Bulletproof Musician
542 FOLLOWERS
My life revolved around music for as long as I can remember. Along the way, I learned all about discipline, sacrifice, and what it takes to be successful. I started this blog so that I might share with you what I have learned over the years from both my musical background and my psychology training.
Bulletproof Musician
3M ago
Years ago, I read a book where the author described a study that made a compelling case for writing down your goals. The study was said to have taken place in 1979, where members of Harvard’s graduating MBA class were asked whether they had a) set any specific goals, b) written those goals down, and c) come up with plans to accomplish them.
Source ..read more
Bulletproof Musician
3M ago
In this month’s conversation, I’m joined by Jason Shafer, who is principal clarinetist of the Colorado Symphony and on the faculty of the University of Northern Colorado and the International Festival-Institute at Round Top. Jason is also nearing completion of a master’s degree in performance psychology, and so we explore the many ways in which his performance psychology studies have influenced his approach to practicing, performing, and teaching.
Source ..read more
Bulletproof Musician
4M ago
Whether it’s the gentle fluttering of butterflies in your tummy that you wake up with on the morning of a performance, or the frantic churning of butterflies that you feel backstage while waiting to play, figuring out how to manage pre-performance nerves can be a real challenge.
Source ..read more
Bulletproof Musician
5M ago
I once heard somewhere, years ago, that if you want your kid to eat a new vegetable or unusual food, you have to put it in front of them an average of 16 times before they’ll touch it.
Source ..read more
Bulletproof Musician
6M ago
Whether you’re trying to play the clarinet, hit a backhand slice, pull off an omaplata sweep, or flip a pan-sized pancake without a spatula, you’ve undoubtedly heard the phrase “practice makes perfect.”
Source ..read more
Bulletproof Musician
8M ago
Whether you’re scrolling through Facebook, Instagram, or Youtube, you’ve probably seen musicians of all ages and levels posting videos of themselves practicing, offering tips and advice on how to overcome common challenges, and sharing clips of performances or stories and behind-the-scenes looks at what it means to be a music student or professional musician.
Source ..read more
Bulletproof Musician
9M ago
Whether you’re scrolling through Facebook, Instagram, or Youtube, you’ve probably seen musicians of all ages and levels posting videos of themselves practicing, offering tips and advice on how to overcome common challenges, and sharing clips of performances or stories and behind-the-scenes looks at what it means to be a music student or professional musician.
Source ..read more
Bulletproof Musician
10M ago
In theory, piñatas are terrific fun.
I mean, what’s not to like? A hanging cornucopia of sweets, opened in spectacular fashion by smashing with a stick while blindfolded? Good times!
Of course, the reality of piñatas is never quite as exciting as one might hope.
First off, there are tons of complete misses, glancing blows, and weak hits. Then the older siblings get into the act, but to no avail.
Source ..read more
Bulletproof Musician
10M ago
There are many stories of athletes who visualized themselves practicing before going to bed, whether it be a baseball player engaging in a little batting practice or a diver rehearsing their dives. But you’ll often hear discrepancies among their accounts of how and what they visualized. Some describe going over the same skill repeatedly to work out some kinks, while others describe imagining a perfect performance, or playing out a realistic match complete with the inevitable ups and downs. I think there is a time and place for each kind of visualization, and the research suggests that visualiz ..read more
Bulletproof Musician
11M ago
One day in 5th grade, instead of going to gym class, my classmates and I were led to the cafeteria, and greeted by a whole collection of shiny band instruments lined up on a table. The band teacher then pitched us on each instrument, hoping to pique our interest in at least one of them. I’ve forgotten most of the details - but I do remember that we all thought it was hilarious when he deliberately made the most horrible sound come out of one of the instruments, and joked that if we chose that instrument, we too could make that sound and annoy our parents anytime we wanted.
Source ..read more