Slavoie

Thank you for the replies. Veery, I agree that positive performance experiences are important to remember and keep in this tool box as well. I like the concept of mastery you introduced; we know a skill is mastered when we have the ability to use a tool without having to think about it. It's like walking--this is a learnt skill for most of us which we perform on a daily basis without thinking about it. Thinking about the motion of putting one foot in front of the other and walking in a straight line only makes the action more complicated. The toolbox is helpful as a reminder that the tools it contains are skills we have learnt and can trust.

rowuk

I like the toolbox concept. Tools that do not get often used start to rust.

Even if we "inherited" a masters toolbox, it probably wouldn't help much though. Experience teaches us to use the tools and there is no replacement for that.

siarr

When what you hear inside your head just comes out of the horn with no concious process. This comes with mastery. Only a few gain it.

Sorry but I have a Zen infection.[/quote]

As a practitioner of Zen, I'm always striving to embody this concept while playing. Ideally, there is no separation into horn, brain, chops, body, etc. It's just...THIS!! Just AWARENESS is playing. Or is the music playing YOU? But before one can even approach this level of oneness, as others have rightly noted, one's technique and "toolbox" abilities must be totally honed and self-conciously developed. We learn the skills in order to "forget" the skills and just "be" the music. When it happens, it's magical.

gassho,

Chas