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Favorite bass compliments

S

SpectorBass308

Feb 1, 2007
966
1
Pasadena, CA
#1
Tell about your favorite bass compliments, whether about your bass guitar itself or about your bass playing.



a fun compliment i got was after our band finished our set at a battle of the bands our review sheet said, "good drummer and great bass player", this made our guitarists a little frustrated, i got a kick out of it..
 
#2
Wow, a question I never thought I'd get to answer!--I do have two favorite compliments, both years ago and both from women.

The wife of a writer/editor for Guitar Player Magazine said, as I recall, "You're the most supportive bass player I've ever heard." [I was a sideman in a pretty shredding guitar trio at the time, and I was very focused on playing as a team member. And it didn't hurt that she was cute.]

A few years later, my then-girlfriend heard me sit in at a local club and as we talked about the gig--the guitarist was prehistoric cult legend "Thumbs" Carlille. She described my playing as "tender"--as in the feelings you might have for a loved one. And that's exactly how I felt about the music as I played that night. Nothing will ever top that one, for me.
 
#3
after a gig with my old band i was told by an older bass player from one of the more exerienced bands playing that night that i had "nice fingers".

a couple summers ago while playign with some younger guys at a graduation party the keyboard player and singer told my dad while i was jammign with drums and a guitarist that i was "the best bass player they had ever played with".

both really cool compliments. one regarding my composed parts ina band situation and one complimenting my ability toadapt to an off the cuff situation. made me feel good.
 
#4
As a beginner, I haven't garnered a lot of praise, but it made me feel really good at a jam the first time I was asked to turn it up and the leader used the bass line to explain when a couple of guitar parts were done. He didn't make a big deal of it, but up until then I felt more like I was allowed to play so I could learn. At that point I realized I had become truly "useful" and that they were actually depending on me.
 
#6
BPotyk said:
Having a guitarist tell you that your bass tone makes his guitar sound weak.
Click to expand...

Yay! I get that one almost every time I play with my band...

"Te me comes la guitarra!!!" (you're eating my guitar!!!)

The geetarist asks me to turn down the volume, but what I do is tweak a little the EQ, and let the volume remain the same.

It's hilarious to hear him say that I was way too loud!:rollno:
 
#8
one i got at the end of a gig... a guy came up to me and said he liked my tone, and that i really filled up the aural spectrum nicely. the reason this was such a great compliment was that i had just gotten a new amp rig and was experimenting with different effects to try to keep the sound of my Rock trio full and loud as much as possible (ie, especially when the guitarist/singer was soloing). hey, vindication! :bassist:

my band got one that same night, too: a guy came up and told us that although he'd come out to see the band that played after us, we were his favorite of the night. sweet!
 
#10
after a gig, a guy came up, shook my hand, and told me that "it´s nice to see a bassist actually contribute to the music, and not just stick to root notes"...

in a jam session, the band forced me to play a lengthy solo (I was scared s***less because of a local bass-great present), and after the solo, the aforementioned "guru" let up a standing ovation...

in a similar jam session, a bassist with considerable recognition, commented on my "good time and ability to "switch moods""...
 
#11
I have posted on here before about the beautiful young woman who wrapped her arms around me and told me I was a much better bass player than the guy in the opening band.

Along with the usual drunken "yer f***ing awesome man..." my favorite came from this incredible drummer, kind of a Tim Alexander type player: "You're the first bass player I've ever played with who actually LISTENS."
 
#13
A couple weeks ago some guy comes up to me atfer the second set and said: "It's good to see someone really get into what he's playing and not just following along."

I don't really know what that was supposed to mean, but he seemed pretty enthusiastic.
 
#14
I have had a few folks say I was the reason that they started playing. Honestly, I think they were just being nice but it was nice to hear. Also, once While doing some recording, I had the engineer call me the "James Jamerson of Folk". Now that's funny!
 
#15
i've been told by two different songwriters i've worked with that my basslines "make the song." that feels cool because in both instances i play pretty simply.

and somebody once told me my white jaguar bass was "exceptional" after they played it.
 
#16
When I had only been playing for 10 months, I was at sleepaway camp. There was a new councelor who was brilliant at bass (as well as piano, drums, and guitar), and asked how many years I had been playing. When I said only 10 months, he was in such shock and said I was one of the most impressive players he's played with my age.

I sat in for a band whose bassist quit the day before their show a few months ago. It was the worst show ever. Real train wreck. But I heard someone in the crowd say "the bass player should have just stayed up there and jammed with the drummer", and lots of people came up to me about it.
 
#17
The club night where i played my debut gig always starts with a jam session before the actual bands where anyone out of the audience can jump up and play. I got dragged up and just played improv for about 20mins with a group of guys i had never met before.

Anyways after the jam several hippies and both the guys running the club night come up to me and give compliments about my playing (probably helped that one was a bassist)

Best compliment ive had though came from my guitarist at rehersal "we played that song when you wernt here and it just sounds terrible without you" or after we did some recording the vocalist says "that mix sucks, the bass is too quiet, this song is all about the bassline"
 
#18
I don't know why, but this hit me as an awesome compliment: I was in a cover band with my uncle, he's been at the game longer than I've been alive... played in tons of cover bands since his teenage years. After joining his band, he gave me numerous compliments, many pertaining to "It's amazing how fast you learn things," etc.

One night, after playing Highway to Hell, he looks to me after playing and says, "You're the only bassist I've ever played with that plays that song RIGHT." My uncle doesn't ********, he'll tell me if I suck at something. The fact that I was the only bass player he'd play with in 20+ years who could play something that simple right.

And he's right! I've seen so many bands cover that now, and totally ruin the bass. That song works so great due to the quarter note feel, locking in tight against the bass and snare. So many people busy it up, play it with an 8th note feel. I also took at as a compliment, that I can listen to a song and know what the bass needs to do, or can immitate. There were a few songs that I changed the feel to, but I was always aware of what I was doing... it was never accidental.

That one may be my favorite, but I'll get back to you :D


_________________

Oops, found another one. :D

When I was having a jam with a drummer who will be the first to tell you, he wasn't an amazing drummer, but he was rock solid. Anyways, we were jamming, and an onlooker said, "Matt is the first bass player I've ever heard who can make just bass and drums sound like a whole band."

That ruled. :cool:
 
#20
I played a school show recently and was near enough the youngest person who took part in the show, so I was quite noticed. You know.

So we were told that the DVD that was made of the show was to be shown in a classroom at lunchtime. So I goes up and one teacher was giving me constant compliments:

"Fantastic bassist"
"Incredible talent"..

and all that stuff. Was quite chuffed to be honest.

Also the son of that teacher went to the night show that took place for adults primarily and told his dad (the teacher) that I was one of the best in the show along with a drummer, who's the best in the school.

Really boosted my confidence.

(Sorry if you got confused with all that)
 

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