The Bulletproof Musician

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:

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

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• Learning Lab: A continuing education community where musicians and learners are putting research into practice.
• Live and self-paced courses

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:

Perfect Shmerfect. Could More “Mistakes” Accelerate Learning?

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

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• Pressure Proof: A free 7-day performance practice crash course that will help you shrink the gap between the practice room and the stage.
• Learning Lab: A continuing education community where musicians and learners are putting research into practice.
• Live and self-paced courses

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:
Can We Train Ourselves to Worry Less About Others’ Opinions?

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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 all, even though you were as prepared as you've ever been?

Athletes call this "choking." Or the "yips" (which I think is funner to say). There's actually been quite a bit of interesting research on why this happens. And the answer is way more interesting than "nerves" or "pressure."

Get all the nerdy details on why this happens and what you can do about it here:
What Causes "Choking" Under Pressure? And What Can We Do About It?

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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 days, or with practice or study breaks? Does this really make that much of a difference?

Two studies from the literature suggest that spaced learning can make quite a significant difference, actually. And one study explains why, highlighting the very different things that happen in the brain when we take breaks vs when we don't.

Get all the nerdy details and references here:
The Truth About Cramming: Why Your Brain Needs Breaks

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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 Italy, where rehearsals went so badly, that the piece she prepared was pulled from the program. It felt like a “complete failure” at the time, but the experience prompted her to evaluate her preparation process. Which eventually led to one of her career highlights - a performance of John Adams’s first piano concerto, in Carnegie Hall, where Adams came onstage during the applause and gave her the greatest compliment she could have asked for, as he said “You got it. You really got it.”

If you’ve ever struggled with feeling out of your depth, this episode is for you.

Get all the nerdy details right here:
Orli Shaham: On Overcoming Setbacks and Learning to Trust the Process

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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" strategy for goal-setting and found that this increased motivation, follow-through, and actual performance as well!

Get all the nerdy details here:
A Backward Strategy for Enhanced Goal-Setting Success

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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 to ensure that you actually do it, a 2006 study of four different goal-setting strategies provides some simple, clear guidelines.

Get all the nerdy details here:
4 Approaches to Goal Setting (And Which Works Best)

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• Pressure Proof: A free 7-day performance practice crash course that will help you shrink the gap between the practice room and the stage.
• Learning Lab: A continuing education community where musicians and learners are putting research into practice.
• Live and self-paced courses

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 the existing research.

But I did find an interesting study of figure skaters, which looked at the impact of *shyness* on performance. It's important to note that being introverted and being shy are NOT the same thing. But could being shy have some effect on how well we're able to perform?

Get all the nerdy details here:
Do Extroverts Make Better Performers Than Introverts?

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• Pressure Proof: A free 7-day performance practice crash course that will help you shrink the gap between the practice room and the stage.
• Learning Lab: A continuing education community where musicians and learners are putting research into practice.
• Live and self-paced courses

“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, teaching a skill can be even more difficult that doing the skill itself!

Like, how can we teach a student to be more expressive? How can we ensure each student has a positive emotional connection with the music at each lesson - even if just for a moment? How can we turn students into active/inquisitive learners rather than passive/compliant learners?

Laurie Scott (University of Texas at Austin) and Cornelia Watkins (Northwestern University) co-authored From the Stage to the Studio: How Fine Musicians Become Great Teachers, which is written for university studio faculty, music pedagogy teachers, college music majors, and performing musicians, who are looking to be more effective in their teaching.

In this month’s chat, we’ll learn more about the synergistic relationship between playing and teaching, the problems of dividing music students into “pedagogy” and “performance” majors, how we can teach musical expression very early on in a student’s development, how we can all become better teachers using a technique that won’t come as a surprise but most of us will probably try to avoid, how to help your students become better noticers, and much more.

Get all the nerdy details here:
Laurie Scott & Cornelia Watkins: On Going From the Stage to the Studio

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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, which one would you have a better chance of being accepted to? Or would it make any difference at all?

A 2013 study of international competition finalists went viral, when it seemed like the results suggested that how a musician looks on stage matters more than how they sound. But is that really what the study found?

Get all the nerdy details here:
Does How We Look On Stage Matter More Than How We Sound...?

