The Bulletproof Musician
Ever wonder why you can practice for hours, sound great in the practice room, and still be frustratingly hit or miss on stage? Join performance psychologist and Juilliard alumnus/faculty Noa Kageyama, and explore research-based “practice hacks” for beating anxiety, practicing more effectively, and playing up to your full abilities when it matters most.
The Bulletproof Musician
Finding Your Optimal Anxiety Level: Why Calm Isn’t Always Better
Even from a young age, I was always confused by the relationship between nerves and performance. There were times, for instance, when I’d be nervous and sound pretty terrible. But then there were other times when I’d be nervous and play better than ever. And then there were times when I’d be calm and sound very uninspired and mediocre.
It all felt like a crapshoot, and none of it ever made sense. Like, why were nerves sometimes helpful and sometimes not helpful? Should I be trying harder to calm down? And even if I could, given some of my subpar calm performances, was that even the answer?
If you’ve ever had questions like this, today’s article has some answers!
Get all the nerdy details and learn where the optimal anxiety level might be:
Finding Your Optimal Anxiety Level: Why Calm Isn’t Always Better
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