The Bulletproof Musician

We've all heard stories about famous musicians who had a drink (or two) before performing to calm their nerves. But does this really make things better - or does it actually make things worse? A recent study provides some clues.  What Does the Research Say About Having a Couple Drinks Before Performing? More from The Bulletproof Musician Get the free weekly newsletter , for more nerdy details...

What are some of the practice strategies that help the most effective practicers improve faster (and play better) than the rest of us? A University of Texas study of 17 pianists, found 8 specific differences - and 3 in particular, that seemed to make the biggest difference. 8 Things Top Practicers Do Differently More from The Bulletproof Musician Get the free weekly newsletter , for more nerdy det...

Cellist Minna Chung describes the three systems of intonation (what?! there are 3?), which one to use when, and how we can all play a little better in tune. Minna Chung: On the Mysteries of Intonation and a Few Things We Can Do to Play Better in Tune More from The Bulletproof Musician Get the free weekly newsletter , for more nerdy details and bonus subscriber-only content. Pressure Proof : A free...

We often cringe at the mistakes we make on stage - but how many of these do audiences, or our fellow musicians, actually notice? A Yale study of pianists provides some clues - and the numbers might surprise you. How Many of Our Mistakes Do Audiences (and Other Musicians) Actually Notice? More from The Bulletproof Musician Get the free weekly newsletter , for more nerdy details and bonus subscriber...

It's been said that being in a quartet is like being in a marriage. And like any relationship, there's bound to be conflict from time to time. Research suggests that how we respond to these conflicts may have a significant impact on our relationship satisfaction, not to mention our mood afterwards. So might there be a few things we can apply from the research on marital satisfaction to h...

Logic would suggest that when choosing a teacher or mentor, we would select people based more on their expertise and advising experience than anything else. But is this what we actually do? A recent study suggests that we may actually be more influenced by flattery and positive comments about our abilities than we'd like to think... Is This Really a Significant Factor in How We Choose Our Tea...

It's often said that laughter is the best medicine. But is there any truth to this? Surprisingly, there doesn't seem to be a ton of research on this, but a recent study does provide some clues... Why It May Be Useful to Laugh a Bit More in the Months Ahead More from The Bulletproof Musician Get the free weekly newsletter , for more nerdy details and bonus subscriber-only content. Pressur...

Almost every musician has either had a memory slip or worried about having one at some point in their lives. So how important is it really to play from memory? Is it just one of those things we do for show, or is there real value in memorizing? Pianist Stephen Hough weighs in on this question, and as you can imagine, the answer is rather complex and nuanced - but certainly a meaningful one for us...

I think we all assume that negative self-talk is bad, but the research is actually somewhat mixed. As in, there are some studies in which negative self-talk is associated with the same or better performance. How could that be? Well, a recent study suggests that the answer may lie in how we respond to this inner critic. And there might be a simple tweak we can make to our inner dialogue that could...

Have you ever tried to experiment with random (aka interleaved) practice, but quit, because you weren't sure if you were doing it right? Or worried that you were letting bad habits stay in your hands, because you were moving on to other things too quickly? Clarinetist Christine Carter is back to answer many of the most common questions people encounter in trying to incorporate more interleave...

Ever send an email to someone, and get a little bummed out (or annoyed) when you never hear back? Research suggests that the way we close our emails can have more of an impact than we realize - and in some pretty surprising and unexpected ways that go beyond whether we get a response or not. An Email Hack That Could Increase the Likelihood of Getting a Reply (and Possibly Make the World a Slightly...

Like many other musicians, perhaps you've recorded your weekly lessons in the past. Or had a parent who recorded them. But given how much time it takes to listen back, how useful is this really? Met timpanist Jason Haaheim explains why he believes recording and transcribing your lessons is essential, and why this can significantly increase the effectiveness of your daily practice. Jason Haahe...

Ever wonder why some people seem to always be coming up with effective and creative ways to overcome challenges, and some folks get stuck kind of going in circles even though they're putting in a ton of effort and energy? Research suggests that there may be a particular "strategic mindset" (and a few questions) that lends itself to thinking about problems in a more effective, strate...

Ever find yourself struggling with motivation and difficulty following through? Whether it's practicing or exercising, research suggests that asking a friend or acquaintance for advice could lead to more success than simply trying to think up strategies to try on our own, without it coming from a friend. Having Difficulty Motivating Yourself to Practice? Research Suggests That Copycatting a F...

If you've been trying to convince yourself (or your students) to do more self-recording, here's a study that illustrates why this is such a useful practice tool. And also suggests that we might not be quite as good at simultaneously performing and critiquing as we'd like to think. Evidence That You're Probably Not Great at Performing and Critiquing Your Performance at the Same...

Violinist and educator Christian Howes drops by to chat about learning how to improvise, how to overcome overwhelm, connect and collaborate more effectively with a diverse range of other musicians, and hopefully become a better friend to ourselves through it all. Christian Howes: On Overcoming Improvisation Anxiety, Making Technical Practice More Creatively Satisfying, and Becoming a Better Friend...

Why is that in some performances, we're totally focused, and the critic in our head leaves us alone, and on other days, it's a total nightmare? Research suggests that it might have a little something to do with what we think about in the moments leading up to the performance, and that we might be able to manage our nerves a little better if we engage in the right sort of mental script ba...

We all naturally react to failure a little differently, but ever wonder what's different about those folks who seem to bounce back more effortlessly from repeated failure? This study provides some pretty fascinating insights, as the researchers explore the differences between what more and less persistent kids say to themselves when they experience failure. How to Talk to Yourself When You’re...

We've all been told that it's important to go into auditions or performances with positive expectations - but that's often easier said than done. If you've ever gotten frustrated with positive visualization or affirmations, there's another strategy you could try - that might not elicit quite so much pushback from your inner critic. Having Difficulty Believing in Yourself?...

We have all been told that bringing our "A" game in the practice room and on stage requires a certain amount of physical rest and recovery. But I don't know that we as acutely aware of the importance of psychological rest and recovery as well. Recent research suggests that learning to "switch off" might be an important key to maintaining a consistently high level of practi...

Physical therapist Howard Nelson and renowned violinist Pamela Frank share simple and practical insights on smart, effective practice that transfers to the stage, and ways to ensure that you have a long and pain-free playing career. Howard Nelson & Pamela Frank: On Recovering from Injury, the Importance of Being Non-Judgmental, and Practicing with 1000% Expression More from The Bulletproof Mus...

A few months ago, percussionist Rob Knopper and I had a chance to sit down and chat with three musicians from the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, to see what sorts of similarities and differences there might be in different musicians' approaches to audition preparation. In Episode 3 of this mini-series, oboist Sarah Lewis shares insights on how she stays in a good headspace backstage, what her id...

A few months ago, percussionist Rob Knopper and I had a chance to sit down and chat with three musicians from the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, to see what sorts of similarities and differences there might be in different musicians' approaches to audition preparation. In Episode 2 of this mini-series, flutist Amanda Blaikie shares her insights on how to stay in a good headspace backstage, what...

A few months ago, percussionist Rob Knopper and I had a chance to sit down and chat with three musicians from the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, to see what sorts of similarities and differences there might be in different musicians' approaches to audition preparation. In Episode 1 of this mini-series, violist Caroline Coade shares her insights on how she stays in a good headspace backstage, wha...

Athletes, coaches, and sport psychologists often recommend visualizing yourself having a successful performance in the future. But sometimes it can be difficult to get your brain to imagine or buy into future success in that way... So if future-oriented visualization isn't happening for you, is there any performance benefit to visualizing successful performances in your past? A Mental Time Tr...