The Bulletproof Musician

Nothing strikes fear in the heart of a string player like a shaking bow arm. Of course, worrying about shaking is a surefire way to experience the shakes. So what can you do to keep your mind from going to the bad place? Why Worrying about Shaky Bow Just Makes Things Worse (and What You Could Focus on Instead)More from The Bulletproof Musician Get the free weekly newsletter, for more nerdy details and bonus subscriber-only content. 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 (or worried) if you were talented enough? Met principal timpanist Jason Haaheim explains why this is the wrong question to be asking ourselves - and what we should be asking instead. Jason Haaheim: On Practice, Talent, Motivation, and Playing the "Long Game"More from The Bulletproof Musician Get the free weekly newsletter, for more nerdy details and bonus subscriber-only content. 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

Ever wish there was a way to fight jet lag and not be such a zombie when you travel across multiple time zones? Here are 9 tips from two Stanford orthopedic surgeons' review of the literature. How to Minimize Jet Lag and Perform Your Best When Crossing Multiple Time ZonesMore from The Bulletproof Musician Get the free weekly newsletter, for more nerdy details and bonus subscriber-only content. 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 practiced or studied in secret, afraid to let on how long it takes for you to learn something? Good news - other people are probably working harder than you think. Do Other People Really Learn As Quickly As It Seems Like They Do?More from The Bulletproof Musician Get the free weekly newsletter, for more nerdy details and bonus subscriber-only content. 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

Ever get frustrated by how difficult it can be to follow through on big plans? Here are two strategies that research suggests can help you get over the hump. 2 Ways to Shrink the “Intention-Behavior Gap,” Improve Your Follow-through, and Get Things DoneMore from The Bulletproof Musician Get the free weekly newsletter, for more nerdy details and bonus subscriber-only content. 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

In this week's conversation, Boston Celtics assistant coach Jay Larranaga shares some of the key habits and characteristics that seem to be essential in becoming a top performer. Jay Larranaga: On Becoming the Best Version of Yourself That You Can BeMore from The Bulletproof Musician Get the free weekly newsletter, for more nerdy details and bonus subscriber-only content. 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

It wouldn't seem that improvisation would have a place in classical music performance - but could this be one of the keys to a better performance experience - for both performer and audience? Comparison videos and links at: Why an “Improvisational Mindset” Could Be Vital to Reducing Performance Anxiety and Increasing Audience EngagementMore from The Bulletproof Musician Get the free weekly newsletter, for more nerdy details and bonus subscriber-only content. 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

Research suggests that exercising after learning a new skill can help enhance the learning of that skill. So maybe the best time for musicians to work out is after a practice session? How a Post-Practice Workout Could Help Boost Learning and RetentionMore from The Bulletproof Musician Get the free weekly newsletter, for more nerdy details and bonus subscriber-only content. 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

Is there something inherently different about classical music that makes classical musicians more anxious on stage? And if so, what could that possibly be? Do Classical Musicians Get More Nervous Than Non-Classical Musicians? (And If so, Why?)More from The Bulletproof Musician Get the free weekly newsletter, for more nerdy details and bonus subscriber-only content. 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

Ever wonder what exact strategies experienced musicians use to come up with their own unique interpretation of a piece? Research suggests that these 8 strategies might be a good place to start. For links to the guitarists' recordings, go to 8 Strategies Musicians Use to Create Their Own Unique Interpretation of a PieceMore from The Bulletproof Musician Get the free weekly newsletter, for more nerdy details and bonus subscriber-only content. 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