Any fellow musicians?

JonJamesA
JonJamesA Posts: 1 Member
in Introduce Yourself
I'm new to this and interested in making some friends who are musicians (or interested in music at least!).
It's difficult playing gigs in bars, touring in a van and spending long days in studios whilst resisting the temptation to chow down on junk food, or drink too much!
I would be interested to learn how fellow musicians cope with the trials of staying healthy.
Hopefully you guys will have a few tips to share!

Replies

  • 1pandabear
    1pandabear Posts: 336 Member
    I wish! Does it count if I married a musician?
  • amberrea82
    amberrea82 Posts: 232 Member
    I wouldn't exactly call my self a musician..musical definitely. I picked up piano at a young age and still love to play. I love to sing - mostly just rocking out to the radio. I've also decided to learn a little guitar, albeit slowly. One thing's for sure: I would die without music. Literally shrivel up and die in a corner. Life would suck and I'd probably go to jail for assaulting some random person on the street. Of course I'm kidding...kinda. LOL
  • JadeBatmanMarie
    JadeBatmanMarie Posts: 16 Member
    Not so much a musician... I wish! I have a guitar that i like to think i can play haha! My ex was a drunmer in a rock band and taught me a bit on the drums and electric guitar :)
  • charcoalgriller
    charcoalgriller Posts: 17 Member
    I play guitar on my own and in a band once. My daughter plays piano. Controlling food on the road is difficult. You really are at the mercy of wherever the group stops to eat. Limiting intake is difficult and definitely reducing alcohol consumption is huge. If I drink I limit my intake to 1 drink/night. I'm not in college anymore and my metabolism took a nose dive, so I have to reduce my intake significantly. Portions are a challenge when I go out. I try and find someone to split a meal with. I am consoled that my favourite genre is the blues!
  • Agate69
    Agate69 Posts: 349 Member
    Piano, harp, bassoon, flute, guitar, and no time for junk food! Not the kind of musician you were looking for. I lost weight so i could play better and be stronger
  • Springfield1970
    Springfield1970 Posts: 1,945 Member
    Hi

    I'm a musician in London. Spent years trying to stay slim whilst being force fed chips, curly sandwiches and all the other crap venues in England care to dump on the rider. No wonder all us singers get reflux! Luckily I didn't drink the whole 20 years I was gigging but that would have made me the size of a house no doubt.

    People don't realise what an unhealthy life it is but I know quite a few people that have managed to get fit and sort it out. Eating big meal at lunchtime may help, bring protein snacks, chewing gum, avoid the fried food and drive so you can't drink. Learn to log. It's a frikkin lifesaver and the challenge will save you when you're faced with a trough of food at night.

    I did a number of years IFing and just ate most of my cals at night too, but I wouldn't dream of doing it now because it doesn't fit my sporty life. I don't gig anymore, have a daytime business, just write the odd tune, spend several hours a day teaching voice and bands so get my music quota there!
  • dakotababy
    dakotababy Posts: 2,407 Member
    Im a groupie, to my boyfriend of 4 years. Ooooh the alcohol...good luck!
  • FemmeFitFarm
    FemmeFitFarm Posts: 25
    touring is the worst! i haven't been since 2011 and i consider it a blessing ;) as musicians we're considered "weird" anyway, so producers didn't think twice when i came in with my tupperware of chicken and rice hahaha. it was my bandmates that gave me the most crap, even though they were technically the most understanding of it. they were drinkings from morning til night, i had to limit my alcohol to writing sessions and gigs [when i needed to relax some of those jitters]. it was tough especially when they. drank. all. the. time. but worth it! i promise!
  • RocknGirl8
    RocknGirl8 Posts: 27 Member
    I'm a singer and musician. I play the acoustic guitar, piano, a 'lil drums, a 'lil electric guitar and I sing. I'm a worship Leader in church and I record here and there. A lot of gospel artist like Mandia, Tasha Cobbs, Tamela Mann and Shana Wilson are losing weight and they have inspired me to lose it too. So I'm on a mission to losing weight and preparing for future traveling as an artist.
  • condoleezachiapet
    condoleezachiapet Posts: 105
    Hi! I play classical piano (8yrs), guitar (7yrs), and the harmonica (1yr). The harmonica's been a hard one to tackle. One of my good friends working as a sound producer in the film industry encouraged me to take a sound design class off-curriculum last semester, which was really great. Made a few folksy/trip-hop tracks in the past, but music has always been more of a secondary focus for me. It's a hobby so it doesn't really interfere with my day-to-day life.
  • Tabbycat54
    Tabbycat54 Posts: 98 Member
    I'm a musician. At least, that's what it says on my bachelor's degree :D I play the trumpet and I compose on the piano. I can understand what you're going through at least. When I did play a lot, it was really hard to find that time to get any exercising in. The way I did it in college was I had a set time that I exercised every day. I made sure it was set apart from the rest of my day. Sounded like you were the travelling type so that might be a little harder to do, but the main thing that I wish I could've convinced myself of when I was in school was to have better portion control. I'd say on the road, that would be the main thing.
  • Trechechus
    Trechechus Posts: 2,819 Member
    I played flute and trombone in marching band in high school...
  • SmileCozYouCan
    SmileCozYouCan Posts: 315 Member
    Don't know if you would call me a musician but I record covers a lot and I LOVE music and performing =)
  • elprincipito
    elprincipito Posts: 1,200 Member
    I played flute and trombone in marching band in high school...
    that totally counts
  • tidesong
    tidesong Posts: 451 Member
    I'm a semi-professional classical musician - voice and violin.
  • logicman69
    logicman69 Posts: 1,034 Member
    Bass player from Rhode Island here. The hardest thing for me is the alcohol. When you get free booze, its tough to turn it down because it doesn't fit into your calorie count. Its been a slow process but I am getting there. The other tough thing is not going out for a snack after a show. It was the norm in my old band to stop by McDonalds or Taco Bell after a gig. Now, I drive separately from the band and go straight home. No stopping.

