Better after a drink??

Jonny Sumo

Senior Member
I am in no way endorsing the use of alcohol as a performance enhancer BUT...I do often combine my 'downtime pastimes' of drums and a glass of wine. I have noticed that after maybe 2 glasses of wine my playing appears to be better. Not like Buddy better, just a little more relaxed, fills flow, things seem to work better....

Now heres the query; do I keep having the couple of glasses of wine and playing or should I stop that and work more on relaxation and technique?

I am not at a stage, nor do I want to be, where I always have to pour wine down my throat before I hit the kit.

I don't drink if I'm gigging tho....(I don't like drunk people...)
 
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I am in no way endorsing the use of alcohol as a performance enhancer BUT...I do often combine my 'downtime pastimes' of drums and a glass of wine. I have noticed that after maybe 2 glasses of wine my playing appears to be better. Not like Buddy better, just a little more relaxed, fills flow, things seem to work better....

Now heres the query; do I keep having the couple of glasses of wine and playing or should I stop that and work more on relaxation and technique?

I am not at a stage, nor do I want to be, where I always have to pour wine down my throat before I hit the kit.

I don't drink if I'm gigging tho....(I don't like drunk people...)

I have never seen any improvement in my drumming after drinking. I would say work on your actual drumming and not drinking skills.
 
I never do both. I get what you mean about feeling more relaxed, but I'm not at all sure that it makes me play better: most probably, IMO, it just makes me think I play better - because my perception isn't as sharp as it would be if I hadn't had a drink.
 
I never do both. I get what you mean about feeling more relaxed, but I'm not at all sure that it makes me play better: most probably, IMO, it just makes me think I play better - because my perception isn't as sharp as it would be if I hadn't had a drink.

Yes, I know what you mean; thats why I stressed the 'appears' part of my question. Interestingly tho, the 2 videos I posted on here, the first one (sumo warm up, with the Cozy riff) I was quite 'lubricated', while the 'groove' one I was stone cold sober.
The first one seems to flow bettr (to me) BUT that was where I missed one of the riffs and hit myself on the thumb, the 2nd one seems more restrained but I don't mess anything up....
the biggest issue is time management; I haven't got time to drink as much as I want or to play drums as much as I want to....the ideal solution is, in fact, drunken drumming....sounds like a dubbed jackie Chan movie...
 
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I'm afraid the elated feeling we get from that little tipple does make us sound (to us) like we are Vinnie yet in reality our timing is impaired although we may not think so, and we become dangerous and suffer bouts of bravery where we clearly can't play the fill we are about to execute.
It is also very habit forming where you think you have to have a drink to play.
My rule is i never mix the Two.
 
Props to you for highlighting appears because as in other things in life alcohol appears to do a lot of things.
 
I'm afraid the elated feeling we get from that little tipple does make us sound (to us) like we are Vinnie yet in reality our timing is impaired although we may not think so, and we become dangerous and suffer bouts of bravery where we clearly can't play the fill we are about to execute.
It is also very habit forming where you think you have to have a drink to play.
My rule is i never mix the Two.
Slightly off the topic but; I went on Gran Turismo after 4 cans of Stella and couldn't even finish the stage I had won consistently previously, so you are certainly right about the timing thing...never had you down as a Vinnie Paul fan tho....:)
 
Well there you go!
Is there anything we do that makes us any better after a tot or Two....
A clear head before sitting behind the kit for me, having seen it from the other side many years ago where 'Rock and Roll' meant plenty of excess before and after and often during was more important than what I was actually meant to be doing......Holding the thing down!
 
I am a much better dancer and lover after a drink or two.....and sooooooo funny....:)
 
Wouldn't it depend on the individual? Alcohol causes some loss of reflexes and coordination but some musicians say it calms their nerves. I suppose they notice greater benefit to their playing from being more relaxed and uninhibited than the losses from the booze's effects on physical coordination.

Just an observation. Neither endorsement nor judgement from my end.
 
I may have some wine before or even during an unimportant gig.

I don't have any unimportant gigs.

If alcohol alters your perceptions in any way, then it's not a good thing.

Occasionally I enjoy a glass or two, but never when I care about what I'm playing... and I always care about what I'm playing.

Bermuda
 
I don't drink wine. When you say a couple glasses, how many ounces (ml) are you talking per glass? I think 5 oz (150 ml) is the standard size. 5 oz wine = 12 oz beer (3.2%) = 1.5 oz booze.

