We all get stuck on problem passages from time to time. And it can be very natural to simply throw more repetitions at it, in hopes that this will eventually unlock something.

But in doing so, we end up accumulating more and more incorrect repetitions and reinforcing mistakes. So what’s the alternative?

A new study took a rare, close-up, repetition by repetition look at how artist-level musicians practice difficult passages. And it identified some key similarities in how they approach problems and keep making progress - without reinforcing mistakes.

The result is a concrete practice framework that any musician can use to guide their practice. You might even argue that this is THE core process that underlies effective skill learning.

Get all the nerdy details here:

The Central Strategy Expert Musicians Use to Practice Difficult Passages

References

Killion, M. F., & Duke, R. A. (2025). The central strategy of music practice: A blow-by-blow account. Journal of Expertise, 8(2–3), 85–128.

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The voice in our head can be an asset at times - but also kind of a jerk at the worst possible moments. And like that one person in the “quiet car” of the train that doesn’t seem to understand the rules, it never seems to be quiet when we need it to.

A 2014 study identified a self-talk strategy that led to improved performances, and less post-performance shame and rumination.

And it doesn’t require us to shush the inner critic entirely (whew, because that’s really difficult!). It’s just a small, simple - yet quirky - tweak that anyone can do.

Get all the nerdy details here:

How a Small Change in Self-Talk Could Improve Performance Under Pressure

References

Kross, E., Bruehlman-Senecal, E., Park, J., Burson, A., Dougherty, A., Shablack, H., Bremner, R., Moser, J., & Ayduk, O. (2014). Self-talk as a regulatory mechanism: How you do it matters. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 106(2), 304–324. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0035173

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• Pressure Proof: A free 7-day performance practice crash course that will help you shrink the gap between the practice room and the stage.
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A few months ago, when a sportswriter published an article in The New York Times about an unusual and “revolutionary” practice method that NBA star Victor Wembanyama and other elite athletes and teams (like the World Series-winning LA Dodgers) were utilizing, I started getting emails from musicians, asking if this method, known as the “constraints-led approach,” might apply to practicing music too.

So what is the constraints-led approach? And is it relevant to musicians?

Spoiler alert - yes, it totally is. 😁

And if you’ve ever been frustrated by how you can play exactly the way you want in the practice room, but find that things start to break down when you’re surrounded by other musicians, or playing in a new hall, or on a different piano, this can not only help you be more comfortable in performance, but have way more fun in your daily practice too.

Get all the nerdy details right here:

A Learning Method That Outperformed Traditional Practice

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A friend recently asked if it's true that becoming a virtuoso performer requires being a perfectionist.

Well, spoiler alert, it's not a simple yes or no answer. And there are a lot of fascinating nuances to explore.

One of which involves performance anxiety, and the question of whether perfectionism increases or decreases nerves.

Get all the nerdy details and find out how much perfectionism might work best:

How Much Perfectionism Do You Really Need to Succeed?

References

Racine, P., Laflamme, S. V., Gaudreau, P., & Langlois, F. (2025). Please don’t stop the music! A new look at the performance anxiety of musicians with the model of excellencism and perfectionism. Psychology of Music. https://doi.org/10.1177/03057356241300538

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Get the Beyond Practicing course, with bonus account and two additional bonuses for you and a buddy (ends December 7, 2025):

👉 Get the 2-for-1 offer + bonuses

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Playing for other people, whether it’s an audience of one, a dozen, or several hundred, can be a stressful thing! So it’s easy to focus on the negative aspects of performance, like how to manage nerves and avoid mistakes.

But performing can also be a real thrill, and one of the most satisfying and meaningful things we do in music. So I thought it might be fun to explore performing and practicing from this more positive angle as well.

My guest today is pianist Pallavi Mahidhara. A prizewinner at the Geneva International Piano Competition and the International Prokofiev Competition in Saint Petersburg Russia, Pallavi has performed across five continents, and at festivals such as Marlboro and Verbier. She also hosts the “Conscious Artist” podcast, which promotes mental health awareness for performing artists, and is often invited to give workshops and master classes at universities and summer programs as well.

In this episode, you’ll hear Pallavi describe how practicing and performing are separate, how practicing and performing are connected, how she is able to look for the good rather than the bad in each piano she plays, how she is able to be present and trust herself in performance, and why it’s helpful - both in music and in life - to have no regrets.

Get all the nerdy details right here:

Pallavi Mahidhara: On Practicing for Flexibility, Not Perfection

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• Pressure Proof: A free 7-day performance practice crash course that will help you shrink the gap between the practice room and the stage.
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• Live and self-paced courses

Sleep and recovery is an aspect of preparation that athletes prioritize, with teams hiring sleep consultants, and many athletes going to great lengths to ensure they’re getting enough sleep.

And studies suggest that this investment of time is very much worth their while, when it comes to high-level performance.

But how much of a difference would an additional 90 minutes of sleep make when it comes to music performance?

Get all the nerdy details and see what happened when a group of music students and professional musicians added an extra 90 minutes to their sleep for a week:

What Happened When Musicians Slept 90 Minutes More

References

Pelletier, B. (2025). Effects of sleep extension on musical performance skills. Music & Science, 8. https://doi.org/10.1177/20592043251385420

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• 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

I remember a lesson many years ago, when my teacher told me that her job was to teach me how to teach myself. So that I would one day no longer need a teacher.

I couldn’t have been more than 9 or 10 at the time, so the notion of me teaching myself was hard to fathom. It was difficult enough to just play in tune, never mind come up with my own bowings and fingerings, or making decisions about phrasing and all the musical details and nuances involved.

Of course, she was right. One day I wouldn’t have a teacher. Or even if I did, I would only have that teacher’s assistance for one brief hour out of each week. Which meant that for 99.4% of the week, I was on my own. And if I wanted to make meaningful progress during the week, I’d have to learn how to teach myself.

But how exactly do you teach someone to become a more independent learner?

Get all the nerdy details right here:

Why Being Too Quick to Offer Feedback Could Inhibit Learning

References

Swinnen, S. P., Schmidt, R. A., Nicholson, D. E., & Shapiro, D. C. (1990). Information feedback for skill acquisition: Instantaneous knowledge of results degrades learning. Journal of Experimental Psychology Learning Memory and Cognition, 16(4), 706–716. https://doi.org/10.1037/0278-7393.16.4.706

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

Whether we’re baking a cake, driving to a new restaurant, or putting together a puzzle, we can usually get to the goal more efficiently and effectively if we have a clear idea what the destination looks like.

I think we all know that the same is true for learning a new piece of music too - but often, this is not actually what our practice looks like. While we might have a pretty good idea what we don’t want something to sound like, our approach to practicing suggests that we are typically much less clear about what exactly we do want.

A 2023 study illustrates how taking a moment to be clearer about our musical intentions (with a 4-step process) could lead to more effective practice!

Get all the nerdy details here:

Fewer Repetitions….But More Rapid Progress?

References

Williams, S. G., van Ketel, J. E., & Schaefer, R. S. (2023). Practicing Musical Intention: The Effects of External Focus of Attention on Musicians’ Skill Acquisition. Music & Science, 6. https://doi.org/10.1177/20592043231151416

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