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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 grateful for, just as we're about to eat. 🥹

There are an awful lot of quotes out there about how we ought to count our blessings. And it does sound like a good thing to do. But does this actually do anything?

Get all the nerdy details right here:
Does Counting Our Blessings Really Change Anything?

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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 2014 study provides some insights into a way to improve your mental imagery abilities that might be easier than practicing imagery the regular old-fashioned way. Through a technique called "action observation."

But is action observation as effective as the traditional way of practicing imagery?

Get all the nerdy details, references, and more right here:
An Easier Way to Get Better at Mental Imagery?

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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 been known to use in music as well.

But I’ve had students and professional musicians alike tell me that they sometimes have difficulty making the imagery feel real. Or that they have difficulty staying engaged with it. As in, one minute they’re visualizing some music, and the next, their mind has drifted off to food. Or they fall asleep. 🤣

Could there be a better way to do visualization?

Get all the nerdy details and study links here:
A Better Way to Do Mental Practice?

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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 nerdy details at: https://bulletproofmusician.com/not-an-optimist-how-to-make-pessimism-work-for-you/

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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 breathing technique that's worth trying!

Get all the nerdy details at: https://bulletproofmusician.com/does-just-breathe-really-help-us-lower-anxiety-or-is-it-just-a-total-cliche/

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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 sticking with your new behavior.

Click below for all the nerdy details:
Go From Procrastination to Productivity With “Temptation Bundling”

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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 choose the approach that is more effective in the long term?

Get all the nerdy details, references, and other links right here:
A Better Way to Bounce Back From Disappointing Setbacks

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🎓 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 improved performance
- How autonomy boosts confidence and happiness in learners

🚀 Whether you're an educator, parent, or lifelong learner, this episode will give you some ideas on how to tweak your approach to teaching and learning.

Get the full article and all the nerdy details:
Why Giving Students Choices Could Dramatically Enhance Learning

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Ever wish you could be psychic for a moment and find out what audition committees are thinking about your performance?

Where they focused more on the technical aspects of your playing? The musical aspects of your playing? Or something else entirely?

A 2022 study (Kegelaers et al.) took a look at feedback provided by members of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra to participants in their academy program in a series of mock auditions, and categorized these comments into 14 categories and 3 main themes.

The results were probably not what the academy fellows were expecting!

Get all the nerdy details here:
What Are Audition Committees Really Listening For?

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Research suggests that a short bout of exercise could enhance the effectiveness of your practice, by boosting encoding and memory consolidation.

But...if you were going to try this, when should you exercise? Before practicing? After practicing? For how long? At what level of intensity?

A 2023 study provides some answers!

Click through for all the nerdy details and references:
The Best Time to Exercise for Maximizing Practice Gains

(Oh - and if you’ve settled into a rather sedentary lifestyle in recent years and haven’t exercised in a while, do remember to consult with your physician before jumping into any sort of vigorous high-intensity exercise all of a sudden!)

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Let's say you had only 60 minutes to practice in the next week. Would it be better to do 60 minutes all in one day? Or 10 minutes per day for six days?

Would it make any difference at all?

Teachers often tell us to space our practice out, instead of cramming, but how much of a difference does it really make? Two Brazilian studies provide some answers!

Get all the nerdy details (and 500+ other practice tips) right here:
How Important Is It Really to Practice Every Day?

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Ever find yourself stumped by a tricky passage, where your fingers seem to be a little awkward and uncoordinated and they just don't do what they're supposed to do?

Maybe you tried slowing things down, or practicing with note groupings or rhythms, or doing your darnedest to identify any hints of hidden tension that might be getting in the way. All of which are excellent things to try, of course - but did you ever try practicing that passage with your other hand?

If you have, you know that this is often surprisingly helpful. And if you haven't, I think you'll enjoy adding this new tool to your toolkit.

Either way, I think you'll be intrigued to learn more of the how's and why's about this phenomenon, known as bilateral transfer.

Get all the nerdy details right here:
Improve Coordination With Opposite-Side Practice

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Have you ever wondered...how to develop true confidence in yourself and your abilities amidst setbacks? What the right mindset is for auditions? How much of your expressive playing should be planned out, and how much is instinct? How to recover from very direct, critical audition feedback? And how do you stay in the present moment, instead of stressing out about nerves and all the bad things that could happen when you’re on stage?

