Do you play better while drunk?

[Two hands31]

I don't drink, so I wouldn't know (and yes, I'm 19 now).

But I did try playing after being awake all night and all the next day and it was interesting. I managed to keep playing without screwing up even though I wasn't fully conscious (didn't fall over either, despite the fact that I was standing up ).

[dex]

Man I used to think that I'm a proper racing driver after a few pints or that I'm a monster guitar player.

The thing is while alcohol makes you think you can do things better, it actually reduces your ability a great deal.
Not that you didn't know that already.

ilia

[bob mclaughlin]

I cant play worth $#!% when Im drunk.......

[Dave Goodland]

more creative NO not on booze.

maybe have a 'smoke' and things get a little bit creative

[davester1234]

Originally Posted by Dave Goodland

more creative NO not on booze.

maybe have a 'smoke' and things get a little bit creative

now you don't mean puffing the magic dragon do you?!

[Ancestor]

I used to always drink beer while we practiced. And, I never really though that it affected me, until I started playing sober just to see what would happen. Now I'm disgusted if someone asks me to play something while I'm drunk, because I know that I'm at half capacity or less.

Last time I played live I didn't have one drop before going on stage.

[guitarkatana]

Couldn't tell ya, I don't drink(me 19). But I doubt it would sound great.

[pawel]

No, the last time I tried (and it was a long time ago) there was a 2 second delay between my right and left hand...hmm...would that mean that only the left hand slows down? Or maybe my right hand plays faster...
???

...whatever

[Jamie]

When we're writing in the practice room, after 2 beers you do lose your inhibitions and start saying what your heart/mind/fingers are thinking a wee bit more. However once you hit 3 beers, then 4, its downhill pretty fast I think.

If I'm out at someone's house, drunk, and somebody asks me to play I always refuse, occassionally I'll have a strum & a sing and then feel embarrased for days. Its one of my pet hates, people strumming & singing enthusiastically while drunk or worse, badly while sober!

I can't play a single note when drunk, only strum.

If we gig, I don't allow myself a drink until we're about to come off stage, blackcurrant & lemonade is the preferred tipple of most rock god guitarplayers anyway

[vai n maiden]

I dont need to drink to have a good time but i dont drink before im up at jam night simply cuz if i got tanked up on beer i know i'd need a leak when i was onstage or something.

Yeah playing drunk isnt good, thankfully ive only ever done it round at someone's house

But yeah i drink but i dont get drunk often its just nice to chug a cold one after a nice performance. dont believe in smokin da'erb either for creativeness im at top creativity when im high on guitar n nothin else really ....... ok, possibly pork scratchings

[Chud]

haha, only 2 people voting hell yes......one of them being me

...then again, anyone that plays drunk thinks their good at everything...cause they cant tell

[darren wilson]

An old adage goes: "Alcohol increases the desire but diminishes the ability."

Of course, that adage refers to sex, but i find it applies to other kinds of "performance" as well. I don't play better AT ALL when i've been drinking. However, i THINK i can play better, and my inhibitions are lowered so i generally put on a better show. But my playing gets even more sloppy after a couple of drinks.

[JEAPSON]

I agree with Darren : drinking just enables to forget inhibitions but playing gets bad then...so between playing and drinking I would go for playing only

[Anton]

Hell no indeed

[AndersPGM]

Hell no!