All Articles
March 2023
- 12: Get Unstuck in the Practice Room With a “Creative Pause” (17)
- 05: Hans Jensen: On Practicing With the Mind, Not Just the Fingers (7)
February 2023
- 26: How to Give Students Critical Feedback Without Crushing Their Confidence (10)
- 19: How to Minimize Intrusive Thoughts When You’re Practicing (18)
- 12: Boost Learning and Performance With Naps, Not Coffee? (19)
- 05: Robert Duke: On the Value of Errors, and How Learning Really Works (4)
January 2023
- 29: 19 Things That Great Teachers Do (22)
- 22: How the ‘Gift’ Reframe Could Enhance Performance (5)
- 15: How to Nail Shifts and Big Leaps More Consistently (17)
- 08: How to Keep Anxiety From Spiraling, on Stage and Off (5)
- 01: The Best Type of Goal for More Success in the Year Ahead (0)
December 2022
- 25: A Clever Practice Hack to Make Practicing More Enjoyable (19)
- 18: The Problem With Intense Laser-Like Focus in the Practice Room (9)
- 11: Why a Little Self-Doubt Before Performing Could Be a Good Thing (1)
- 04: Jennifer Montone: On the Unspoken Mental and Emotional Aspects of Being a Musician (1)
November 2022
- 27: Why Telling Yourself to “Calm Down” Backstage May Be Counterproductive (15)
- 20: The One Thing We Often Overlook When Trying to Beat Performance Anxiety (20)
- 13: Why Trying to “Think Positive” All the Time Could Make You Feel Worse (2)
- 06: Kim Laskowski: On Practicing With a Structure, Developing an Expressive Sound, and Learning How to Truly Listen (7)
October 2022
- 30: How Important is Listening to Recordings, Really? (34)
- 23: The Practice Strategy That Could “Bulletproof” Your Memory Under Pressure (10)
- 16: A Better Way to Do Mental Practice (12)
- 09: The Problem With Time and Repetition-Based Practice Goals (And What to Do Instead) (10)
- 02: When is the Optimal Time to Start Doing Performance Practice? (13)
September 2022
- 24: What Is More Effective for Learning – Praise or Criticism? (20)
- 18: Is It Possible to Increase Your “Immunity” to Nerves? (31)
- 11: Wish You Could Memorize Better? Why a Little Bit of “Verbalization” Might Be the Missing Ingredient (2)
- 04: David Juncos & Elvire de Paiva e Pona: On ACT and a New Approach to Overcoming Performance Anxiety (2)
August 2022
- 28: Optimizing Practice: 2 Things That the Best Performers Do & 1 Thing That the Best “Improvers” Do (0)
- 21: Why Ear Training Might Matter More Than You Think (57)
- 14: Two Helpful Things to Think About on Stage, Right Before You Play the First Note (2)
- 07: If You Have Difficulty Staying Focused While Practicing, Could Clutter Be a Factor? (8)
July 2022
- 31: Memory Reconsolidation: A Way to Dump Your Negative Audition and Performance Baggage? (0)
- 24: Three Ways to Teach Students How to Play More Expressively (And Is There a “Best” Way?) (0)
- 17: How Making Mistakes Can Accelerate Learning (23)
- 10: The Two Most Efficient (and Two Least Efficient) Memorization Strategies (36)
- 03: Brian Alegant: On Putting Music Back Into MUSIC Theory (8)
June 2022
- 26: Why Your Playing (or Singing) May Become Less Musically Expressive on Stage (2)
- 19: Do the Best Performers Also Provide the Best Advice? (2)
- 12: Why Thinking Out Loud Could Help You Become a More Efficient Practicer (15)
- 05: Peter Keller: On Becoming More Skilled Ensemble Musicians with Insights from Cognitive Science (0)
May 2022
- 29: An “Awkward” Way to Increase Motivation and Make More Progress Towards Your Goals (3)
- 22: How to Clear Your Mind of Worries Before a Big Performance (revisited) (5)
- 15: Evidence That Performing From Memory May Be More Challenging for Pianists Than Others (What?!) (22)
- 08: Do You Struggle With Unreliable Memory on Stage? Perhaps Your Memorization Strategy is Missing This Key Ingredient… (2)
- 01: Keith Underwood (Part 2): On Breathing, and the Problem With Thinking of Air as the Solution to Everything. (4)
April 2022
- 24: Keith Underwood (Part 1): On the Art of Imitation, and How to Glean Transformative Insights From Great Musicians to Level Up Your Playing. (4)
- 17: How Mental Imagery Can Help You Become a Better Chamber Music Partner (0)
- 10: How Does One Learn to Play More Musically? (4)
- 03: Do We Really Sound as Terrible on Stage as We Sometimes Think We Do? (8)
March 2022
- 27: “Quiet Eye”: A Technique to Enhance Performance When You’re Nervous (16)
- 20: Prone to Procrastinating? Why the Way You Set Deadlines Could Make Things Worse, Not Better. (1)
- 13: Having a Bad Practice Day? Turn It Into a Good One With This 3-Step Self-Coaching Technique. (14)
- 06: Adina Mornell: On Learning How to Practice So as to Make Performing Something We Can Enjoy, Rather Than Fear (5)
February 2022
- 27: How to Get Your Brain to Automatically Learn More BETWEEN Practice Sessions (31)
- 20: How to Get Yourself to Practice When You Don’t Feel Like It (24)
- 13: Why You Get Sucked Down the YouTube Rabbit Hole When Practicing (And How to Prevent This) (9)
- 06: Joshua Weilerstein: On a Conductor’s Journey, and Why It Might Be Awesome if Every Musician Spent a Day in a Conductor’s Shoes (0)
January 2022
- 30: Research-Tested Practice Strategies That Will Help You Learn New Pieces Faster (17)
- 23: How the Things You Say to Your Students Can Change the Positivity (Or Negativity) of Their Inner Voice (38)
- 16: Does Perfectionism Really “Kill” Creativity? If So, What’s the Alternative? (3)
- 09: A Practice Strategy That Could Potentially Be Twice as Effective as Regular Practice? (10)
- 02: How to Be a Better Practicer in 2022? Try These Top Tips and Insights From 2021. (2)
December 2021
- 26: Why Practicing Practicing from an Early Age is So Important (12)
- 19: Two Approaches to Memorization – One of Which Can Leave You Lost and Stranded if You Rely on It Too Much! (9)
- 12: Not Sure How to Do Mental Practice? Here’s a 7-Point “How-To” Guide (5)
- 05: Kristian Steenstrup: On Singing, Solfège, and Cultivating a More Efficient Approach to Learning New Music. (5)
