Are all musicians competent bikers?

[missyburd]

I was wondering if the ability to pick up an instrument relates to how quickly you can learn to ride a bike/drive a vehicle? I'm guessing a similar part of the brain is associated with the two, motor coordination/memory/learning, but is there actually a link between the two?

How many of you were already learning/experts at playing an instrument before you took up biking or driving and do you think this was reflected in how quickly you picked up the whole coordination thing? :smt035

Obviously I am not inferring those of you who don't happen to be musical are not excellent bikers, I'm just wondering if there is any link between the two :)


P.S instruments do not include tambourines/triangles or cups and saucepans :p

[missyburd]

Oh and I've been learning to play guitar for a few months now, which I guess is why I'm interested as I'm soon to start learning to ride :D

[timwilky]

My opinion:- There is no relationship in the ability to play an instrument and ride/drive.

You might as well say type. That has to be as difficult. using 8 finger+thumbs at once, remember key positions, think about what you are to type, how to spell etc. relate it all to what you see.

or as a rider relate it to that of a sculptor. Be able to see something in the distance and see it for what it may be. Then know how to use your tools to bring out the best. Recognise the hazards and what to do when it starts to go wrong etc.

[the_lone_wolf]

well, i can play the guitar, piano, keyboard, even the organ, and i'm a bit of a devil with a tambourine...

having never ridden a M/C in my life i did my CBT in the day, then had 4 afternoons about 2hrs each time then passed the test first time, have since done around 5000 incident free miles in all weathers

make of that what you will...

[Rhiwbina_Squirrel]

I think it's more your ability/willingness to learn. If you can and want to learn you'll pick up anything much quicker.

Alex

[Wideboy]

i did less than 10 lessons for my car, i think, can't remember exactly but it was around that, that was without driving at all before

my bike was CTB for 1 1/2 years because of my age then when i did my license i had 2 1/2 days lessons which i didn't really need and passed

i been playing since i was 7'ish and im still crap :smt035

i thought that it was just how practically minded you are, as in the saying "you either got it or you don't"

[shifter]

I play in a covers band and find the day after a gig I ride really badly. This is due I think to bad hangovers and not sleeping :)

[chutz]

I play guitars,banjos,mandolins,bass etc and have done so for 27 years. All it's taught me is to break things down and practice in a controlled way which I apply to all new skills I'm learning. Still ride like a big girl's blouse tho...;)

[Speedy Claire]

The only instrument i can play is a recorder! :(

[Wideboy]

The only instrument i can play is a recorder! :(

out your nose?

[Speedy Claire]

lol no i`m not that talented!

[missyburd]

I play in a covers band and find the day after a gig I ride really badly. This is due I think to bad hangovers and not sleeping :)

lol!

The only instrument i can play is a recorder! :(

yep still counts :-D But are you a good rider :p

[BernardBikerchick]

WELL I am rubbish on the piano rubbish on the flute and a crap rider too !!!!!!!!!!

[missyburd]

WELL I am rubbish on the piano rubbish on the flute and a crap rider too !!!!!!!!!!

lmao, do you mean you have attempted to play both or are you just being modest? :)

[dizzyblonde]

I can play loads of musical instruments, guitar, all three types of recorder, flute, clarinet, piano, some very well, some I'm so carp.......great at the kazoooo!!!

but just because i can bash out a tune don't make me any betterer at ridin skills, can't see a connection with that one

[missyburd]

I can play loads of musical instruments, guitar, all three types of recorder, flute, clarinet, piano, some very well, some I'm so carp.......great at the kazoooo!!!

but just because i can bash out a tune don't make me any betterer at ridin skills, can't see a connection with that one

Well I'm not really asking if it reflects on your riding skills now because obviously with experience one would theoretically improve greatly. I'm talking about when you first took up biking (or indeed driving), did you find it easy to coordinate everything having had the ability to play an instrument?

[dizzyblonde]

Well I'm not really asking if it reflects on your riding skills now because obviously with experience one would theoretically improve greatly. I'm talking about when you first took up biking (or indeed driving), did you find it easy to coordinate everything having had the ability to play an instrument?


nope, :thumbdown:, I was really bad when i first started....mind you i did choose to try a Harley as my first ever ride:smt103 a 1340 lowrider, built like a bus and steered like one too. Erm it didn't improve on a 125 either. The instructor cringed when he put me on the 500, as he didn't expect me to be able to tackle one............boy did I prove him wrong.............

