Having to suddenly transition to teaching online in March 2020 was quite a challenge for many (if not all!) of us. It's looking like we may be able to return to live instruction soon, but this seemed like a good time to reflect on what we've learned, and how we've grown in the months since.

To that end, here's Alexander Technique teacher Lori Schiff's story of how she went from believing that Zoom was not a viable medium for teaching Alexander Technique, to finding ways to adapt and grow as a teacher, discovering that she could indeed make online Alexander Technique lessons a meaningful experience for students.

Lori Schiff: On Adapting to Remote Instruction, and Learning to Teach Alexander Technique Online

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Have you ever found yourself talking yourself up backstage before a concert, trying to quiet the last-minute doubts and boost your confidence?

Sometimes this works, but sometimes the words just don't seem to resonate or sink in. A 2012 study suggests that there might be a better way to shift our mood in a more positive direction than simply talking to ourselves in a more positive way.

Which Is Better - A Verbal Pep Talk or a Visualization Pep Talk?

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Even though we know that learning can and does continue throughout our lifespan, it often feels like it's more of a struggle to learn new things as we get older.

So are there practice strategies that could help to offset this a bit? A recent study tested out three different practice schedules, and identified one that leads to better retention, more flexible/adaptable skills, and more motivation too!

A Test of Three Practice Schedules, and the One That Works Best (Especially for Older Learners)

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I think we've all heard that mental practice can help us improve some aspects of our playing. But is shifting or leaping from one note to another one of those areas that visualization can help with?

A 2013 study of pianists provides a few clues...

Need to Work on Shifting or Leaps From One Note to Another? Here’s How Mental Practice Could Help.

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This episode is for all of the parents out there who worry when their kids don't practice, or who aren't sure how much to push when the child says they want to quit. There isn't one single correct way to approach any of this, of course, but if you've ever wondered how professional musicians might handle these situations, here is one family's recollection of how they navigated this tricky path.

The Kantor Family: On Being Effective Music Parents to Musical Children

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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

You've probably heard that it's helpful to make your own test questions when studying for a test or exam. But is this actually true?

A recent study suggests that there are a couple study strategies that could be more effective than the standard approach of reading/rereading/reviewing your notes and assigned readings for a class.

Finals Coming Up Soon? Here’s Why You Shouldn't Just Read and Review Your Notes.

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You've probably heard the saying that "practice doesn't make perfect; perfect practice makes perfect."

But is that true? Or just a myth?

Research on errors in learning suggest that error-free practice might actually hinder the learning process, and that how we respond to errors might be the more interesting factor to consider.

Is “Perfect” Practice as Essential a Thing As We Tend to Assume It Is?

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Ever have one of those performances that makes you cringe to think of it, even years after the fact? And discover that it still continues to affect you a little bit even in performances today?

A recent study identified a strategy that may not wipe your memory clean of the negative performance, but could help you move past it a bit more effectively.

Having Difficulty Moving Past a Particularly Distressing Audition or Performance? “Just Think Positive” May Not Be the Best Strategy...

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The "memory palace" or method of loci technique, is a strategy often used by memory champions to achieve some pretty impressive feats of memory. Like being able to memorize the order of a deck of cards in less than a minute, for instance.

Typically though, memory athletes are asked to recall the information relatively soon after encoding the information into memory.

So...does this strategy work for more long-term memory too? And could it be used for music too?

Does the “Memory Palace” Strategy Really Work? And Is It Something Musicians Could Use?

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Ever find yourself in a conversation that you think should have ended some time ago, but you're still hanging in there because you think the other person wants to continue, and you don't want to be rude? What if that person actually wished the conversation were over too, but is sticking around so as not to be rude to you?

A new study suggests that this sort of thing might be happening more than you'd think - and that we may all be a lot worse at knowing when to end conversations than you'd think.

Evidence That Most of Us Are Terrible at Knowing When to End Conversations

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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