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These may be useful for blocking the effects of nerves on the short term basis, but they can be dangerous, as well. I feel that if you need them, you should investigate a different line of work. If the nervousness is so uncomfortable that you can't manage without medication, you are not enjoying it.

True, t'aint the same stuff, but Farkas used to tell about a trombone player who approached him early on before an orchestra concert, offering him a drink of vodka (which, although he wasn't a tee totaler, Farkas refused). "Takes the edge off," said the man. The next year the man was drinking before rehearsals as well as before concerts. The next year he was consuming more of the clear liquid. The next year he was not with the orchestra.

If you can't accept the nerves, you would do better in some stress-free environment. If you want to be a professional player, learn to cope with the nerves. Accept them. Welcome them for the intensity they can give you.

I had a graduate student a few years ago, who stopped just off stage to ask for God's help in performance. Later, I told him that I regarded my ability to play as my gift (my help, if you'd like) and my performance was my gift back to God.

Whatever you do, always look like you know what you are doing. Don't wince when you make an error. Act like that is the way it was written. Most of the audience will not know the difference, even among musicians. And even horn players will overlook some transgression that you think you made. So play because you enjoy it, not in spite of your nerves.

I want to chime in with those who are posting warnings about the use of beta blockers. A few years ago I decided to try Inderal because I had friends who advocated it strongly and I had a stressful gig coming up playing extra with a major symphony. Since I was a student (still am), I went to the university "quack shack." I explained to a doctor that I wanted to try Inderal for performance anxiety, and he happily wrote me a prescription. The problem was that this guy had no idea about the appropriate dosage for musicians, and he prescribed pills that were effective for twelve hours that I was instructed to take every day. A common side effect of Inderal is loss of concentration, and my playing rapidly went downhill because of this. I was practicing long Belloli etudes for my lessons, but I ended up sounding as if I were sight reading. As soon as I figured out the connection (with the help of my frustrated teacher), I quit the pills for good; I never really needed them, anyway. My warning is two-fold: don't use beta blockers just because other people do, and if you do get a prescription, make sure the pills' effect is only a few hours.

I guess we've about run this into the ground, but here's a comment about my experience:

I started taking a beta-blocker in 1993 for high blood pressure (it was not Inderal; can't remember the name). After about 7-8 months I got my doctor to switch me to something else, essentially for 2 reasons:I gained about 10 lbs.(slower metabolism) and, in performance, I had 3 quite severe panic attacks, something I never had experienced prior to that year or since.

If you ever read any of the books on prescription drugs, a caution often added is that certain drugs may produce the opposite effect from that intended, so - be careful and check it out, as it's a very individual thing.

Forgive me for returning to this topic and helping to further its beating into the ground, but I have read quietly thus far and am ready to insert my couple of cents. To say beta blockers are a "crutch" is, in my mind, implying that they are used by "cheaters." Well, isn't it true that one can be an outstanding player except for one teensy thing? In this case, it's nerves. Another person might need a larger/smaller mouthpiece in order to play well, than, say, 1st chair of the Boston Pops. Does this mean he/she is cheating to become better and hopefully 1st chair someday? I wouldn't think so; it's merely a tool to improve performance. I wonder how many musicians of all types we would be missing out hearing because they were shy, nervous, etc., to a debilitating point. Are meditation, yoga, nutrition, and other things mentioned crutches? Are people who employ those methods "cheaters?" Again, I wouldn't think so. Should blind people be refused Braille literature? I doubt it- they have a different problem than non-blind people, so they are helped to see in other ways. Somehow I don't think someone would call a blind person a "cheater" for using Braille! But when you get right down to it, Braille is used by someone who has a disability. Looking at it that way, I see someone with a terrible case of stage fright as having a disability of sorts. Why shouldn't they use something to help them? Perhaps we shouldn't use penicillin for strep throat, or give allergy shots, or give babies immunizations, because they too are extraneous "medicine." As a mother of two, I beg to differ that immunizations are extraneous, but are in fact vital, and, in light of that, so are beta blockers for someone who needs them. All medicine can be detrimental when taken incorrectly or abused. It is up to the individual and his/her doctor to see this is not done.