November 2021
- 28: Struggling to Get a Tricky Passage up to Tempo? Why Slow, Accurate Practice May Actually Be the Problem. (15)
- 21: Evidence That Too Much Repetition and Consistency in Practice Could Potentially Hinder the Learning Process (WHAT?!) (18)
- 14: Why Too-Short Practice Breaks Could Undermine Your Learning (2)
- 07: Vivian Hornik Weilerstein: On Listening, Leading, and Learning How to Be More in Sync With Your Music-Making Partners. (1)
October 2021
- 31: How Do Experts Maximize Practice? 5 Lessons From the Practice of Expert vs. Intermediate Athletes. (3)
- 24: What to Do When Everyone Thinks You’re Great – But You Feel Like a Failure (14)
- 17: To Maximize Learning, is It Better to Focus on One’s Failures? Or Successes? (14)
- 03: Merry Peckham: On Rehearsing, Performing, and Growing as a Musician (And Person!) in Chamber Music (0)
September 2021
- 26: A 5-Step Strategy for Enhanced Motor Skill Learning (Especially if You’re an Older Learner!) (4)
- 19: Having Difficulty Turning Off the Worries? Here Are the Strategies That Research Suggests May Work Best. (1)
- 12: Feeling a Bit Down and Unmotivated? This Motivation Hack Might Help You Get More Done and Perk Up a Bit. (1)
- 05: Daniel Matsukawa: On Cultivating a Great Sound, and Three Components of Becoming a Better Practicer (0)
August 2021
- 29: Difficulty Getting to Sleep? Try “Serial Diverse Imaging” to Trick Your Brain Into Going to Sleep (12)
- 22: Wish You Could Be Less Stressed on Concert Days? Try This Unexpected Activity, Used by an Olympic Gold Medalist (and Grandmothers Everywhere 🙂) (13)
- 01: Ann Bergeron: On Facilitating a More Positive Learning Experience, More Effective Skill Acquisition, and More Creative Artists. (6)
July 2021
- 18: Why Thought Stopping Doesn’t Work (And the Paradoxical Strategy That Might Work Better) (9)
- 11: Evidence That You Should Probably Be Taking Practice “Micro-Breaks,” if You Want to Maximize Learning. (8)
- 04: Natasha Brofsky & Roger Tapping: On Learning New Repertoire and Getting to Know a Composer’s Unique Language (0)
June 2021
- 27: Can’t Stop Worrying About an Upcoming Performance? Here’s Why Practicing More Might Not Be the Answer. (1)
- 20: What’s the Best Type of Feedback to Provide, if the Goal Is to Increase Students’ Intrinsic Motivation? (0)
- 13: Forget White Noise. There May Be a Better Type of Noise That Could Potentially Enhance Memory While You Sleep. (0)
- 06: Lori Schiff: On Adapting to Remote Instruction, and Learning to Teach Alexander Technique Online (0)
May 2021
- 30: Which Is Better – A Verbal Pep Talk or a Visualization Pep Talk? (1)
- 23: A Test of Three Practice Schedules, and the One That Works Best (Especially for Older Learners) (0)
- 16: Need to Work on Shifting or Leaps From One Note to Another? Here’s How Mental Practice Could Help. (1)
- 02: The Kantor Family: On Being Effective Music Parents to Musical Children (1)
April 2021
- 25: Finals Coming Up Soon? Here’s Why You Shouldn’t Just Read and Review Your Notes. (0)
- 18: Is “Perfect” Practice as Essential a Thing As We Tend to Assume It Is? (1)
- 11: Having Difficulty Moving Past a Particularly Distressing Audition or Performance? “Just Think Positive” May Not Be the Best Strategy… (2)
- 04: Does the “Memory Palace” Strategy Really Work? And Is It Something Musicians Could Use? (2)
March 2021
- 28: Evidence That Most of Us Are Terrible at Knowing When to End Conversations (0)
- 21: “Zoom Fatigue” – Why It Happens, and a Couple Things You Can Do About It (2)
- 14: A Simple Writing Exercise That Could Help You Perform More Confidently (0)
- 07: Astrid Schween: On Cultivating Routines, Curiosity, and 800 Different Spiccatos (0)
February 2021
- 28: How Not to Support a Student Who Is Struggling (and What To Do Instead) (1)
- 21: Want Your Students to Be More Engaged, Take More Risks, and Get Better Grades? Here’s Why Your Mindset Matters. (17)
- 14: Specific Times When SMART Goals Can Be Counterproductive (and What Strategy to Use Instead) (0)
- 07: Kris Chesky: On Hearing Health, Earplugs, and How the Best Strategy for Protecting Young Musicians’ Ears Might Help Them Become Better Musicians Too (2)
January 2021
- 31: Do a Musician’s Physical Movements and Gestures Affect How Musical We Think They Are? (16)
- 24: How to Develop Better Internal Rhythm and Avoid Clipping Notes (and Rests) Short (6)
- 17: For Better Rhythm and Timing, Count With Your Body Too, Not Just Your Mind (2)
- 10: Stressed and Having Difficulty Getting Out of a Negative Thought Spiral? Here’s How Mother Nature May Be Able to Help (5)
- 03: Make Practicing in 2021 a Little More Effective With These Top Tips From 2020 (0)
December 2020
- 27: A Better Way to Present Ourselves on Social Media? A Simple Adjustment for Improved Mood and Greater Well-Being. (0)
- 20: Regular Bragging vs. Humblebragging: Which Works Better? (2)
- 13: Need a Break? Here’s a Simple Way to Boost Your Mood and Feel More Refreshed After a Long Week of Practice. (1)
- 06: David Leisner: On Overcoming Focal Dystonia and Learning to Play With Ease (3)
November 2020
- 15: How Effective Is Mental Practice for Memorizing New Pieces? (4)
- 08: Stressed, Anxious, and Feeling a Little Burned Out? Here’s How an “Awe Walk” Could Help. (0)
- 01: Bob Fisher: On How to Become Great at Something, and Setting Multiple World Records (at Age 50+) (1)
October 2020
- 25: Having Long-Term Goals Is Important, but Research Suggests That We Should Enjoy the Little Things Too (3)
- 18: Have a Tendency to Play “Too Safe” Under Pressure? Here’s a Daily Habit That Could Help You Play More Fearlessly on Stage. (0)
- 11: A Counterintuitive Way to Build Confidence, a Tiny Bit Each Day (0)
- 04: Jason Sulliman: On Why Fast, At-Tempo Practice Can Be More Efficient and Effective Than Slow Practice (8)
September 2020
