"Do you perform your music?" It depends. If it's written for bass or guitar, usually--definitely if the rest of the band likes it. A lot of my work is composed in collaboration with performers of other instruments, so I'm not always writing things for ME to perform or even anyone, but I'm often writing for someone to perform. "Do you play or try out your musical ideas on an instrument while composing? Or do you just use software simulations for that?" I usually come up with the initial ideas on a real instrument. If I consider the proficiencies of an intended performer I know that's more skilled than me, or if I decide that this piece won't be intended for public performance, it's off to the software packages with it (although I write everything down in MuseScore, the works that are intended for the stage don't end their life there). "Does that sufficiently connect you to the performance practices of actual musicians?" This is the most interesting question out of the bunch, in my opinion, and I honestly feel like the answer is no. Fully digital editions of most music just feels somewhat hollow or lacking, although I believe that to be a sort of bias by association. Electronic music and videogame soundtracks, though often partially or entirely programmed into a computer to play, don't trigger the same response anymore. It honestly makes branching into the genres feel attractive on the surface, considering I'm often tired of dealing with other people...