Caffeine and Piano

[benzenering]

Hello guys.

Would you advise taking (a healthy amount) of caffeine (coffee, tea..) in order to have enough 'alertness' to practice. I always find myself not having enough energy after a day's work. I mean, usually people in my country wake up at 5-6am for school/work and by the time they knock off around 5 or 6 in the evening practicing would be difficult because of fatigue from a day's work and waking up so early in the morning. Not to mention the large amount of work load from school or universities. Sometimes without coffee i find myself missing more notes, and after I drink like half a cup I get so alert I feel I'm playing better.

[omar_roy]

If it helps you, then by all means.  I regularly drink anywhere from 4-8 cups of coffee a day and I've never had any ill-effects.

One might say I have an addiction to coffee.

[kelly_kelly]

4-8 cups of coffee is excessive and potentially unhealthy in my opinion - just because it doesn't have adverse effects on one person, it doesn't mean that its not a bad idea. But 0.5-1 cups in the evening sounds quite reasonable, so if it helps you, go for it. I personally have found that coffee and piano are mutually exclusive... I once drank coffee right before a lesson, and I found myself jumbling the fingerwork in a fast piece and unable to maintain concentration in a slow piece (not that I normally play perfectly, but this was unprecedented), and finally I actually burst out laughing while I was playing (to my teacher's horror) when I realized that the caffeine was the problem!

[benzenering]

Yea what I realize is that coffee (caffeine) has an effect on how I practice and how I play. I find the alertness useful.

I have yet to try red bull or sugar energy drinks. But now the question is, should i take them (coffee etc) before piano exams?
 

[richard black]

Don't stress over it. Caffeine is a very mild drug. Frankly hot water has nearly as much effect. If you like it and it works for you, drink it. As for 'good for you', I have at some times in my life drunk nothing on a regular basis except coffee (these days I vary the diet with tea, and occasionally even water or herb tea), and I'm one of the healthiest people I know. It can't be that lethal!

[rmbarbosa]

The actual medical opinion about coffee is changed. In a recent medical meeting, coffee were presented as a good health protector. It seems coffee protects against some cancers, for example hepatic carcinoma, colon carcinoma, etc. If you have high arterial pression ou gastritis or gastric or duodenal ulcer, coffee is a no-no. Otherwise you may take 4 or 5/day. or more. So, my friend, a good coffee and a lot of good music. Or a good music and a lot of good coffee.
Best wishes
rui

[asianpianoer]

Yea what I realize is that coffee (caffeine) has an effect on how I practice and how I play. I find the alertness useful.

I have yet to try red bull or sugar energy drinks. But now the question is, should i take them (coffee etc) before piano exams?
 

yes if you are used to practicing with coffee
because if u dont, you'll be nervous cos you'll be in a different state of mind

[myrrha]

Drinking coffee for hat purpose is a very bad idea because you don't really count the amount of cups you devour for the sake of 'waking up' and working better. But actually you will wake up and work much better if you just excercise every morning. And in the long run it is beneficial to your health while coffee will slowly see to its destruction. Be careful.

[marioshand]

these are very moderate answers......
If U like coffee......drink coffees!
And if one day, you shake so much that you cannot play, so...stop!

[becky8898]

Does drinking coffee in the morning really pick you up? And if it does dont stimulates cost you your energy somewhere else in the day.  Just wondering since I have never had any coffee.

Cheers, Becky

[azupkatalina]

It depends on how your body will react to caffeine, becky. =) Caffeine has different effects relative to an individual.  In a way, your neurotransmitters, when triggered with caffeine, are working at a pace more than their normal ones. That's when you're really alert and in a way, energetic. But when you overdo drinking coffee, the effect is the other way around, since overworking the neurotransmitters would make them tired... making you tired and sleepy in a way. The time that you overdo drinking coffee and feeling weary, that's when you must lessen drinking such. But as long as you have just the right amount of intake, then go for it! Don't over-drink so you won't get tired easily.
I hope this makes sense. haha. I hope that answers your question =)


LOL,
kate

[roger_1948]

I cant remember when my day didnt start with a good cup of coffee, or a crappy cup of coffee or last weeks coffee grounds . If I could id have a direct infusion into my veins.  Truth is though I dont think it matters alot one way or the other. Whatever works for you. That is except for Becky.
12 year olds dont need Coffee.  Just my opinion of course.


Roger 

[omar_roy]

Drinking coffee for hat purpose is a very bad idea because you don't really count the amount of cups you devour for the sake of 'waking up' and working better. But actually you will wake up and work much better if you just excercise every morning. And in the long run it is beneficial to your health while coffee will slowly see to its destruction. Be careful.

Some people are different.  I am a competitive cyclist and when I ride in the mornings, I'm completely spent after my ride and have to nap for an hour before I do anything else otherwise i'll just be exhausted all day.

And no, coffee will not deteriorate your health.  There are many studies (several of which are published in peer reviewed journals) that show that coffee is beneficial to your health regardless of how much you drink.