- 27: How Using Social Media Apps Before Practicing Could Sabotage Practice Quality (and Performance) Over Time (3)
- 06: Minna Chung: On the Mysteries of Intonation and a Few Things We Can Do to Play More in Tune (2)
August 2020
- 23: Handling Conflicts in Ensembles: A Few Things We May Be Able to Learn From the Research on Marital Satisfaction…? (0)
- 16: Is This Really a Significant Factor in How We Choose Our Teachers and Mentors? (6)
- 09: Why It May Be Important to Laugh a Bit More During Stressful Times (5)
- 02: Stephen Hough: On the Question “Is Memorizing Music Really All That Important?” (0)
July 2020
- 26: How to Keep the Critic in Your Head From Wrecking Your Practice Session (1)
- 19: Why the Progress You Make in the Practice Room Seems to Disappear Overnight – PART 2 (14)
- 12: An Email Hack That Could Increase the Likelihood of Getting a Reply (and Possibly Make the World a Slightly Better Place for Everyone Too) (23)
- 05: Jason Haaheim: On “Deliberate Lessons” and How to Maximize Your Progress From One Lesson to the Next (1)
June 2020
- 28: 3 Questions to Ask Yourself That Could Boost the Effectiveness of Your Next Practice Session (0)
- 21: Having Difficulty Motivating Yourself to Practice? Research Suggests That Copycatting a Friend Could Help. (5)
- 14: Evidence That You’re Probably Not Great at Performing and Critiquing Your Performance at the Same Time (1)
- 07: Christian Howes: On Overcoming Improvisation Anxiety, Making Technical Practice More Creatively Satisfying, and Becoming a Better Friend to Yourself Through Music (4)
May 2020
- 31: How the Things You Think about Backstage Could Affect Your Emotional Experience on Stage (3)
- 24: How to Talk to Yourself When You’re Having a Bad Practice Day (or Week) (16)
- 17: Having Difficulty Believing in Yourself? Here’s a Confidence-Building Technique That Doesn’t Feel Like You’re Lying to Yourself. (1)
- 10: Struggling with Practice Apathy? You Might Be Neglecting “Psychological Rest” (24)
- 03: Howard Nelson & Pamela Frank: On the Intersection of Healthy Physical Habits and Efficient, Effective Practice That Transfers to the Stage (6)
April 2020
- 26: Sarah Lewis: On Gratitude, Thinking Useful Thoughts, and the Challenge of Juggling Auditions and a 3-Month Old (1)
- 22: Amanda Blaikie: On Believing in Yourself, Letting Go of Attachments, and Giving Yourself Permission to Be Kind to Yourself (1)
- 19: Caroline Coade: On Being Flexible and “Practicing to Bulletproof” (0)
- 12: A Mental Time Travel Technique That Could Reduce Anxiety and Enhance Performance (0)
- 05: Molly Gebrian: On Efficient, Reliable, and Evidence-Based Memorization Strategies for Musicians (3)
March 2020
- 29: Nicole Newman: On Using Yoga to Develop Sustained Focused Attention, and Practice Getting into the Zone. (2)
- 22: Tim Topham: On How to Maximize Your Effectiveness When Teaching Lessons Online (5)
- 15: Targeted Memory Reactivation: A Hack to Improve Learning During Sleep? (5)
- 08: Lynne Aspnes: On Singing, Breathing, and the Value of Cultivating a Diverse Range of Musical Influences (0)
- 01: What Does Science Say About the Notion That We Don’t Utilize Our Full Potential? (3)
February 2020
- 23: Fact or Myth: Does Thinking “Don’t Miss” Really Make Us More Likely to Mess Up? (2)
- 16: How to Get Better at Detecting Errors – Especially If They’re Hiding in Plain Sight (0)
- 09: The Mindsets That Make It Easier (and Harder) to Bounce Back from Mistakes Mid-Performance (0)
- 02: Jennifer Johnson: On Learning to Play More Effortlessly, Through a Better Understanding of the True Design of Your Body (4)
January 2020
- 26: Is Videotaping Yourself Worth the Time and Trouble? And If Yes, How So? (Part 2 of 2) (5)
- 19: Is Videotaping Yourself Worth the Time and Trouble? And If Yes, How So? (Part 1 of 2) (9)
- 12: Mental Practice Not Working for You? This Might Be the Reason Why… (1)
- 05: Nathan Hughes: On Practice Room Honesty, and Learning How to Balance Being Analytical and Being Expressive (0)
December 2019
- 29: How to Keep Bad Dreams From Freaking You Out in the Days Before a Big Performance (1)
- 22: Structured vs. Free Practice: Why You Probably Shouldn’t Just Be “Winging It” in the Practice Room (3)
- 15: How Do Fear, Anxiety, and Other Negative Emotions Affect the Learning Process? (0)
- 08: Musical Charades: Should This Be Part of Your Regular Practice Routine? (1)
- 01: Erik Ralske: On Developing a Stronger Rhythmic Pulse, and the Paradoxical Benefits of Giving Yourself Permission to Miss Notes (2)
November 2019
- 24: How Long Does It REALLY Take to Form a New Habit? (3)
- 17: Phonetography: Does This Enhance or Diminish Our Enjoyment of an Experience? (7)
- 10: The Misinterpreted-Effort Hypothesis, and Why We Often Practice Less Effectively than We Could (3)
- 03: Mike Block: On Discovering Your Musical Identity, “Exploratory” Practice, and Taking Creative Risks (1)
October 2019
- 27: Why Highly “Representative” Practice Is so Important (Except When It Isn’t) (0)
- 20: Change This One Word to Get More Useful Feedback From Peers and Colleagues (1)
- 13: Can Younger Students Be Taught to Engage in Deliberate Practice Too? (4)
- 06: Angela Beeching: On the Keys to Developing a Career That’s Totally “You” (1)
September 2019
- 29: Quirky Pre-Performance Rituals: Do They Really Work? (5)
- 22: Get into a Better Pre-Audition Headspace with a “Heroic” Playlist (1)
- 15: Why the “Task Completion Bias” Could Give You the Illusion of Productive Practice, but Actually Make You Less Productive (8)
- 08: A Simple Technique That Could Help Boost Your Effectiveness With a Struggling Student (50)
- 01: Claire Stefani: On Chinrests, Shoulder Rests, and How the Right Setup Can Facilitate More Effortless, Tension-free Playing (0)
August 2019
- 25: How to Use Positive “Trigger Words” for More Expressive Performances (0)
- 18: The “Gesturing Effect”: A Way to Learn New Skills More Quickly? (9)
