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weed and you bass playing

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#21
At the risk of drawing social ire, weed is dumb.

No, I've never done it, but I've been around it a lot over the years. I've seen it affect different people in different ways, but never for the better (and not always for the worse), IMO. I think it has legitimate medical uses and should be used accordingly with supervision, but I have yet to meet anyone who I thought was better when they were self-medicating. I'd say the majority of my serious musician friends (full time pros) typically agree.

So I personally wouldn't know or care how weed affects my playing, but I have enough anecdotal evidence to suggest that I'm better off without it. I need every bit of cognition I can muster, anyway.
 
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#26
ics1974 said:
If you use weed does it effect your bass playing in a positive or negative way?
For me it really helps when I am learning theory and practicing scales arpeggios etc. I am more into it and feel more aware of what is happening. But playing cover songs for some reason it messes me up. I forget certain parts, loose focus and generally do not play as good.
Just wondering how it effects you?
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30 years of bass playing and over 30 years of weed smoking experience.

Truth of the matter IMO for me is that what your brain is telling you is going on when you are high is a lie.

I've largely have quit getting high, it's really nothing more than a bedtime medicinal for me at this point.

Since I stopped smoking as much as I had been, my playing improved, my ability to remember songs improved, and my timing improved. A lot of that had to do with taking double bass lessons and playing with others who didn't get high and pushed me to do better, but not having my mind clouded by reefer helped a great deal.

Honestly, the best players I know these days are guys that don't get high..not while performing, not while practicing. These guys are organized, methodical, and have things down pretty solid.

The guys that I do know that get high a lot, and play/practice high? Not as good compared to the guys that don't get high.


ETA: Love playing under the influence, but for me personally i've found a grow and learn better not high
 
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#35
socialleper said:
Back when I used to smoke it would allow me to improvise more, but my ability to recall what I did was heavily impaired. I tried doing it live once and I couldn't remember squat.
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I used to think it was a useful writing tool, that I’d be more free to come up with stuff outside of my usual style BUT always with the caveat that the track may be terrible when you listen to it straight the next day. Barely ever smoke these days so it’s not really an issue any more, but it was always part of the ‘ritual’ of jam sessions back in the day. I will say it can be a great help bonding a band if you’re all into it but can be a huge roadblock if you’re not.
 
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