Registration Closed.
The Healthy Music Practice Course
A 30-Day Practice Challenge & More!
Tuesday, March 4th – Saturday, April 12th, 2025
Course Instructor: Peter Jacobson
Tuition:
Basic Version – $195
Plus Version – $495
This course draws on many of the practicing principles and strategies found in these resources.
"This course and challenge has been a healing process, helping me reconnect with myself as a musician in a more holistic way.”
“This experience has been emotional for me. As a conservatory refugee, I didn’t have these tools before—I just practiced in a pressure-cooker environment, trying to make everything perfect."
– Laura H., Violinist & Teacher
What is the Healthy Music Practice Course?
The Healthy Music Practice Course is designed to fundamentally change your approach to practicing.
The centerpiece of the course is a 30-Day Practice Challenge, where you will put the Healthy Music Practice theory and philosophy into actual practice.
This course is designed to help musicians like you:
- Learn the most effective practicing strategies used by musical experts (and backed by scientific research)
- Learn to practice in a healthy way that prevents pain, tension and fatigue
- Rejuvenate your relationship with practicing
- Gain confidence your ability to design productive practice sessions
- Learn new tools to grow as a musician
- Build consistent practice habits through a 30-day practice challenge
- Invite more play, joy and fun into your practice
At the end of the course you'll have a newfound confidence in your ability to practice consistently, efficiently and healthily.
And you’ll have a whole new set of tools to make better and more productive use of your precious practice time.
What would it be like to 2x, 3x or even 10x the results you get from your practice?
“The very first week of this challenge changed my life."
"I realized that I practice every day in different ways, even when I’m in rehearsal or performing. I had been stuck in a rut thinking I was a terrible musician because I didn’t practice in the traditional sense. Now, I see that I’m actually a really good musician, and I don’t have to measure myself by someone else’s standards.”
– Abbi C., Vocalist & Teacher
Is This You?
+ I want to realize my full musical potential.
+ I want to learn some fresh, new approaches to practicing.
+ I want to rejuvenate my relationship with practice.
+ I want to build healthier practice habits.
+ I want to improve my self-image as a musician.
+ I want to practice without pain, tension or fatigue.
+ I want to be more playful and creative during my practice time.
+ I want my practice to be sparked by curiosity and joy rather than driven by necessity and fear.
+ I want to experience more kindness and self-compassion when I practice.
+ I want to learn surefire ways to get a practice session started.
+ I want to learn effective practice strategies that I can teach to my music students.
“This challenge made me feel that practicing is an act of compassion—for myself and for others."
"It helped me practice kindness and patience with myself every day, making the whole process much more enjoyable.”
– Tami W., Guitarist
The Basic Course
The Basic Version of this course consists of three parts:
- 3 Core Modules (12 lessons) on the basics of the Healthy Music Practice approach
- The 30-Day Practice Challenge with daily practice prompts & strategies
- 3 live online classes before, during and after the challenge
- BONUS: Instant access to a recent 2-hour online workshop, “Healthy Practice Strategies"
1. 4 Core Modules on Healthy Music Practice
Module 1: The Basics of Healthy Music Practice
- Lesson 1: What is Healthy Music Practice?
- Lesson 2: Redefining Practice
- Lesson 3: A Skill-Based Approach to Practicing
- Lesson 4: The 4 RITE Fundamental Skill Areas
Module 2: The 4 Pillars of Healthy Music Practice
- Lesson 5: Pillar I – The Alexander Technique
- Lesson 6: Pillar II – Body Mapping
- Lesson 7: Pillar III – Deliberate Practice
- Lesson 8: Pillar IV – Deep Play (Flow)
Module 3: Planning & Designing a Healthy Music Practice Session
- Lesson 9: Goal-Setting & Practice Planning
- Lesson 10: How to Start & End a Practice Session
- Lesson 11: The Musician’s Many Hats (Plus 4 Practice Recipes)
- Lesson 12: The Importance Breaks, Transitions, Endings & Reflecting
Module 4: Practicing Outside the Box
- Lesson 13: Improvisation, Experimentation & Play
- Lesson 14: Story-Based Practicing
- Lesson 15: Pencil & Paper Practice
2. The 30-Day Practice Challenge
Week 0 – Getting Prepared for the Challenge (March 4th – March 8th)
The week before the challenge begins will prepare you for what's ahead by reading the 12 lessons from the 3 core modules as well as completing simple tasks like setting up your practice space, scheduling your practice sessions, defining your 30-day goals and more!