Now if you asked me if I could co-ordinate in a car...............its even worse, I just can't switch off the bike thing in my head, so I gave up learning. I'd say playing instruments doesn't make you any better at co-ordinating for vehicles

[missyburd]

nope, :thumbdown:, I was really bad when i first started....mind you i did choose to try a Harley as my first ever ride:smt103 a 1340 lowrider, built like a bus and steered like one too. Erm it didn't improve on a 125 either. The instructor cringed when he put me on the 500, as he didn't expect me to be able to tackle one............boy did I prove him wrong.............

Now if you asked me if I could co-ordinate in a car...............its even worse, I just can't switch off the bike thing in my head, so I gave up learning. I'd say playing instruments doesn't make you any better at co-ordinating for vehicles

fairy nuff :)

[Speedy Claire]

lol!



yep still counts :-D But are you a good rider :p


Sadly i`d have to say that no I don`t consider myself to be a good rider, hopefully Bikesafe course will help with that one tho :D

[blueto]

Well I'm not really asking if it reflects on your riding skills now because obviously with experience one would theoretically improve greatly. I'm talking about when you first took up biking (or indeed driving), did you find it easy to coordinate everything having had the ability to play an instrument?

myc...you having lessons or self teaching yourself??

there are pros and cons to both sides...Also i find playing harder than riding. Much much harder.

[Kinvig]

I consider myself to be a musician (guitar, trumpet, berimbou)....not sure if I'm a competent biker! I'm more of an optimistic biker......

[thedonal]

I can turn a hi fi on and off- does that count?!!

I've played Guitar for 19 years, keyboards for 23 years and bass for 10 years. I'm quite good at all, but a bit out of practice.

However, It took me AAAAGES to get used to the bike on the CBT and my DAS was touch and go- I'm still surprised I passed. However, after a year and a bit, I think I'm a reasonably competent biker, with the odd bad day!!!

[missyburd]

Hmm ok, so we I think we have established there isn't an obvious link between the two. I guess playing guitar doesn't involve the use of both legs and arms (except maybe electric?) so can't really be compared to biking, but what about drums?

[xXBADGERXx]

I play guitar and find it really interferes with my riding , I cant play a C chord properly and change gears at the same time , and over 50 mph you can`t even hear the guitar due to the damned induction howl , and don`t even get me started on the fact that when it starts hailing the guitar starts playing itself , maybe I should take it off when I`m riding :D

PS . My mates a drummer and he crashes his mountain bike when he`s out with me all the time , I call him a "1 armed Idiot with no brain" when he gets on 2 wheels , I wouldn`t even trust him with a Segway , never mind a proper engined bike .

[missyburd]

I play guitar and find it really interferes with my riding , I cant play a C chord properly and change gears at the same time , and over 50 mph you can`t even hear the guitar due to the damned induction howl , and don`t even get me started on the fact that when it starts hailing the guitar starts playing itself , maybe I should take it off when I`m riding :D

PS . My mates a drummer and he crashes his mountain bike when he`s out with me all the time , I call him a "1 armed Idiot with no brain" when he gets on 2 wheels , I wouldn`t even trust him with a Segway , never mind a proper engined bike .

:smt043

hmm but mountain biking is quite different from normal road biking, unless you count the trails bikes.


I guess it's very much a personal thing, I just wondered if a link could be found but I don't think anyone has said the fact they played before they learned to ride/drive helped so bang goes that theory!

Thanks for the replies guys :cool:

[xXBADGERXx]

In my opinion , mountain biking is much harder than motorcycle riding , keeping the body co-ordinated over some very technical bits of terrain takes a lot of sub-conscious thought and effort . I am very mentally tired after a mountain bike ride whereas a 4 hour ride on the SV I am not so tired .

[missyburd]

In my opinion , mountain biking is much harder than motorcycle riding , keeping the body co-ordinated over some very technical bits of terrain takes a lot of sub-conscious thought and effort . I am very mentally tired after a mountain bike ride whereas a 4 hour ride on the SV I am not so tired .

