Write drunk/Record sober?

[GoldFalcon]

G# is right; the link between musical creativity and substance abuse is undeniable. For whatever reason, the same personality trait that allows that spark of creativity often seems to fuel it by chemicals. Another good book to read that touches on the subject is "The Land Where The Blues Began" by Allan Lomax.

 

[mikeh]

While there is no denial that drugs & alcohol (in particualr drugs) have indeed been part of the artistic process and I suspect have inspired and/or contributed to music which went on to inspire future generations of musicians - is the price to be paid worth it?

The list of fine musicians who have died or who have significant portions of thier creative years compromised as a result of substance abuse is very long.

People like Hendrix, Cobain, etc. etc gave us great music which no doubt was in part inspired by drugs - but they died very young, perhaps before their best music found it's way to the surface (I would suggest that had they achieved sobriety they could have/would have created far better music than they did while "impaired").

The problem with chemicals is the very real potential that a little leads to a lot and once you are at the point of a lot, it is very hard to come back.

I know I thought for years that the negatives of drug & alcohol abuse were a fair trade off for the "creative artistic vision" these substances provided. Turns out that was just the chemicals talking

 

[Garry Sharp]

Completely agree with you mikeh - just because it happens, doesn't mean it's good or something to emulate. And not all the great artists were stoned all the time - just some of them - well, enough of them for the previous points to be valid.

 

[KonradG]

This thread is rediculous.

what garry said.... BITCH.
haha

 

[KonradG]

anyway, what i meant to originally post was that i put this theory to the test.

ive been on the road for a few days and i was in tallahassee, FL playin, where i have lots a friends in college.... i over did it a lil bit before the show... terrible. well, not terrible but i knew i could have played so much better.

By the time we got to alabama, i decided to not drink till after im done. I ran my hands under some hot water, sang some scales, drank a water, best show i ever played. i celebrated heavily afterwards though lol.

 

[littlefish]

Shadup and pour me another Beer

" Shadup and pour me another Beer " certainly fits this string..... we laid down the tracks...I went home.......Larry got drunk...... and finished the tune.
Didn't touch it again .
Its on our soundclick Site.
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandID=319503
Good day to you all
John
1/2 of KBC

 

[mjr]

From what I understand, the guys in Iron Butterfly were smashed (well, at least the lead singer was) when they recorded Inna-Gada-Da-Vida (which was supposed to be "In The Garden of Eden", but came out the other way...that's one of the LONGEST songs, and it's endured the test of time.

That being said, I find it better to write & record sober. I'm not much of a drinker anyway, but it gets too distracting because the alcohol loosens you up a little too much at times.

 

[MobbEuro]

Drinking inhibits your brain function because you get less oxygen to your brain. Obviously this will cause you to be dumber. But for those people who have trouble expressing themselves sober, being drunk or high acts as a disinhibitor and they can write or produce music much better. Personally, I am not as good at writing lyrics high or drunk, but I am better at rap freestyles when I'm high and a little tipsy. When I'm messed up though I can make some tight music though. Thats just me.

 

[NickSpringfield]

I usually write sober and record after a few drinks. It loosens me up. Although sometimes I'll listen to a song I did drunk the next day and I'm slurring every word. There is a line and sometimes I cross it.

-Springfield

 

[gecko zzed]

stay sober

elsewhere in this forum others have talked about the importance of being sober when running a studio (specially if you are charging others to record there). it's an important job and requires professionalism.

i think this applies to songwriting and performing as well. good songwriting requires good wordcraft, which in turn requires an alert mind. you may be inspired when you are off the planet, but it is hard to find the right word in a brain full of sludge.

if you don't care too much about lyrical (or melodic) originality, then I guess it doesn't matter what you do.

People have admired hendrix and cobain and others. Was their genius derived from their additives, or were they just a symptom of their genius? Possibly alcohol or drugs had nothing to do with their creativity.

I wonder what we might have heard from them if they were able to create stuff free from those influences

 

[acoustic rain]

how I write/record

I find myself rearing to go first thing in the morning. You know ... a cup of coffee into the day (maybe 2). Then on the way to work my mind is freshest. I can come up with lyrics, arrangements, etc... but of course, ultimately I'm walking into work where these things no longer matter and are replaced by the j-o-b.
When it comes to writing time and I've got the time, my head's usually tuned and I'm in the zone.
I can do it either way, straight or not. But, either way, it's what I do. Most like my songs, so I guess that a good sign. Keep in mind, and this is probably obvious, but there's a lot of the music we listened to growing up written and performed under some kind of influence. AR

 

[KonradG]

elsewhere in this forum others have talked about the importance of being sober when running a studio (specially if you are charging others to record there). it's an important job and requires professionalism.

i think this applies to songwriting and performing as well. good songwriting requires good wordcraft, which in turn requires an alert mind. you may be inspired when you are off the planet, but it is hard to find the right word in a brain full of sludge.

if you don't care too much about lyrical (or melodic) originality, then I guess it doesn't matter what you do.