While playing my 3 year stint in Mexico City, I first learned of Inderal when I and my 2nd horn player were invited to do the Rosetti 2 horn concerto in Eb with our orchestra. We practiced for hours daily-got the thing absolutely 'perfect' (yeah, right...) at least we thought it was, note & phrase-wise.

I found out about Inderal 2 days before the 1st of 2 performances. I decided to forego taking it for the first show. Needless to say, I was absolutely terrified on stage-however, believe it or not, the performance went well, according to folks who commented afterwards. I cannot remember many details of the performance, due to playing in an absolute panic.

For the 2nd performance, I took 20 mg. of Inderal about 4 hours beforehand. Side effects only included dizziness and a bit of disorientation. However, the show went flawlessly, except for a couple of babies in the audience who screamed bloody murder during most of the piece.

After that, I began taking Inderal daily, self prescribing it, as it was over the counter in Mexico. I was taking up to 240 mg a day. Side effects include depression, inability to breathe after climbing stairs, and total inability to concentrate. Also, I lost quite a bit of hair off the top of my head. However, I didn't get nervous any more-but my playing began to really suck for some reason.

Upon returning to the U.S., I gave up the Inderal (gradually...) and started taking Valium for major event gigs. Valium made me meaner than a mule being bitten by a hornet, and, during Mahler's 9th Symphony, I managed to alienate the entire brass section just by my rudeness and cold blooded attitudes toward them all. Mahler's 9th went quite well, if a little bit tense. I sort of wondered then, if it was a worthy trade-off, to trade in your soul and your feelings, just so you won't get SCARED.

I stopped all the drugs, and concentrated on being myself. During performances when I was principal horn and had solos, some solos bombed because of nerves, and some did not. I began to analyze what I was thinking about while playing.

Here are some 'tapes' that used to go thru my head while doing solos:

1. Will I get the high note?
2. Will I choke?
3. Don't even THINK about missing a note!
4. Is someone important watching from the audience (heh, dream ON...)
5. Will my horn section respect me afterwards? (haha, you hope they don't know how scared you really are!)
6. If I play this with anger, then there is no room for fear. (This is a major cause of choking while playing)
7. Dear God if I get through this, I (make any promise here)

Around 1991, I performed the Britten Serenade with my orchestra. No drugs at all.

It had to be the single most terrifying thing I have ever done. It seemed that all of the nervousness that never happened during any of the rehearsals ganged up on me for both performances, causing my mouth to dry out and my throat to close up. This was quite a handicap when trying to do that long high C several times. It was only at the end of the second performance that I had pretty much blown out all the nerves and was able to finish the offstage solo with no trouble. Afterwards, I sat and thought about those performances for a long time. I could not remember what I was thinking during any part of the work. All I could think of was trying to get through it, and balancing out the tenor soloist. I was not 'afraid' to be in front of people, and I had prepared sufficiently. So, why the nerves? I still don't have the answer to that.

Shortly after that, I had a high blood pressure spike at work and had to go to the hospital for half a day. Upon getting out, and seeing a doctor for follow-up, I asked him for Inderal, which he prescribed a dose of 240 mg a day. I have been taking Inderal ever since, and have no plans to stop.

I have no fear of telling people about this, because, in the end, Inderal doesn't really do anything to my basic approach to horn playing. It only suppresses the involuntary symptoms, those symptoms which I have failed to deal with in any other manner.

I do not consider it shameful (to me) that other folks have been able to deal with the nerves without Inderal. I applaud them, in fact, but ask that people don't look down on me for being the way I am.

I have had people tell me about Inner Games, herb tea, meditation, major practicing sessions, and more. I think all of these things are good, but we are all individuals. For me, Inderal is what works-however, I must make sure I have the right 'tape' playing in my head too.

Recently, I learned a new tape, which has replaced all of the other ones. This is the tape I used when I did the Shostakovich 5th solo this month. And, it worked.

The first thing I always, always do before playing any solo is to take 2 very deep and long breaths to oxygenate myself for long passages and to aid my endurance.