- 11: How Many of Our Worries Actually Come True? (4)
- 04: Blaise Déjardin: On Emotion, Technique, and the Kind of Practice That Facilitates Consistently Beautiful Performances (2)
July 2019
- 28: Your “Stress Mindset,” and How This Could Make Stress Work for or Against You (6)
- 21: Why Day-of-Performance Butterflies May Actually Be a Good Thing (3)
- 14: “Action Observation,” And How to Get More out of Your Mental Imagery Practice (0)
- 07: Tom Hooten: On Being Curious, and Elevating Learning and Growth Above Ego (2)
June 2019
- 30: How to “Reset” Your Body Clock & Shift Your Peak Performance Window (and Survive AM Rehearsals) (3)
- 23: Are Coffee Naps Legit? (4)
- 16: The Role of Self-Compassion in Cultivating Mental Toughness and Overcoming Setbacks (3)
- 09: Conflicted Between Two Different Choices? Here’s a “Random” Way to Accelerate the Decision-Making Process. (4)
- 02: Uri Vardi: On the Way Unconscious Habits Shape Our Playing, and How Feldenkrais Can Help Us Unlock More of Our Potential (0)
May 2019
- 26: Self-Monitoring, and How “Happy Face” May Have Been a More Potent Practice Strategy than I Realized… (7)
- 19: Three Different Types of Practice Strategies – Which One Works Best? (7)
- 12: A Way to Amplify (or Weaken) the Effect of Self-Talk on Performance (3)
- 05: Menahem Pressler: On Following Your Heart (16)
April 2019
- 28: A Goal-Setting Tweak That Could Be the Difference Between an OK Performance and a Great Performance? (0)
- 21: How Exaggerating Technical Errors Could Improve Your Technique (4)
- 14: Should Phones and Laptops Be Banned in the Classroom? Or Is This Just Much Ado about Nothing? (3)
- 07: Margo Drakos: On Creating a Safety Net and Taking a Chance on Yourself (0)
March 2019
- 31: How Technical Mistakes During Practice Can Be Used to Enhance Performance (and Confidence Too) (5)
- 24: The Potential Upside of Having a “Rival” (1)
- 17: How to Keep Your Cool Backstage Before Auditions and Performances (2)
- 10: 8 Strategies for Breaking Out of a Performance Slump (2)
- 03: Catherine Cho: On Developing Great Rhythm (and Why Old-School Metronomes Are the Way to Go) (5)
February 2019
- 24: “Post-Event Reflection”: A Tool to Bounce Back Better and Faster from Sub-Par Performances (1)
- 17: A Visualization Hack to Get More Out of Your Mental Practice (9)
- 10: A Mental Strategy to Shrink the Gap Between Your Best Playing and What Happens Under Pressure (2)
- 03: David Kim: On Letting Go and Being Yourself (2)
January 2019
- 27: A Scientific(ish) Rationale for Keeping Photos of Friends and Family in Your Case (3)
- 20: Get Into “The Zone” More Frequently with This Subtle Mental Adjustment (5)
- 13: A Comparison of Two Types of Anti-Choking Strategies (5)
- 06: Lori Schiff: On How Alexander Technique Can Enhance Learning and Performance Under Pressure (4)
December 2018
- 30: How Perfect Does Your Intonation Have to Be? (12)
- 23: Does Focusing on Musical Expressiveness in Performance Come at the Expense of Technical Precision? (2)
- 16: A Mental Shift That Could Help You Produce a More Beautiful Sound on Stage (5)
- 09: Can’t Shut Off Your Brain and Get to Sleep? This 5-min Exercise Could Help. (5)
- 02: Mark Kosower: On Slow Practice, Commitment, and the Kind of Focus That’s Associated With His Best Performances (1)
November 2018
- 25: A “Backwards” Strategy for Cultivating More Passion about Music You’re Not in Love With (6)
- 18: Should You Be Using a Metronome When You Do Mental Practice? (13)
- 11: Why Worrying about Shaky Bow Just Makes Things Worse (and What You Could Focus on Instead) (9)
- 04: Jason Haaheim: On Practice, Talent, Motivation, and Playing the “Long Game” (7)
October 2018
- 28: How to Minimize Jet Lag and Perform Your Best When Crossing Multiple Time Zones (2)
- 21: Do Other People Really Learn As Quickly As It Seems Like They Do? (2)
- 14: 2 Ways to Shrink the “Intention-Behavior Gap,” Improve Your Follow-through, and Get Things Done (4)
- 07: Jay Larranaga: On Becoming the Best Version of Yourself That You Can Be (0)
September 2018
- 30: Why an “Improvisational Mindset” Could Be Vital to Reducing Performance Anxiety and Increasing Audience Engagement (6)
- 23: How a Post-Practice Workout Could Help Boost Learning and Retention (8)
- 16: Do Classical Musicians Get More Nervous Than Non-Classical Musicians? (And If so, Why?) (21)
- 09: 8 Strategies Musicians Use to Create Their Own Unique Interpretation of a Piece (64)
- 02: Nathan Cole & Akiko Tarumoto: On Practicing, and Balancing Life With Work and Audition Preparation (0)
August 2018
- 26: Have Difficulty Staying Awake During Mental Practice? Try “Dynamic” Mental Imagery Instead! (2)
- 19: The Correct Way to Sit in a Chair (and How This Could Help Your Performance in More Ways Than You’d Think) (8)
- 12: An Easy-to-Overlook “Hack” for Enhancing Concentration in the Practice Room (12)
- 05: Carol Rodland: On Learning to Work with Your Body, Not Against It (1)
July 2018
- 29: The “Urgency Effect” and How to Prioritize More Effectively in the Practice Room (0)
- 22: Why a Supportive Audience Could Paradoxically Lead to a Worse Performance (0)
- 15: Perform Better Under Pressure with This Subtle Adjustment to Your Self-Talk (7)
- 08: Julie Landsman: On Getting into the Zone and Developing Trust in Your Playing (4)
- 01: Research Suggests That While Mental Practice Is Good, This Hybrid Approach Is Even Better (3)
June 2018
- 24: What’s the Most (and Least) Helpful Thing to Text a Friend Before Their Audition? (16)
- 17: Janet Horvath: On Preventing Overuse Injuries and Playing Pain-Free (2)
- 10: A Better Way to Teach Complex Skills, Borrowed From…Doggy Training? (17)
- 03: Listening to Music While Studying: Ok or Not Ok? (6)
May 2018
- 27: Memorize More Music by Remembering to Press “Pause”? (4)
- 20: Rob Knopper: On Overcoming the Fear of Recording Yourself (and Making It Your New Favorite Practice Tool) (1)
