Change Your Mind, Not Your Mouthpiece

The mind is the most significant variable in our playing make-up. It is ultimately responsible for every sound we produce, yet is rarely directly focused on in our practice. Instead of trying to improve our performance by changing our mouthpieces, we should be changing how we use our minds. This idea is nothing new or radical. Great teachers and players such as Bill Adam, Don Jacoby, Vincent Cichowicz, Mike Vax and Pat Harbison have recommended the following books:

• Inner Game of Tennis by Timothy Gallwey
• Psycho-Cybernetics by Maxwell Maltz
• As a Man Thinketh by James Allen

Neurolinguistic Programming (commonly referred to as NLP) is a fairly new set of techniques which can be thought of as "software for the mind." It deals with the structure of experience and learning to model the behavior of someone who performs any skill at a high level. If you are familiar with the visualization exercises described in Psycho-Cybernetcs you will find these techniques similar but more powerful.

In the future I hope to be able to share more of the applications of NLP, but for now here is one exercise (I no longer can find the original source) which can make a tremendous difference in your comfort and confidence when performing. At first work with one piece of music until you are comfortable with the steps.

1. Imagine a performer you admire performing a passage from the piece you're working on. Picture their confidence as he or she walks onstage and the intense concentration of an experienced performer. Experiment with the volume of the sound and the clarity and brightness of the picture to maximize the intensity of the image. (These are know as "submodalities" and are very important to NLP but space prevents discussing them further here). Personally, I have better results when I imagine a player I have met, however briefly. For example, I get poor results imagining Herseth, but wonderful results using Ghittala who I've met only briefly after a masterclass.
2. Keeping the Sound the Same picture yourself onstage performing the piece. Again experiment with the volume and clarity of the image to make it as intense as possible.
3. Keeping the Sound the Same imagine what you will see onstage as you perform. Picture your hands on the horn, your accompanist, the music on the stand, the audience; all these details enhance the effectiveness of this type of practice.
4. Keeping the Sound in your head the Same play the passage. Before a solo performance I will usually do steps 1 - 3 as described above and then practice walking on stage as confidently as the player I've used as a model.

While some might think this type of practice is a waste of time research shows otherwise. A study in The Journal of Applied Psychology (1994, Vol. 79, No. 4, 481-492), "Does Mental Practice Enhance Performance?" by James E. Driskell, et. al. concludes, " . . . mental practice is an effective means for enhancing performance, although less effective than physical practice. Thus, for tasks that are dangerous to train for physically, for tasks in which there are seldom opportunities for physical practice, or as a means of supplementing normal training, mental practice should be considered an effective training alternative." For the brass player they are a great way to supplement our practice when the chops need a rest.

Other Thoughts on Preparing for Performances

"You don't get over being nervous, you get use to it." Keith Johnson gave me this advice (I don't know who he learned this from). Simply put with more exposure to playing in public we learn that we can have all symptoms of stagefright and the reflexes we develope in practice will carry us through.

"Breath in rhythm and flood the mind with sound." Arnold Jacobs

During long rests, such as the introduction to the Haydn or Hummel, breath in a regular rhythm, for example in for 8 counts and out for 8 counts. This will help focus the mind as well as keeping the breathing apparatus warmed-up. This suggestion came from John Haynie.

"Play for yourself and others will be pleased" Don Jacoby. Jake also said that juries are when college teachers earn their money, "How would you like to spend 4 days listening to 100 G** D*** Bugle Blowers?"

When practicing develop the habit of complementing yourself before criticizing. Often we crack one or two notes, rip the horn off our faces, let fly with a few expletives and completly overlook the things that went well, perhaps very well. Delibratly looking for the good things in our practice helps to develop a more optimistic, confident attitude towards playing.

Arrange to play in a series of low pressure situations before a big performance. In an interview published in The Brass Player (Summer 1990) Stephen Burns describes his preparations for the Maurice Andre Competition. He began by playing for a senior citizens center and played a series of 10 performances for increasingly critical audiences. While it may not be practical to arrange for every performance, gathering three or four other students and taking turns playing your jury pieces for each other is a great way to prepare for the performance. Burns also states, " . . . the pressure is self-imposed and the more you play the more you realize that, and the more you get used to it. What it comes down to is that making music is just having the ideal in your head and expressing it, letting it out through the instrument. It is really quite simple."

Other Resources

Hickman, David.Trumpet Lessons with David Hickman, Volume 5, Psychology of Performance. Tromba Publications.

Kohut, Daniel L. Musical Performance: Learining Theory and Pedagogy.Prentice-Hall, 1985.

NLP: The New Technology of Achievement.NLP Comprehensive, 1994.

Seligman, Martin. Learned Optimism. Pocket Books, 1990.

Severson, Paul and Mark McDunn. Brass Wind Artistry: Master Your Mind, Master Your Instrument. Accura Music, 1983.

Donovan Bankhead's collection of tips on anxiety gather from TPIN.

Vincent Cichowicz on Preparing for Auditions

NLP Information Center

If you have trouble finding any of the books or articles mentioned here, try going to your local library and ask about Interlibrary Loan.

I hope you find some of this information helpful.

Best wishes,

Matt Stock

Posted November 3, 1999

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