If you’ve ever struggled with questions like this, I think you’ll find helpful answers in today’s episode with violinist Nathan Cole - who was recently appointed concertmaster of the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

Nathan shares insights, details, and lessons learned from his 20-year concertmaster audition journey, and also demonstrates an exercise (using an excerpt from Brahms’s 4th Symphony) that will help you form clearer musical intentions and play more expressively no matter what music you’re working on - especially in passages where you’re not quite sure what to do.

Get a transcript, show notes, and all the other nerdy details at:
Nathan Cole: Lessons From 20 Years of Concertmaster Auditions

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You can connect with Nathan and get tons more insights, tips, and technical advice at:

• Web: natesviolin.com

Nathan will also be teaching a live, 4-day, guided (and free) practice workshop on the Scheherazade solos from September 19-22, 2024 (at 4pm Eastern). Whether you’re aspiring to take concertmaster auditions yourself, or simply want to learn some of Nathan practice techniques and strategies for better intonation, sound, and expressive clarity that you can apply to other music that you’re working on, this will be a great way to jumpstart your fall practice with some new tools.

• Sign up for Violin Hero: Scheherazade: https://natesviolin.ac-page.com/violin-hero-nc

You can also study with Nathan through his online group learning program - Daily Virtuoso - where each quarter, he leads an in-depth study of a new set of masterworks from the repertoire. You’ll learn how to approach both the technical and musical challenges in each piece through live calls, practice assignments, and video lessons, alongside a supportive community of fellow learners.

• Join Daily Virtuoso: https://natesviolin.com/daily-virtuoso/

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• Live and self-paced courses

Whether it's picking a tempo that's too fast, or rushing a shift, it's easy for things to feel sped up on concert days when the adrenaline kicks in, and the butterflies are fluttering about.

Is there any way to be a little more centered on stage, and feel more at ease? Rather than hurried and rushed?

Today's studies provide a few clues about what we can do in advance, to slow things down and be less antsy on performance days, starting from the time we wake up, through our last moments backstage before it's time to play.

Get all the nerdy details here:
An Ironic Strategy to Stay Calmer and Avoid Rushing on Performance Days

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In last week's episode, we looked at a study which illustrated how our own beliefs and expectations about ourselves can affect our performance.

It turns out that our beliefs and expectations - and subsequently, performance - can also be shaped by our teachers/coaches.

So...as teachers, how can we ensure that our natural snap judgments, beliefs, and expectations don't impede our students' learning?

A 2008 study of NCAA basketball coaching legend Pat Summitt provides some clues.

Get all the nerdy details:
How Teachers' Expectations Can Shape Students' Learning & Performance

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Even from a very early age, I remember being told to imagine things going well. The idea, was that if I could imagine a positive outcome, I'd be more likely to expect good things, which would help me perform better.

Is this just something that people say? Or do our expectations really have a meaningful effect on how we perform?

A classic 1972 study illustrates the effect that positive or negative expectations can have on performance.

Get all the nerdy details here:
How Much Do Positive or Negative Expectations Affect Performance?

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It's probably fairly common for our minds to go on autopilot when we're brushing our teeth, mowing the lawn, or folding laundry. And that's probably not all that big of a problem.

But have you ever found your mind going on autopilot in a performance, when you're playing something you've played for years, and it's begun to feel a little too familiar...or even a bit stale?

Or maybe this happens in the practice room, when you're working on music that you've already been playing for years or decades?

If you've struggled with keeping old music fresh, a 2009 study looks at a strategy that might not only help you stay engaged with this music, but keep the audience more engaged too.

Get all the nerdy details here:
How to Keep Music Feeling Fresh Through Repeated Performances

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My daughter loved playing card games as a young child. And what was fun about playing with her was how completely transparent she was. Anytime she got a good hand, or picked up a special card, the glee was written all over her face. Her eyes lit up, and I knew something unfortunate was about to happen to me. 😆

This sort of emotional expressivity is an important part of communicating from the stage - but there’s a negative side of this too, of course.

Because I'm guessing we've all been told by a teacher at some point that we should walk out on stage confidently, with a smile. And that we should avoid frowning or expressing frustration when the performance isn’t going well.

Yet...how much does this really matter? Does any of it make a difference, as long as we play well?

A 2017 study by previous podcast guests Aaron Williamon and George Waddell provide some surprising answers.

