hi folks.
would be interesting to know effect of drinks on your performances.
Excluding a completely drunk state which could certainly lead to other kind of music , do You find helpful for your performance to have some beer (wine) in your body, or , on contrary, plain water would be more appropriate for precision and speed ?
I like precision but I don't dislike beer at all.
Reminds of when I was on holiday in the Austrian Tyrol some years ago. The town band marched smartly into the town square for the evening performance. After every number that was played lasses would pass among the band with steins of beer for their refreshment. It didn't really matter that the band's playing was quite incoherent by the end of the evening, because the audience in the square more than matched them for beer consumption. There's the justification for Pobe's comment.
Trevor
There's also the "state-dependent learning" factor, which means that if you practice and learn tunes while you're under the influence, you'll probably have little problem playing in the same state. You might even have a harder time playing straight.
I've found that even though I've tried to be a consistent drinker, it's very difficult to keep up with someone who's been practising drinking since their youth, and still play well. Generally, two or three pints is plenty.
Well, without any concrete scientific "proof" (positive findings, if you are in the scientific community), but with a host of observational and participatory experiences, I would be willing to assert that the relationship between the two variables (alcohol consumption and music quality) is curvilinear. In other words, the music quality may improve due to the relaxing effects of the first few drinks, but the marginal utility of later drinks would add negative increments resulting in P*** Poor Playing.
A few other points, alluded to by previous contributors, may be added. There is a Catch 22 situation here. Due to inebriation, the player will not be aware of how badly he/she is playing and may, in fact, think he/she never played better. If the audience is similarily inebriated, they may concur, and only a tape or a sober player or listener can bear witness to the deterioration in music quality. The Catch 22 aspect is that if you feel your playing is not up to par you're not yet drunk, and if you're drunk you will not be aware of how awful you sound. It seems to me that my first offerings on this website were on a fairly similar topic, and that thread contains summary data relating to an experiment conducted to ascertain the effects of alcohol on playing ITM.
Anecdote. Some years back, quite a few, while attending a session at a CCE North American Annual Convention, I saw what must be the envelope pushed to its limits in this regard. A tin whistler, who was well known to imbibe (he probably had a minimum of 20 pints over say 24 hours) was sitting on the floor of the hotel room (I don't think he could have managed a chair) playing along in a big session (very few sober people present). His finger work and blowing appeared to be correct. The only problem was that due to his swaying back and forth (the head) while the hands stayed fairly steady, the whistle was in his mouth only about a quarter of the time. However, while his playing was audible (as opposed to mimed), it sounded fine to me. But, then again, I wasn't exactly sober myself when I came to that conclusion.
Strange. The more drunk, the more fluent I becomes. It doesn't matter how much I get drunk. I usually drink around a couple of pints of cider for starter, then some glasses of whiskey. It always works well. My fingers come to move automatically and I make fewer and fewer mistakes. Is it only me?
The late world-class violinist Henryk Szeryng was well-known for imbibing a couple of glasses of sherry just before going on stage to play a Paganini concerto, no less.
Trevor
After the third pint I get louder. Cannot be bothered by hitting less than all 6 shtrings at once. And all tunes are getting kinda D mix-oh-leee-dayen.
As a complete toteetaller, I cannot add my own experience to this discussion. But I have noticed that there are those who are unable to play sober, but play great music when drunk. This, I assume to be for one of two reasons: 1. Over the years, they have learned and played the music in pubs and bars, and have simply never played it without drinking; 2. They are heavy drinkers (which, let's face it, is not uncommon among players of all kinds of music - except Arabic music, perhaps) and have built up such a tolerance to drink that ten pints for them is equivalent to most people's two pints - just enough to relax without becoming sloppy.
I get nervous at a session sometimes until I've had a couple of pints but, maybe, I'd have warmed up by then anyway-time wise that is.
Three, four, or sometimes five is the optimum amount. After that, I start making mistakes again or speed up etc although, there are occasions I can carry on much longer--if the crack is really good, it keeps you going. Having a meal helps as well.:>))
Janek, if you're playing the fiddle, you've had too much to drink. If you're playing a mandolin, you had better replace the two broken strings. If you're playing a bodhran, I need a drink.
Seriously (?), though, if my drinking is concurrent with my playing, I'm not in terrible shape. If I have two drinks before I play, it's absolutely hopeless.