• I am really scared to do this. This is a terrifying solo. Lots of horn players have been scared of this solo. I am going to let the fear go through me, and flow away, taking all the old dirt with it. Amazingly, once this step is done, I feel a whole lot better.
• Now that the fear is gone, I can see the notes, the phrasing I planned, my breathing as planned, and view the entire solo as one unit.
• I will focus on every single note. I will come down on the high notes instead of reaching for them. I will not ignore the notes that come either before or after the high notes-this is where I have messed up before. The notes surrounding the high notes are the ones most ignored by hornists in a lot of solos, since they are only worried about the high note-they don't save any energy or concentration for the rest of the phrase.
• I will be completely aware of every nuance and every expression of the solo. Nothing else will come to mind right now-it is not necessary.
• I will love the solo. I will love the people who are hearing the solo, and do my best to transmit this while playing. And, I will love myself a little bit more, and not think too much about putting the horn down when things get tough.

Now, all I have to do is write a different head tape for auditions.....

To some, beta-blockers might seem to be a necessity. Those that use them will undoubtedly continue to use them. If it works for them, so be it. However, the use of any substance to further "remove" one from a stressful situation should be warranted with caution.

To be sure, some very prominent musicians use such substances to relieve performance stress. In a discussion with a distinguished colleage, this hornist commented that when performing, it feels as if you are totally removed from the situation, as if you are watching some other person perform. I have never taken these blockers, so I take the person's word.

However, this brings up a critical question. Like Burton Hardin, I personally do not advocate anything that may block me away from the physical act of playing. Yes, I do get nervous on occasion, as do we all. I was able to finally come to self-analysis with those things that seem to be affecting my performance and attempt to deal with them. Though still having performance anxiety, I was able to turn the negative energy into positive energy. You can do this too.

Instead of allowing yourself to have anxiety over performance, turn this energy into anxiousness to perform. If you are totally prepared with your music, you should be able to become totally involved in the flow of the musical line, losing all outside focus. With the music internalized, you perform in the way you imagine the music, beautiful, singing, full of life and energy.

It would seem to me that anything that takes you away from the physical process of performance would possibly take away a performance edge. In auditions, I've noticed many players have a command of the instrument and can play the notes beautifully, but there IS NO MUSIC, just someone playing the instrument. Whether this is a result from beta-blockers or substandard musicianship, I am not able to say. Whether in recital or on an orchestral audition, the musical line must remain intact as it is within the original context. If you are auditioning for an orchestra, the committee should be able to hear the orchestra as you play. Hornists who are successful in doing this call themselves employed!

I would much rather hear a musical performance than a technical one. My colleagues are much more forgiving if the musical integrity is there. Yes, a note may be missed, but better that than listening to a machine. To those who would disagree, I add that even though nerves may raise their ugly little head now and then, I still have to deal with it, albeit with not always satisfactory results. However, as long as I am successful in creating music, not horn playing, I feel that I've succeeded. I have found out that if I choke, it is because of concentration (either lack of concentration on the task at hand, or else worrying about how the product is being received by the audience/adjudicator). This is where we are our own worst enemy.

As devil'd advocate, I can see how this position may seem idealistic. There are a myriad of wonderful hornists competing for limited positions and any type of advantage or edge is always desired. It is up to the individual to decide if using these medications is right for them. Personally, I would see if you can control yourself without using these, but if you do decide, please get a physician's advice. Good luck!

Many people use non-medical remedies for stage fright: teas, herbs, exercise, yoga, transendental meditation, and vitamins, to name just a few, to relieve nervousness. Going to a physician to ask for a prescription medication to find relief is no different. The difference is that beta blockers are very effective in relieving the symptoms of performance anxiety, and therefore, many people consider them "crutches" or "cheating." I'm not sure why, either.

We're performing a very difficult and heavy concert at the moment which includes the rarely performed Joseph's Legend by Richard Strauss and part of Tristan und Isolde. I don't mind telling you that for the high D's [horn pitch] at the end of the Strauss, I use my descant. Oh, I can play those high notes on my regular horn, but I have to work a lot harder. Is my descant a crutch? No, it's a tool which lightens my load. Our audiences are only interested in hearing the Strauss performed beautifully and really don't care what I or any other player bring to the concert to play on as long as it works.

