When was the last time you impressed someone with your playing?

Dr. Cheese · #1 06-06-2007, 09:34 PM

My title says it all. Today, I was at a local store, looking for a comfort strap. I picked up a nice Levy's, and I took my new bass, a 1995 ATK so I could try on the strap and play with it. The store was full of teenage boys who were likely pretty metal oriented. I was doing some 1980 era slapping and they all stopped in their tracks!

The kid working the cash register was about 17-19, and he plays bass, he left the register, checked me out, and quizzed me about slap. I honestly told him that what I do is pretty dated. I have no Wooten or Bill Dickens style chops.

The situation was nice, but it didn't swell my head. I know I'm not that good. It's just fun every once and while to realize that others may not know any better than to think I have chops!

I'm sure others can tell similar stories.

PilbaraBass · #2 06-06-2007, 10:46 PM

My wife said last night that I sounded pretty good...that was 5 minutes AFTER I'd turned the amp off....

I'm not a showy player, can do a couple flashy thangs with a couple slap lines that I've coined...but I try my darnedest to play musically.

Interestingly enough, the last compliments I got was after playing at church a couple of weeks ago...everyone was saying, "wow, Kerry, that was great"...
too bad I was playing DRUMS that night....

Brad Maestas · #3 06-07-2007, 12:44 AM

I played last night at Bar 9 in Manhattan with one of my side projects, Danan Healy. During "Nights in White Satin" I whistled the flute solo and after the show I was approached by a bunch of people about it. Singing (or whistling) and playing at the same time is a blast! That flute solo + bass part is some wicked counterpoint! It's the only project where I do more singing so it's a nice change from the other, mostly instrumental groups I'm in. Anyway, it's nice to get complimented on something other than your playing sometimes.

Simball · #4 06-07-2007, 01:14 AM

I was at Guitar Center a little while back. Plugged a Spector Euro 5 into an SVT and was quite pleased with the sound, (actually it sounded friggin' awesome) started playing some catchy funk lines and turned a few heads. It's cool, I'm not awesome or anything but it's nice to have the skills and confidence to not suck. It's the players that play at a higher level than me that keep me inspired and keep me humble, know what I mean?

El Bajo · #5 06-07-2007, 01:47 AM

The best complement I received was when the guitarist where doing an in unison solo bit, afte rthe performance some gut said I looked across at the guitarist and he was doing this ace solo then I looked at you and you where laying the exact same line.
Little does he know it took the better part of six months to nail it perfectly!

ThorBassManiac · #6 06-07-2007, 09:37 AM

I work at a high school and today is the last day of the school year, so I brought my acoustic bass. I've already interested a couple of students in my ways of bass playing today, so I guess I last impressed someone 15 minutes ago!

Stumpy · #7 06-07-2007, 09:40 AM

I really never bought into the showy flashy chops type of playing.

My motto is:

No groove, no food. I try to live by that and I definitely teach that to all of my students.

You got game, boy...or was that You got gameboy?...

It does make one feel better when appreciated for their hard work.

Congrats.

BadMonk · #8 06-07-2007, 09:43 AM

Haven't yet...still working on it.

Peter Parker · #9 06-07-2007, 09:54 AM

I do everyday but have no idea why. I bore the crap out of myself.

dave_p · #10 06-07-2007, 10:05 AM

i found an old demo from a blues band i was in years ago.
i actually impressed myself a little. and i dont remember thinking very highly of the demo at the time i made it. nothing fancy about it. it just sounded authentic. and it made me remember the subconcious lock that the drummer (jimmy) and i had. we were a hell of a team, i miss that dude.

richardjones89 · #11 06-07-2007, 11:05 AM

the last time i impressed somebody with my playing was not when i was playing bass, i was playing harmonica :P

on my birthday i went to a gig in a civic hall and my mates metal band were the last band to perform. after they finished one of the guitarists stayed up on stage and had a little mash about, then this awesome guy on drums stepped up and played. my mate turned to me and said 'have you got your harmonica?', and i got it out my pocket and walked on stage.

i had jammed with these two guys before, and been told that we all sounded amazing together. but this particular time was with a real audience (only about 20 lol) and we just jammed away. the audience were going crazy! got a little buzz out of it too. after i finished playing several of my mates invaded the stage and greeted me with slightly drunken hugs, and one said 'i never knew you could play harmonica. youre awesome!'. i didnt think what i played was particulary good but it got the crowd going nonetheless. we had a great time

i was told by another mate of mine that he looked over at the bar staff and they were impressed with our playing.

ive yet to impress anyone with my bass skills though. not that good you see :P but hopefully soon with some practice ill improve.

