Practicing is the main activity of a musician. We all know that it is not just the amount of practice that we do that brings results, but the quality of our practice. When we understand how musical learning works and how we ourselves function best our practice can be efficient, effective and joyful! Learn about Quality Practice with musician and performance science expert Dr. Susan Williams.
Mapping Mastery is a self-paced video course designed as a complete learning cycle — from orientation and goal setting to performance and reflection. It brings clarity, structure and energy to your musical growth, supporting you in becoming your own self-trainer.
This conversation explores attention in practice, preparing performances with focus, reflecting on the process, and developing self-awareness as a foundation for confident, sustainable artistic development.
1 Jun 2025
Here & Now: Sensory Awareness
This episode features a guided visualization that cultivates sensory awareness, helping listeners warm up and achieve deep engagement.
1 May 2025
Here & Now: Self-Awareness
Here’s a visualisation exercise to help you connect with yourself – body, mind, and emotion – to help you be in a centred state for practice, performance and for formulating goals.
18 Apr 2025
Performance Preparation Visualisation
A very practical mental training tool for preparing your performances is to do a Performance Preparation Visualisation. Positive visualization exercises have the best effects when you do them directly before going to sleep. Try this one for a few nights before an important performance to release fear and stress and to program positive expectations and a convincing performance.
11 Apr 2025
Performance Preparation Strategies
Which strategies can help you to be able to say ‘I am well prepared’? Here is a look at the weeks before a performance and how you can best use them.
30 Mar 2025
Performance Preparation
How do you know if you are ready to perform something? Performing is a skill that needs to be developed and practiced. Once you know you can play a piece convincingly, you need to practice trust. Performance preparation involves practicing musical focus, building concentration, confidence and the ability to stay on track after a mistake. Having control over your thoughts and having something to say.
1 Mar 2025
Mindset
In this episode, we dive into the power of mindset and the deep-seated beliefs we hold about ourselves. How do these beliefs shape our practice and performances, our confidence, and the opportunities we allow into our lives? And more importantly - how can we shift them to unlock our true potential?
1 Feb 2025
Motivation
In this episode, we dive into the different forms of motivation—intrinsic and extrinsic—and explore how they shape our actions. Why do some things excite us naturally, while others require external rewards? Understanding what truly drives us can help us stay inspired and achieve our goals more effectively.
29 Dec 2024
Building Healthy Habits
Creating healthy habits is an important part for being a musician. Changing habits sometimes seems hard, so we have to be aware of our subconscious mechanisms that hold us back from change.
1 Dec 2024
You are the instrument
Musician and wellness expert, Dr. Emma Taylor, shares how prioritizing physical, cognitive, and psychological health is essential for balanced and happy musicians.
5 Nov 2024
Tools & Strategies
Having a variety of tools and strategies of practicing is essential for optimal learning
5 Oct 2024
Finding Flow
Cultivating deep engagement and creating a state of flow
24 Aug 2024
Attentional focus
What do we need to focus on in order to learn and perform music?
19 Aug 2024
Exploration
Get to know your repertoire, instrument and self, rather than just trying to 'solve’ them
11 Aug 2024
Self-regulation
How you are able to control your learning process is a big predictor of success for musicians.
2 Aug 2024
Foundations
What are the qualities of a good learner and conditions for learning and how do we enhance them?
7 Jul 2024
What is Quality Practice?
This episode is an overview the basic structure of Quality Practice and the main themes and criteria for optimal learning for musicians.
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