Alcohol & Practising

[g_s_223]

Well, I like a glass or two of wine, or a few beers. But should I try practising afterwards?

[tac-tics]

This thread reminds me of Family Guy.

I tend not to drink, so there's my bit.

[ted]

Alcohol and music do not mix for me, even while just listening. In general, drink has been gradually losing its charm for me for years - getting past it.

[frida1]

I'm not a conservatory student, just a regular working adult.  I enjoy practicing at home after work while sipping a glass of wine.

[spirithorn]

I used to like a little vodka when practicing.  Then I started to like a little more.  Then I started to REALLY like it.  Now I attend AA regularly.  It's a completely personal issue, whether you can handle it or not.  I couldn't.  Just be aware of potential consequences.  And that impaired motor coordination will not contribute to a particularly musical performance.

[Tash]

well for me personally i'm such a lightweight if i had one drink then i'd probably be quite tipsy, and my concentration is bad enough when i'm not drunk!! i think it'd be humerous to randomly try playing whilse drunk and see what happens, but i can't say i really drink at home anyway- more of a social thing

[brewtality]

I tried to play once when I was competely wasted, it didn't work out very well. Rubinstein said that he never drank alcohol on the day of a concert as it greatly impaired his playing.

[pianistimo]

agreed with most of these responses.  as ted said, alcohol and music dont' mix.  you don't have coordination with too much drinking, so why try something that won't help.  learning to meditate or exercise a lot before practice can calm your nerves much better and last longer.  a drink or two on the weekend probably won't kill anyone - but it's probably better in the evening after practicing your major memory work.

[rc]

I used to like a little vodka when practicing.  Then I started to like a little more.  Then I started to REALLY like it.  Now I attend AA regularly.  It's a completely personal issue, whether you can handle it or not.  I couldn't.  Just be aware of potential consequences.  And that impaired motor coordination will not contribute to a particularly musical performance.

I understand what you're saying, I've got a weakness for booze as well. I've managed to avoid getting to the point where it became a serious problem, but it's very easy for me to lose control of my drinking. Some people really have to watch themselves. Drinking is somewhat glorified in our culture too, as if it's something special to be able to pour booze in your mouth. Lately I would agree with Ted.

Practicing drunk: practicing takes a lot of brain-juice, and I can tell the difference after just one beer. I can still get something accomplished with a beer in me, but any more and I'm pretty much wasting my time. Trying to play drunk was infuriating, nothing worked out at all.

I would say the hangover the next day is worse, but that it eventually goes away and later in the day I can still practice. If I do try to practice hungover (or even just really tired), I play slow and accurate, to compensate for my crippled brain.

My teacher once had to perform hung over, I have no idea how he did it.

[Tash]

I understand what you're saying, I've got a weakness for booze as well. I've managed to avoid getting to the point where it became a serious problem, but it's very easy for me to lose control of my drinking. Some people really have to watch themselves. Drinking is somewhat glorified in our culture too, as if it's something special to be able to pour booze in your mouth. Lately I would agree with Ted.

Practicing drunk: practicing takes a lot of brain-juice, and I can tell the difference after just one beer. I can still get something accomplished with a beer in me, but any more and I'm pretty much wasting my time. Trying to play drunk was infuriating, nothing worked out at all.

I would say the hangover the next day is worse, but that it eventually goes away and later in the day I can still practice. If I do try to practice hungover (or even just really tired), I play slow and accurate, to compensate for my crippled brain.

My teacher once had to perform hung over, I have no idea how he did it.

YES playing hungover is NOT good that's the one thing i hate about being hungover (can't say it happens often though) is that the next day is completely unproductive because all i feel like doing is lying in bed and having a moan about feeling sick. and saying dumb things to my parents who then proceed to laugh at me:(

[frida1]

I guess I'm the only pro-alcohol player!  But when I said I enjoyed a glass of wine, I meant a glass of wine.  For me, that doesn't lead to drunkenness, and my experiences of attempting to play even mildly inebriated, like after a party or social occasion, fail miserably.

[stokes]

I never drink when practicing but I have been playing the piano sometime after a glass of wine or so. I have always had problems with trills, but after those glasses my trills turn out being just the way I want them to be. That made me think about what I do wrong, since it is not a physical problem. The problem is in my mind. I still don't have the answer.

[lisztisforkids]

For a little bit of fun get really wasted, and go try to sight read a really hard piece. For some reason I always think that I am playing much better than I really am. 