People have admired hendrix and cobain and others. Was their genius derived from their additives, or were they just a symptom of their genius? Possibly alcohol or drugs had nothing to do with their creativity.

I wonder what we might have heard from them if they were able to create stuff free from those influences

So you're saying hendrix and cobain would have been better musicians without the influence of drugs or alcohol? Thats where i disagree.

 

[crunkthanamug]

Create sober/ Perform slightly buzzed

I cant create any good ideas after drinkin. (cuz at that point im already in party mode) But when the songs are already recorded and your are comfortable with the words (ie you wont forget them) I think 2 or 3 drinks (not shots!) help me relax and sparks a more laid back/smooth delivery...but then again that make be bcuz i sing RnB. It depends on the style of music if its a good idea or not. One of the guys i work with (rapper) HAS to smoke before he does ANYTHING to be productive...but if i smoke even a lil bit i turn into a vegetable - so it all depends on what you are comfortable with, there no set recipe for art - you just do what works for you!

 

[The First Don]

Drinking inhibits your brain function because you get less oxygen to your brain. Obviously this will cause you to be dumber. But for those people who have trouble expressing themselves sober, being drunk or high acts as a disinhibitor and they can write or produce music much better. Personally, I am not as good at writing lyrics high or drunk, but I am better at rap freestyles when I'm high and a little tipsy. When I'm messed up though I can make some tight music though. Thats just me.

Actually 1-2 beers shut down the slowest part of your brain. Since any machine can only operate as fast as its slowest part; the higher thought processes of the brain can function more quickly after 1-2 beers. This is why some people may feel smarter after having a couple of drinks. More then 2 drinks usually begains to impare the high thought processes that occur in your brain however.

 

[Renascent]

More then 2 drinks usually begains to impare the high thought processes that occur in your brain however.

This is most unfortunate. Oh how I wish a handle of captain morgans could have gotten me through some college finals I never had a chance at!

 

[Neeps]

Okay, i have found that i can write better lyrics and match chords far easier when im trashed (not out of my mind, but just enough to where i can still play guitar ok). I found it easier to pull the words out and flow them with the music, i cant stop writing. when im sober, i find myself repeating the same ideas for the most part, although alot of my songs were written sober. What do you guys think?

Whatever works for you... just remember to check your lyrics in the morning!

 

[Neeps]

Actually 1-2 beers shut down the slowest part of your brain. Since any machine can only operate as fast as its slowest part; the higher thought processes of the brain can function more quickly after 1-2 beers. This is why some people may feel smarter after having a couple of drinks. More then 2 drinks usually begains to impare the high thought processes that occur in your brain however.

And where exactly is this slow part of the brain??

I might get lobotomised!

 

[legionserial]

I don't drink anymore, but when I did my songwriting sucked. I was musically lazy and sloppy... and I used to think my lyrics worked well when I was drunk, but then when I was sober i just realised they were all the same hateful self destructive violent crap...which is dumb, and a far cry from anything I wrote sober. Now the lyrics are on hold (I have gained too much contentment through age to have anything much to say) and I concentrate on the music...which is now 1000 times more ambitious and has 1000 times more thought care and attention go into it.

Mind you in my teenage 'punk' years, with the band I was in at the time, a few brews always helped us churn out a few generic OI! tunes for laugh. They were all crap though...but who cares at the time when you're at a party and you can barely stand up, and all anyone wants is an excuse to jump around and smash stuff.

 

[Rokket]

I find that I write sober mostly too.

When I am drunk, things that make sense to me don't always translate when I sober up and take a second or third look. Sometimes not even after 20 looks!

I do tend to have a couple beers when I record vocals. My singing sucks, and it sounds tense and totally amateur when I track sober.

Since alcohol is a depressent, it tends to relax me when I sing, and I do a little better (anyone who has heard my stuff knows that it ain't much better).

But I don't record drunk, and I steer away from writing drunk.

 

[glynb]

I think a little alcohol has its place for live performance, up to a point. the 'point' being getting suficiently relaxed so that you perform well, but not so relaxed that you can't play technicaly your best. Playing an instrument is a skill and alcohol affects ability to use that skill.

Similarly a drink or two might be good for getting a good relaxed vocal performance in a studio setting where the performer might be nervous, again up to that perfect point.

As for writing, i don't hold with the view that people write better stuff under the influence of substances. The may THINK they're writing well, that's another issue, like that person on coke thinks they're the most fantastic human being in the world.

The ultimate test is listening stone cold sober...

Life should be the only inspiration you need if you're doing things right. it's crazy enough to inspire if you look around enough.