- 13: “Mistake Rituals” and Why it’s Important to Prepare for On-Stage Surprises (2)
- 06: Does Stress Make Us More Susceptible to Injury? (4)
April 2018
- 29: Creativity Sounds Important…but at the Elite Level, How Valuable Is It Really? (1)
- 22: Peter Miksza: On the Overlooked Value of Improvisation in Musical Training (5)
- 15: Jeff Huber: On Preparing Mentally for Competition (7)
- 08: Five Podcasts I’m Enjoying Right Now (21)
- 01: A Childhood Pastime That Could Help You Reduce Stress and Manage Audition-Day Nerves (1)
March 2018
- 25: Can We Really Trust Our Intuition When Making Difficult Decisions? (1)
- 18: Two Different Kinds of Nerves? How One Type Helps and the Other Type…Not so Much (11)
- 11: Could This Working Memory Exercise Help Offset the Effect of Nerves on Performance? (2)
- 04: Stereotype Threat: The Paradox of Becoming Exactly What You’re Trying to Prove That You’re Not. (Huh?!) (1)
February 2018
- 25: Need a Little Shot of Optimism? Try the “Best Possible Self” Exercise (2)
- 18: Can We Train Ourselves to Be Less Anxious? (4)
- 11: Just Thinking You Don’t Have Enough Time (Even If That’s Not True) Negatively Affects Performance (8)
- 04: Power Posing vs. Yoga. Yay or Nay? (5)
January 2018
- 28: How to Keep Your Cool in Stressful Lessons, Rehearsals, and More (0)
- 21: Why Do We Have Such a Hard Time Accepting Compliments? (4)
- 14: The Problem with Taking Excessively Long Practice Breaks (8)
- 07: Why It’s Probably Not a Good Sign If Practicing Starts to Feel Easy (5)
December 2017
- 30: Most Popular Posts of 2017 (0)
- 24: Singing Out Loud: Embarrassing Ear Training Exercise or Nifty Memory Hack? (13)
- 17: How the Things You’re Saying to Yourself Could Be Sabotaging Your Confidence (0)
- 10: Does “Just Breathe!” Really Help Us Lower Anxiety? Or Is It Totally Just a Cliché? (3)
- 03: Are We Really the Average of the Five People We Spend the Most Time With? (0)
November 2017
- 26: Have to Miss a Day or Two (or Week) of Practice? Here’s a Way to Keep Your Skills from Slipping. (4)
- 19: Reduce (Audition/School/Holiday) Burnout with This 2-Week Exercise (3)
- 05: A Backwards Strategy to Increase the Likelihood of Achieving Your Big Goals (6)
October 2017
- 22: 5 Ways to Prevent “Rage-Quitting” on Discouraging Practice Days (2)
- 15: A Simple (and Ironic) Strategy to Reduce Audition-Day Restlessness (2)
- 08: Does It Feel like You’re Regressing in the Practice Room? Here’s Why It May Not Just Be Your Imagination. (2)
- 01: When Is the Best Time to Start Memorizing a Piece for Fast, Accurate Results? (7)
September 2017
- 24: Need a Productivity Boost? Pull up Some Cute Puppy and Kitten Pictures (3)
- 17: How Important Is It to Perform a New Skill Without Errors From Day 1? (14)
- 10: Do Musicians Perform Better with Eyes Open? Or Closed? (20)
- 03: Want to Help Students Remember More From Each Lesson? Try This Learning Hack. (9)
August 2017
July 2017
- 30: The Mental Adjustment That Makes It Possible to Recover from Setbacks, and Perform Even Better (4)
- 25: Want New Colleagues to Like You? Why It’s Important to Assume They Already Do. (1)
- 16: Having a Couple Drinks Before Performing…What Does the Research Say? (12)
- 09: Why Being a Great Ensemble Player May Require More than Just Our Ears (3)
June 2017
- 25: Difficulty Staying Focused in the Practice Room? Why “Airplane Mode” May Not Be Enough. (12)
- 11: How Many of Our Mistakes Do Audiences (and Other Musicians) Actually Hear? (18)
- 04: Why Every Performer Needs a Good Poker Face (6)
May 2017
- 28: Dogs…A Musician’s Best Friend? (14)
- 21: A Common Personality Factor That Could Increase Your Risk of Injury (7)
- 07: A Technique for Finding Your Misplaced Car Keys, That Might Also Be Applicable in the Practice Room (6)
April 2017
- 30: How (and Why) Giving Students Choices, Can Dramatically Improve Learning (11)
- 23: The Upside-Down Bow, and Why It’s Valuable to Play in Ways You Never Would on Stage (1)
- 16: Why You May Need a “Not-To-Do” List to Achieve Important Goals (7)
- 09: The Upside of Boredom (8)
March 2017
- 26: “Brain Fatigue” and the Best Thing to Do on a Practice Break (4)
- 19: What Causes Choking Under Pressure? (And What Can We Do About It?) (4)
- 12: WOOP: A Goal-Setting Strategy for People Who Don’t Believe in Goal-Setting (3)
- 05: A Practice Hack That Could Significantly Boost Practice Efficiency (but May Not Feel Like It In the Moment) (23)
February 2017
- 26: A Nifty Mental Hack to Help You Better Navigate Life’s Challenges (8)
- 19: Two Ways to Repair Our Bruised Ego After Disappointing Setbacks (0)
- 12: Can’t Stop Worrying About An Upcoming Performance? Here Are 4 Reasons Why – and 4 Ways to Stop. (3)
- 05: Why Planning Out Your Day in Too Much Detail Could Be Counterproductive (10)
January 2017
- 29: Mindful Learning (and the Day My Wife Nearly Failed Her Driving Test) (7)
- 22: A Research-Based “Hack” That Could Improve Your Mental Practice (and Build Confidence Too) (5)
- 15: Pre-Performance Routines: How Consistent Do They Need to Be? (0)
- 01: Why Visualization Ought to Include More than What We See with Our Eyes (5)
December 2016
- 25: 10 Best Articles of 2016 (2)
- 11: “Don’t” Instructions vs. “Do” Instructions – Is One Really Better Than the Other? (9)
- 04: Regular Memorization Works OK, but Here’s Why “Deliberate Memorization” Is Way Better (6)
November 2016
- 27: Charismatic, Inspiring Performers – What’s Their Secret? (9)
- 13: Learning Something New? Try This Mental Practice Tweak That Could Accelerate the Learning Process. (5)
- 06: The Whack-a-Mole Phenomenon – and a More Effective Way to Learn New Skills (122)
October 2016
- 30: Is It True That We Tend to Underestimate Our Abilities, or Is This Just Wishful Thinking? (5)
- 23: An Unusual Way to Reduce Day-of-performance Stress and Anxiety (4)
- 16: How Young Is Too Young for Imagery to Be Effective? (0)