Get all the nerdy details here:
Why Every Performer Needs a Good Poker Face

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• Live and self-paced courses

How frequently do you take breaks during practice?

Ever wonder how long your breaks should be? Or for that matter, how long your practice sessions should be?

If you've ever wondered if there's such a thing as an optimal practice-to-rest ratio that maximizes productivity and effective practice, there's some data out there which provides some clues. But the question is...will the data align with your own experience? 😁

Get all the nerdy details and this week's practice hack here:
What’s the Optimal Practice-To-Rest Ratio?

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Whether it's writing a paper, studying for finals, or preparing for a recital or audition, have you ever find yourself cramming at the last minute, wishing you had a time machine and could go back and give yourself more time to prepare?

Well, a 2002 study provides some clues on how to set better deadlines - and also, how to make self-imposed deadlines work better, if you haven't had much luck with that in the past.

Get all the nerdy details here:
Is There a Way to Make Self-Imposed Deadlines Work?

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We're often told to listen to recordings of music that we're working on.

And we often tell our students to do so as well, but is there any research which suggests that this benefits the learning process in any way?

A 2012 study takes a look at this question, and compares both active and passive listening to see what sorts of benefits there might (or might not) be:

Get all the nerdy details here:
Does Listening to Music Benefit the Music Learning Process?

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Ever have one of those days in the practice room, where as soon as you fix one issue, another problem pops up? And just when you think you have that problem solved, the original thing "breaks" again? And when you try to think about both of those things, a third issue emerges?

This practice room whack-a-mole problem can be kind of frustrating. But it speaks to how difficult it can be to keep multiple things in mind simultaneously when the various parts of a new skill aren't yet in muscle memory.

Is there any way around this? Well, a 2010 study provides some helpful clues!

Get all the nerdy details here:
A Better Way to Learn, Teach, and Perform New Skills?

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Do you tend to play with your eyes open? Or do you sometimes close them?

Ever wonder if there might be any performance benefit to performing with eyes closed?

Turns out there might be - in certain circumstances.

Get all the nerdy details here:
Is It Better to Perform With Eyes Open or Closed?

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I remember my teacher saying to me quite early on in my studies, that her job was not to tell me what to do, but to teach me how to teach myself.

I think we all have that goal in our teaching, but like many things, this is often easier said than done. I mean, how exactly do we teach someone how to teach themself?

In a 2011 study, researchers recruited six music teachers and 45 students, and evaluated a teaching method that does exactly this. They were curious to see if it would lead to better learning and performance results than the "regular" teaching approach.

Spoiler alert: it did.

Click below for all the nerdy details:
A Teaching Method That Creates Smarter Practicers

References
Bathgate, M., Sims‐Knight, J., & Schunn, C. (2011). Thoughts on Thinking: Engaging novice music students in metacognition. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 26(3), 403–409. https://doi.org/10.1002/acp.1842

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You know how people say that little kids don’t have a filter? How they just blurt out whatever thoughts pop into their minds?

Well, the voice in our head can kind of be like that unfiltered 1st grader. Because we often say some rather unkind and borderline abusive things to ourselves quite automatically.

We might not truly believe the mean and discouraging thoughts we think to ourselves - at least at first. But if you’ve ever found yourself struggling with confidence, and started questioning yourself, and wondering if maybe your inner critic was right, you’re not alone.

A 1977 study (it’s an oldie, but goodie) explains why this happens - and gives us some clues on how we might interrupt the automatic habit that often undermines our confidence.

Get all the nerdy details here:
The Subtle Habit That Might Be Undermining Your Confidence

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For most of my life, even through college and grad school, regular ol' repetition was probably my most-utilized learning strategy whether I was studying for a test or practicing for my next lesson or performance.

If you've gone through stages like this, you probably remember that this approach is not particularly enjoyable, and is also quite time-consuming. And pretty demotivating too, when you don't get the grade you want or perform as well as you'd like.

You're probably utilizing more effective learning strategies nowadays, but there's an interesting mindset shift that can make a big difference in your learning and retention, that you may not yet have in your toolbox. And no, it's not the growth mindset, if that's what you were thinking! It's something else entirely. 😁

Get all the nerdy details and links to related articles right here:
Learn More Effectively with This Lesser-Known Mindset Shift

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We all procrastinate on things from time to time. And sometimes we pay the price for doing things at the last minute. But then there are times when it actually seems to work out pretty well!