I have a few friends who are very into their mountain biking so I know what you mean, very tiring stuff, I think they're barmy but that's adrenaline junkies for you! :D

Being alert and having to watch for every little possible danger is probably emotionally tiring too, but as you say not in exactly the same way. I find if I play on the guitar for more than half an hour I feel very tired too, but that could be because I usually practice late in the day :smt003

[xXBADGERXx]

See that`s something else that`s thrown a spanner into the works now . I can play guitar for 4 hours straight and walk away from it without feeling anything but satisfied . I think that`s more a case of how competent you are at what you do . I can go for a mountain bike ride and come home frazzled (one of my other mates seems fine) , I can go for a big motorbike ride and only feel tired in the body (whereas my mate has red eyes from concentration and won`t blink for 2 hours) , and guitar playing for me is like breathing . I think it`s down to how many hours you commit to what you do that reduces your fatigue status ... I`ve just realised this has nothing to do with your original question now ........ Stay on Target Badger :(

[missyburd]

See that`s something else that`s thrown a spanner into the works now . I can play guitar for 4 hours straight and walk away from it without feeling anything but satisfied . I think that`s more a case of how competent you are at what you do . I can go for a mountain bike ride and come home frazzled (one of my other mates seems fine) , I can go for a big motorbike ride and only feel tired in the body (whereas my mate has red eyes from concentration and won`t blink for 2 hours) , and guitar playing for me is like breathing . I think it`s down to how many hours you commit to what you do that reduces your fatigue status ... I`ve just realised this has nothing to do with your original question now ........ Stay on Target Badger :(

Lol no matter, I think the point has been made that people don't think there is a link, I am inclined to agree! Just a little question that popped up in my head :D

[northwind]

I'm an incompetent biker and musician :smt120

[SoulKiss]

PS . My mates a drummer and he crashes his mountain bike when he`s out with me all the time , I call him a "1 armed Idiot with no brain" when he gets on 2 wheels , I wouldn`t even trust him with a Segway , never mind a proper engined bike .

Since when did we start counting Drummers as Musicians?????

[missyburd]

Since when did we start counting Drummers as Musicians?????

Percussionists are musicians are they not? :smt017

[xXBADGERXx]

This is why I describe him as a 1 armed idiot with no brain :D

[LaurenceRosling1987]

I'v been riding motor bikes since I was big enough for me dad put me on one. I also play guitar in bands, and a few other instruments, synths as well as recoding and production. I had this conversation with session Bassist Fred Baker and there does seem to be some sort of correlation with musicians being passionate bikers, I know I am.

Laurence Rosling (Datora)

[missyburd]

I'v been riding motor bikes since I was big enough for me dad put me on one. I also play guitar in bands, and a few other instruments, synths as well as recoding and production. I had this conversation with session Bassist Fred Baker and there does seem to be some sort of correlation with musicians being passionate bikers, I know I am.

Laurence Rosling (Datora)

:cheers::cheers::cheers: new evidence!

Oh and welcome to the forum btw, you introduced yourself in Idle Banter yet? :D

[Alpinestarhero]

I think i got a couple of videos on my facebook profile of me playing guitar. I'd say im an average gutiar player, and an average rider. Not crap, but not gonna make people sit up and think "blimey, he;s great!!!!"

Matt

[ArtyLady]

Im a musician - I dont practice enough therefore Im not very good!
Im also a motorcylist - I dont practice that enough either therefore Im not very good at that either! ;)

[BanannaMan]

I play guitar, (both electric and acoustic), some bass, some piano, some drums, and have played the trumpet (not to hot on that though).

Can ride bikes or play guitar with the best of them...amateurs and pros...and have done so in the past.

Mostly play acoustic now....but was always better on the Les Paul. :smt035


EDIT:
Perhaps I should change that to "Once could ride bikes and play guitar with the best of them....."
Since I gave up racing in the late 1990's...I would venture to say that my skills may perhaps be, just the wee slightist bit rusty right now .....er.....possibly.:rolleyes:
Street bikes....on the road can ride with anyone...
But fortunately at the age I can now let the absolute "death wish fools" go if they want to prove they can ride faster than I can.
Er...well....95% of the time anyway.;)

May be a bit a rusty on the elec guitar as well...but give me about 10 mins. to warm up...I'll stick by that one!
Rock, country, jazz, blues....style doesn't matter...it's all music. :cool:

[harvy]

I can play the music as well as i can fly by flapping my hands up and down...
Did my bike test last april with no minors...

[Alpinestarhero]

I play guitar, (both electric and acoustic), some bass, some piano, some drums, and have played the trumpet (not to hot on that though).

Can ride bikes or play guitar with the best of them...amateurs and pros...and have done so in the past.

Mostly play acoustic now....but was always better on the Les Paul. :smt035


acoustic and electric...same thing

THE real question is:

Lead or rythm????

Can you shreddddddddddd

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3Eo1bXom2I

(no, im not a big fan of rusty, its just too much)

[SoulKiss]

In an effort to improve my riding I started Flute lessons on Tuesday.................