John J starts making mistakes after 5 drinks. My mistakes after 5 would be committed in the act of walking, not playing. Of course, some wouldn't consider stepping on the bodhran a mistake.
Past 50, I don't attack the "fruit of the hop" as much as I used to.
Whereas in my 20s, I was regularly caught playing in the session whilst seeming to be asleep, and on morris tours, which were monumental, I regularly had a dusbin propped under me to keep me upright.
Gary has a good point about "drinking being concurrent with your playing". It does seem to have a more adverse effect, if you've had the drink before you start. If you're drinking at the same time as you play, you're "warmed up" and are more relaxed. You are probably in a better position to "compensate" for the drink you've had while you play.
drink is great. I'd advise you to drink as mush as you can possibly drink....................even if your playing becomes bad, you'll be too drunk to notice.......................
"He who drinks is a drunkard.
He who is drunk goes to sleep.
He who is asleep is without sin.
He who is without sin goes to Heaven.
So, since to Heaven we go, let us drink."
Seriously (unless it's to late in the discussion to be serious...)
Does the affect of alcohol vary depending on which instrument you're playing? I play flute, mostly, and if I have anything to drink *before* playing (or too much later) I notice an obvious lessening of coordination between my breathing or tonguing and my fingers. I've assumed this is the equivalent of the slurred speech that presents as an early symptom on one's way to drunkenness. It seems to me that folks playing fiddles and guitars and the like don't seem to feel the affects of alcohol as soon, but I don't play any non-wind instruments well enough to compare. Any opinions?
My tolerance changes from one day to the next it seems. Sometimes I can quaff pints all day and it doesn't noticeably affect my playing; on odd occasions I've even played better than usual. However, especially if I start drinking BEFORE playing, my fingers can sometimes feel like pork sausages on the keyboard except not as responsive, even after just two pints.
I think everybody's playing is affected by alcohol in some way or other (good or bad) - how could it not be?
To be fair I think it boils down to how accustomed y'are to drink and playin. Speaking from personal experience, I've been playin fiddle since I was 9 and I've been mixing booze and music since before then. My Da took me, my brother who plays low whistle and my sister whos also a fiddle, no sorry, Violin player (the classical road is a bad one) to sessúns since I as far back as I can remember and he'd always slip me the odd pint. I'm digressing but I've always been drinking and playing. My optimum musically is about 5-6 pints but technique-wise as soon as I start playing its all downhill. I therefore conclude using big fancy words that it's all a compromise...between how experienced you are playing in pissed state, what you value: technique or hitting the groooooooove, and whether you give a flying fugg what your playing sounds like cos chances are nobody will care in a session.
p.s. on the point raised about fanfuggintastic players who are also legless when you here them in a session: chances are there miles better when sober so cling to their ankles when they stagger/fall out of the pub and hear them when they're sober. Either that or their cacophony of mistakes are being subdued by other noise or absorbed by lots of people etc.
I've probly been spoutin shite so its time for yahoo pool. areet?
You're right Susan. It depends surely on what You play, and how coordination is important in it. I find fiddle much more difficult to be played than guitar, under alcohol effect, but I have to admit than when I played guitar I was in rock music, and the "drunk touch" was considered a very nice effect.
Definitely depends on what you play. I play both flute and 2-row box. I'm much worse on the box, even sober. But after a few pints my box playing is all over the place whereas my flute playing is much the same - ok, not brill, but not bad. Alright, so I've been on the flute for much longer than the box - maybe 20+ years cf half a dozen on box. But the coordinated push-pulling you do on the box gets progressively more difficult with more beers.
There's a natural limit put on the drinking for many people that's got nothing to do with playing the music, but everything to do with the drink-driving laws.
Fortunately, one of the sessions I go to is about a mile from my house - 20 minutes walk. But it could be significantly more walking back home, depending on my evening's intake.
Trevor
When I first few visits to Ireland I would try to steer clear of the round buying thing out of self-preservation. I noticed that I was being out-drank pint by pint by 4 to 1 or so. On my last trip I decided to give it a go and see if I could keep up. I was in Ennis for a couple of weeks and was comfortable with the folks I had gotten to know at the session. I succeeded in keeping up; by I'm sure my playing fell behind by about 4 to 1. Afterwards I noticed that all the sidewalks in town had shrunk by about 4 to 1 as well... in fact the whole town shrunk I think. I could barely fit through the front door of the bungalow we were renting, and someone hid the bed from me.