So is procrastination all bad? Or could there be a productive and unproductive sort of procrastination?

Well, the research seems to suggest that the answer could be...yes?

Get all the nerdy details and find out how to know if you're the "good" or "bad" kind of procrastinator:

Are You the “Good” or “Bad” Kind of Procrastinator?

Also, I mention spaced, interleaved, and variable practice at the end of the episode. If you're wondering what those things are, you can learn more about them here:

The Learning-Performance Distinction and Why Your Practice Gains Don't Stick

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This episode is sponsored by Musician's Maintenance - safe, simple, maintenance exercises that specifically address the muscle groups that matter most for musicians.

* * *
When I was first starting out on the violin, I remember there were more fun games and practice challenges involved in my daily practice. Like free improvisation. Or playing with various weights and stuffed animals clipped to my bow.

And then at some point, practice became much more "serious." Where the goal was to play things correctly. And to practice the same thing over and over, not just until I could get it right, but as the saying goes, until I couldn't get it wrong.

But is this really the most efficient and effective approach to get to the consistency that we ultimately want on stage? Or is there a better way? (spoiler alert: there is 😁)

Get all the nerdy details here:
Why Practicing for Consistency May Be Less Effective Than You’d Think

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In the age-old debate about nature vs. nurture, I know the correct answer for most things is that it's a blend of both.

But sight-reading, at least for me, always felt like one of those things which leaned more on the nature side than nurture. Some folks just seem to have a knack for it, while I always struggled.

But what does the research say? Could I have gotten better at sight reading if I applied myself more diligently?

And what would that have even looked like anyways? Are there specific things that I could have worked on, that would have made me a better sight reader?

A 2014 meta-analysis provides some clues and pinpoints a few specific skills that could help you improve your sight-reading ability as well.

Get all the nerdy details right here:
Are Great Sight-Readers Born or Made?

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This episode is sponsored by Musician's Maintenance - safe, simple, maintenance exercises that specifically address the muscle groups that matter most for musicians.

* * *
I think we’ve all had teachers tell us that the technical and expressive aspects of music-making are inextricably connected, and that we shouldn’t just work on technique, and expect to add the expressive details later.

But how exactly do you do this? Like, what does it look like to connect both the technical and expressive aspects of music-making into a practice session?

Michael Bridge is a virtuoso performer of an instrument that you probably don’t know very much about. I’m not even going to tell you what it is quite yet, to make sure your brain doesn’t jump to any premature conclusions. 😁

I’ll just say, that in this episode, you’ll learn how to use your daily practice to develop more expressive virtuosity (as opposed to impressive virtuosity). And you’ll also learn more about “horizontal” playing (as opposed to vertical playing), how to create more compelling and expressive phrases by “cheating” with your dynamics, the four key elements of effective performances, and much more.

Get all the nerdy details here:
Michael Bridge: On Cultivating Expressive (vs Impressive) Virtuosity

*NOTE: The audio in this episode is optimized for voice, rather than music, so my apologies in advance for the portions where the sound of the music is less than awesome. If you'd like to hear Michael's playing as it should be heard, check out the performance videos on his website here: https://www.michaelbridge.ca/music

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Everyone seems to be pretty good about staying hydrated nowadays with the popularity of reusable water bottles and a growing number of public water refilling stations in schools, airports, etc.

But how much of a difference does hydration make when it comes to practicing and performing more effectively? How exactly might we benefit from being better hydrated? How dehydrated would we need to be to start seeing negative effects? And what would those negative effects even be?

There are a number of studies that provide some clues on the physical and mental effects of varying levels of dehydration.

Get all the nerdy details here:
How Much of an Effect Does Hydration Have on Practice & Performance?

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This episode is sponsored by Musician's Maintenance - safe, simple, maintenance exercises that specifically address the muscle groups that matter most for musicians.

* * *

Ever have one of those days where it feels like the more you practice, the worse you sound?

Or perhaps you've had a lesson with a student, where the more you try to help, the more frustrated and overwhelmed they seem to get?

Sometimes it only feels like we're getting worse or making things worse, and the reality is that this is just part of the learning process. Kind of like what happens when you clean out your closet, and have to make things messier, before you can make it better.

