33 | run it back

issue 33 will be the final edition of the chordinnation for 2025. It will return in 2026, Luka-Dončić-style (i.e., slimmer, more focused). Year 1 was all about consistency and exploration of the connection between music and sport. Year 2 will look to build upon the things that worked in Year 1 (e.g., the album club) and use the lessons learned to provide actionable insight about performance. Year 1 was about the what and why; Year 2 will be more about the how. Year 1 was about quantity; Year 2 will be about quality. Year 1 was about showing up; Year 2 will be about sticking around. You get the idea!

I don’t anticipate anyone who enjoyed Year 1 not enjoying Year 2, but want to make the information more useful to individuals desiring something they can put into practice. I realized early on in 2025 that my initial goal for a weekly newsletter was a bit ambitious. Even scaling that to twice monthly proved difficult. Too much filler, not enough - or perhaps any - killer. So 2026 will look to bring more intention to the chordinnation, with an “at least once per month” approach that provides insights and information across a few areas:

• The newsletter will drop monthly, and will likely retain a similar format. Rather than highlight just the connection between sport and music, however, it will also look to deliver specific direction for how performers can better understand who they are and how they can use music to increase enjoyment and/or performance. Think of this as a shift from abstract to action. Specifically, I will look to offer application across 2 areas:

  • Using music to enhance sport performance - I provided a lot of abstract advice in Year 1. For Year 2, I want to walk readers through the process of understanding musical preferences and using that information to make exercise or sport more enjoyable. 

  • Using contemporary ideas about practice to enhance musical efforts - My PhD focused on the psychology around the learning and performance of motor skills. Music is a motor skill. The principles that work for enhancing practice within sport also work within music. As someone who has spent a lifetime trying unsuccessfully to learn musical instruments, I may be the perfect guinea pig. So look for insights into the practice of practice that specifically apply to learning an instrument. If you are an adult looking to pick up music, this component may be especially interesting.

• The album club will continue to meet at a TBD frequency, continue to be free, and continue to welcome anyone with an interest in music and/or sport. It has been a great way to connect with others, discover different music, and escape the clutches of the algorithm, even if just for an hour per month.

• The other components will show up when, and if, they make sense. Rather than try to force create across all categories for every issue, I will look to supplement the primary components with additional elements (e.g., audio experiences, playlists, relevant research, collaborations, etc.) as needed.

With that, I will see anyone who chooses to remain in 2026. Until then, enjoy this retro commercial from a St. Louis area legend as my final gift of 2025!

I put together a playlist with my favorite tracks from Year 1 of the chordinnation. Any song that made an appearance in issues 1-32 was fair game. I tried to give you 4 mini-playlists within the larger playlist, so hopefully that comes through. Enjoy!