The beer I drink is 7.2% alcohol. It's actually ale, but I call it beer. I'll drink one of these once in awhile before I play, or even a shot of bourbon or two and it doesn't affect my playing at all. I certainly wouldn't want to have to depend on it to feel relaxed enough to play good.

I stay away from alcohol for the most part. We keep bottles of water in the fridge. If there is beer or whiskey, nobody in my band ever drinks more than 2 or 3 while we're jamming. I appreciate that from the guys. A couple guys never drink alcohol at all. I respect these guys by never being drunk myself. It's unprofessional. A couple is OK, like before a gig I'll have a couple pints and it doesn't affect my playing. I've had a lot of practice doing this so it may be different for a newbie, in fact I'm sure it is. I'm drinking mostly because I'm socializing and enjoying myself, not because I'm nervous or I want to play better.
 
I am a much better dancer and lover after a drink or two.....and sooooooo funny....:)

I bet all the women you're with are soooo beautiful after a drink or two as well...
 
I bet all the women you're with are soooo beautiful after a drink or two as well...
Funny you should say that Jeff; when I met Ethel (the current Mrs Sumo) at the abattoir xmas party, I never noticed her hump or watering eye...as for the club foot; I just thought she was wearing one platform shoe.
And what a mover she was on the dance floor, the perfect foil for my grace and poise....and people wonder why I drink....
 
I bet all the women you're with are soooo beautiful after a drink or two as well...
Beer goggles - can't beat 'em ;)

As for playing drums, if you're the nervous type, then one small drink, say 30 minutes before you go on stage, might be a good idea, but anything more than that isn't going to help you. As a practice crutch, I'd say it's not a great idea, but it might enhance your enjoyment :)
 
A couple is OK, like before a gig I'll have a couple pints and it doesn't affect my playing.

I don't disagree that a little alcohol doesn't affect some people. The problem is, when someone is affected after a few drinks, and thinks they've improved as a result. I've never found that to be the case, and I've gigged with (and seen) a lot of bands over the last 36 years since I was allowed into bars.

Bermuda
 
I don't disagree that a little alcohol doesn't affect some people. The problem is, when someone is affected after a few drinks, and thinks they've improved as a result. I've never found that to be the case, and I've gigged with (and seen) a lot of bands over the last 36 years since I was allowed into bars.

Bermuda
You were allowed into bars aged 10? ;) ;) ;)
 
I don't drink wine. When you say a couple glasses, how many ounces (ml) are you talking per glass? I think 5 oz (150 ml) is the standard size. 5 oz wine = 12 oz beer (3.2%) = 1.5 oz booze.

.

I have a big glass MZ...not a wine glass, just a sort of tumbler. As I said before, I don't touch it if I'm gigging, only when I'm at home 'practicing'. I always felt it was disrespectful to the person who is paying you to not be stone cold sober - I wouldn't have a drink on my day job...

Most of my playing is solo, doing little bits of recording or video for youtube etc I was more wondering how acceptable/understandable it is to sink a 'glass' at home or should I avoid it and, as previously advised, work on my chops rather than my drinking abilities...

I just feel it relaxes me more, and maybe that's the point; am I maybe too rigid normally when I play/practice?? Stressful job, issues at home (like us all to an extent), drumming and a little tipple are my stress relief...but combining them? Cheers...
 
You're risking summary arrest,and a possible collar for DUI...Drumming Under the Influence.(Hey ,what do you expect from a cop).

I can see how it makes you feel like your playing is more relaxed and creative.Everybody's different,and for some that may be true.

I just recently reread Eric Claptons autobiography "Clapton",an in it he states ,there wasn't a day or performance that went by,where he wasn't stoned or drunk,till rehab in the 80's.

We have lots of recordings of his studio and live performances,which almost validate the buzzed> playing better senario,....but think about all those performances would have sounded like.....had he been sober all the time.He was in his prime in the late 60 ,and 70's.

Who knows what kind of music,he could have made?

Buddy Rich and especially Gene Krupas weed smoking ,is well known,and in Krupas case,well documanted.I for one,would like to have heard some of those perfomances......without enhancement.

In the 70's,my band would also take a 10 minute break for the" pause that refreshes ",as we used to call it.When we started playing againg,after the break,we thought....this is KILLER.

I used to recoerd most of that we played,and on playback.....the tape dosen't lie,we sucked as oppose to playing sober.

I get the whole playing for a hobby,and why not enhance it...thing.But just put it to the test,and record yourself doing the same exercises,with and without a few classes of wine,and let the tale of the tape be the judge.

Steve B
 
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