Conclusion: If you want to play music, drink, and find your bed -- drink according to your own tolerance.
This is a great discussion! I'd have to say that beer is a great thing as far as my playing goes. To a point. Everything seems to flow so easily from the fiddle. Then people buy you drink since you're playing. And another. AND another. Then things go downhill as I realise i'm playing the wrong string and my left hand is still holding a pint. Never can figure out why. Oh well. Such is life.
Taking into account the large number of replies to this question, its very obvious that playing and drinking go hand in hand. But it begs the question . . . do you go out to drink or play? In my case its a bit of both, and like to say if i where honest that the music definetely comes first. I've tried sitting there with a glass of shandy all night but not enjoyed the session half as much. I've come to the conclusion I've got a drink problem.
Quote from ALP Scots music group web site under the section "The social side" which discussed sessions.
" This may be at someone's house or in a pub. You mustn't feel unable to join in if you don't drink alcohol. Everyone is welcome in Scottish pubs and it's more than acceptable to join in no matter what you drink "
I'm not sure if this true with a lot of publicans. It certainly wasn't in the old days of Sandy Bell's when old Jimmy Cairney would say "Orange juice. There's a cafe across the road , pal". Things are lot better now but I still believe that they're happier when we're spending money. True soft drinks have an even bigger profit margin but we don't tend to drink it in such large quantities. So, should I dare to suggest that it's our duty to drink alcohol in reasonable quantities to keep the landlords happy and the session welcome in the premises? Yes, there could be free drink at some sessions but it's more likely to be offered if we make the effort to buy it for ourselves, now and again. I like to convince myself that I'm only drinking for the love of the music. :>))
Yous see the insidous thing about alcohol is that, while degrading you physical co-ordination after only a small amount, it boosts your self confidence at the same time, more than compensating for any reduction in capability that you might othewise notice.
Hence the dangers when you're behind the wheel of a motor car.
But behind a fiddle? That may be another matter.
So who is going to volunteer for the following..........
First, record yourself playing one or two sets of tunes whilst stone cold sober.
Drink a pint of beer, wait 15 or twenty minutes, then run through a few more sets of tunes, while, once again recording them.
Drink another pint, and repeat again.
Drink a third pint, spend 15 minutes retuning, get the tape running on the second attempt, and play a few more stes of tunes.
Down the fourth, play a few tunes, remember to switch on the tape, then play them again, only louder and faster.
Get most of the fifth pint into the glass, drink whats left, and hit your favourite slow air for twenty or thirty minutes- well -it never sounded that good before! tell the tape recorder to stop itsellf once or twice, then down the sixth pint anyway.
Blaze away at a few reels - your expression and timing is now exceptionally brilliant.
Now the seventh pint is down, and the eighth, and the music is beginning to take on a mind of it's own. Provbably a good timesh to abandon the recordingsh and jusht get on with shome sherioush drinking!
Two days later, and sober again, have a listen to the tape, and let us all know at which point you reached your peak!
I'm with john J on this one, I play way better after a couple of pints, because I'm quite a nervous player and cant relax and get into the groove.
I probably have maybe 5 or 6 pints at a session, cant seem to drink more than that otherwise I wouldnt be playing any of the tunes
If I'm doing a gig (few and very far between - they are not worth the coronary that I have every time I'm about to get up on stage) I have to have at least two pints before hand.
Buckfast is disgusting, like cough syrup except it makes you sick - not the other way around
water and beer - precision vs creativity
water and beer - precision vs creativity
hi folks.
would be interesting to know effect of drinks on your performances.
Excluding a completely drunk state which could certainly lead to other kind of music , do You find helpful for your performance to have some beer (wine) in your body, or , on contrary, plain water would be more appropriate for precision and speed ?
I like precision but I don't dislike beer at all.
# Posted on March 11th 2004 by fiddlemax
Re: water and beer - precision vs creativity
One or two usually just helps to relax. But a few more and it might start to sound awful...
When doing gigs, I usually have the rule "as long as the people listening are more drunk than me, it's OK".
# Posted on March 11th 2004 by Pontus Adefjord
Re: water and beer - precision vs creativity
I like a couple of pints, but my playing deteriorates if I go past three.
Some people can still play well when almost too drunk to stand.