The attitudes some express here about what they consider to be crutches, cheating, or not playing or performing the "correct" way I consider to be rather narrow minded. Some believe horn players are only playing properly if they play off the knee or on the knee, using wet lips or dry lips, standing for a concerto or sitting for a concerto, using the Bb side of the horn of the F side of the horn, playing on a particular brand of instrument or mouthpiece. The fact is, the audiences don't care about any of these things at all. They pay money to come and hear you play well--to be entertained and moved by the music. In the final analysis your audiences don't care what kind of equipment you use, what kind of playing technique you use, whether you sit or stand when you play a concerto or whether you use a medication or relaxation technique to calm yourself to perform. While horn players are unfortunately hung up about some of these things, audiences only care about the end result.

As for using beta blockers, the only concern expressed in the posts about this subject should be whether musicians are taking beta blockers they have prescribed for them by their doctors or ones they get from their friends. There is plenty of data available on the use of beta blockers by muscians. These particular medications are effective in controling nervousness. Don't use them or any medication if you don't have to, and if you need them, use them under your doctor's watchful eye.

40mg will work great, but 10mg would probably also do the job for you. Some doctors are not very familiar with the application of Inderal to alleviate the symptoms of performance anxiety. Though most (if not all) doctors now know that this medication is used for it, there are still some who do not realize how small a dosage it takes to be effective.

Inderal was first used as a medication to stabilize blood pressure, and to treat migraine headaches. The dosage was usually anywhere from 50mg to 200mg or higher for these applications. So when a physician wrote a prescription, it was for these doses.

It was later discovered that a side effect of the medication was that by blocking the flow of adrenaline, it would eliminate the symptoms present with performance anxiety: the sweaty palms, dry mouth, thumping heart beat, shakiness, and overall queasy feeling. And the adrenaline response could be adequately controlled with a fraction of the dosage required for the blood pressure or migraine conditions. 20mg for relief of performance anxiety symptoms would actually be considered a very large dosage. Most people that use it for this purpose can function well with 10mg or even 5mg.

Larger doses (like 40mg, or more) will certainly produce the adrenalin blocking effects, and alleviate the symptoms. However with larger doses one will also frequently experience the "spaciness" that one person mentioned previously: that sensation of being an observer of the musical performance, instead of being the performer. The smaller dosage of the medication is usually not perceptible in any way, except that the symptoms of performance anxiety are no longer there.

The small dosage of 5-10mg has about as much effect on you as taking an Advil to alleviate pain. Take an Advil for your headache, and in a short time, your headache is gone. Advil doesn't make you spacey, and doesn't make you a better player. Unless you are allergic to it, all it does (without getting technical) is alleviate your symptoms of pain. And that can allow you to function better in whatever activity you engage in.

Take 5-10mg of Inderal for your performance anxiety, and in a short time, your symptoms are gone. The small dosage of Inderal should not make you spacey, and it certainly doesn't make you a better player. And the fact is, your body would probably react more noticably to drinking a cup of strong coffee than to taking the small dose of Inderal required to alleviate adrenaline flow symptoms.

Unless you are allergic to it, all it does (without getting technical) is alleviate the symptoms of performance anxiety. What this does is to allow you to perform unimpeded by the dry mouth, thumping heartbeat, etc. that is a result of flowing adrenaline. It in no way dimishes the excitement of the event, nor does it suddenly confer upon you the ability to perform something in public that you haven't prepared well in your practice room.

As with all medications (including prescriptions like Prozac, or codeine, or the over-the-counter ones like Tylenol, Advil, Nyquil, and even Rolaids), there are contraindications and warnings surrounding the usage of it. For example, using Inderal (the generic name is propranolol, by the way) will render ineffective most asthma medications. There are other considerations as well, so it should be used only under supervision of a medical doctor who is familiar with your medical history.

So, if you feel that you need to use Inderal, inquire of your doctor whether he or she is very familiar with the application of it to the condition of performance anxiety. If they try to prescribe more than 10mg for you at first, they are only partly familiar with this application. So help them get educated by explaining that the normal effective dosage for performance anxiety is usually only in the 5-15 mg range.

Some further information on the medication: it reaches an effective level about 45 minutes after you take it. It's half-life is about four hours, so it is pretty much out of your system about twelve hours after you take it. The shelf life is only one-two years, after which time it loses its effectiveness.

