One Wrong NoteHow to Stop Bracing for Mistakes and Enjoy Playing With Other People
A three-step strategy for keeping the tune going in the second after a mistake, whether you're at a jam or playing for an audience.
Wednesday, November 4 at 7:00 PM EST · About 30 minutes, live, with Q&A
Can't attend live? Register anyway and we'll send you the replay.
Hosted by Dr. Josh Turknett, MD, board-certified neurologist and founder of the Institute for Performance Neurology.
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You know this moment
You're playing a tune you know well. Then one note comes out wrong. Your face goes hot, you wonder who heard it, and suddenly you're thinking about your fingers instead of the music. The next note gets shaky, then the one after that, and before long the whole tune is coming apart.
So you start bracing for it. Every time you play with other people, part of you is watching for the next mistake. It wears you out, and it takes away the fun of making music together, which is the whole reason you're there.
Keeping the tune going is a skill
Every player hits wrong notes, even the best in the world. Whether a slip stays one wrong note or takes down the whole tune depends on what you do in the next second. And that's something your brain can learn the same way it learned the tune: through practice.
Once you trust that you can keep the tune going after a slip, there's less reason to brace for one. That leaves more of your attention for the music, and for the people you're playing with.
In this free class, you'll learn
- What happens in your brain in the second after a wrong note, and why one slip can turn into several.
- The three steps for keeping the tune going, at a jam or in front of an audience.
- How to practice recovering from a mistake, so you've had the reps before your next jam.
- Plus time for your questions at the end.
Who's teaching this
Dr. Josh Turknett is a board-certified neurologist who has spent more than 30 years studying the brain and has taught many thousands of musicians through his Brainjo courses. He's the founder of the Institute for Performance Neurology and the author of The Genius and the Impostor (Penguin, 2026).
"I'm like a different person because my anxiety is no longer controlling me. I play my banjo, make some mistakes and play on. No spiral. I feel empowered."
Peggy K., banjo player
"Anytime I had a show … it was dread. … And now I have anticipation towards the shows."
Ken L., guitar and fiddle player
This class is for you if
You've had one wrong note take down a tune you know well, or you catch yourself bracing for mistakes every time you play with other people. If you'd like to enjoy the next jam, open mic or family gathering, save your free seat below.
Save My Free SeatWednesday, November 4 at 7:00 PM EST · Free · About 30 minutes · Replay sent to everyone who registers