Best Compliment/None Compliment you've received

[stringthrough]

I get either the good or the bad, not the faux-compliments.

Best: "you're a phenomenal bassist" (came recently from a fellow musician who's also a high school music teacher - - huge exaggeration, but I loved hearing it)

Worst: "you don't know how to jam" (came from an excellent drummer, back in high school when I was relatively new to the bass - - and he was right)

 

[MuseChaser]

"Great backing tracks... where did you buy them, and can you play without them?"

Ok... I've never heard that... but have wanted to say it a couple times

 

[ThinCrappyTone2]

I was chatting with a former bandmate about things people said to us after a gig (or even during) that were sort of compliments but also not really compliments lol.

Instrumental band - "damn you guys sound good, sort of like a broke ass trans siberian orchestra". That one gets me every time lol

Original rock band - " I love your band, your guitarist, it's like he doesn't know how to play guitar but then plays one more note to show you he does know how". This was the one me and my former guitarist crack up about all the time.

Original metal band - "man you're a great bass player, who wrote your parts? Umm I did, " Oh rad did you just come up with those songs on stage?" ....... YEP lmao

alright your turn let me hear em

It was years ago, but a guy remarked "you always look like you're about to make a mistake but you never do"

 

[Wyrdlow]

"Great playing mate! I could see what you were doing. Couldn't hear you very well though - sounded awesome!"

 

[Deleted member 394181]

(On second break at the Rat. 1978)

Tall, pretty female brunette: (walks up with big smile) Oh hey! Aren’t you in the band?

Me: Yes…I play bass.

Her: Yeah? (walks away)

Me: View attachment 5311702

——————

Unfortunately for me, half the band saw the whole thing. And making half witty comments about that incident just never got old as far as they were concerned.

Well, since you mentioned it.

 

[Bunk McNulty]

When fives became common here in Nashville in the 90's, well, let's just say too many guys were dropping in a lot of low C's, etc., out of the new-ness of them, often upsetting things.

I got called to fill in one night with some friends who had a very traditional country song list. I open the case and I get the side-eye from the guitarist, a great player I respect a lot. I could hear just what he was thinking. . . .

So we play the night, a lot of fun, all songs I knew and they were easy to fit in with.

Afterwards, he comes over and tells me I sounded great, and that thing didn't sound like a five string, Thanks a Lot.

Ya got to know where you are, and always play what fits. Done.

Oooh, I better watch out. I recently started playing a 5 (new country gig) and I've been thowing in the odd C or D bomb. Because I can, which is not really a good reason. I pledge to be more circumspect.

 

[Wambemando]

"You sing just like Glen Campbell."

- Some octogenarian back in the 90s.

 

[lermgalieu]

If it is, it's regional from Texas to Lincolnshire!

I'm actually originally from upstate New York. Yeah, I always thought it was widespread; it's just weird to me that people on this thread are calling them "non-compliments," a term I've never heard, when there is an actual word for this.

 

[NickLidstrom]

On NYE, I noticed a dude who was just staring at me. Wouldn’t take his eyes off of me. In my head I’m like, “nice, this guy must play bass and he’s loving what he’s hearing.” I even gave him the rock horns mid-set.

We’re on break and he comes up to me: “What’s the secret to your hair?”

 

[BlueTalon]

My guitar player in a previous band told me he really likes my playing because I know how to f*** up.

 

[bigjames]

"Your bass is fretless!!! Wow, I couldn't even tell!"

I was like..."wow, thanks...err...wait...." it made my laugh because I think Steve Bailey has a similar story from his early playing days.

This prompted me to change my fretless technique to make it a bit more...fretless. LOL

 

[Ron Berenato]

Your originals are great but your covers suck.

 

[WG Plum]

"It sounds like you've been doing it for awhile," after a free-improv set. We took it as a compliment.

 

[Pocket Dave]

A friend on FB after seeing a camera-phone shot clip of a recent gig: "Great camera work".

 

[AQUANOVA]

Wow, you play good for a girl.

 

[JimiLL]

Random guy: You're getting some good sound, what kind of pedals and effects do you use?
Me: None, wireless to tuner to amp
Random guy: But, all you've got is a Squier bass.
Me: Yeah........
Random guy: Oh.....walks away mumbling to himself

I guess that was more of a compliment about my parts-bass (avatar) than my playing. That's all I can come up with since he didn't clarify in any way.

Don’t run through your tuner then into the amp. Thank me later

 

[JimiLL]

When fives became common here in Nashville in the 90's, well, let's just say too many guys were dropping in a lot of low C's, etc., out of the new-ness of them, often upsetting things.

I got called to fill in one night with some friends who had a very traditional country song list. I open the case and I get the side-eye from the guitarist, a great player I respect a lot. I could hear just what he was thinking. . . .

So we play the night, a lot of fun, all songs I knew and they were easy to fit in with.

Afterwards, he comes over and tells me I sounded great, and that thing didn't sound like a five string, Thanks a Lot.

Ya got to know where you are, and always play what fits. Done.

Nothing is worse than over doing low notes

 

[MYLOWFREQ]

Once after a song a lady came to me and said: that was a great solo! I didn't take a solo.. it was the guitar player. I thanked the lady.

 

[ThudThudThud]

Posted a home recording to a site and had a fellow member critique the mix - which he did very nicely (right on all fronts) - and then he noted it had a "bitchin', smooth, moving bass line." Drop D on a folky pop song, if you must know.

 

[dougjwray]

Circa 1981, I was playing in a folkie, acoustic singer/songwriter trio in the cafeteria of a very urban trade school in midtown Manhattan. (Thanks a LOT, agent.)
At one point during a song, one student slowly walked past me, about two feet away. He turned, stopped and glared at me, then turned away again, kept walking, slowly shook his head, and muttered, "Shhhhiiiitt..."