Wow, thank you both for sharing. Alan, I think you’ve come to the right place–I am sure Greg will be able to help.

I had a big gap between when I was playing in high school and college, then coming back a year 1/2 ago, but I believe much of my issues were mental.

And still now, the issues i have are mental–I lose focus on what I should be focusing on (process, technique, relaxing, openness) and begin focusing on results and manipulating.

Had another setback the other day, kind of losing the sensations I had gained to play easily above the staff with passive air.
So I just focused on backing off the air and trying to play openly and focusing on a resonant sound, and I turned it back around again–had a great day today, perhaps the best I’ve ever played.

I try to focus on playing openly, as relaxed as possible with the only tension being in my aperture corners (as needed).

Closing my eyes helps me as well, but realize you can’t do that when you’re watching your conductor queue you for a tuning note, but perhaps you can practice doing the tuning note at home that way repeatedly–perhaps that will condition your mind to new sensations.

My $.02 FWIW.

Thanks for posting to the forum and sharing your experience, I think that’s helpful to us all. We’re all on this journey and have different perspectives, some of which may help others.

Best,

John