confuoco

Rick, No need to apologize. We have all been there. You were not bashing anyone. Just giving us your version of the story we have all been a part of one time or another. Let us know how the gig goes. And how do you like your Cannonball trumpet?

rowuk

Getting back to the mental aspect, we need to be careful. Creative people ALWAYS compensate in some other way.
If we focus on things to worry about, we can fuel that fire very easily. Every player needs to do what works for them. As a rule, more sleep means better concentration and I do not know of any brass player that gets enough sleep!

The best way to play the mental game is to minimize the tragedies of daily life. Flowers when you come home especially late, making and KEEPING dinner dates so that the support team does not feel lonely and left out!

If listening to a metronome is good for your psyche, go for it. I find that my playing improves when I PRACTICE with a metronome. Isolated clicks in my head without the horn in hand would be an invasion of the time I need to recharge after playing the horn. If it becomes part of the show when at events like Tanglewood, it could have a completely different non-musically related function..........................

Veldkamp

I noticed that when my chops are tired I start to concentrate better and making less kickses! If your thinking something like "I'm playing great today" or "I have good chops today" you don't concertrate anymore and start kicksing or make mistakes.

Feeling secure about what you're going to play is very important. But you get that attitude through (good) experiences. The more hard stuff you have played succesfully, the more secure you feel about yourself.