Sober as a judge or Jober as a sudge (Ceolachan thats for you!!!).
We all curse alcohal, I am today for self inflicted reasons… but besides the point, does anyone here find it difficult to play ‘under the influence’ of alcohal?
I can surely say that when sober I can play no bother but can’t when drinking. I get so flustered and can’t think of whats coming next. I find that with any instrument. Im so bad I could play the tune back to front without realising!!!
I find that there’s a thin line for me when I’m drinking and playing. A few drinks, and I seem to hit my prime…bowing is relaxed and easy, fingers are loose and fall right into place, hitting every roll. But then I have one more drink, and things seem to shut down. Like you said, I can’t think of what comes next, and my fingers begin to get tangled up in each other. Just gotta pay attention to that line…
I’m useless quickly. But it does remind me of a friend, a sweet kid, back in the 70’s, Dublin, a really fine player, in his teens. He was literally wheened on the black stuff, but not necessarily by his parents. If we could blame some amorphous secret society I’d have to lay it at the doors of Comhaltas, but that wouldn’t be fair or really completely true. We all shared something of the eventual result. The last time I saw this lad and played music with him he couldn’t keep still with the shakes. It took alcohol to settle him, but even then as a musician he was wasted, and he had so damned much promise.
I liked him, I loved his playing, and he was just a nice person over all, a sweet kid ~ and I did fek all. I suppose I felt it wasn’t my place? Nobody did anything, but after the damage was done a lot of talking happened, and commiserations. None of us individually would have had much effect, but the lad respected us and we counted of some value to him ~ so why the fek didn’t we show a similar respect in return? Sorry, I am feeling some guilt, justly…
It used to be easier for me to play with a few drinks under my belt--took the edge off the nerves a bit. Now, though, it seems one drink and I’m just stupid anymore. I think it’s the end of the drinking for me (well when I’m playing that is!!)
Some find its just as easy to play, one wouln’t know the difference if the player was sober or drunk. Don’t know, it baffles me.
For me it’s a case of:
No, nay, never,
No nay never, no more,
Will I play, when I’m sober,
No never, no more…
So JD you can play better when drunk?
This is not being aimed at you jdnolan but has anyone ever seen people who are plastered, with saliva ejecting from their mouth like the mist of the Niagara Falls singing “a great auld tune” thinking they are the best thing since slice pan, pick up the whistle to play a terrible ending and give an almighty blow just to finish their masterpiece. Then they expect an applaud which is given from pure sympathy as this guy just made a complete fool of himself.
I know a fiddler who always drinks tomato juice in pub sessions. He is in his 40’s, I believe.
I read in the paper the last day that tomatoes are good for fertility in men!!
Eat yar tomatoes men!!!
I’m going to jump in here for my two cents. What you’re describing Sarfly, not being able to remember tunes etc when you’re in an altered state of consciousness 🙂 is a classic that psychologists and behavioural pharmacologists have known about for some time (and what most people know already, but may not know that they know). Labelled “state-dependent learning” or more technically “dissociation”- If you learn something under the influence (of a host of drugs, not just alcohol), you will be less likely to remember it after the effects of the drug have worn off, and more likely to remember it when in that state again. Same thing works in reverse- learn sober, more likely to remember when sober.
So…learn a new tune slobbering drunk- more likely to remember it when you’re slobbering drunk (same thing works for places- learn in one place, better at remembering in that same place, you get the idea). Want to be able to play drunk at sessions…easy, practice drunk. I think Ceolachan gave a fine example why this would not be a wise alternative. So I guess Sarfly, be happy you can’t play when you’re tanked- it says a lot more about you than you might think 🙂.
ps. I am not a psychologist… I just get to play one on the session.
pps. I think I’m way better with a couple of drinks in me ;) (at least I THINK I am)
Why don’t my “winks” come out as winks and “C”’s do?
Oh… I *hic* see where it is now. *hic*(scuse me)
LOL And I add: wink, wink, wink.
You need a nose cuthail, but first stop snorting and get some plastic surgery… 😉
Sorry, that came out without thinking, here’s the clue from someone that is absolutely clueless about smilies:
; + - + ) = 😉
& : + - + / = 😏
Yuh founz duh slush pit ghostly-noodler… ’elcome….
Soory dear cuthail, that should have read ~ get your smilie to give up the snort and then get them a good plastic surgeon to cut and sew them a new nose…
;+-+) Thanks &:+-+/ Ceolachan ;+-+)
ah founz ma dose!
🙂
Frek!
ah lost it, adain!
Inhale through your nose, the filter, count ~ 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, then exhale through your mouth blowing with your lips like for a kiss, and count ~ 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 ~ do this for a few times until you start to feel light headed and relaxed. That’s it, now using a similar method 12 sit ups, 12 push ups, and 24 jumping jacks… Don’t forget to shake out your hands and fingers, now go get that instrument and practice, practice, practice ~ you’ve got that next session to prepare for now you’re a veteran… 😉
You have to keep your head about you and your standards, always better done with alcohol in small doses, or as slainte’s friend does it, with a fruit juice or something similar…
I am sorry Cuthail but I think you may have misunderstood me. I do not go learn tunes by getting drunk but as matter of fact I learn them by ear which I am proud t say is a graet talent that not every fine musician has.