MammaryVest · #12 06-07-2007, 11:14 AM

No one is impressed by my playing except the singer/guitarist of my band, and it's even starting to wear off on him

((

Meggersnewbass · #13 06-07-2007, 11:24 AM

I impress my parents but that's only cause i'm musically inclined or however you spell it XD i have a for person band and they're all impressed because i just started like a week ago.[i discist them] only because i can actuall play pretty muche everything that gets put infront of me.

<-- see that's me!!! XD

CraigG · #14 06-07-2007, 12:13 PM

This past Sunday at church the gospel choir director gave me an unexpected nod in a song and I ran with it. I even surprised myself a bit. Several people have comment since then saying how much they enjoy my playing, including the other bass player from the church (who is quite good) come up to me last night and said my playing was "smoking" on Sunday.

Funny thing is, I don't care about impressing people and I couldn't care less if I have "fans." God get's the glory for my playing! If it was good it was good because He put the music in me. I play because I enjoy it, because it's my gift back to God, and because it just feels right. It's just what I do.

Craig

the_fonz · #15 06-07-2007, 09:34 PM

i got a compliment 20 minutes ago from my thrash drummer neighbor on my playing of Orion
it went a little like this
"dude, i heard you tearing **** up yesterday"
"yep"
"was that metallica?"
"yep"
"sweet! i've never heard anybody play For Whom The Bell Tolls like that!"
"CLOSE!"
i mean, come on! i'm not even what would be called a fan of Metallica and i know the difference between most songs!

Curtybob · #16 06-07-2007, 10:49 PM

I gotz kids. They act impressed or pay the consequences.

?Heh.

I think the last time anyone was really impressed was me. I Just am getting back into playing after a couple of year hiatus. And during that time I messed up my hand pretty good, but it is limbering up way better than I thought. But, back to the impressed version of me. So my old drummer gets me to show up for a practice/tryout and I do my best. And here I am almost 2 months later buying a bunch of gear.

Gotta love things that go B--o--o--o--o--m in the night.

Dave Siff · #17 06-08-2007, 05:30 AM

Last gig I did, a guy came up to me between sets and said, "I like your bass playing." That was nice, and I felt OK about it because the band was really tight that night.

nordic27 · #18 06-08-2007, 06:30 AM

I was playing a music festival in Baton Rouge LA. this past March when I was invited along with some other players to jam on a jazzy tune during one of the concerts. The people I played this tune with were an acoustical duet and do not have bass in their shows. I played acoustic upright bass on this song. Each musician did a solo part with the others vamping in the background. It was really fun. The next day our group was invited to another musicians RV whom I had never met and during introductions he said "man you really tore up that bass last night." I was quick to compliment his new CD that he was playing for us. I always enjoy a nice word but make it a point to give much more than I receive when it comes to compliments.

morf · #19 06-08-2007, 06:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by the_fonz

i got a compliment 20 minutes ago from my thrash drummer neighbor on my playing of Orion
it went a little like this
"dude, i heard you tearing **** up yesterday"
"yep"
"was that metallica?"
"yep"
"sweet! i've never heard anybody play For Whom The Bell Tolls like that!"
"CLOSE!"
i mean, come on! i'm not even what would be called a fan of Metallica and i know the difference between most songs!

Cant expect too much from a drummer

Mike Flynn · #20 06-08-2007, 06:47 AM

I've had a couple of great jazz gigs recently - one in particular with my good friend and piano monster Tom Pilling - it was just us two - and very last minute, no rehearsal, no set list and we just went for it - playing a mix of funk, jazz, and some ambient improvised funky stuff - anyway I really played my ass off, Tom tends to inspire me a lot - but I was so into it I didn't look at the crowd much - but Tom told me after that a couple of top London architects who drink in the bar were sitting there with their jaws hanging open... I wish it was like that on every gig - but hey it's great to get that reaction once in a while - I wasn't trying especially hard it was just one of those nights where I got into the zone and stayed there.

M