Thanks for everyone's thoughts. Reading the stuff about playing music as therapy has made me think about when a friend of mine died in a motorbike accident two years ago (almost to the day). After I found out I just got my fiddle out and played and played and played until I was spent. Those moments alone without the pressure of audiences/recording equipment etc are definitely the best no matter the buzz you can get from performing well

pf (named after my new fiddle, a pink/purple Brige Aquila (electric) which I absolutely love)