The above statements are not to be construed as a recommendation either for or against using Inderal. Nor are they to be considered in any way to be competent medical advice applicable to your condition. Medical advice should always be obtained from a medical professional. I make these statements based on my study of documents and data on the subject, and because I have discussed the medication in depth with medical doctors, registered pharmacists, and many professional musicians.

But mostly I make these statements because there seems to be a great deal of misinformation on the subject, some of it expressed in very judgmental and emotional terms. If you must get emotional and judgmental, please, at least get your facts straight first.

So if you ever self-medicate and swallow a pain pill to alleviate the medical condition commonly called headache; or chew a rolaids to alleviate the condition commonly called heartburn; or drink a cup of coffee to alleviate the condition commonly called sleepiness; even though there are alternative and more "natural" remedies to alleviate all of these symptoms, then please do not judge someone harshly when they choose to alleviate their symptoms of the medical condition commonly called performance anxiety, by taking a medication prescribed by their doctor.

As a physician and an amateur hornist, I couldn't have said it better than Prof. Bacon. Small doses (i.e. 10 mg.) usually blunt the adrenalin response without destroying the sharpness required for performance, and the whole thing should be done with your doctor's knowledge of your baseline blood pressure, other medications. and medical conditions.

My doctor who is a especialist in internal medicine including cardiology and the information from the laboratory which makes inderol states 40mg. as the dosage for anxiety and tremor.

Another perspective on this, and in this case, form your own from the following exercise:

Imagine yourself to now be the peak of your playing. This could be anything from winning a position in an esteemed world-reknown orchestra, to playing first horn in the community orchestra Mahler 5, or perhaps it could be bowing after a great solo recital performance.

Now that you have imagined yourself to be there, ask yourself the question: What got me there ? This is a big long list. Where would beta blockers be on that list ? Would you want them on your list ?

The simple fact of the matter is that there are only two people who can make the determination as to whether any drug is appropriate for you. Those two people are your doctor and yourself. This applies for any medication. Period.

You should not self prescribe beta blockers as there are some potentially serious side effects. Nor should you reject them out of hand: "Just say no!" is the most specious argument that I've ever heard. They, beta blockers, are no more and no less than a tool that has been amply documented as having beneficial effects for some performing artists, as well as others with a myriad of health concerns (including hypertension, for which I was prescribed them years ago!)

Consult your doctor, get the facts about the drug, and then make the decision for yourself. To do them is ok, to not do them is ok. That is your decision to make, not mine, or anyone elses.

Well, gosh, I've been doing drugs for years, and I'm still capable of blowing your socks off. Gee, why don't you study medicine for 12 years, become my personal physician, learn about my physical problems and why I have been given legal prescriptions for Inderal and Vicodin (a synthetic codein) by other physicans, and then, and only THEN, will you be qualified to make a judement as to whether or not I have been subject to "demise." Or, alternatively, why don't you listen to my performances of 15 years ago, compare them to what I'm doing now, and make the same judgement? Damn, I'll bet you'll be surprised.

The simple fact of the matter is that neither you, nor anyone else on this list, is qualified to pass judgement on whether or not drugs "will and do" lead to the "ultimate demise of all" musicians. (Come on, you MD's, I know you're out there! Lend your voice!!!) I assure you, as your music history classes will bear out, that musicians, as well as other artists, have been abusing various substances for years without ill effect on their art (I leave the effects on their bodies for another argument!) Are Billy Holliday and Jimmie Hendrix any less because of having died from drug overdoses? I think not!

It is intuitively obvious to a marginally intelligent conductor that someone who comes to rehearsal "high" will not long, assuming that they are unable to cut the part, remain in the band. (It occurs to me that Walter Heckt related the story not long ago about a very talented horn player who refused to put out a cigarette in the pit during rehearsal: he wasn't invited back!)

On the other hand, if they're able to play the part, well, gosh, that's the goal isn't it? I point out my own experience with Raphael Mendez, who came to the LAPD band rehearsals more often than not so drunk that he couldn't climb onto the risers without two other sets of hands to help him. Yet, he blew the snot out of his trumpet. What's the goal? To be drug free, or to blow the snot out of your horn?

(As a personal aside, I'll take a drug addicted snot blower to a drug free pedant, any day!)

