So you can practice while watching TV and it'll help you get better. Thats widely accepted as true and many people do it.

But how about practicing guitar after smoking 420? Does your lack of cognitive faculties make it difficult to commit something to muscle memory?

we already had this thread and it was locked so expect it to be in a couple of hours.

Ive played while under the influence. Really cool actually. Turned on a distortion, 2 od pedals and a wah then did some slow riffing/noise/feedbacks.

in

I farted

dont know what 420 is.. but i say forget muscle memory, just jam and make amazing music. And record it!

If you're trying to memorize something like a scale or a lick, forget about it;
but if you're just jamming...

Too bad you were not under the influence at that time, it would have sounded musical and creative I am sure had that been the case.

I know it man.I wish i could be messed up while a fart then it could be that more special and my ears would have enjoedit that much mure



Its actually only 15 min till 4:20 here on east coast,so im gonna grab my guitar and fart and smell it and see where that takes my guitar playing.Never know what you will come up with under the influence of a fart at 4:20am.

I can't talk. I could show you my college undergrad transcripts, and ask you to identify which semester I started, and which semester i quit. you would have no problem solving that puzzle after looking at the transcript.

surprised this thread has lasted this long, Kris must be sleeping. I know Andrew is, gets up in a few hours I think though, based on his past behavior.

Its never really a good idea to smoke anything man, it leads to big problems later on in life and i would hate to see any members end up with !!

This thread will be locked btw

Good that you have learned this at age 24, I think that is how old you said that you are. But I am not one to talk. I stopped the dope smoking pretty early. Smoking cigs a bit later. But I was always doing serious athletic training at the time, so I think I countered the effects. My cardio system and endurance is exceptional, especially for my age. So I figure I countered it, I would either do distance swimming or running virtually every night. And even now at my advanced age my resting heart rate is in the 50's, and I have great endurance capacity.

But I know this one guy who smoked, and never got exercise, and was overweight, and they are talking about a heart transplant for him. Sad, nice guy.

The cigs are bad, but the dope, that is so hot, it has to fry your lungs. Not to mention what it does to your brain.

Well I guess there is no need to lock this thread - everyone can give their honest opinion about it.

Here are mine: If you want to stand a chance in the music business today - you should at least have knowledge about the following things:

*playing at least one instrument
*songwriting
*recording/producing
*marketing
*networking (I hate to say it, but I think most "under the influence friends" won't count here)
*general understanding of how the music business works (it's a fluctuating market, there is no up-to-date book with a recipe for success, and there will never be, so you have to be able to use your brain and see/analyse trends)
*social competence (you want to convince people to offer you gigs etc)

Now if you want to learn all this "under the influence" then...good luck!

If you only want to get good at one thing, playing the blues for example, then you might get away doing it "under the influence".

However that won't get you anywhere today - so chances are you will just drop the guitar after a decade and only go for the "influence" part.

I would hate to see that happen because I like you.

Smoking herbs is probably not the best practice method, as you won't remember specifically every thing you did. Instead, use your creativity and attention to detail if you choose to do so and make something really cool sounding with what you previously practiced. And always record it.

I have been pretty muched afraid of illegal substances ever since i can remember. I think my school did good enough job educating us about the risk. Then i saw alot of friends go downhill fast, which has been sad to watch

I am pretty sure you can be an awsome player from your own natural abilitys!

i've played under the influence, a so-so experience. i was able to come up with some trippy riffs, but i wasn't that amazed by them. i play far better with a clear head.

I don't even care for the legal types. Some of these doctors are too quick to prescribe stuff for psychological issues. I have a sister who had issues, they started her on stuff when she was 12, never got off it. A person can work out problems without that prescription junk a lot of times, and that is the best way to go. But some of these doctors now, just are quick to dope everybody up to solve their problems. And it doesn't. Feels good at first to them, then just sort of numbs them, but they can't deal without the stuff at that point. Not much different than the illegal stuff really in that sense. I quit watching tv some time ago, but at that time they were trying to push all sorts of prescription medicine on the public, on commercial in the US. I assume that has not changed. But i never watch tv, so am oblivious to all that.

Another point, I don't agree that watching tv is good to practice guitar with. A lot of guys have had success in spite of bad habits, not because of them. How can that be good for practice, you lose your focus. That is like people reading while on the treadmill. All you do is half ass both activities (reading and working out) when you do that.

Some very good points raised there fkalich!

awwww.

I bet you say that to everyone, shucks

Dont worry about me. I know the risks involved and dont intend on ruining my life, and sure as hell dont intend on ruining my guitar playing. I'm no addict, but I mean, I live in San Francisco.

Personnally, my oppinnion about being "Under the influence" is very low, no one is the same person they were when there "under the influence", often times there worse, secondly, its ruined many things in my family.

and thirdly...


You had me thinking this was a rusty cooley thread

+1 In!

EDIT: Awh.. not being locked. So I can add some facts (without source reference) to contribute instead and those are that - In the very state you learn something is the state where you will perform it the best. Meaning that if you learn something sober you will perform it better when sober, when you learn something under the influence you'll perform it better in the same state. Also concidering the amout of affection from alcohol or drugs you're experiencing.

Ha Ha Ha yeah same here im like, where is all the talk about Rusty ?

Yeah, same here. I think doing drugs is one of the stupidest things that you can do, and I never intend to. The risk of getting addicted and ruining my life is not worth a "high". Plus, this is just my oppinion, but I think if someone can't learn to play an instrument well without being influenced by something, then they have no talent whatsoever, and never will. Just my oppinion.

I will always stay away from drugs mostly because of the fact that SO MUCH rock and roll talent has been lost due to drug use...

