Kerry brings out some very good points. I used something similar earlier in my
career. I
was gradually able to get off of it as my confidence and experience grew. Even
now in a
"very high pressure" situation I will use it on occasion.

It really all depends on how your body and mind work, or don't work, together
in a given
situation.

Eric in Iowa

--- In horn@yahoogroups.com, "Kerry Thompson" <alpha@...> wrote:
>
> Dalt wrote:
>
> > "Any tips on how to mentally prepare for things like this? Concerts
> > standing at the front of the stage in front of a couple hundred
> > people are fine, but this gets edgy [auditions]."
>
> You've gotten some very good advice. I'm going to add something a bit more
> controversial, because you deserve to know about it. I'm going to talk about
> a prescription medicine called beta blockers. I'm not going to recommend
> them for you, but I'm going to talk about them.
>
> What we experience as performance anxiety, stage fright, etc., is the
> primeval "fight or flight" reaction. Your body produces adrenaline, which
> causes a series of physiological reactions. In the primeval world, these
> helped us either fight better or run faster.
>
> Of course, this reaction is inappropriate on stage or in an audition. Some
> adrenaline helps keep you sharp during a performance, but too much makes
> your mouth dry out, your breathing become shallow and fast, you sweat, and
> your muscles start to quiver. Some musicians have such strong reactions that
> pianists can't keep their foot on the pedal, and violinists' bow arms shake
> uncontrollably.
>
> Beta blockers--Inderal is the most popular among performers--doesn't stop
> the production of adrenaline. What it does do, though, is block the
> receptors in your body, so the adrenaline's effect is blocked.
>
> My personal opinion is that you should try every way you can to combat
> nerves before turning to beta blockers. However, there are some people who
> are superbly talented and accomplished musicians, totally prepared, but they
> still fall apart from nerves on stage. Perhaps it's something genetic or
> environmental--some people can control their nerves, but an unknown
> percentage cannot. I'm high-strung, and I'm one of those who can't.
>
> I'm principal horn in the Boston Civic Symphony, and I couldn't hold that
> position without beta blockers. I don't use them heavily--maybe a dozen
> pills a year--but I do use them.
> Without them, I get the shakes. My mouth dries out. I can't breathe. My
> fingers get slippery from sweat. And I can't play worth a darn.
>
> I've been playing the horn for over 40 years, and the only way I can play up
> to my potential in public is with beta blockers. I've tried everything
> else--I'm prepared, I'm reasonably good, I've tried bananas, I've tried the
> various mind techniques. They help, but, for me, there will come a time when
> I have a big solo, and I will embarrass myself, my colleagues, and the
> audience, regardless of how well I'm prepared.
>
> There are a surprising number of professionals who use beta blockers, from
> world-class soloists to top 5 concertmasters to section horn players. I've
> found that some of those who are most vocally opposed to them actually use
> them in secret. This isn't speculation--I personally know world-class
> musicians who use beta blockers. Without them, they wouldn't have a career
> (and, conversely, I know musicians who lost their jobs because of nerves,
> including principal horns in two major U.S. orchestras.
>
> Facts about beta blockers:
>
> - They are not performance enhancers like steroids. They won't make you the
> Barry Bonds of the Horn. In fact, they won't make you any better--if you
> can't play that solo in the practice room, beta blockers will be no help.
> They merely block the adrenaline so you can play as well as you are able.
>
> - You MUST get them with your doctor's approval. They are a prescription
> medication, and only your doctor can know if they are right, and safe, for
> you.
>
> - They are relatively mild--in fact, their initial use was to lower blood
> pressure--but there are potential side effects, including, ironically, dry
> mouth and, of course, low blood pressure.
>
> - Using beta blockers isn't "cheating." You are not giving yourself an
> advantage that isn't available to everybody. And, be sure, when you
> audition, there will be several people auditioning who ARE using beta
> blockers.
>
> Again, I'm not recommending them for you. In fact, I'm recommending that you
> try everything else before you use beta blockers. But I want you to know
> that they are there if it turns out to be the only thing that helps.
>
> The bottom line for me is that I owe the audience, and my colleagues, the
> best performance I can give them. And so do you, and everybody on the list.
> We all have our paths to achieving that, and beta blockers are part of that
> path for many of us. Hopefully you won't need them, but now you know about
> them.
>
> Cordially,
>
> Kerry Thompson
>