Weeks 1 to 4 – The 30-Day Challenge (March 9th – April 7th)
During the 30 days of the practice challenge, you'll get a daily email that will contain holistic and healthy practice ideas, deliberate practice strategies and other practice prompts to support you.
- Week 1 will focus on wholeness, movement, space, awareness, constructive planning and thinking, mental practice strategies, improving rhythm and more!
- Week 2 will focus on non-doing, end-gaining, deliberate practice strategies, improving intonation and more!
- Week 3 will focus on senses, creativity, play, musicianship, tone and more!
- Week 4 memorization, speed, expression, story-based practicing and more!
Week 5 – Reflecting & Celebrating (April 8th – April 12th)
After the challenge is over there will be a week to reflect on what you learned, how you grew as a musician and celebrate your successes.
Rest Days
Every Sunday (Days 1, 8, 15, 22, 29) during the challenge will be a rest day. The rest day emails will focus on 3 supporting factors: movement, sleep and diet.
3. Three 1-Hour Classes (New!)
Besides all of the other material in the Basic Course, you'll also get the opportunity to attend 3 x 1-hour live, online classes led by course instructor Peter Jacobson. These classes are designed to go deeper into the material as well as offer support and inspiration.
The classes will take place:
- Class #1: How to Get Ready for the 30-Day Challenge – Thursday, March 6th @ 11am-12pm central/12-1pm eastern
- Class #2: Mid-Challenge Booster – Monday, March 24th @ 11am-12pm central/12-1pm eastern
- Class #3: Post-Challenge Reflecting & Celebrating – Tuesday, April 8th @ 12-1pm central/1-2pm eastern
All classes will be recorded and available to watch in a private member's area.
“My experience with the Practice Challenge was significant beyond measure."
"Halfway through the challenge, I discovered that I had developed enough confidence and assembled an array of tools to return to my first love—playing the mandolin. The challenge was fundamental in helping me build a new mindset, one of patience, curiosity, and hope.”
– Jim A., Multi-Instrumentalist
The Advanced Course
If you want to supercharge your experience and get additional instruction and support, consider registering for the Advanced Course.
This version offers everything in the Basic Course PLUS a 6-week membership in the MBMS Academy which includes:
- Weekly community classes (choose from 3 class sections)
- Flex Time sessions (offered 4-5 times per week during the 30-day challenge, attend when you can)
- 2 workshops with world-renowned Alexander Technique teacher Cathy Madden
- Access to the Body Freedom for Musicians course
- Private Member’s Area
1. Weekly Community Classes
These regular classes are a time for our learning community to gather and go deeper into the course concepts while also connecting with other like-minded practicing musicians. Classes consist of a combination of lecture/presentation, group explorations and individual work with volunteers in front of the class.
Choose from 3 class sections (you can drop in to any of these classes at anytime):
- 6 Tuesdays (March 4, 11, 18, 25; April 1, 8) @ 10am-11am central/11am-12pm eastern
- 6 Thursdays (March 6, 13, 20, 27; April 3, 10) @ 1pm-2pm central/12pm-3pm eastern
- 4 Saturdays (March 15, 22, 29; April 12) @ 1-2:30pm central/2-3:30pm eastern.
2. Flex Time Sessions
Do you avoid or resist practicing? If so, our Flex Time sessions might be just what you need! During these optional 60-minute drop-in sessions you’ll join other members of the community to get your own personal work done. You can practice on your own, do admin work you might be avoiding (like answering emails, organizing your schedule, paying bills, etc.), have a private conversation with a colleague in a breakout room or do any other work that's important to you. The idea is that work is more fun (and more likely to get done) with others!
Flex Time Schedule (from March 10th - April 7th):
- Mondays @ 9-10am central/10-11am eastern
- Tuesdays @ 11am-12pm central/12pm-1pm eastern
- Wednesdays @ 9-10am central/10-11am eastern
- Thursdays @ 2-3pm central/3-4pm eastern
- Fridays @ 1-2pm central/2-3pm
3. Two Workshops with Guest Teacher Cathy Madden
Join world-renowned Alexander Technique teacher Cathy Madden in a 2-part workshop series called “Skill-Building & The Alexander Technique.”