[jlh]

The problem with practicing while drunk is that you will not retain anything you do, so there is no point in practicing, except for your own drunken pleasure at the moment.  Therefore, don't practice while you're drunk, but just play to your heart's content. 

There's nothing wrong with a drink or two while practicing, but if you're tipsy, you will not retain anything valuable from your practice session.

[eins]

 even one glass of wine kills it for me. I feel like I can easily play my memorized pieces, but I can't. I mess up. It is an amazing proof of how even a little bit of alcohol can ruin my concentration, my coordination, my performance. Scary, that I believe I can still drive perfectly after that one glass of wine.

[leahcim]

The problem with practicing while drunk is that you will not retain anything you do

Yeah, I always thought you didn't retain anything if you drank before doing it.

But he's 6 now.

[arensky]

After about three hours of practicing I might crack a beer open as I am finishing up with detailed technical work. I then usually start playing lounge jazz, then head off to the Ipod/stereo or TV, or the internet. If driving and operating heavy machinery don't mix with drinking then playing the piano doesn't go with drinking either. It's just that you can get killed with the first two.

[gorbee natcase]

Slur your words, slur your notes have a drink.

[lava]

One glass will kill my practising and performing skills immediately.

Although I've played in a old stylejazz band and we always drunk quite a lot before and during parties at which we had to play. Didn't really matter as long as our alcohol level stayed below the audience's level.   

[rc]

Although I've played in a old stylejazz band and we always drunk quite a lot before and during parties at which we had to play. Didn't really matter as long as our alcohol level stayed below the audience's level.   

Yes! Very important to never be more drunk than the audience!

Have the drummer disappear to find his girlfriend and the bassist passed out with his head in the flowerpot is not a good situation. Strangely, he woke right up as soon as the song was done, and found his way straight back to the keg.

[gruffalo]

it depends how serious you are, and how serious that particular practice session is. if you want to acheive something from the session you are about to do, then you dont drink. if you are just bored on a night resting at home and want to play for a bit of leisure when you have already practiced or dont feel the need to, then what the hell why not? just dont make a regular habit out of it, and definitely dont expect progress if you do sit down drunk at the piano.

[alzado]

All I can do is share my experience.

Before I drive to my lesson which is at 6 pm. I usually have a small glass of red wine -- about six ounces, the size of a fruit juice glass.  I believe it relaxes me.

Much more critical for me is eating versus being hungry.  I find when I have not eaten at all since lunch, by 6 pm I show some signs of low blood sugar, such as a slight trembling in the fingers.   So I always have a few crackers=and=cheese or possibly one peanut-butter sandwich before going to my lesson.

If I limit the wine to no more than about 6 oz., it doesn't bother my playing.  Much more serious to impede my playing is to be rather hungry when going into the lesson.  And consequent low blood sugar.

[pianistimo]

bad boy.  no no. that drinking and driving!  eat the food, and save the wine till you get home.  how nervous can you be for that lesson?  you need a teacher that will smack you around a bit.  that would loosen you up and stop the shakes.  seriously, try a banana or a banana milkshake.

[rc]

...I couldn't see that much wine having any conequential effect of driving. I'm more afraid of all the dry drivers who don't know how to drive than someone who's had one small glass of wine.

[leahcim]

I'm more afraid of all the dry drivers who don't know how to drive than someone who's had one small glass of wine.

Yeah, trouble is....

"Glass of wine Bert?"
"Nah, I'm one of the ones who can't drive so I'm stopping sober"

..doesn't happen.

[rc]

 

Bert rides in the trunk.

[m1469]

In all honesty, generally and with very few exceptions, I find everything I do to be more satisfying and fulfilling --including piano practice-- when I am completely sober.



m1469 

[ada]

I get up at 5am to practice for a couple of hours. At this time I'm sober and I do all the serious disciplined stuff, Bach and scales and arpeggios and any pieces I'm learning.

Then in the evening after 9pm I sit down again, this time with a glass of wine, maybe something else, and play purely for pleasure - anything I feel like, stuff I'm good at,  stuff I love like Chopin etc, don't stress too much about technique blah blah.

I have a break every half hour or so, top up the glass, have a ciggie break. Keep going until I fall off the bench. he he. Well perhaps not quite so bad but that's the general idea.

Not surprisingly I play better in the morning. But I have more fun at night.

If I was a performer (which I'm not so it doesn't matter) I'd always play sober and straight.