Originally Posted by: catblk

considering how much i hear the recommendation to relax and try to remove all tension from your body while playing/practicing, what are your opinions on getting high before a practice session? is it detrimental to your concentration and or coordination? or does it have the opposite effect of sharper concentration and ease of hand and finger movement? i realize not everyone would have the same experience but im interested in your individual opinions. i havent smoked in a very very long time but i live in a legal state and im considering giving it a go.

your thoughts...

I'm not an advocate of recreational weed so this does taint my opinion. I wanted to be sure that I put that disclaimer on my response.

With that in mind; absolutely not. You're actually complicating the very thing you're trying to achieve. Leaving aside relaxation, you are altering your brains ability to function. You're actually making it tougher for your brain to coordinate with your hands. Here's an abstract from a peer reviewed article (link):

Results[br]When subject to the effects of 17 mg THC, regular marijuana smokers hit the walls more often on the virtual maze task than without THC. Compared to results without THC, 17 mg THC increased brain metabolism during task performance in areas that are associated with motor coordination and attention in the middle and medial frontal cortices and anterior cingulate, and reduced metabolism in areas that are related to visual integration of motion in the occipital lobes.

Conclusion[br]These findings suggest that in regular marijuana users, the immediate effects of marijuana may impact on cognitive–motor skills and brain mechanisms that modulate coordinated movement and driving.

----------------------

So given that people are running into walls for simply walking (something they do every day), more complex stuff like playing guitar should be a coordination nightmare when you're trying to learn the instrument.

If you're tensing up when you're playing, it surely is psychological. Your instinct to relax your brain is not offbase. You're using the wrong mechanism for relaxation. If you are physically tense when you pick up the instrument, you've already lost the relaxation battle.

A few of things to keep in mind:

-Go over Lisa's 'How to Hold...(Acoustic/Electric)' to be comfirtable with ergonomics again. So many people grab the neck with a kung fu grip but it needn't be.

-Consider playing with a strap even while sitting. I have almost always played with a strap when practicing. It's my preference in that I don't feel like I am holding the guitar to keep it in place (not literally true but it works for me). I've done this since 1982 and hasn't failed me yet.

-Third thing is; Lighten Up Francis...Hehe...If you psyche yourself up when you grab the guitar, you've already lost that battle like I'd said. It happens whenever we learn a new complex skill. Ever watch a first time golfer? All tension. Tiger Woods? Loosey-goosey. It's the nature of a new skill. It's a matter of trying to control the action you're taking.

First time I learned to swing a golf club, I had an instructor who told me not to hit the ball very far. He told me the first hit I was going to take to hit it 5 feet. That's all he wanted. So, I successfully hit the ball 5 feet or so. then 10 feet or so...and so on. Why? I didn't need to wind up like a spring to just hit the ball 5 feet. I could focus on the ball on the tee and just ping it a little. And I have to say, I got a pretty solid long game when I play, if a bit predisposed to shanking to the right. Short game? Funny, I'm terrible.

Anyway, the lesson is not to nail something the first time out. Grab an Open G chord but don't try to hold it perfectly. Matter of fact, place your fingers on top of that chord's strings without pressing. Strum. Yes, it will sound terrible. Then press ever so slightly more. You'll be shocked at how little pressure it takes to fret a string or hold a chord.

Knowing this might relieve the tension and makes for easy chords and transitions.

Lastly, remember that as Rome, yes, was not built in a day; you will not become a world class player tomorrow either. I still like learning a few new chrods and riffs even if not applying to a full song. The other day I had Supertramp's 'Give a Little Bit' in my head and thought it can't be that hard...it's not: A7>D>G>A7. Still, easy and fun to play. That's the point too. Don't get too far ahead of yourself and get tense because you aren't 'there'. I've played for decades and loved learning little ditties just because I like the tune, even if it's easy.

There's my treaties on relaxation. Grab what works for you if any of it rings true.