- Part 1: Saturday, March 8th @ 1-2:30pm central/2-3:30pm eastern
- Part 2: Saturday, April 5th @ 1-2:30pm central/2-3:30pm eastern
4. The Body Freedom for Musicians online course
This online course contains nearly a dozen written lessons on the core principles and practices of the Alexander Technique and Body Mapping as applied to music-making. This is our basic fundamentals course that will be used as a primary resource during the practice course.
5. Private Member's Area
Members of the course will get access to Circle, an online platform that hosts our community forum, master calendar of classes/events, library and dozens of hours of MBMS Academy class archives.
The Advanced Course is recommended only for serious musicians (amateur, professional or otherwise) who are hungry to make massive strides in their musical growth.
What Past Participants Say
(Reports from students who recently completed this course and challenge.)
“This challenge felt like a hero’s journey for me. I now have so many more tools, and fear doesn’t have to be an option anymore. I’ve realized I have the freedom to explore music in my own way, even to the point of improvising my own cadenzas, which I never thought I could do before.”
–Laura C., Vocalist & Teacher
“I’ve gotten much more positive about showing up to practice. The ritual of lighting a candle has transformed my mindset—I now associate practice with being a good musician, not something I have to do because I’m a bad one. The smell, the act of lighting it, everything contributes to making practice a positive experience.”
–Joni B., Clarinetist
“Before this challenge, I felt extremely disconnected from music due to injuries. Just showing up most days helped me feel grounded in my music again, and I now have a clearer sense of my purpose and goals moving forward.”
–Jan H., Vocalist
“I learned that I am much more of a musician than I previously thought. I’ve often discredited myself, but through this challenge I realized that many of the things I love doing -listening, improvising, composing, analyzing scores- are all real, valid parts of being a whole musician. It’s helping me finally become comfortable claiming that part of my identity.”
–Natalie T., Multi-Instrumentalist
“Thank you for these 30 days. I found what I’ve used invaluable. My weakest links are rhythm, bowing, and speed. Our repertoire for an upcoming concert was pop and film scores so this challenge was perfect for concentrating on those elements. The result of this experience is that I was completely confident and joyful at our performance. I also noticed that flowed over into playing with a small group that sight reads baroque music.”
– Elizabeth B., Violinist
“During this course I came to recognize myself, not just as someone who sings but as a Singer, one with a professional approach to my craft. I developed a renewed love of, and confidence in, practicing with so many new tools and concepts to work with.”
–Marilyn N., Vocalist
“I discovered that confusion regarding how to practice was a major contributor to my resistance to practicing, so by defining specific goals, it became soooo much easier and much more likely for me to actually show up. Yay! I don't feel lost in a vast, foggy ocean anymore! And... I'm showing up! This has been one of the most rewarding investments I've ever made!”
–Reema A., Vocalist
“My learning was supercharged during this challenge. By looking for the connection between all of the micro-practices I completed, the leap forward in my memorization and technical skill building was enormous. Instead of practicing because I should, I practice because I want to. Thank you for your carefully crafted emails that spurred conversation, research, and a desire to practice!”
–Sandra K., Vocalist & Teacher
“At first, I tried to structure my practice perfectly, but life isn’t always that organized. Over time, I realized I was actually practicing in new ways—being more curious, trying improvisation, and stepping outside my comfort zone. This challenge gave me great tools, and I feel proud of the new things I explored.”
–Avital G., Vocalist
“I now feel like I have more agency over my practice. In the past, my main focus was to avoid showing up unprepared. But through this challenge, I’ve learned how to identify areas that can truly make me a better musician and contribute more to my ensemble.”
–Kathy H., Vocalist
“This challenge helped me redefine what practice is. I used to think certain activities weren’t ‘real’ practice, but now I see how much they contribute. This shift in mindset has been incredibly valuable. I am very glad that I have taken this practice course and 30 day challenge.”
–Debra G., Violinist
"Although I was not able to participate every day in the challenge, I have to thank you for getting me back practicing again. It has been so long since I have done that. I spend most evenings planning lessons for my delightful K-2 music students, and it was so important for me to spend some time improving my music, not just planning for theirs! I loved everything about it - even the overwhelm, haha. It got me thinking, exploring, and playing, and let me choose the things that felt doable for each of the days I practiced. I will use this information for a lifetime. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!”
–Debbie D., Vocalist & Teacher