Jimi Hendrix
Phil Lynott
Keith Moon
John Entwistle
Kurt Cobain(Indirectly, but drugs played a huge part)
And many, many, many (oh it's so sad how many) more.

I've played under the influence & drunk at the same time, randomly picked up an acoustic and strummed a few chords - lost all sense of direction and apparently it sounded awful - I was too drunk & out of it to tell.

Apparently Mastodon write all of their material for their albums using hash, in recent interviews they have said that they pretty much compose riffs in a room together with 'some good weed'.

Thats what they all say my friend
I can already tell your pretty young so right now you think its harmless.Well the truth is pot just makes you hungary and lazy BUT and this is the big part it leads you to other things trust me.I havent been on here near as much as i used all based on this stuff .I just got out of rehab and thats why i just had to post something like fart and just blow it off.

Smoked starting around 16 and that was fine,today i have had to sell all my music equipment including ,Fender Stratocatster $400.00 ,Jackson Dk2 $1000.00,Fender gdec amp $200.00,8-track digital recorder,roland cube amp, ect ect.Dude you have no idea the gear i once had and all of it i sold for a $600to$1000.00 drug habbit every 2 weeks.

All i have to show for that now is my family is in debt and christmas we will be broke and i cant pay my credit cards.All and the only guitar i have now is a cheap made cort electric,but im thankful to atleast have something to play.Sure everyone is different but when i here someone say ''i know the risk'' you dont .I'll never be the same so i beg anyone to be smart and leave all the drug use out cause just like you said you think you make cool riffs when you play high.Well i couldnt even play a guitar unless i was high or even function and i lost all the fun in it.

Im not saying your this way and wish you the best of luck just figured since i just went through this maybe i would share it with you and atleast let you think about how some people end up,But never ever planned it to go that way.

Thanks for sharing that Dan we really appreciate it - I hope people will take note and not learn the hard way like Dan did.

yes thanks alot for shareing that Dan, I wish you all the best for the future !!

Well said - all of it. Because who the heck start with drugs aiming to become a junkie or die?

To you, all I can say is - Hang in there! Bort for your own sake and for your wonderful family.

Wow. Thank you for sharing that. I'd give you a hug and a knuckle pound if I could.

I hope everything works out for you, man

Thanks all for the kind words .Things are actually looking up for me.I just got that cheap guitar set-up today at the guitar shop and its not that bad,definatly not like my high line guitars im used to but it works.Money comes and goes but i can already say its nice to see the money coming in now is alot more than before since im not blowing it now.Wasent trying to give a sob story but just like mickm said,no one plans on ending up that way and they always say they wont but its easy to let something else control you.

Man im the luckest man in the world though just to have a wonderfull family that stands behind me.My wife and 2 kids are what keeps me going everyday.Now that i have a clear mind im so excited about the future and what gear im going to buy as soon as i get back on track.I look at everyone on here as friends and very cool people to chat with.I have never found a site that is this cool and the people are so close.Kris really lucked out on this and i dont think this site could ever be topped i really dont.

Just remember for everything you do there is a good and bad that comes out of it.Also remember there's so many cool people on here to talk to and if you get off track (everybody does) just try and reach out and get help.There all kinds of ways to open your mind on music without drugs like learning new styles ect ect.Music is such a great thing and im thankful that i am able to play and so excited about taking it even farther in the future You can do anything any instructor on this site does if you work on it hard enough and i believe that 100%.Although Marcus,Muris,and Pavel seem to keep making that more and more difficult

I agree with everything you said. This is an awesome community. A few weeks ago I was really down with myself because I felt bad for not keeping up the practice in the past few years, and everything that John, mattacuk, Iluha, Robin, Deeproots, VinceG, Muris, Amarok, lefty01, Soul_Decision, Pavel, Understudy, Uncreator, and Ressurection said really helped me out with that. They pulled me up when I was at my lowest. Thanks again you guys.

I've been trying to keep up with Gabriel =P

I am glad that things are turning around for you shredmandan. I also have seen too many of my friends and family members suffer from different addictions including alcohol and drugs.
That being said, I am not a believer in the "gateway drug" argument. I myself am in my mid 30's, have a successful career, married with two beautiful children, all in all a very rewarding life...and I've been "smokin the herb" for almost 20 years. Never once have I had the urge to take any serious drugs; no coke, crack, junk, pills, or anything like that.
Unfortunately some people have very addictive personalities and cannot control themselves or show any moderation when it comes to such things. These types of people have to be very careful, and should avoid ANY type of chemicals or substances (including alcohol), unless prescribed by a doctor.

You see thats were everyone is different.I was the way you are now all the way up till about 3 years ago when i was in a very bad accident.Thats were pain killer's came in and i also never messed with anything else before that.This was a prescribed adiction that turned into a street addiction as well.I have to have something for pain even to this day,so now i have to drive daily to my doctors and pick up one days worth of pain pills that way i cant abuse them.Honestly the way your going sounds like that works for you.As long as it doesnt get in the way of your work and your goals in life.But we both know that bud is almost 95% of the time what everybody try's first then they move on from there.

After my accident i never really smoked again cause i guess my taste of things changed and i was already weak so smoking just makes me tired and lazy now.I gotta be up and have energy all day so i can watch my kids and then start all over the next day.Basically just to say i definatly see your point aswell and i once was that way but medically having to take pain pills changed all of that.

4:20 is the official time to smoke marijuana.

Prescription Pain Killers can be very addictive. I have a brother in law who is addicted to pain killers, it's very sad, he doesn't even need them anymore.
But you sound like you've got a good head on your shoulders and you've got your s**t together;
You're gonna be alright, my brother