Some can only play badly even when sober.
I know I'm not the former, I hope I'm not the latter.
Dave
# Posted on March 11th 2004 by showaddydadito
Re: water and beer - precision vs creativity
Reminds of when I was on holiday in the Austrian Tyrol some years ago. The town band marched smartly into the town square for the evening performance. After every number that was played lasses would pass among the band with steins of beer for their refreshment. It didn't really matter that the band's playing was quite incoherent by the end of the evening, because the audience in the square more than matched them for beer consumption. There's the justification for Pobe's comment.
Trevor
# Posted on March 11th 2004 by lazyhound
Re: water and beer - precision vs creativity
There's also the "state-dependent learning" factor, which means that if you practice and learn tunes while you're under the influence, you'll probably have little problem playing in the same state. You might even have a harder time playing straight.
I've found that even though I've tried to be a consistent drinker, it's very difficult to keep up with someone who's been practising drinking since their youth, and still play well. Generally, two or three pints is plenty.
# Posted on March 11th 2004 by Gzeg
Re: water and beer - precision vs creativity
i approve of playing whilst drunk. i've been drinkin this evnin and i feel like my playing has improved for it.
# Posted on March 11th 2004 by NickPhelan
Re: water and beer - precision vs creativity
George Nathan's quip, "I drink to make other people interesting" might also apply to the music at a session, eh?
But then the bumper sticker I saw last week might also apply to sessions: "I'm a drunk, not an alcoholic. Alcoholics go to meetings."
;o)
# Posted on March 11th 2004 by Will CPT
Re: water and beer - precision vs creativity
Well, without any concrete scientific "proof" (positive findings, if you are in the scientific community), but with a host of observational and participatory experiences, I would be willing to assert that the relationship between the two variables (alcohol consumption and music quality) is curvilinear. In other words, the music quality may improve due to the relaxing effects of the first few drinks, but the marginal utility of later drinks would add negative increments resulting in P*** Poor Playing.
A few other points, alluded to by previous contributors, may be added. There is a Catch 22 situation here. Due to inebriation, the player will not be aware of how badly he/she is playing and may, in fact, think he/she never played better. If the audience is similarily inebriated, they may concur, and only a tape or a sober player or listener can bear witness to the deterioration in music quality. The Catch 22 aspect is that if you feel your playing is not up to par you're not yet drunk, and if you're drunk you will not be aware of how awful you sound. It seems to me that my first offerings on this website were on a fairly similar topic, and that thread contains summary data relating to an experiment conducted to ascertain the effects of alcohol on playing ITM.
Anecdote. Some years back, quite a few, while attending a session at a CCE North American Annual Convention, I saw what must be the envelope pushed to its limits in this regard. A tin whistler, who was well known to imbibe (he probably had a minimum of 20 pints over say 24 hours) was sitting on the floor of the hotel room (I don't think he could have managed a chair) playing along in a big session (very few sober people present). His finger work and blowing appeared to be correct. The only problem was that due to his swaying back and forth (the head) while the hands stayed fairly steady, the whistle was in his mouth only about a quarter of the time. However, while his playing was audible (as opposed to mimed), it sounded fine to me. But, then again, I wasn't exactly sober myself when I came to that conclusion.
Same again??
Sin e.
mairtin
# Posted on March 11th 2004 by frozenstiff
Re: water and beer - precision vs creativity
Strange. The more drunk, the more fluent I becomes. It doesn't matter how much I get drunk. I usually drink around a couple of pints of cider for starter, then some glasses of whiskey. It always works well. My fingers come to move automatically and I make fewer and fewer mistakes. Is it only me?
H.
# Posted on March 11th 2004 by slainte
Re: water and beer - precision vs creativity
The late world-class violinist Henryk Szeryng was well-known for imbibing a couple of glasses of sherry just before going on stage to play a Paganini concerto, no less.
Trevor
# Posted on March 11th 2004 by lazyhound
Re: water and beer - precision vs creativity
After the third pint I get louder. Cannot be bothered by hitting less than all 6 shtrings at once. And all tunes are getting kinda D mix-oh-leee-dayen.
# Posted on March 11th 2004 by EastPole
Re: water and beer - precision vs creativity
After the third I’ll start to make sets of my one and at the fourth I’ll come up with tunes of my one …lol
Too pints is just ok for me
# Posted on March 11th 2004 by pitnekit
Re: water and beer - precision vs creativity
Sorry I’ve forgot……that on the next day the tunes I’ve come up with….dam, I just can’t remember those.
