For those about to rock...

[Lotan]

Does anyone play a musical instrument? Do you find that it affects your fencing at all? Perhaps tempo, or even timing. Ever since taking up the guitar and before that, the harmonica, I've seen a noticeable difference in my sense of rythm, aiding me when I turn the corner on my opponent. What say you?

[mrgenius]

i play piano and drums (mostly rock and some ethinic drum instruments) and i think that the piano helps me with the fingers, keeping them strong and fast, and the drums, well they probably help me somehow, but i'm not sure how at the moment.

[D+F+P=Hadouken!]

I make midis, if that counts. I think it makes my tempo more technical.

[Lotan]

Can't go wrong with midis.

[D+F+P=Hadouken!]

Yeah, all I make is chrono and final fantasy remixes.

[Lotan]

Ever consider alternate movie scores? Like creating your own themes for the Matrix or Dragon Ball Z? I've never done midi, so I'm pretty stupid in that department, but it's exam week and I feel like saying random stuff.

[ReverseLunge]

You dorks! Good fencing is about breaking tempo and rhythm! Perhaps you should just dance to your opponent's beats.

[KShan5[PrFC]]

I've been playing trumpet for 7 years and I don't think it has had any affect on my fencing. To me just because they [music and fencing]both has components called tempo doesn't mean they are both inerchangable.

[whtouche]

Originally Posted by KShan5[PrFC]

I've been playing trumpet for 7 years and I don't think it has had any affect on my fencing. To me just because they [music and fencing]both has components called tempo doesn't mean they are both inerchangable.

Agreed.
Altho since I started drumming my forearm strength has increased, which is nice.

[Masterurethane]

Drums/guitar for 7 years ( my band's new album is own soon, woo!)

Casual blues piano all my life.

[a517dogg]

Guitar for 10 years, although I sort of stopped playing a couple years ago. Although I started piano when I was four. I've always had a good sense of rhythm, but I don't think it's really helped my fencing much.

[K Degnon]

Originally Posted by D+F+P=Hadouken!

Yeah, all I make is chrono and final fantasy remixes.

Actually, I loved FF6j and Chrono Trigger. Have you done anything with Frog's Theme, Aria Di Mezzo Carattere, or Tina's Theme? Also, I never played Chrono Cross but I really liked Scars Left by Time - have you taken a crack at that one?

[fencergal33]

I actually have my B.A. in music, with a concentration in Percussion.

Music is what I understand, so my coach has actually made several analogies to music to help me understand fencing concepts (like tempo). Physically, music hasn't helped me a bit, but mentally, I definitely think so.

[Sabresque]

I think music really has helped me (I play trombone). I remember back when I started my coach would also use music analogies, and it helped me a lot.

[fixxmyweapon]

The only thing that music has helped me out with fencing wise is catching someones tempo. Like when someone is doing the same footwork over and over, you can hear it, it makes a pattern that is easy to recognize just by listening. But i dunno if that has anything to do with music or not. It could just be being able to recognize sounds and patterns...

[Tomas N]

I agree with ReverseLunge (except for the dorks part). I've been working on alternating the beat of my fencing from very regular to completely whacky. It's made a big difference in disrupting opponents. I've been trying it out also on the basketball court. I'm a mediocre to poor b-baller, but when playing defense, if I change to an irregular pattern of footwork, I'm able to disrupt even the best ballhandlers fairly well.

Tomas

[The Outsider]

I've been playing the guitar for about 12 years, roughly 7 before I started fencing, so I can't really say that playing an instrument has had a great improvement on my fencing. Besides, breaking rhythm is what is important in fencing, but not so much in music. What I do notice is the similarites in learning between the two, such as the necessity of practicing a new song or move slowly to get the form right, and then gradually bringing up the speed, and that learning bad habits early on (ie leaping instead of lunging or keeping your thumb too close to the top of the fingerboard) can result in more immediate improvement, at the cost of having to unlearn them later on or be left with diminished speed and preciscion. Also it seems that in either case, the faster you are, the harder it is for people to see your mistakes.

[deadly lefty]

hey havent been here in a while...For those about to rock just came on my play list as I opened this thread! weird. I play guitar for 1 year and I've noticed fencing kinda screws with my tempo because I always tend to play to fast

[HilandDoug]

Guitar and bass.