Drink driving and "Drink piano playing"

[pytheamateur]

How much alcohol can you take before you cannot play the piano to performance standard?  I would like to ask this question with reference to drink driving: is it about the same amount of alcohol as permitted by law for driving? More? Or less?

Sorry if this sounds like a silly question.  I attended a wedding once and late into the night was asked to play some pieces on the piano.  I'd never played under the influence of alcohol before and didn't realise how badly it affected my playing.

[pianoplayjl]

For all I know, I think some, if not most of alcohol related driving deaths are caused by speeding. They drive too fast and as a result, either collide with another car or tree or pole. This is so common in Australia there is almost 1 alcohol driving death a day. Once when I was playing a piece too fast, I 'crashed' the piece. My teacher told me to slow down and play at a speed you are comfortable with. He also added the words 'speed kills', refering to the campaigns shown on TV. Too true were these words, as speeding while driving and playing can have dire consequences. While playing the piano and under the influence of alcohol I think it is best that people play slowly so that everything is not in a haze of some sort. Well I've never heard of a law about drinking while playing the piano because really there is nothing lethal or life threatening about it. The most that can happen is vomit, suddenly pass out or hit your head on the keys. I know it doesn't answer your question but this is just my response to your question.

JL

[starlady]

My piano playing is VERY sensitive to alcohol.  If I drink even a little--two swallows of wine, say-- I'll loose the tempo and hit wrong keys, even in pieces I know well.  It's not just that the fingers get clumsy: I can type, cook and sew, all of which require finger dexterity,  just fine after having a drink.  Odd.

--s.

[gvans]

Recently my violinist and I played a concert (sober) and then had a few large glasses of good California zinfandel (the dark red kind, the kind you have to scrape off your teeth, not the sweet namby-pamby pink stuff). Wouldn't you know, on a visit to my music studio, our friends pushed me soon thereafter into playing a Chopin Etude. I got through it OK (kept the tempo slowish), and they thanked me, but sheeeee...it's always better to play sober IMHO.

[mousekowski]

I agree - very small amounts of alcohol have a very negative effect on my playing.

On the other hand I find energy drinks - Red Bull for example - help me concentrate on practicing and are good for performing too!

[bleicher]

Just make sure the audience is more drunk than you are then it doesn't matter!

[pianoplayjl]

Just make sure the audience is more drunk than you are then it doesn't matter!

Then you can stuff up when ever you like and everyone will be oblivious to your mistakes

On the other hand I find energy drinks - Red Bull for example - help me concentrate on practicing and are good for performing too!

Red Bull gives you wings.

JL

[megadodd]

I don't drink anymore. But when I did, and tried playing the piano...one beer was certainly enough to make it a lost cause.

But I also find energy drinks really good when practicing, since I prefer the late night to morning.

[sevencircles]

How much alcohol can you take before you cannot play the piano to performance standard?  I would like to ask this question with reference to drink driving: is it about the same amount of alcohol as permitted by law for driving? More? Or less?

I can drink more when I play the piano.

I am no Art Tatum though, he was really drunk during many of his recording sessions. He was really drunk on almost every recording where he played on an out of tune piano.

Josef Hofmann was drunk on many of his later recordings and so was Barere.

[rallentando]

I find I am more inspired when I have a drink. My playing sounds more artistic! At least to me! It would probably sound terrible to anyone else though!