# Posted on March 11th 2004 by pitnekit
Re: water and beer - precision vs creativity
As a complete toteetaller, I cannot add my own experience to this discussion. But I have noticed that there are those who are unable to play sober, but play great music when drunk. This, I assume to be for one of two reasons: 1. Over the years, they have learned and played the music in pubs and bars, and have simply never played it without drinking; 2. They are heavy drinkers (which, let's face it, is not uncommon among players of all kinds of music - except Arabic music, perhaps) and have built up such a tolerance to drink that ten pints for them is equivalent to most people's two pints - just enough to relax without becoming sloppy.
# Posted on March 11th 2004 by ragaman
Re: water and beer - precision vs creativity
I get nervous at a session sometimes until I've had a couple of pints but, maybe, I'd have warmed up by then anyway-time wise that is.
Three, four, or sometimes five is the optimum amount. After that, I start making mistakes again or speed up etc although, there are occasions I can carry on much longer--if the crack is really good, it keeps you going. Having a meal helps as well.:>))
# Posted on March 11th 2004 by Johannes J
Re: water and beer - precision vs creativity
Janek, if you're playing the fiddle, you've had too much to drink. If you're playing a mandolin, you had better replace the two broken strings. If you're playing a bodhran, I need a drink.
Seriously (?), though, if my drinking is concurrent with my playing, I'm not in terrible shape. If I have two drinks before I play, it's absolutely hopeless.
John J starts making mistakes after 5 drinks. My mistakes after 5 would be committed in the act of walking, not playing. Of course, some wouldn't consider stepping on the bodhran a mistake.
# Posted on March 11th 2004 by GaryAMartin
Re: water and beer - precision vs creativity
Does anyone keep a count? Perhaps we should.
I'm not referring to drinks, but how many replies to a thread before bodhran-abuse.
Not that I'm against it, just interested.
Dave
# Posted on March 11th 2004 by showaddydadito
Re: water and beer - precision vs creativity
Both. Sart the evening off precise and graduate to creative
# Posted on March 11th 2004 by llig leahcim
Re: water and beer - precision vs creativity
Past 50, I don't attack the "fruit of the hop" as much as I used to.
Whereas in my 20s, I was regularly caught playing in the session whilst seeming to be asleep, and on morris tours, which were monumental, I regularly had a dusbin propped under me to keep me upright.
# Posted on March 11th 2004 by geoffwright
Re: water and beer - precision vs creativity
Gary has a good point about "drinking being concurrent with your playing". It does seem to have a more adverse effect, if you've had the drink before you start. If you're drinking at the same time as you play, you're "warmed up" and are more relaxed. You are probably in a better position to "compensate" for the drink you've had while you play.
# Posted on March 11th 2004 by Johannes J
Re: water and beer - precision vs creativity
drink is great. I'd advise you to drink as mush as you can possibly drink....................even if your playing becomes bad, you'll be too drunk to notice.......................
Ever tried buckfast?!!!!!!!!
get it down ye
he he he he!
# Posted on March 11th 2004 by LaraKerr
Re: water and beer - precision vs creativity
Who said that "Work is the curse of the drinking classes?" :>))
# Posted on March 11th 2004 by Johannes J
Re: water and beer - precision vs creativity
"He who drinks is a drunkard.
He who is drunk goes to sleep.
He who is asleep is without sin.
He who is without sin goes to Heaven.
So, since to Heaven we go, let us drink."
:>))
# Posted on March 11th 2004 by Johannes J
Re: water and beer - precision vs creativity
I believe we can attribute that to Oscar Fingall O'Flahertie Wills Wilde.
But who said "She offered her honour, he honoured her offer and all night long he was on her and off her"?
# Posted on March 11th 2004 by Conán McDonnell
Re: water and beer - precision vs creativity
Lára ye dirty stop-out! Erm, fancy a pint?
# Posted on March 11th 2004 by Conán McDonnell
Re: water and beer - precision vs creativity
Och, ma perr wee sare heid!!!
I *think* we played well last night....
# Posted on March 11th 2004 by Key Maniac Lad
Re: water and beer - precision vs creativity
Thanks John,
having chances to go to Heaven is much more important than
playing well my fiddle in a session. You gave me a great argument. Cheerio!!!
