Do any of you musicians have experience with beta-bloockers?

Question:Yes. About seven years ago, I was preparing for a very important performance and I was really struggling with a certain piece. It seemed that the more I practiced it, the harder it got. I couldn't hit any of my high notes and my chops kept giving out during the sustained phrases (I'm a trumpet player).

My teacher sat me down the week before the performance and talked to me about why these things were happening. Often times when we get nervous, our breathing gets very shallow, which has obvious negative effects for a wind player or singer. Additionally, people may get shaky to the point of being unable to sustain a tone or even hold their instrument properly. While we would ideally fix these problems by addressing the root of the issue and working on strategies to manage performance anxiety, he suggested that I try taking beta-blockers as in combination with the mental part of the equation.

It made a world of difference for me. I suddenly found myself able to play the piece flawlessly - it was like all the work I had put in suddenly paid off. I've been working on managing my performance anxiety ever since, and I genuinely believe the beta blockers helped me get to the point that I can perform successfully without them (although I still take them occasionally for situations such as professional auditions, where the stakes are higher and even a little bit of extra anxiety can make a big difference).

I know lots of musicians that think beta-blockers are terrible. These are also musicians that typically have not struggled with anxiety at the same level as others have. They are not illegal or even unethical, so I do take issue with people that stigmatize them. I think that anyone taking beta-blockers should combine them with some sort of mind-training activity - it just makes sense to work on all parts of the equation - but I really do think they can be immensely helpful to some people.

You should, however, try them before your big performance. Some people have adverse reactions to them, so have someone with you when you take one the first time (it's very rare, but I've heard that occasionally people get woozy, and you'll want to check for allergies, etc.) You'll also want to get the dosage right to make sure that you aren't dazed for your performance. Once I went to a recital where the performer was glassy-eyed and looked almost high - this is obviously an overdose. Taken in the correct amount, no one should be able to tell that you took anything.

That's probably more than you ever wanted to know, but there it is. Hope it helps!

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: Yes. About seven years ago, I was preparing for a very important performance and I was really struggling with a certain piece. It seemed that the more I practiced it, the harder it got. I couldn't hit any of my high notes and my chops kept giving out during the sustained phrases (I'm a trumpet player).

My teacher sat me down the week before the performance and talked to me about why these things were happening. Often times when we get nervous, our breathing gets very shallow, which has obvious negative effects for a wind player or singer. Additionally, people may get shaky to the point of being unable to sustain a tone or even hold their instrument properly. While we would ideally fix these problems by addressing the root of the issue and working on strategies to manage performance anxiety, he suggested that I try taking beta-blockers as in combination with the mental part of the equation.

It made a world of difference for me. I suddenly found myself able to play the piece flawlessly - it was like all the work I had put in suddenly paid off. I've been working on managing my performance anxiety ever since, and I genuinely believe the beta blockers helped me get to the point that I can perform successfully without them (although I still take them occasionally for situations such as professional auditions, where the stakes are higher and even a little bit of extra anxiety can make a big difference).

I know lots of musicians that think beta-blockers are terrible. These are also musicians that typically have not struggled with anxiety at the same level as others have. They are not illegal or even unethical, so I do take issue with people that stigmatize them. I think that anyone taking beta-blockers should combine them with some sort of mind-training activity - it just makes sense to work on all parts of the equation - but I really do think they can be immensely helpful to some people.

You should, however, try them before your big performance. Some people have adverse reactions to them, so have someone with you when you take one the first time (it's very rare, but I've heard that occasionally people get woozy, and you'll want to check for allergies, etc.) You'll also want to get the dosage right to make sure that you aren't dazed for your performance. Once I went to a recital where the performer was glassy-eyed and looked almost high - this is obviously an overdose. Taken in the correct amount, no one should be able to tell that you took anything.

That's probably more than you ever wanted to know, but there it is. Hope it helps!