I Was Complimented?

[JoZac21]

In the 2.5 years I have played bass (I played guitar for 16 years before that) I have never had people rush up to me to compliment me and to tell me "how good I was"... tonight after my gig, this exact thing happened... thrice...

I was treated like a rock star... told how amazing I was... even told that (from another bass player) they were gonna steal some of my riffs... offered a gig in a Who cover band... playing Entwistle lines... yeah....

I was shocked... I think I weirded each of the separate individuals when they came up to me and told me how "great" I was when my response was, "really?"

Weird.

I think the only difference this night from all the others was that I made it a particular point to just have fun... I suppose it paid off... a lesson, kids!

[type C basses]

I'm glad you had a great performance!

I never know how to handle this. I don't really like the attention, plus I'm a little shy anyway. I typically try to gauge whether or not they're a musician, so that I can conduct the conversation accordingly. I like your "really?" reply! How do you think you'll handle it next time?

I ALWAYS love complements from other bassists. They're the ones that were staring at your hands like a spectator at a ping pong game half the show. Also it's nice to hear complaints along with the praise. It makes the praise seem that much more sincere. You can usually tell the difference between a 'good game' kind of complement and when you really treated someone to something special that night. I'd say a job offer is a genuine complement!

Keep up the good work!!!

[SevenJacks]

That's pretty awesome

Don't think that has happened to me really but I've been playing for a lot less time so I'm not expecting it...

Oh, I did get the guy that comes up after a SOLO ACOUSTIC GUITAR SONG and says 'hey, the bass needs to be way up...'

[pacojas]

you think that's cool?!!! (i hate compliments)

them: wow,... you were GREAT, man!!!!

me: don't BORE me with YOUR opinions,.... MAN!!!!!!

i really don't mind if they bow when i walk by, though! better yet,... paint my house, buy me some food, etc.

[jaywa]

Good on ya, man! Everyone needs a shot of positive reinforcement every now and then and I think as a rule, bassists appreciate it more than anyone cause we don't get it very often.

It seems like in my case, the props come less from people in the crowd and more often from other musicians either at the gig or 2nd-hand thru the grapevine ("I was talking to so-and-so and your name came up and he said you were good")... etc. But honestly, I don't need much of that.

More often, when somebody compliments me it's on the band as a whole and that honestly means just as much to me. Just last weekend we were playing a gig in a small resort town and somebody came up to our singer and said, "there's 3 bands playing in this town tonight and I checked them all out and you guys are the best one." Considering this was only the 3rd gig I'd played with them, that made me feel real good.

[nutdog]

Don't worry, somebody will come along and kick you in the nuts pretty soon.

[jaywa]

Originally Posted by nutdog

Don't worry, somebody will come along and kick you in the nuts pretty soon.

Unfortunately, yeah.

"You're the bass player right?"
"Yeah, thanks."
"You're too damn loud. Turn down, you're killing us out here."

[Staccato]

It is nice to hear compliments once in a while. I make a point to compliment some players walking by on their break-when my wife are out to listen, or dance...

[thunderstation]

that's happened to me too. - and i didn't know what to say either. I didn't think I was playing anything special or playing particularly good. I sort of chalked it up to the band playing well, and on some level inspired me and that made me stand out & a few people caught the vibe.

[Leeforeman9]

I think as bass players we are not usually the ones in the lime light, so when people do listen and appreciate it, it means so much more. My goal is to make the song sound great, not to draw attention, but it is nice to hear a good job from time to time. Especially from other bass players, we're the hardest critics on each other.

[Oopsdabassist]

Originally Posted by Leeforeman9

I think as bass players we are not usually the ones in the lime light, so when people do listen and appreciate it, it means so much more. My goal is to make the song sound great, not to draw attention, but it is nice to hear a good job from time to time. Especially from other bass players, we're the hardest critics on each other.

Amen to that..spot on!

[bolophonic]

Sounds like you were killing it. Good work, man!

[MrMcHaggis]

Originally Posted by Leeforeman9

I think as bass players we are not usually the ones in the lime light, so when people do listen and appreciate it, it means so much more. My goal is to make the song sound great, not to draw attention, but it is nice to hear a good job from time to time. Especially from other bass players, we're the hardest critics on each other.

+1

...But compliments are nice

[Stingray89]

I've been complimented a couple of times with my current band. It's funny tho because with this band I focus more on the groove and the flow of the song than I have with my previous bands. I used to play more complicated arrangements (the songs called for it since we were a trio) but now that I'm in a 5 piece band I let the guitarists have the spotlight. Keep up the good work man!

[JoZac21]

We played another gig last week, and although this time I didn't receive any unsolicited personal compliments, the entire audience (and it was a packed house) was moving... to me, that's the best compliment of all. If the audience is dancing, I know I'm doing my job!

[rtslinger]

Great man it is always nice to hear it. I normally get how long have you been playing or you make that look so easy your hands are all over the place or you play bass like a lead guitarist has been toss at me a few times. I just say thanks been playing a long time smile and walk away. I am not one to blow my own horn. I do what I do and love doing it nuff said