Mark Gould on Showmanship and Nerves

[O00Joe]

I think it's best to learn to perform without any chemical aids. I also think they can be useful and aren't necessarily unethical. They can also be detrimental to people who aren't used to their effects or do not know correct dosage. I have used Beta-Blockers in the past. I would sometimes find myself with a clear mind but a body so out of control that I had trouble walking and breathing. They were life savers.

Just so we're all clear, Beta-Blockers are not psychoactive but do have inadvertent or indirect effects on the mind. They block the adrenaline receptors in the heart and reduce the body's adrenaline reaction. However too much will lead to weaknesses as it becomes hard to exert one's self.

Benzodiazepines, another anti-anxiety drug, on the other hand are psychoactive. They bind with the GABA A receptors (alcohol binds to GABA B) throughout the nervous system which has a calming effect on both the mind and body. Too much will lead to memory loss and/or blackout, weakness, and loss of motor skills.

Everyone is different and you should do what's best for you. Don't let others pressure you into making a decision you don't agree with.
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1981 Bb Bach Stradivarius 37/25 ML raw - Laskey 60C
2003 C Bach Stradivarius 239/25A L silver - Stork Vacchiano 4C25C
2006 Bb/A Schilke Piccolo P5-4 silver - Reeves A adaptor - Stork SM SP6
Akai MPC Live II
Roland JD-Xi
Casio MT-68

[Tdfights]

I tried beta blockers once and it was the best I had ever performed those pieces. It was for my senior recital. But it's never good to be dependant on medicine.