- 09: What It Means If Your Mind Wanders When You’re Practicing (8)
- 02: How to Stop Worrying so Much About What Other People Think (8)
September 2016
- 25: Why Improvisation Should Be Part of Every Young Musician’s Training (46)
- 25: Practicing When Fatigued: Helpful, or Not Worth the Effort? (13)
- 04: The Performance Benefits of a “Can-Do” Attitude (1)
August 2016
July 2016
- 31: The Surprising Truth about Learning Styles (4)
- 25: A Few Things Every Musician Ought to Know About Stage Fright (94)
- 24: Why Mediocre Intonation (and Other Accuracy Problems) May Not Be a Practice Issue, but a Focus Issue (3)
- 17: Swear You’re Regressing? Why Practicing Too Much Can Lead to Worse Performance (3)
- 10: An Oft-Neglected Consideration in Audition Preparation That Could Be the Difference Between a Winning Performance and a Missed Opportunity (4)
June 2016
- 26: Why It’s Important to Know (and Use) Your “Signature Strengths” (2)
- 18: Having Difficulty Believing You Can Play a Flawless Audition? (10)
- 12: Why Being Too Quick to Offer Feedback Can Degrade Learning (11)
- 05: How to Win an Audition: Advice and Strategies from 3 Renowned Performer/Teachers (5)
May 2016
- 22: The Most Important Question to Ask Yourself after a Painful Failure or Setback (6)
- 15: The Five-A Model: A Step-by-Step Process for Refining Technique (8)
- 08: When It Comes to Focus, What Do Elite Athletes Do Differently? (12)
- 01: Frank Almond: On Work, Fun, and the Importance of Both in Dealing with Adversity (3)
April 2016
- 24: Rhythmicity: The Importance of Practicing Tricky Passages in Rhythm (5)
- 17: The Lazy (but Smart!) Person’s Guide to Mastering Self-Control (5)
- 10: The Sneakier, More Insidious Form of Procrastination (and What to Do about It) (9)
March 2016
- 13: A Way to Stop Underestimating Yourself (23)
- 06: Adequate Learning Vs Overlearning: How Many Repetitions Is Enough? (24)
February 2016
- 28: How Can We Embrace Auditions and Thrive When It Counts? (21)
- 14: Ensemble Chemistry: Why Do We “Click” with Some of Our Colleagues and Not with Others? (5)
- 07: Which Promotes Greater Learning – Higher Standards or Lower Standards? (8)
January 2016
- 31: A Performance Review Technique to Strategically Build Confidence (yet Avoid Devolving into a Cocky Bastard) (1)
- 24: “Productive Failure”: A Teaching Method Which Leads to Short Term Failure, but Long Term Success (8)
- 17: Evidence That Listening to a Recording Could Accelerate the Learning Process for New Repertoire (34)
- 10: Why Does Cramming Get a Bad Rap? (5)
- 03: The 10 Most Impactful Things We Learned in 2015 (13)
December 2015
- 27: Values Clarification: a Novel Strategy to Reduce the Chances of Choking under Pressure (5)
- 20: “Naturals” vs. “Strivers.” Do We Unconsciously Favor Those Who Appear More Naturally Gifted? (22)
- 13: Developing Research Which Suggests That Trying to Fight Anxiety May Only Make Things Worse (5)
- 06: Perfect Shmerfect. The Stage of Practicing When More “Mistakes” Is Better for Learning. (10)
November 2015
- 29: The Most Important Part of a Performance (Which We Usually Forget to Practice) (15)
- 22: For More Perfect Practice, Try…Longer…Pauses (15)
- 15: Use the “Reverse” Zeigarnik Effect to Start Each Day of Practice Feeling Mentally Refreshed (5)
- 08: The Upside of Failure, the Downside of Success, and How to Keep Improving No Matter What (9)
- 01: What Comes First – the Notes or the Music? A Chicken/Egg Problem in the Practice Room. (11)
October 2015
- 25: Do Elite Performers “Zone Out” or “Zone In” for Optimal Performance? (5)
- 18: Dynamic Imagery: A More Effective Way to Do Mental Rehearsal? (6)
- 04: Worry Too Much? Take Back Control of Your Thoughts by “Batching” Your Worries. (7)
September 2015
- 27: The Degrees of Freedom Problem (and Why a Good Teacher Is Worth Their Weight in Gold) (5)
- 20: Your Brain Isn’t Wired for Consistency – but That’s Not as Depressing as It Sounds (4)
- 13: Do You Rehearse to Practice or Practice to Rehearse? (6)
- 06: Gain a Psychological Edge by Talking about Yourself in the Third Person (23)
August 2015
- 30: How to Intensify Your Focus and Be More Productive with the 52/17 Split (13)
- 16: A Test of 4 Approaches to Goal Setting: Here’s How to Set Yourself up for a More Successful Year (10)
- 09: Boost the Odds of Achieving Your Goals by Replacing This One Word (16)
- 02: 7 Things We Can Learn from Olympic Champions about Overcoming Rejection & Setbacks (4)
July 2015
- 26: How to Stop Procrastinating on the Important Things, Yet Still Indulge in Guilty Pleasures Guilt-Free with “Temptation Bundling” (8)
- 12: Why Being Too Positive Can Backfire (7)
- 05: The Self-Observer Discrepancy: Why We Think We Sound Worse on Stage than We Really Do (5)
June 2015
- 21: The Peak-End Rule: A Simple Way to Make Practicing Feel Less like a Chore (11)
- 14: How to Increase Your Kids’ Performance Anxiety (Not That You’d Want to) (11)
- 07: Is It More Effective to Practice Scales and Etudes in the Morning? (21)
May 2015
- 17: A Simple Technique to Prevent Choking under Pressure (Which Sounds Like it Couldn’t Possibly Work) (27)
- 10: Watching Videos of Experts Can Help Us Learn More Effectively – If We Do It Right (1)
- 03: Autonomy in the Practice Room: How Choice Can Enhance Learning (8)
April 2015
- 26: Why Tradition Isn’t Always What It’s Cracked up to Be (5)
- 19: Are Today’s Artists More Uniform and Less Musically Adventurous than Those of Yesteryear? (30)
- 12: Reward vs. Punishment – Which Results in Better Learning? (14)
- 05: 4 Signs Your Quartet May Be Headed for Divorce (7)
March 2015
- 29: Pre-Performance Apathy (or the Importance of Mentally Disengaging From Work and Practice) (19)
- 15: Metacognitive Instruction: How to Foster Smarter, More Independent Learners (9)
- 08: Evidence That We Are Capable of More Awesomeness Than We Think (8)
- 01: Are You an Early Bird or a Night Owl? Why This Could Affect How Well You Play in Your Next Audition. (3)