You don't like drugs? So what! I don't like them, particularly, either. But they have their place. I don't do them for their own sake. I do them because they

1. have been determined to have some beneficial effect for me, based upon consultation with a qualified medical practicioner
2. have been legally prescribed
3. their side effects don't interfere with the rest of my life

Understand that I'll violate #3 if pushed.

I rate these effects in ranking order. I'll do a drug illegally if it satisfies number 1. Witness Medical Marjuana. (I'm not saying that I do or don't do pot, merely that were I in a such a medical condition where cannabis had a positive effect on my health, I'd do it, regardless of the legality.)

Also have an understanding that your input only factors into #3. If you don't like that I do drugs, tough beans. I don't have to ask your permisson to be healthy or well!

On the other hand, I've stopped using drugs because of #3. How many of you have had wierd experiences because of Flexeril?

Look, if someone takes drugs, it's their business, not yours, until and unless their drug taking affects you. If their drug taking affects you, you have to ask yourself why. If their drug taking affects you "because you don't like it", then you have a problem. If their drug taking affects you "because they are screwing up", then they have a problem. If they seem to be taking drugs and you don't know why, well, gosh, perhaps they just don't care to have you poking into something that isn't your business. If they're not screwing up, then you've got a problem.

Can we get past this business of "Just Say No!"? It is BS of the highest order!!!

I agree with Prof. Bacon. The amounts being mentioned seem very high. I was once prescribed Inderol in 10mg doses from a doctor in Montana who used it when he went mountain climbing. I also remember reading where an Olympic marksman used it to help him guage when to shoot-between heartbeats!

I am probably the person on the list least qualified to say anything, but I had an experience tonight that I felt was relevant. I just played my first concert as principal of my school's orchestra ( got the job because the rest of last term's section quit). We did Sibelius 2, Tchaikovsky's Rococo Variations and a student-composed piece.

I was pretty nervous for the first half (that was the Tchaik, and those of you who know the piece will know that first horn has a really exposed solo). I managed to get my nerves under control by focusing on the music. I switched off the audience and played because I enjoyed it. When I looked at it that way, there wasn't too much to be nervous about. What I felt then was then less nervousness, but more of a heightened awareness. I was more conscious of what I was doing - how I was breathing, embouchure shape, hand position.

And you've probably all heard this before, but what helped me most physically was breathing a lot. I found it hard to be scared with that much air inside. Almost immediately, heart rate slowed down, I came back down to earth.

It wasn't a perfect concert - I made mistakes. And I wasn't absolutely free from nerves. But I had significantly less tonight than I ever had before. I felt really in control, no insecurity about what my part was or how it fit in. And I attribute this to one thing - knowing the piece inside out, upside down and backwards. I attended a masterclass by Frank Lloyd (I'm sure some of you were there too), and one of the things he said was that if you were really prepared, and knew you had done all you could, you would be less nervous. I've found that to be true - I played an audition earlier this term where I wasn't scared at all.

Disclaimer - I'm not saying that anybody who experiences performance anxiety didn't prepare properly. I know that often no matter what you do, you can't get rid of it. But this way works for me.

And I've also learned something else tonight - how to make mistakes and not kill myself. I screwed up some fairly exposed things. But I'm not going to beat myself over the head. I might have to practice more, but it isn't the end of the world, and making those mistakes now is going to prevent similar ones later.

Several years ago, ICSOM orchestras (the 45 major orchestras) [the International Conference of Symphony and Opera Musicians is a charter of the American Federation of Musicians] participated in a medical study of musicians's medical problems. One of the aspects explored was performance anxiety. Inderal [the most common beta blocker] was prescribed [in very low doses] to determine the affect on the anxiety and the overall performance of selected players during live performances. Inderal was found to be successful in curbing stage fright, and no negative affect was noted by the players or physicians in the quality of the performance. I can tell you that many symphony players use beta blockers these days to perform, and many do not.

Should musicians use beta blockers to curb stage fright? That is up to the player. As long as he or she does it with complete medical supervision, there is nothing wrong with using Inderal or any other beta blocker for this purpose. However, the caveat is that a musician must tell his or her physician that the requested beta blocker is for stage fright and to ask for the lowest dose. Obviously, no one should use the drug if serious side effects are experienced.

