Gary Larson’s take on the confident trumpeter in an audition.

Here’s the situation: you are getting ready for an audition. Your teacher told you to listen to a recording to really understand how the music goes. Like thousands of other musicians, you put your favorite recording on your playlist. Who will it be? Which soloist or principal trumpet do you want to emulate? This is a good question. And a question that is somewhat a matter of taste. This recording will help you get to where you need to go. But only so far.

After you have learned your audition piece, you should be recording yourself. You should be trying to play the definitive recording of this piece for your own playlist. Why?

Because the effort will make you better, as I talked about in an earlier post. But one additional thing will happen when you play this recording back for yourself. You will hear yourself–YOU–rocking that piece! You will start to believe in yourself. You will remember what you are capable of. 

And when you are at that audition, trying to chill out in the waiting room, play your recordings for yourself. You’ll make yourself a believer–IN YOURSELF.