February 2015
- 22: The Perils of Aiming Low: How Our Expectations Can Shape Our Students’ Learning & Performance (7)
- 15: Facebook and the Upsides of Envy (13)
- 08: Kinesthetic Imagery: A Way to Minimize Backsliding When Dealing with Injuries? (3)
January 2015
- 25: Good Luck Charms and Quirky Pre-Performance Routines: Can Superstition Enhance Performance? (8)
- 17: Help Your Student Really Learn Something by Making Them the Teacher (4)
- 11: The Unheralded Benefits of Mindlessness, Mind-Wandering, and Daydreaming (3)
- 04: 2014’s Most Popular Posts (6)
December 2014
- 27: Why Practicing While Distracted Is Actually Very Important (Sometimes) (15)
- 20: Learn Quicker by Thinking Less about What Your Body Is Doing (24)
- 13: 3 Reasons Why You May Be Stuck on a Plateau (6)
- 06: Playing to Win vs. Playing Not to Lose – Which Leads to Choking Under Pressure? (5)
November 2014
- 22: When Mistakes Are Good: A Counterintuitive Strategy for Rapidly Fixing Bad Habits in Our Technique (22)
- 16: What Changes When a Student Selects Their Own Repertoire? (A Case Study) (10)
October 2014
- 26: Why a Little Reflection Should Be a Regular Part of Your Practice Routine (12)
- 18: Are Great Sight-Readers Born or Made? (63)
September 2014
- 28: 8 Things Top Practicers Do Differently (79)
- 14: Why the Way We Usually Practice Makes Us Think We’re Better Prepared than We Really Are (15)
- 07: Why Trying to Make Practice Fun Might Be the Wrong Approach (25)
August 2014
- 31: What Does It Mean When We Have a Bad Dream about an Upcoming Performance? (8)
- 24: Do You Need a Pre-Warmup Ritual? (25)
- 20: Five Best Tuner Apps (49)
- 16: Best Tuner App? (nominations) (129)
- 10: Cranky, Tired, and Not in the Mood to Practice? (9)
- 02: The Impact of Exercise and Physical Fitness on Performance under Pressure (43)
July 2014
- 26: 3 Ways to Deal with Practice Guilt (Aside From the Obvious) (17)
- 19: Why I’d Spend a Lot More Time Practicing Scales If I Could Do It All Over Again (36)
- 13: Why I Should Have Paid More Attention in Music Theory Class (15)
- 06: How to Keep Performances of the Same Piece from Getting Stale (58)
June 2014
- 28: The Learning-Performance Distinction and Why Gains in the Practice Room Don’t Always Stick (8)
- 21: How to Reduce Mind-Wandering and Be More Focused in Critical Situations (16)
- 15: 3 Comedians on Life and Career Success (1)
- 07: 2 Things Musicians Can Learn from the Marshmallow Challenge (13)
May 2014
- 31: Why the Wrong Kind of Praise Could Heighten a Child’s Fear of Failure (17)
- 24: Self-Compassion: Does It Help or Hinder Performance? (51)
- 17: Does Perfectionism Get a Bad Rap? The Right (and Wrong) Way to Be a Perfectionist. (14)
- 10: How “Moms” Can Help Us Perform More Courageously Under Pressure (15)
- 04: Pride Yourself on Your Work Ethic? Why You Might Be More of a Slacker Than You Think. (30)
April 2014
- 26: A Practice Strategy That Will Help You Play More Accurately When It Counts (13)
- 19: Afraid to Be Yourself and Make Great Music? This Might Help You Get Unblocked. (11)
- 12: Five Ways to Turn the Music up to 11 (and Turn Anxiety Down a Notch) (4)
- 05: Two Words That Could Jinx Your Next Performance (5)
March 2014
- 29: On Becoming Strengths-Focused, Whole-Hearted Artists (25)
- 22: Not an Optimist? How to Make Pessimism Work for You. (4)
- 09: Is It Helpful to Listen to Music Right Before Your Audition? (14)
February 2014
- 23: Do We Have a Hidden Bias Against Creative People? (24)
- 08: Is This the Key to Being Less “Robotic” on Stage? (10)
- 01: Could the “Aggregation of Marginal Gains” Be the Difference Between Good and Great? (18)
January 2014
- 18: The Role of Emotions in Building an Audience (33)
- 05: Want to Perform Better Under Pressure? Why Autopilot May Not Be the Answer. (4)
December 2013
- 29: Top 10 Posts of 2013 (1)
- 14: Do We Have to Suck All the Joy Out of Music in Order to Become Great? (37)
November 2013
- 30: Apparently, Money CAN Buy Happiness…? (4)
- 16: Why the Wrong Kind of Praise Can Undermine Our Students’ Confidence (17)
- 02: Why Looking on the Bright Side Could Be Bad (3)
October 2013
- 26: How to Compare Yourself to Others Without Getting Totally Depressed (13)
- 19: Why You May Want to Avoid Watching the News Before an Audition (6)
- 12: Why the Progress You Make in the Practice Room Seems to Disappear Overnight – PART 1 (206)
- 05: How to Get Unstuck and Break Through Learning Plateaus (6)
September 2013
- 28: Build Greater Confidence by Approaching Practice Like a Surgeon (10)
- 21: Make Practicing Less Frustrating With the 5 Whys Technique (14)
- 14: Be More Confident at Your Next Audition by Going on a Facebook Diet (10)
- 07: Perform Better Under Pressure by Tweaking This One Belief (29)
August 2013
- 31: How Does Music Produce Emotional Reactions? (29)
- 24: Does How We Look On Stage Really Matter More Than How We Sound…? (24)
- 17: Two Things Experts Do Differently Than Non-Experts When Practicing (27)
- 11: Do Extroverts Make Better Performers Than Introverts? (11)
- 03: The Not Entirely Surprising Truth About What Makes Us Happy (12)
July 2013
- 27: Are Great Performers as Cool and Collected on Stage as They Appear? (17)
- 20: Where Do Breakthroughs Come From? (12)
- 13: A Simple Strategy for Worrying Less and Practicing More Productively (14)
June 2013
- 29: Does Clothing Color Provide a Performance Advantage? (9)
- 22: 16 Things We Can Learn About Music (And Life) From Basketball (6)
- 15: How Can We Talk to Young Students About Performance Anxiety? (5)
- 08: How to Guarantee a Great Smile on Camera (And Get Into the Mood for Peak Performance) (16)
- 01: Toby Appel: On Learning to Trust Yourself (41)
May 2013
- 25: The Key to Better Performances and Crispier Waffles (11)
- 18: Why We Should Eliminate “Shoulds” From Our Vocabulary (40)
- 11: The Most Valuable Lesson I Learned From Isaac Stern (19)