    Feel free to add me!
  • other678
    other678 Posts: 12 Member
    I'm definitely NOT daring to call myself a musician, most of the time not even a bassist.

    But I do play bass. I'm a "beginner" for 6months, and I have a band in college(well, let's call it a band).

    Before I started to play bass, I've taught myself acoustic guitar and a little bit electric guitar, well, I kinda suck at it, though.
  • other678
    other678 Posts: 12 Member
    Freak... i think this is the best post ive ever seen so far in mfp
  • BeckyGee84
    BeckyGee84 Posts: 124 Member
    I play bass but I'm not in a band anymore. Feel free to add me!
  • 6ronXtreme9
    6ronXtreme9 Posts: 416 Member
    I'm not a musician by profession but I do freestyle raps and sing rap songs in the college functions.
  • blimpmerchant
    blimpmerchant Posts: 5
    Acoustic Guitar (3 years)
    Electric (1 year)

    Vocals (6/7 months)

    I have a soundcloud if you want to hear me fumble through some music.
  • tylerplaysmusic
    tylerplaysmusic Posts: 37 Member
    My first pub (bar? They're called pubs over here!) gig included a free parmy, chips and gravy on the rider, and its been years of sh** food since! It's not very rock n roll to order the salad, but I'm learning! And when my weekly residency includes free drinks, I've been forcing myself to just get water.. the rockstar life! ;)
  • angelisanichelle
    angelisanichelle Posts: 1
    I'm a classical and jazz saxophonist and singer. I am trying to make a life change and if any other musicians wants to be my friend that would be awesome :)
  • CherokeeBabe
    CherokeeBabe Posts: 1,704 Member
    Hobby musician here, used to sing professionally for what it's worth though.
  • yft14
    yft14 Posts: 5
    Not a professional musician but majored in music (saxophone/piano) in my college years. I do know what it's like to travel a lot though and it makes eating healthy rough! The 3 major things you need to do is plan, plan, plan. With enough research ahead of time (I found I could do this online, even on my phone), you can find a list of "safe" foods to eat. My hot spots were: Chickfila, Starbucks (they are almost everywhere!), even KFC has a couple of healthy things if you're really up a wall, Applebees, Publix Deli, etc. Of course you can't eat just anything there, but there are items that are safe there. Sometimes I would grab a sandwhich and a bran muffin from Starbucks and tuck it away for later. Not the healthiest, but if you do your research you will know which ones will fit in your calorie/fat/carb ranges. And eat big in the morning and for lunch and have something before you go on to try to hold you through the gig. At your gig you might try getting a lean cut of meat. Even chicken with the skin on can be fine (just remove the skin). Just some thoughts. I know eating out is expensive, which is why I always asked for gift cards for my fave places for birthdays and holidays.

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