You have to work on relaxing while you play. Try some visual imagery stuff, like imagine that your right arm is as light as a feather. Also work on your breathing while playing, take nice steady breaths. This is hard to do when playing heavy metal because the music is so aggressive it naturally causes your body and muscles to tense up.

For warm ups try playing your scales/licks/finger excercises without distortion, a cleaner/mellower sound on your instrument may help you relax a bit. Once you have it remember how your body felt at that time when you reached that "zone", strive for that same physical control when you play with the band.

[Edited by chris mood on 11-28-2003 at 12:46 PM]