I too have essential tremors. I have it in both hands. I've been on Myseline, neuronton, and other types of meds and so far, none of them have been enough help to cause me to continue taking the drugs. I find that the longer I play, the less I shake. When I first pick up my guitar, the shakes are enough to vibrate the strings without a pick (I have an awesome vibrato :)). After about 2-3 minutes the tremors seem to calm down and they are manageable. Unfortunately, playing in front of a live audience, has its drawbacks. I usually turn with my back to the crowd until the tremors calm down enough to face my audience. Needless to say, I don't do a solo act. Alcohol does have some benefits (particularly red wine), but I don't like playing with a buzz and since I rarely drink, one glass of wine will get me buzzed. I wish I could be more positive about the tremor situation, but for me...it's just a part of my life. I've had the tremors since I was a teenager (I'm 57 now). I don't think they're going away anytime soon and I've learned how to live with them.