# Posted on March 11th 2004 by fiddlemax
Re: water and beer - precision vs creativity
Seriously (unless it's to late in the discussion to be serious...)
Does the affect of alcohol vary depending on which instrument you're playing? I play flute, mostly, and if I have anything to drink *before* playing (or too much later) I notice an obvious lessening of coordination between my breathing or tonguing and my fingers. I've assumed this is the equivalent of the slurred speech that presents as an early symptom on one's way to drunkenness. It seems to me that folks playing fiddles and guitars and the like don't seem to feel the affects of alcohol as soon, but I don't play any non-wind instruments well enough to compare. Any opinions?
Susan
# Posted on March 12th 2004 by Susan Lawlor
Re: water and beer - precision vs creativity
My tolerance changes from one day to the next it seems. Sometimes I can quaff pints all day and it doesn't noticeably affect my playing; on odd occasions I've even played better than usual. However, especially if I start drinking BEFORE playing, my fingers can sometimes feel like pork sausages on the keyboard except not as responsive, even after just two pints.
I think everybody's playing is affected by alcohol in some way or other (good or bad) - how could it not be?
# Posted on March 12th 2004 by Conán McDonnell
Re: water and beer - precision vs creativity
To be fair I think it boils down to how accustomed y'are to drink and playin. Speaking from personal experience, I've been playin fiddle since I was 9 and I've been mixing booze and music since before then. My Da took me, my brother who plays low whistle and my sister whos also a fiddle, no sorry, Violin player (the classical road is a bad one) to sessúns since I as far back as I can remember and he'd always slip me the odd pint. I'm digressing but I've always been drinking and playing. My optimum musically is about 5-6 pints but technique-wise as soon as I start playing its all downhill. I therefore conclude using big fancy words that it's all a compromise...between how experienced you are playing in pissed state, what you value: technique or hitting the groooooooove, and whether you give a flying fugg what your playing sounds like cos chances are nobody will care in a session.
p.s. on the point raised about fanfuggintastic players who are also legless when you here them in a session: chances are there miles better when sober so cling to their ankles when they stagger/fall out of the pub and hear them when they're sober. Either that or their cacophony of mistakes are being subdued by other noise or absorbed by lots of people etc.
I've probly been spoutin shite so its time for yahoo pool. areet?
# Posted on March 12th 2004 by imahappycamper
Re: water and beer - precision vs creativity
You're right Susan. It depends surely on what You play, and how coordination is important in it. I find fiddle much more difficult to be played than guitar, under alcohol effect, but I have to admit than when I played guitar I was in rock music, and the "drunk touch" was considered a very nice effect.
# Posted on March 12th 2004 by fiddlemax
Re: water and beer - precision vs creativity
Definitely depends on what you play. I play both flute and 2-row box. I'm much worse on the box, even sober. But after a few pints my box playing is all over the place whereas my flute playing is much the same - ok, not brill, but not bad. Alright, so I've been on the flute for much longer than the box - maybe 20+ years cf half a dozen on box. But the coordinated push-pulling you do on the box gets progressively more difficult with more beers.
# Posted on March 12th 2004 by Key Maniac Lad
Re: water and beer - precision vs creativity
There's a natural limit put on the drinking for many people that's got nothing to do with playing the music, but everything to do with the drink-driving laws.
Fortunately, one of the sessions I go to is about a mile from my house - 20 minutes walk. But it could be significantly more walking back home, depending on my evening's intake.
Trevor
# Posted on March 12th 2004 by lazyhound
Re: water and beer - precision vs creativity
When I first few visits to Ireland I would try to steer clear of the round buying thing out of self-preservation. I noticed that I was being out-drank pint by pint by 4 to 1 or so. On my last trip I decided to give it a go and see if I could keep up. I was in Ennis for a couple of weeks and was comfortable with the folks I had gotten to know at the session. I succeeded in keeping up; by I'm sure my playing fell behind by about 4 to 1. Afterwards I noticed that all the sidewalks in town had shrunk by about 4 to 1 as well... in fact the whole town shrunk I think. I could barely fit through the front door of the bungalow we were renting, and someone hid the bed from me.
Conclusion: If you want to play music, drink, and find your bed -- drink according to your own tolerance.