- 04: How Can We Avoid Getting Psyched out by an Audience That Looks Bored (or Super Critical)? (9)
April 2013
- 27: The Importance of Writing Notes in Your Music (29)
- 20: How the Right Habits Can Save Us Under Pressure (or, Why Is There Cream Cheese in my Freezer?) (10)
- 13: The Importance of Run-Throughs (and How to Get Better Grades While Studying Less) (9)
- 06: Raw Technique vs. Functional Technique (14)
March 2013
- 16: Are We Too Serious for Our Own Good? (13)
- 10: How Can I Keep Old Repertoire Sounding New and Fresh? (4)
- 02: How Can We Become More Optimistic About the Future? (10)
February 2013
- 17: The Importance of Keeping Things Simple Under Pressure (11)
- 02: Sleeping for Peak Performance: Overrated or Underrated? (3)
January 2013
- 19: Your Growth Edges (And How to Find Them) (7)
- 13: How Can We Develop a More Courageous Mindset? (Plus, the Secret of Life) (18)
- 05: What Is the Most Effective Way to Warm Up for an Audition? (11)
December 2012
- 30: Should Eliminating Procrastination Be a Top Priority? (14)
- 22: Is It Really Better to Give Than to Receive? (3)
- 15: How Can I Become More Enthusiastic About Practicing? (22)
- 09: How Does One Bounce Back From Crushing Disappointments? (8)
- 01: The Point of Practicing Is To…? (34)
November 2012
- 25: What Is the Most Overlooked Step in Audition Preparation? (3)
- 18: Does Counting Our Blessings Really Change Anything? (4)
- 11: Have Your Ears Become Lazy? (6)
- 04: How Much Anxiety Is Best for Performance? (12)
October 2012
- 31: Five Best Recording Devices (47)
- 27: Best Recording Device? (nominations) (50)
- 20: Why Is It So Important to Record Yourself? (16)
- 14: How to Engage Your Audience…Before Playing a Single Note (6)
- 07: How Do We Keep on Going When It Seems Like We Should Quit? (20)
September 2012
- 29: Are You Winning or Succeeding? (13)
- 22: Comparing Yourself With Others: Good or Bad? (12)
- 15: Are You Working Hard Enough on Stage? (9)
- 08: 25 Ideas to Live By (15)
- 01: What Does It Take to Become a Master? (3)
August 2012
- 25: Do You Have to Be a Jerk to Get Ahead? (5)
- 18: The Bad Habits We Unknowingly Develop On Stage (5)
- 11: Is It Good or Bad to Talk About Your Goals? (6)
- 08: Five Best Metronome Apps (92)
- 04: Best Metronome App? (nominations) (42)
July 2012
- 28: Are You Waiting for Permission? (3)
- 21: Is Slow Practice Really Necessary? (114)
- 15: What to Practice When You Practice (10)
- 08: How to Clear Your Mind of Worries Before a Big Performance (4)
June 2012
- 27: How to Start Believing in Yourself (4)
- 21: Is It Better to Be Diligent or Lucky? (6)
- 16: Why Is It So Hard To Stay Positive After Setbacks? (7)
- 02: How to Set Yourself Up for a Growth Spurt This Summer – Part 2 (5)
May 2012
- 27: How to Set Yourself Up for a Growth Spurt This Summer (3)
- 20: How to Change the Future (For Better or Worse) (5)
- 12: Are Competitions Good or Bad? (5)
- 05: How to Care More Without Putting Too Much Pressure On Yourself (9)
April 2012
- 28: Confidence Isn’t What You Might Think It Is (6)
- 16: The Things We May Not Know We Know (1)
- 08: How Good Do You Have to Be to Have a Successful Career? (16)
March 2012
- 31: Should One Practice Very Much on the Day of a Concert? (4)
- 24: The Best Advice You’ve Ever Received (A Collection of Reader Submissions) (100)
- 18: What Should You Think About When You Perform? (8)
- 03: Everything You Do is an Accident, if You Don’t Do This First (13)
February 2012
- 15: 4 Signs You May Be Practicing Too Hard (5)
- 11: Why Do Our Buts Carry So Much Weight? (5)
- 02: Hard Work is Overrated (Why You Might Be Working Too Hard) (19)
January 2012
- 18: The Problem with “Perfect” Practice (10)
- 12: Cracked Notes? Squirrely Intonation? Solution May Be Ease-ier Than You Think (11)
- 06: What Does It Take to Have a Thriving Career as a Musician? (3)
December 2011
- 23: Yes Practice? No Practice? Why You Must Decide (13)
- 16: Enjoy a More Productive and Guilt-Free Holiday with the Unschedule (1)
- 02: Ace Your Next Performance by Practicing Like a Tennis Pro (5)
July 2011
June 2011
January 2011
December 2010
November 2010
- 17: How to Know if You Are Taking Too Much Time Before Playing the First Note (4)
- 10: The Fine Line Between “Insanity” and Persistence (3)
October 2010
September 2010
- 28: How to Change the Way You Feel About Auditions (3)
- 14: What Do Sport Psychologists Really Mean When They Say “Focus on the Now”? (2)
- 09: Do You Have What It Takes to Be a Perfectionist? (0)
August 2010
- 26: A Secret Trick That Will Improve Your Intonation by 212% (10)
- 19: A Classic Test of Focus That Most Will Fail in the First 10 Seconds (2)
- 12: 4 Handy Dandy Tips for Brainwashing Yourself (9)
- 05: Why is 3:59.4 Such a Significant Number? (8)
July 2010
- 29: Practicing with the TV for Laser-like Focus (6)
- 22: The Best Time of Day to Practice (15)
- 15: One Simple Change That Can Increase Your Odds of Winning an Audition (6)
- 07: More Goal-setting Strategies That Work (1)
June 2010
- 30: Goal-Setting Strategies That Work (3)
- 22: Feeling Unmotivated? Get Unstuck with a Simple Question (0)
- 15: Start Your Audition Off on the Right Foot (0)
- 01: The Secret of Highly Successful People (6)
May 2010
- 25: The Cookie Thief: A Poem About How Oblivious We Can Be to How Wrong We Can Be (3)
- 16: What Having a Stroke Can Teach Us About Our Brain (and Performing Better) (2)
- 10: Are Performers Born or Made? (3)
February 2010
- 03: How to Eliminate Memory Slips (12)
November 2009
October 2009
- 31: Don’t Read This if You Are a Perfectionist (1)
- 12: What Beautiful Lawns and Practicing Have in Common (2)
September 2009
- 04: How to Make the Most of a Dress Rehearsal (2)
- 04: How to Avoid Psyching Yourself out the Night Before an Audition (2)
August 2009
- 14: Does Mental Practice Work? (68)
- 07: How to Become a More Confident Performer (33)