Does any food/drink fuel your practice?

[chopinlover01]

I'm 13 (14 this friday) and I've found that caffeine is the fire behind my practice.
I know somebody who buys pure caffiene powder and mixes it with his own drinks. He is also a pianist, around my age, and he has maintained that it helps.
It helps me with the coda of Chopins G minor Ballade 

[chopincat]

I mean... won't caffeine be helpful with pretty much anything that involves being alert? That seems kind of obvious.
Happy early birthday!

[chopinlover01]

Many thanks! And I completely forgot to say in specific. It's coke that fuels my G minor coda practice

[amytsuda]

If you are still only 14 years old, I strongly recommend that you don't develop caffeine dependency. Caffeine has many chemical properties that work with your motor neurons, adrenal system, and blood pressure, etc, and it is addictive. The effect of caffeine is not necessary stable, so it may help you perform your coda, but also can wear you out and start shaking your hands. Probably, better practice routines to perform your coda well without caffeine is more ideal in the long term!

[chopinlover01]

If you are still only 14 years old, I strongly recommend that you don't develop caffeine dependency. Caffeine has many chemical properties that work with your motor neurons, adrenal system, and blood pressure, etc, and it is addictive. The effect of caffeine is not necessary stable, so it may help you perform your coda, but also can wear you out and start shaking your hands. Probably, better practice routines to perform your coda well without caffeine is more ideal in the long term!

Oh I'm well aware... I do just as much practice (if not more) on the coda w/o caffeine. I've had caffeine dependance for my playing happen before (on a performance of a friend's composition who was attending the concert, the same one who mixes caffeine with his drinks ((disgusting by the way, don't EVER do it)), and he noticed it and laughed). Not fun. It's just for the practice sessions where I know I need to work on it but can't find enough willpower to do it.

[chopincat]

I strongly recommend that you don't develop caffeine dependency. Caffeine has many chemical properties that work with your motor neurons, adrenal system, and blood pressure, etc, and it is addictive.

Whoops I'm 15 and I've needed caffeine to wake up every morning for like 2 years...guess my parents accidentally turned me into a drug addict?

[cwjalex]

i find heroin to be very effective but there are some drawbacks...

[Petter]

Apparently you don't actually get a boost from using caffeine if you're addicted, you just take care of the withdrawal symptoms which makes you tired and in a bad mood etc..

[chopinlover01]

Do you have a source for that? I experience the withdrawl, thereby somewhat implying a dependancy, but I can still get an energy high from having lots of caffeine.

[stoat_king]

i find heroin to be very effective but there are some drawbacks...

It is said to quite moreish. lol.

Anyway - 'addict' and 'dependancy' are such ugly words.
Think of yourself as a chocoholic, just with drugs.

[cwjalex]

It is said to quite moreish. lol.

Anyway - 'addict' and 'dependancy' are such ugly words.
Think of yourself as a chocoholic, just with drugs.

lol, my therapist likes to say that i'm "in recovery" isn't that nice sounding?