# Posted on March 12th 2004 by Phantom Button
Re: water and beer - precision vs creativity
This is a great discussion! I'd have to say that beer is a great thing as far as my playing goes. To a point. Everything seems to flow so easily from the fiddle. Then people buy you drink since you're playing. And another. AND another. Then things go downhill as I realise i'm playing the wrong string and my left hand is still holding a pint. Never can figure out why. Oh well. Such is life.
# Posted on March 12th 2004 by sheltie
Re: water and beer - precision vs creativity
Taking into account the large number of replies to this question, its very obvious that playing and drinking go hand in hand. But it begs the question . . . do you go out to drink or play? In my case its a bit of both, and like to say if i where honest that the music definetely comes first. I've tried sitting there with a glass of shandy all night but not enjoyed the session half as much. I've come to the conclusion I've got a drink problem.
# Posted on March 12th 2004 by Justintime
Re: water and beer - precision vs creativity
Quote from ALP Scots music group web site under the section "The social side" which discussed sessions.
" This may be at someone's house or in a pub. You mustn't feel unable to join in if you don't drink alcohol. Everyone is welcome in Scottish pubs and it's more than acceptable to join in no matter what you drink "
I'm not sure if this true with a lot of publicans. It certainly wasn't in the old days of Sandy Bell's when old Jimmy Cairney would say "Orange juice. There's a cafe across the road , pal". Things are lot better now but I still believe that they're happier when we're spending money. True soft drinks have an even bigger profit margin but we don't tend to drink it in such large quantities. So, should I dare to suggest that it's our duty to drink alcohol in reasonable quantities to keep the landlords happy and the session welcome in the premises? Yes, there could be free drink at some sessions but it's more likely to be offered if we make the effort to buy it for ourselves, now and again. I like to convince myself that I'm only drinking for the love of the music. :>))
John
# Posted on March 12th 2004 by Johannes J
Re: water and beer - precision vs creativity
Music? 'tis the curse of the drinking classes.
# Posted on March 13th 2004 by Joe Quinn
Re: water and beer - precision vs creativity
It sems like a controlled experiment is required.
Yous see the insidous thing about alcohol is that, while degrading you physical co-ordination after only a small amount, it boosts your self confidence at the same time, more than compensating for any reduction in capability that you might othewise notice.
Hence the dangers when you're behind the wheel of a motor car.
But behind a fiddle? That may be another matter.
So who is going to volunteer for the following..........
First, record yourself playing one or two sets of tunes whilst stone cold sober.
Drink a pint of beer, wait 15 or twenty minutes, then run through a few more sets of tunes, while, once again recording them.
Drink another pint, and repeat again.
Drink a third pint, spend 15 minutes retuning, get the tape running on the second attempt, and play a few more stes of tunes.
Down the fourth, play a few tunes, remember to switch on the tape, then play them again, only louder and faster.
Get most of the fifth pint into the glass, drink whats left, and hit your favourite slow air for twenty or thirty minutes- well -it never sounded that good before! tell the tape recorder to stop itsellf once or twice, then down the sixth pint anyway.
Blaze away at a few reels - your expression and timing is now exceptionally brilliant.
Now the seventh pint is down, and the eighth, and the music is beginning to take on a mind of it's own. Provbably a good timesh to abandon the recordingsh and jusht get on with shome sherioush drinking!
Two days later, and sober again, have a listen to the tape, and let us all know at which point you reached your peak!
Tim
# Posted on March 14th 2004 by timbrooks
Re: water and beer - precision vs creativity
I'm with john J on this one, I play way better after a couple of pints, because I'm quite a nervous player and cant relax and get into the groove.
I probably have maybe 5 or 6 pints at a session, cant seem to drink more than that otherwise I wouldnt be playing any of the tunes
If I'm doing a gig (few and very far between - they are not worth the coronary that I have every time I'm about to get up on stage) I have to have at least two pints before hand.
Buckfast is disgusting, like cough syrup except it makes you sick - not the other way around
# Posted on March 14th 2004 by bb
Re: water and beer - precision vs creativity
Are you insinuating that I am under the affluence of incohol?
# Posted on March 1st 2003 by dafydd
Re: water and beer - precision vs creativity
oh i start to laugh out loud with all these funny comments about tape recordres and experiments!
# Posted on April 2nd 2004 by vboyd100