Alcohol and playing

Alnico

Don’t have 9 bottles of Newcastle Brown and then get on stage and play ‘Rockin’ in the Free World’ in E major instead of E minor, because you’re too pissed to notice how much you’re panicking. 

It sounds like an angry hippie got left in charge of children’s tv. 

Trust me. 

Don’t do it. 

JerkMoans

Well this is a very interesting discussion.

Personally, I have an extremely destructive relationship with alcohol.  Does it augment my guitar playing? Not a bit!  More than a beer or two, or a couple of glasses of wine, I won't bother picking one up.  Why?  (a) because my playing goes to shit, and (b) because if I'm trying to learn something new, I'll forget it.

Fully appreciate it's not the same for everyone, and we're all in the same boat, more or less.  Kudos to the OP for raising the issue, and music on, brothers and sisters.

clarkefan

Thanks all for your thoughts.  

It's interesting,  most reactions were along the lines of, I perceive myself to be, rather than I am, playing better.  Fair point, and yes recording this might teach me a lot.  

It's difficult for me right now to agree because for me it's self evident, but I'll do some recording.

Assuming that what I'm experiencing is true, does anybody have any suggestions for relaxing as has been mentioned?

gringopig

.

Fretwired

clarkefan said:

Sensitive subject so I'm stating up front, I'm taking about two beers, not shitfaced.

I notice a difference between playing with and without alcohol. My hands just work better after two beers. This is at home, no gigging pressure, etc.

Unlikely I'd say. The aural equivalent of beer goggles.

I haven't played live for decades but I only hit the booze after the gig. I always liked to be sober and in control.

Grunfeld

clarkefan said:

Assuming that what I'm experiencing is true, does anybody have any suggestions for relaxing as has been mentioned?

Yep, here's the trick.

You rehearse and rehearse and rehearse.  Till you know it so well you can't not know it.

Then, when it comes to performing,

You believe in the power of your practice. 

It's like a bridge that gets you there. 

It really doesn't matter about being relaxed -- an athlete is not necessarily relaxed ...

Tell yourself that you're not anxious, you are excited. 

And believe in the power of your practice and rehearsal. 

PS I'm not saying alcohol is dumb at gigs, it can be fun.  E.g. I've done some spontaneous things which have been fun. 

But, alcohol won't improve your timing, coordination, and awareness behind a guitar any more than it will improve those things behind a wheel.

Whitecat

https://youtu.be/VTSCppeFzX4

dangriffiths

Whitecat said:

https://youtu.be/VTSCppeFzX4

Was just gonna post this - bang on

skullfunkerry

Wise words I heard a while back and stuck with me: "People don't give alcohol the respect it deserves"

fastonebaz

Lime and soda.  Delicious and refreshing. 

ICBM

I feel I play better at a gig after a beer, and another at the break if there is one - I probably don’t, technically, but I’m more relaxed and I have more fun, which probably comes across as being better. But then the kind of music I usually play is not really about precision.

A long time ago I did the first gig with a new singer/guitarist in the band, and before we went on he had about four or five pints and was clearly drunk - I thought it was going to be a disaster, but he was brilliant. And I’d only had one, so I would have been able to tell...

thegummy

Preface: I'm a recovering alcoholic and also used to smoke a lot of weed all the time but haven't touched either for over seven years.

When you look at what alcohol actually does to your body, it definitely just makes you less able to play from a technical standpoint. It might, however, make you enjoy it more and "being in the groove" is very important, IMO more important than technical perfection.

So it really depends on the balance; i.e. does the better feeling help you enough to outweigh the lessened technical ability.

I think what people are saying about comparing recording (or even someone else comparing) is a good point, definitely don't judge it at the time.

When it comes to weed, though, I don't have a shadow of a doubt that it increases creativity. It might not help with technical ability, other than hyper concentration, but it definitely helps if you're creating something new and not just performing something as-is.

thegummy

Double post

King85

gringopig said:

King85 said:

I'm even worse after a few than sober. How professionals do it high as a kite I find amazing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBV-FYy8lww

I reckon Johnny thought he was pretty slick at the time but......er

He's clearly got something stuck between his teeth and is trying to fish it out with his tongue, I can see that throwing anyone off their performance.

siremoon

I don't drink and haven't done for years.  My experience of people I've played with is drink always makes them think they are playing better and always actually makes them play worse.

hotpickups

Slippery slope this of course. If one believes one plays better with alcohol where does it end? Will you believe you’ll play even better drinking more? 

JAYJO

If your gigging and you can handle one then fair enough. But if you you can't and are being paid then you should act accordingly. Your the entertainment your not there to be entertained. If you get pissed then give the money back. If your at home or around the camp fire playing with friend  etc then that's different imo.

Sassafras

I just have to look at a bottle of booze and my timing goes to hell. Even though I suffered from almost crippling stage fright I'd still play better stone cold sober.
Plus, I had an unfortunate incident when I was pissed in a club in Guildford, I made an absolute idiot of myself. I shall have to live with the guilt and shame for the rest of my life.

JAYJO

Sassafras said:

I just have to look at a bottle of booze and my timing goes to hell. Even though I suffered from almost crippling stage fright I'd still play better stone cold sober.
Plus, I had an unfortunate incident when I was pissed in a club in Guildford, I made an absolute idiot of myself. I shall have to live with the guilt and shame for the rest of my life.

Or you could give yourself a break and forget it. You were Pissed. You cant change what happened. 

octatonic

Sassafras said:

I just have to look at a bottle of booze and my timing goes to hell. Even though I suffered from almost crippling stage fright I'd still play better stone cold sober.
Plus, I had an unfortunate incident when I was pissed in a club in Guildford, I made an absolute idiot of myself. I shall have to live with the guilt and shame for the rest of my life.

I used to get crippling stage fright- I don't now.
There are 5 things I would suggest.

1. Level up your playing.
If you are playing at 90% of your ability when performing then you will fuck up.
If you are only using 20% of your ability then you have bandwidth to get out of trouble if you fuck up.

2. Read some books on the topic.
Two I would suggest are 'Effortless Mastery' and 'The Inner Game of Music'.

3. Play another instrument.
I chose drums- there is nowhere to hide on a drum kit and the gross muscle movements seem to suit moving more freely.
Practicing on another instrument and then performing it gave me a lot of confidence that I could take back to guitar.

4. Practice escape routes. What I mean here is get yourself into an uncomfortable part of the neck and then practice how you get back to a place where you know what to do.
I also found it difficult when out of position in flat keys- but I practiced doing this and now it is less of an issue.

5. Perform a lot in front of others.
A lot of the time it is just inexperience.
You can practice all you want at home but playing in front of others is how you get good at playing in front of others.