Originally I have asked if anyone has the problem of not remembering a tune with drink n them, obviously I do, but I most certainly did not learn tem when I was drunk.
Now may I apologise if I have taken your response up wrong and please correct me if I have.
Ceolachan, in the post before this I agree with you. I asked this as a general discussion. Every one entitled to their own.
Cuthail may I apologise, it wasnt until I read over your statement I have realised your point. Thank you. But I would still love to be able to play tanked as well as sober!!! Did tonight….bodhran!!!
I feel like such an idiot. I uauallly take people up wrong.. I am known for the “blonde streaks”!
“usually” before ceol corrects me once again!
Oh dear, wasn’t my intention to insult at all- just to say that its normal for the ol’ memory to go after a few too many. The second part, more tongue-in-cheek, was that one way to be a talented drunk, is to be drunk more often than one ought to be.
Glad we’re on the same page and glad you had fun last night too.
😉
We all have ears Sar, but sadly not everyone uses them or exercises them…
“I would still love to be able to play tanked as well as sober!!! Did tonight…bodhran!!!”
The bodhran tanked eh? ~ What’s new…
Forget the ‘usual’, or ullullating, I’m all for usquebaugh, mmm, in its many forms, but not to the point that it takes the life it gives in small doses… I’m particularly fond of single malts, Islay being my first choice.
I did some volunteer work in a detox centre, well, more than once, but this one dealt mostly with alcoholism. It was close to an old ‘skid road’. They were brought in in horrible states, including folks who were being kept alive by maggots in their wounds. That’s a pretty ugly sight to see those things squirming out of a wound. I also used to sit and play games with them and talk to them while they were drying out. I saw a lot of sorry cases, but I never met a drunk I didn’t like. There were some awful stories shared too. I guess I saw the worst it can be as a poison, in excess. That memory problem is something that definitely progresses over time. It isn’t just a story told to scare people off of alcohol. I can say the same about the weed too, having seen the paranoia build up with regular users… Anything can be a poison, yeah, one of the many excuses dolled out. Personally I hate seeing fine people ruined, self-destruction, whatever the poison. So it isn’t just the loss of music and musicians that generates my concern.
I only gave the one example above, that one young lad, one, but there isn’t enough space here to catalogue every experience I’ve had there, small or large or buried in the ground. I know the pleasures of a good drink, and I well know the damnation. I’m just lucky that for whatever reason, probably a general dislike for drugs of any kind, that being sick drunk once was more than enough for me. I’ve seen my da there too, and I’m surprised that didn’t make me a pioneer. On that point, there are a hell of a lot of fine musicians of all sorts that have their pins, that have sworn off of the drink, often because they’ve seen it destroy someone close to them, or they’ve suffered the injustices a drunk is too often guilty of…
I would never write anyone off, but I know, while we can help, in the end it is a personal challenge and decision. I can’t think of any friend or family member I didn’t like better sober than drunk…
~ or cogent and sane than drugged up…
If i have a club soda and lemon or lime, while everyone else around is drinking…I swear I feel a little “effect”. No kidding…. sometimes though a few sips of Jack Daniels or wine will loosen up the hands. I don’t tend to have that if things are working well….it’s purely medicinal, LOL!
“I know a fiddler who always drinks tomato juice in pub sessions. He is in his 40’s, I believe.”
Follow his example and you too could live into your 40s.
I know a feisty fiddler who always drinks pear juice. If I thought it would help me play like she does I’d drink it too.
I find that if I start drinking at a pace that would get me legally drunk if the cops stopped me, my playing also deteriorates. Which makes sense, as the legal limit is set at the point where coordination is impared.
For those who think they play better when tight (or high), I suggest you tape yourself. You may be surprised at what you hear……………
Thats true Al Browne. It is a physocological thing really. i personally would love to be able to play in any frame of mind. You would be a legend if you could!
I have a rule, if I drive one drink is too many. So I drink soda and lemon or coffee if I can get it.
When someone else is driving or I am walking the rules change somewhat.
My remaining parent is a whiner who likes to spout “I dont need to drink to enjoy myself”. Her other favourite is “Everyone who drinks is an alcoholic” Apparently I am the worst of all because I have a working wine cellar.
It is very easy to get defensive with twits who like to spout this type of garbage and I think some things people have said on here has been misconstrued as such.
physocological eh? Poor Sar, the effects over time…
After the first 12, as long as I am sat down, I find playing easier than standing up.
For me, I generally only drink one or two pints during a session (usually, I get to play for about an hour or two). After the first pint, I do feel more relaxed and my bowing *feels* better; not sure it actually *sounds* better, but it certainly feels more relaxed to me! 🙂 )
I find that any more than two pints in an hour/hour-and-a-half and I start making all sorts of mistakes and “tripping over my own fingers” and my bowing goes all to hell.
In a night mine is usually just one pint and one shot, and that is until the sun comes up the next morning… 😉
Hey cwo bloody laschan when r u going 2 e-,ail me?
Phhttt!