
Play on your Strengths
There is an old sporting saying that applies very well to music.
Play on your strengths, train on your weaknesses.
Put simply it means that a performance is not the time to try out your new stuff. One of the greatest assets you can have as a performer is confidence. Confidence comes from knowing “your stuff” well and being sure that you can pull it off. There is nothing worse than trying some new fill that just jumps into your mind on the spur of the moment and having it all go wrong. Suddenly that fill that sounded awesome in your head sounds like pots and pans falling down the stairs in reality.
Look, we are all going to make mistakes from time to time and you need to learn to live with that. What I am talking about is not making mistakes inevitable by trying stuff you really can’t play yet.
Even the most basic of playing can sound good when it is done with confidence. Keep it simple, keep it solid and play with confidence.