So how many glasses does it take for you? Have just been thrashing out a Beethoven sonata - Les would have been proud! All on only a glass and a half....

I used to drink loads at the weekend until I started playing the piano. I just cannot concentrate when I am slumped and dribbling all over the keys (ok slight exaggaration there!) Just lots of tea now!

I can manage that stone cold sober...

Yes, I agree, which is why I've packed it in for the night - hopeless I have been - all I can manage successfully is Einaudi. Have to chuckle though

That surely says something about Einaudi!

I'd say minus one, because I'm slightly better after a glass!

As

(1) Les Dawson is currently dead and so isn't making much noise, and

(2) A number forumites have seen me take one look at a champagne cork and collapse in a drunken stupor on a sofa....

I guess one glass should do it for me

My drinking has really calmed down since I've been taking piano playing semi-seriously. I've also recently discovered that it takes me a full day or maybe more to recover from a proper all-day bender now, whereas I'd have just struggled for a few hours after getting up before.

My metabolism has obviously slowed down; it must be my body asking for mercy in a roundabout way.

What it really means is that you are getting older
It takes just one glass for me, so I don't drink and play at all. Just too embarassing.

I've drunkenly brought a few friends back a few times and tried to show them some bits on the piano, only to fail miserably!!

I depends!

If my adrenalin's flowing it won't take much to render me useless, but a glass or two by my side when practising won't make a huge difference.

I came home once after drinking too much on an evening out and was really annoyed with myself that I couldn't practise as planned, so I did something that I hardly ever do, which is practise hands seperately - and was amazed to find the next day that it had been extremely productive, despite me having very little
memory of having even done it!

Thank you for posting this, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nNGlaiVypU...feature=related
Have just been watching him on youtube so funny.

Honestly I don't think I'd ever be able to play like him - one hand in one key, the other in a dissonant key, or changing key mid line and staying in it, then going back for the next line it's not just a case of wrong notes here and there.

Having said that my inebriated party piece always used to be The Robins Return when I was young - I learnt it at about the age of 12 and have only ever played it when i've been drunk since. it sounds truly rubbish sober.

Haha he was brilliant! I'm trying to find his version of Scott Joplin's "The Entertainer"

This is great too

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F19zGHoWpL0...feature=related

EDIT: found it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWDphFwocAM

On a serious note, I'd really like to learn a lot of this sort of stuff that he plays. How difficult is it? I remember when I was very young my nan used to play a lot of sing song stuff and apparently, it was always very popular on the pub piano. My teacher might cringe at the thought of me learning "roll out the barrel", I fear.

Easy answer to this question - none at all!

I went to the Les Dawson School of Piano Playing so I play like him all the time, sober or not..

None, I just fall asleep.

Don't know, but I'm willing to experiment to find out.

All the time, see my signature

I remember, in my wayward youth, drinking a large quantity of pink gin at a party and playing 'Arrival of the Queen of Sheeba' as a piano duet with my friend.

We played at 200mph, managed every note and bounced off the piano stool at the end to a massive round of applause from our audience!







At least that's how I remember it

I don't play the 'ol joanna' so needless to say, I don't need any wine before I could sound like Les Dawson