If you’ve been a listener of this podcast for any period of time, you’ve probably already been influenced by today’s guest without realizing it - namely, performance science researcher Aaron Williamon.

Aaron's research has produced influential insights in many different facets of a musician's life, from effective practice and performance preparation, to managing nerves, optimizing focus, musician health, technology and recording, and even the importance of how we present ourselves visually on stage.

Whether you’re interested in practicing more effectively, looking for ways to tweak your preparation for an upcoming audition, or wondering how to help your students have a more positive and empowering experience on stage, I’ll bet my next box of Weetabix that you’ll take away some new details from today’s episode that will change some facet of your practice in the week ahead. The episode will also make you think more generally about the role (and value) of music in society, if you’ve had questions about that in recent years…

Get all the nerdy details and this week's practice hacks below (there’s also a transcript with timestamps if you’d like to jump right to a few key points of interest):

​Aaron Williamon: On Becoming a Better, Happier, and Healthier Musician

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Have you ever wondered why it is exactly that things often sound better at home than they do on stage?

If you’ve been confused (and frustrated) by the inconsistency of your performances, I put together a FREE 4-minute quiz called the Mental Skills Audit, which will help you pinpoint your mental strengths and weaknesses, and figure out what exactly to adjust and tweak in your preparation for more consistently optimal performances.

It’s 100% free, takes only 4 minutes, and you’ll get a downloadable PDF with a personalized breakdown of where you stand in six key mental skill areas. You'll also get the Pressure Proof Practice Challenge, a free 7-day email course where you'll learn specific practice strategies that will help you perform your best, even under pressure.

Take the quiz here: bulletproofmusician.com/msa