Is using a drug to ease performance anxiety cheating? Since when is performing music a contest? Music is an art form--part of the entertainment industry. Even music competitions are intended to judge musical talent and creativity, not strengh of will. If a medication allows you to produce your best performance, then take it. But take it wisely and as perscribed.

Well, I hate to disagree with the esteemed Prof. P., who said that "there's no help for auditions from beta blockers," but in fact there is help -- for some people. Certain individuals' bodies seem to release much more adrenaline into their bloodstreams than others in response to severe performance stress. This is almost like being short or tall or nearsighted.

It doesn't have to do with how much talent one has, or how thoroughly one has prepared!! For musicians with this problem -- maybe 10-15% of musicians, in my experience -- "stage fright" isn't just unpleasant, it makes it physically almost impossible to perform. These musicians have four options. One choice -- the one selected by many -- is to find another profession. Another (and the best) choice is to try to get one's self into a mental state where the audition, big solo or whatever isn't stressful -- thus the excess adrenaline never gets released . The book "The Inner Game of Music" works miracles for some people. A third choice is to gut it out, and to learn to play one's instrument with thundering pulse, bone-dry mouth, sweaty, shaky hands, no breath for breath support, etc. (But one hardly ever plays to one's potential in this condition, especially on such a sensitive instrument as horn.) The last option is to try beta blockers.

In fact, beta blockers have no psychological effects; they don't calm one's nerves or make one "high." What they do is inhibit the flow of adrenaline. A person on beta blockers will be just as nervous (or not nervous) as he/she would otherwise be, but will have much more moderate symptoms of stage fright, and will be able to perform about as well (or poorly) as he/she would have performed if not severely stressed.

Two caveats if you think beta blockers might help you. First, don't take them before an audition or performance unless you really are suffering from otherwise-disabling performance anxiety. If you inhibit your adrenaline production with beta blockers and you're not in fact producing too much, you'll end up with too LITTLE adrenaline. This will take the edge off of your concentration and may very well produce a "flat" performance well below your capability. Second, get your beta blockers from physicians (who will be happy to prescribe them for performance anxiety) rather than from other musicians. Beta blockers are legally available only by prescription in the U.S., and that's for a reason: they can produce side effects in certain people, and they do interact with some other medications you might be taking.

A physician can prescribe a specific beta blocker and dose appropriate for your weight, height, age, etc.

YOURS IN THE PUB DRINKING SCOTCH AND SWALLOWING DIAZAPAM (note folks - English joke)

Sorry! - I think it was me that started this latest round of beta blocker chat. Prof Pizka is quite right - this kind of thing should be avoided. However, we are stuck with the fact that it is not. As I said before, at our place the use of drugs and alcohol to calm the nerves is virtually unknown (we also have very few smokers in the orchestra). This is due to a number of factors (not being one of the more glamerous British orchestras, a high number of younger musicians keen on 'keep fit' , two thirds of our work being in the pit [but do not run away with the idea that pit playing is stress-free, it is not] a number of section principals who are willing and able to defend their colleagues from any intimidation by conductors etc. etc.)

However, I have got involved with orchestral health and safety and earlier this year, I attended an international conference at the University of York on this subject. The matter of performance nerves was high on the agenda and many different measures were discussed. I was asked to write a report on the conference by a retired orchestral player who edits a musical journal (which I had never heard of and I now forget the title!) This man was a very famous woodwind player in his day - in a 'phone conversation, he was scathing about the whole idea of therapy, relaxation methods etc. - "In my day, if you had something 'pearly' to play, you got yourself well and truly drunk!!" And he went on to name several very famous British orchestral players of the 40s and 50s who, he claimed, were never sober on difficult performances.

So, this post does not claim to solve anything but it does beg the question - "why do people do stupid things to carry them through what, after all, should be the best job in the world?

Regards

The worst part of it is that they are missing the joy of making music. When a person is under the influence s/he doesn't see the beauty that the group is producing. To that person it's a job. Day in and day out.

With the exception of one time (email if you want the story) I have never taken any type of drug or alcohol product. I intend to stay clean for professional and personal reasons. And if I should ever get a professional gig, I wouldn't trade all the nervousness for all the drugs in the world. I like the rush.

Time to get off my soapbox,