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The use of sugar as a composing aid?

Posted by Bob Morabito on June 11, 2017 at 7:17pm in The Art of Composition

I very much avoid eating sweets most of the time as Im a dyed in the wool "cookie monster" (cake too :) and only once in a blue moon do I indulge myself. Probably about every month or two.

I have noticed, and just did again that when I do eat sweets I compose up a storm-but Im not sure if my composing abilities are actually stimulated, or Im just able to go longer, and work faster and more efficiently on a "sugar high"..

or maybe BOTH!

Anyone else notice this?

And please note--I am in NO way espousing this as many I know do have diabetes or are pre-diabetic (like myself).

So has anyone else experienced this with sugar?

Thanks Bob https://soundcloud.com/bob-morabito

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  • Bob Morabito June 12, 2017 at 7:39pm

    Most studies seem to show that there is no correlation between sugar intake and hyperactivity

    Thanks for your response--as a side note Id really appreciate seeing some actual proof for this statement, thanks-- as personal experience (especially as a parent) and other information throughout the years seem to say and prove otherwise, although as of late there is some question. And this question seems to blame the following for behavior shown when children eat too much sugar and NOT the sugar itself:

    For myself I most definitely do compose faster, more efficiently and for longer periods of time when I do eat that delicious cake.:)

    Thanks Bob https://soundcloud.com/bob-morabito

  • Bob Morabito June 13, 2017 at 2:04am

    Just don't OD on the stuff, Bob

    Thanks Bob..I do watch very carefully ...:)

    (No, honestly I was stuffing a cupcake in my face when I said that...hope I didnt get any crumbs on your computer..:)

    Thanks Bob https://soundcloud.com/bob-morabito

    PS only kidding about the cupcake..diabetes and pre diabetes are no laughing matter..

  • Bob Morabito June 13, 2017 at 12:34pm

    "it's not a secret ingredient to creativity,"

    No one claimed it was, Dave. I was just relating my experience to see if anyone else had noticed this. As it is I compose  a good 12-15 hours a day, without it, with really good results, and as related went soo much longer on the times I did eat sweets.

    "I've noticed a similar correlation between, say, energy drinks and composing stamina."

    Sugar +caffeine...this seems to bear out what Ive found with myself, and many others.

    "I'm with Bob P on the "sugar doesn't cause hyperactivity" thing."

    And thats fine, but in all honesty Bob P was the first parent Ive ever met that hadnt seen the "sugar high" in kids. I was really surprised hearing this.

    Thanks for your reply-much appreciated.

    Thanks Bob https://soundcloud.com/bob-morabito

  • Bob Morabito June 13, 2017 at 2:00pm

    >Is the "sugar high" a myth? Is it something parents use as an excuse while watching their kids overact at a party. "Oh well, too much sugar, I guess."  Is it a verifiable chemical reaction. Fred would know. I don't.

    Ive read this and really wondered about it also. And I wasnt referring to that kind of a situation, but more of an ordinary day where a large amount of sugar is then eaten--lets say from a Halloween haul the day before, or a lot of cake with no party involved..and the kids seem to bounce off walls.

    At least thats my experience..and enjoy your coffee:)

    Thanks Bob https://soundcloud.com/bob-morabito

    PS I remember in the past hearing how the sugar lobby was paying out money and interfering with research  to clean up sugars' image..I think thats where a lot of taking the blame off sugar might have come from

    An example https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/sep/12/sugar-industry-paid...

  • Bob Morabito June 13, 2017 at 3:25pm



    Bob Porter said:

    Bob,

    Interesting article. Thanks for posting it.

    And fast food and soda are blamed for child obesity. So clean up fast food and ban soda, instead of eating responsibly. What's the old saying? "All things in moderation"? If I eat at MacDonalds  every day, what can I expect. Sure, it's fast and convenient. And I used to eat at those places all the time. But there is no way the food can ever be made healthy. 

    A rabbit hole. Sorry.

    I had two cups:)

    Youre very welcome Bob-I found it interesting also. And again I actually remembered it being in the news about the sugar lobby trying to clean up its image many years ago, with tons of money, and trying--apparently with some success as some people bought it--and it continues to this day.

    Thanks Bob https://soundcloud.com/bob-morabito

    PS @Dave--your example seems to be from a comedy show, and as you said cites no medical evidence..so Im really not sure as to this being a very good example of what your saying? Thanks

  • Lasse Karhu June 15, 2017 at 8:19pm

    Hi Bob! You have started an interesting thread. I think I experienced this a couple of days ago. After consuming a couple of stroopwafels (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stroopwafel) on the side of coffee I sat down to create some music. The time was well past midnight when I finished and I took note on how concentrated I had been the whole process. This usually doesn't happen to me. But no, no distractions this time. Nevertheless repeated tests, and some more stroopwafels, needed to confirm this.

    As it comes to children and sugar I would say that the more probably reason for hyperactivity, temperament and sleep problems is in the immune system reacting to allergens. Pure sugar would be a lot better alternative than something they haven't developed a tolerance for.

    Stroopwafel
    A stroopwafel (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈstroːpˌʋaːfəl] (listen); literally "syrup waffle") is a wafer cookie made from two thin layers of baked dough j…
  • roger stancill June 15, 2017 at 8:47pm

    Bob, I suggest you do a comparative study using  1- Monster   2- Red Bull,

    and 3- NOS.  (These are all 'energy drinks' here in the States)

    This may sound trite and passe, but there is no better high than finding the

    natural creative zone and loving what you are doing.( or doing what you love).

  • Bob Morabito June 16, 2017 at 1:03am

    >This may sound trite and passe, but there is no better high than finding thenatural creative zone and loving what you are doing.( or doing what you love).

    Thanks Roger--this wasnt about getting 'high' but finding that I worked much more efficiently and longer when having cake. Either with or without it I love what I was doing, ie composing etc.

    Thanks Bob https://soundcloud.com/bob-morabito

  • Bob Morabito June 16, 2017 at 1:20am

    Hi Lasse--

    Yes, thank you- thats EXACTLY what I was talking about-- being much more focused for a much longer time, thereby getting much more music done.

    Please let me know if repeated stroopwaffles have the same beneficial effect on your composing!

    Thanks Bob https://soundcloud.com/bob-morabito

    PS And all the reading/research Ive done with regard to children and hyperactivity seem to point out sugar, by raising the blood sugar level produces more adrenalin. (also insulin)

    This makes much sense to me. Thanks again!

    Lasse Karhu said:

    Hi Bob! You have started an interesting thread. I think I experienced this a couple of days ago. After consuming a couple of stroopwafels (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stroopwafel) on the side of coffee I sat down to create some music. The time was well past midnight when I finished and I took note on how concentrated I had been the whole process. This usually doesn't happen to me. But no, no distractions this time. Nevertheless repeated tests, and some more stroopwafels, needed to confirm this.

    As it comes to children and sugar I would say that the more probably reason for hyperactivity, temperament and sleep problems is in the immune system reacting to allergens. Pure sugar would be a lot better alternative than something they haven't developed a tolerance for.

  • Boot Hamilton July 28, 2017 at 8:23pm

    You're being pretty generous to yourself w/ the 'Blue Moon' thing. The average length of time between Blue Moons is around 19 months. poke.gif

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