But sometimes this is not just in our imagination, and we could actually be regressing or slowing down the learning process! 😳 Fortunately, there's a very specific reason why this might be happening. As well as specific strategies we can use to get around this issue.

Get all the nerdy details right here:
Feel Like You’re Getting Worse? Here’s Why That May Not Just Be Your Imagination.

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As you might imagine, there are a ton of research papers out there.

Some are exceedingly useful. Others are interesting, but of questionable usefulness (like the one which explores the physics of buttered toast tending to land butter-side down).

And then there are those which might seem silly at first, but make you think, and end up being quite useful (like the one which found that cows which have been given names produce more milk).

So I thought it might be fun to look at a study in this latter category today.

It’s a study that involves cute kitten and puppy photos, but is fundamentally about enhancing focus and performance on tasks that involve fine motor skills and attention.

So if you find that your attention tends to wander in the practice room, and you could use a little boost in your focus from time to time, this study might give you another tool in your attention control toolbox to try out.

Get all the nerdy details here:
An Unconventional Way to Enhance Your Focus in the Practice Room

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This episode is sponsored by Musician's Maintenance - safe, simple, maintenance exercises that specifically address the muscle groups that matter most for musicians.

* * *
When you think of your favorite musicians or performers, how much fun do you think they’re having on stage? And how much fun do you think they have in the practice room?

Wait...fun in the practice room is allowed? 🤨

I recently edited and polished up an old 2016 interview from the archives with violinist Frank Almond, who shares some of the ways in which he integrates fun and play into his practice routine.

It’s reassuring to hear why this should not only be allowed, but encouraged. So if your practice sessions tend to be all work and no play, I hope this episode will not only give you permission to experience more joy in your daily practice, but also give you some ideas on how to make that happen.

Get all the nerdy details here:
Frank Almond: On Work, Fun, and the Importance of Both in Dealing with Adversity

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Whether it's our children, our students, or our pets, I think it's pretty natural and automatic to want to offer praise for a job well done.

We're happy for them, and pleased to see them do well. But what happens when they fall short in some way? Whether it's a subpar performance, a mediocre grade, or a mistake on the carpet, does our praise help to offset the pain (or shame) of these moments? Or do things not work quite this way?

A 2014 study reveals some interesting details on the specific kind of praise that works best, and the kind that can actually increase a child or student's feelings of shame - especially if they are already struggling with confidence and self-esteem.

Get all the nerdy details here:
How the Wrong Kind of Praise Could Increase a Student’s Feelings of Shame

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• Live and self-paced courses

This episode is sponsored by Musician's Maintenance - safe, simple, maintenance exercises that specifically address the muscle groups that matter most for musicians.

* * *

Much like hair, there are good practice days, and there are not-so-good practice days. 🤣

The bad practice days can be filled with frustration, irritation, and maybe even a hint of shame. They can make you lose hope, question whether you have what it takes, and feel like giving up. At least for the day, if not sometimes longer.

On the flip side, the good practice days, can be pretty terrific. You feel confident, capable, and think to yourself, yes, you do deserve to have some guacamole on your burrito bowl!

How can we have more of those good days?

Well, it seems that an external focus of attention during practice could make a real difference.

What does that mean exactly?

Click below to get all the nerdy details:
Learn Faster by Thinking Less?

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When it comes to improving technical aspects of your playing, it's easy to assume that this is mostly a physical issue. Where the solution is to do more practice, and more "correct" repetitions.

But what if part of the problem was mental?

A 2009 golf study (and many others both before and since!) suggest that what we're thinking about when we're playing can affect our accuracy quite a bit. And that the thing we think we should be thinking about may actually be the least helpful!

Get all the nerdy details here:
To Play More Accurately, Change Your Focus?

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This episode is sponsored by Musician's Maintenance - safe, simple, maintenance exercises that specifically address the muscle groups that matter most to musicians.

* * *
I think we've all been told that we should look at the conductor or at our musical colleagues in chamber music settings. But how important is this really?

Isn't it enough to have good ears, and simply listen really attentively? Or do we miss out on something when we're more focused on the music on the stand than our music-making partners?

A study of the Afiara and Cecilia string quartets provide some clues.

Get all the nerdy details here;
Why Good Ensemble Playing May Require More Than Just Your Ears

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