I play better when I'm drunk

Tannin

I play better when I'm drunk (probably).

It's Friday night here in Oz and after two or three rakias, I play brilliantly. Well, OK, not with the technical flair  I might display at 9AM on a Wednesday - I know better than to try and do hard stuff - but with a bluesy feel and a sense of musicality  that puts my usual playing to shame. (Maybe.)

thecolourbox

Is it a bit like how people think they are better at speaking french/dancing/singing/debating their political beliefs when they are drunk? They aren't better, they just think they are

stickyfiddle

One drink can be good to stop you overthinking without learning motor control - same as playing pool. 

Enough that you can feel it, and it’s what @thecolourbox says

Barney

I find that when I play I feel as though the second set is better than the first when iv had a few drinks 

What I have found ...I feel more relaxed and can get into the music more rather than my own playing ...iff you know what mean ...

The negative ...iff I have something in my head that I want to play at any given time ...sometimes impossible to pull off ...I will go for it without a second thought ....

mudslide73

We played a birthday party for our other guitarist's wife where we could have a drink - I ended up having about 6 pints of Stella. The gig felt amazing and I was able to insert loads of extra licks and noises all over the shop - there was no pressure at all. There's a recording that I'll never listen to because I know I'll sound terrible.

Cryptid

For me, one drink doesn't make me think I'm better at anything; it does help calm the over-analytical and self-critical thoughts, helping me to relax and really get into the moment and flow with the music. 

Any more brings diminishing returns.

Mattharrier

There's two parts to this, I find - being a bit drunk tends to make me relax, so I'm better at some things than when I'm sober and tense (like pool, for instance).

The other side of it is that I think I'm better at things when drunk - the challenge is being able to identify the point at which the former becomes the latter.

I certainly tend to enjoy doing a lot of things with a beer or two in me - I wouldn't say I'm better at playing guitar than when I'm sober, but up to a point I probably enjoy it more because I'm not worrying about how it actually sounds as much; which probably makes me play a little better (until I have more to drink, or sober up a little bit, and it all falls apart).

flying_pie

I've always found I play better until I have more than a couple of pints

Edit - Link broken now but watch The Inebriati sketch by Mitchell and Webb if you need proof

springhead

Our bass player and myself used to meet for beers after work before going on to band rehearsal. We proved empirically that 3 pints was the maximum. 4 was questionable and on the one occasion when Mr 5 came knocking, and we let him in, things didn’t go well.  

Dominic

Whenever the Police have stopped me I've explained that I always drive better when I'm drunk but they aren't convinced

Danny1969

I think it depends on the material and your tolerance for alcohol. I’m in Wales tonight playing Kate Bush songs … I will have only 3 beers before going on. 

Tomorrow I’m playing a covers set in my local and will have 7 or 8 
My playing is ok up to around 6 pints … some of the best recorded live stuff I have done has been on a few beers . You can go too far though 

Stratavarious

I think I do too…. Then I see all the social media clips

merlin

On this very subject is an excellent recent film by Thomas Vinterberg called "Another Round". 

Recommended. 

Danny1969

@merlin I loved that film and the bit where they are day drinking but in moderation is fairly accurate I think 

LastMantra

Alcohol nah, opiods however... 

I don't play anywhere near as much since I quit. 

BillDL

Could it just be that when you are less inhibited by alcohol you give less of a shit if you mess up occasionally, and are therefore more inclined to leave safe territory and take risks?

Tannin

BillDL said:

Could it just be that when you are less inhibited by alcohol you give less of a shit if you mess up occasionally, and are therefore more inclined to leave safe territory and take risks?

Yes.

And also (sort of the reverse of that) I lose my compulsion to avoid playing anything "too simple and easy" just because it sounds nice, and stop playing too many bloody notes. And I slow down a bit and play with better feel instead of just trying to play every damn thing 10% faster than I really can.

PolarityMan

Tannin said:

BillDL said:

Could it just be that when you are less inhibited by alcohol you give less of a shit if you mess up occasionally, and are therefore more inclined to leave safe territory and take risks?

Yes.

And also (sort of the reverse of that) I lose my compulsion to avoid playing anything "too simple and easy" just because it sounds nice, and stop playing too many bloody notes. And I slow down a bit and play with better feel instead of just trying to play every damn thing 10% faster than I really can.

If you can freely vary your time then you're not really performing or practising though because you should be in time with everyone else ( or the metronome)

Tannin

Only if you are playing in a band. 

PolarityMan

I drink better if I'm playing 

Bezzer

Watch the Amol Rajan interview with Nile Rogers on iPlayer. He thought the same too, and was wrong.

if Nile was wrong, you are more wrong.