Archived under: Accuracy, Random | Stress & anxiety
Nerves and Accuracy
One thing I have become convinced of lately is that certainly there are non horn players who think that horn players miss notes mostly because of nerves, as in that is the main reason horn players would ever miss notes in something we have worked out as well as we can. Their idea is that a good player should be able to lay down the notes if their mindset is right. This idea has some basis in sports psychology, but this is easier said than done in reality.
Why we miss notes is a great topic (up for a dissertation anyone?). Horn playing is not like piano playing. On piano, if you put your finger the right place at the right time you will play the right note; on horn there is no similar guarantee and the upper range can be especially treacherous. Not only will the note be the right note on the piano, it will be in tune and with a good tone; horn we have even more variables to manage. Trying hard to not miss notes does not really work. The strong “inner critic” many horn players seem to possess also does not help us out.
You will obtain the best results when you are in a mood and mindset that lets the music happen. The sort of stuff described in The Inner Game of Tennis and other more recent resources. However, I can feel completely relaxed, well focused, etc. and still miss notes here and there! We are not machines and play an inefficient instrument, the least efficient of all the brasses, one that is geared around producing a certain type of sound. If the only goal was accuracy we would have all switched to Tenor horns or mellophones or descant horns long ago.
I have heard horn teachers say that hornists miss notes for many reasons, including not using the air well, not tonguing the notes correctly, water in the horn, etc. For me personally I mostly relate missed notes in my own playing to chops. It is easier to be accurate when your chops feel good! Always try to keep your chops up and feeling good, and always plan the playing day as much as possible around feeling warmed up and fresh at the beginning of any rehearsal or performance. This will enhance your general confidence a lot. If my chops feel good I feel that I should expect to play well, but if they feel bad it is like I already have two strikes against me and plenty of reason to feel anxious. Chops for me also relate to the buzz behind the notes; if you are buzzing on center you should not miss.
This is a large topic. I hope to post more soon on the topics of peak performance and confidence.
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