Go For It

Shyness, hesitation, and fear are not things that have ever helped any musician. It is far more rewarding to simply go for it, having no sense of shame. Don't be attached to an image of this great horn player that you want everyone to see. Wanting to show an image makes your fearful of anything that could destroy that image, including missed notes. This can make you hesitant in high or difficult passages, and can lead to negative feelings whenever you miss. You should play without shame and with no apologies. You are the player you are, and you will get nowhere wanting to portray anything different.

Having an attitude of "go for it" is much more relaxing, rewarding, and true to yourself. And I do believe that it actually makes for better playing. As far as technical development, going for it allows you to experiment with all levels of air speed, air velocity, embouchure size, and general body operations much more fully than if you were fearful. It can actually help you get better, faster. If you are fearful, you are always putting less of everything into the equation, and are not testing or learning anything. Going for it makes the learning process much more positive, and music-making much more enjoyable.