328 episodes

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 Noa Kageyama

    • Science
    • 4.9 • 145 Ratings

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.

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

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

    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...

    • 7 min
    Why Practicing for Consistency May Be Less Effective Than You’d Think

    Why Practicing for Consistency May Be Less Effective Than You’d Think

    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 ...

    • 9 min
    Are Great Sight-Readers Born or Made?

    Are Great Sight-Readers Born or Made?

    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 t...

    • 8 min
    Michael Bridge: On Cultivating Expressive (vs Impressive) Virtuosity

    Michael Bridge: On Cultivating Expressive (vs Impressive) Virtuosity

    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 asp...

    • 58 min
    How Much of an Effect Does Hydration Have on Practice & Performance?

    How Much of an Effect Does Hydration Have on Practice & Performance?

    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 ...

    • 6 min
    Feel Like You’re Getting Worse? Here’s Why That May Not Just Be Your Imagination.

    Feel Like You’re Getting Worse? Here’s Why That May Not Just Be Your Imagination.

    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...

    • 9 min

Customer Reviews

4.9 out of 5
145 Ratings

145 Ratings

BBViolin ,

Fantastic Podcast for Musicians

I have listened to Noa’s podcast for a while now and have always found his interviews well done and extremely informative. Today, I woke up and put on his interview with Asian Mornell and I have to say, this was the best interview I have ever listened to. Noa has a way of asking the right questions at the right time and allows his guests to speak and inform. I really enjoy this podcast. Thanks Noa!

MI Music Studio ,

Helpful and practical!

Every musician and music teacher will benefit from the information on practicing and performing in this podcast!

NicoleRiccardo ,

An essential resource for musicians

The bulletproof musician should be a required resource for all musicians! Actionable tips and inspiration - thank you for creating such a wonderful resource!!

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