-minute quiz called the Mental Skills Audit, which will help you pinpoint your mental strengths and weaknesses, and figure out what exactly to adjust and tweak in your preparation for more consistently optimal performances. It’s 100% free, takes only 4 minutes, and you’ll get a downloadable PDF with a personalized breakdown of where you stand in six key mental skill areas. You'll also get the Pressure Proof Practice Challenge, a free 7-day email course where you'll learn specific practice strategies that will help you perform your best, even under pressure. Take the quiz here: <a href='https://bulletproofmusician.com/msa'>bulletproofmusician.com/msa</a>

Carolyn Christie: On Overcoming Nerves With Healthier Internal Dialogue - and Phrasing!

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 consequences attached. But that doesn't mean it's helpful - or very pleasant to experience either! So is there anything we can do to be less sensitive to what others around us might be thinking about us? At least in rehearsals, auditions, performances, or even dates for that matter, when it's way more useful for us to focus on the things that we can actually control? A 2007 study provides some clues on how we could potentially reduce our stress levels, increase self-esteem, exude more confidence in public, and even perform more effectively, by working on a particular kind of focus in our daily lives. Get all the nerdy details and learn how to start working on this particular kind of selective attention right here: <a href='https://bulletproofmusician.com/can-we-train-ourselves-to-be-less-anxious/'>Can We Train Ourselves to Worry Less About Others’ Opinions?</a>* * * Have you ever wondered why it is exactly that things often sound better at home than they do on stage? If you’ve been confused (and frustrated) by the inconsistency of your performances, I put together a FREE 4-minute quiz called the Mental Skills Audit, which will help you pinpoint your mental strengths and weaknesses, and figure out what exactly to adjust and tweak in your preparation for more consistently optimal performances. It’s 100% free, takes only 4 minutes, and you’ll get a downloadable PDF with a personalized breakdown of where you stand in six key mental skill areas. You'll also get the Pressure Proof Practice Challenge, a free 7-day email course where you'll learn specific practice strategies that will help you perform your best, even under pressure. Take the quiz here: <a href='https://bulletproofmusician.com/msa'>bulletproofmusician.com/msa</a>

Noa Kageyama

The Bulletproof Musician by Noa Kageyama

Episodes