I’m talking jazz here. Some days I feel like I can fly, other days I can hardly string two notes together. It seems like I’m not alone here. All sorts of players at all levels experience this.I did some research and found that even Pat Metheny admits some nights he feels like he’s “faking it.”, while Joe Pass said some days he’d practice 8 hours just to find one good phrase.
It never goes away.

So how do you reset on bad days? How do you get off the ground? Here’s what I’ve landed on for myself. A 5 minute reset routine. No judging, no metronome at first—just pure feel.

Minute 1: The “Breath” Chord
Play a single Gmaj7 (or Cmaj7) as a rich voicing. Strum it and let it ring. Close your eyes. Breathe in for 4 beats, out for 4. Do this 4 times. Goal: Reset your ears and hands.

Minute 2: One-String Melody
On the B string only, play “Stella by Starlight” or any standard very slowly. No chords, just find the notes. This forces your ear to lead, not your muscle memory.

Minute 3: The “3-Note” Solo
Over a ii-V-I (Dm7-G7-Cmaj7), solo using only 3 notes (e.g., the 3rd, 7th, and 9th of each chord). Play them in different rhythms. No scales, no speed. This kills overthinking.

Minute 4: Chord Pulse
Comp through a blues in F—but only play on beats 2 and 4 (the backbeat). Use bare-bones shell voicings (3rd & 7th only). Feel the time in your body, not your brain.

Minute 5: Free Play
Put on a slow backing track (or just hum a bass line). Play anything—but end every phrase with a long, sustained note. Let that last note be your only “right” note.

The rule: If it still feels bad after this, stop. Walk away. Come back in 2 hours. Often, that reset is all you need.

Why not try my 5-minute reset as a warm up, ‘before’ you even decide if you sound bad. You’ll trick your brain into flying before it has time to doubt.

If you have any tips or techniques you would like to share I’d love to hear about them.