father of fires
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The things you hate they say about your playing
- Thread starter crow01
- Start date
father of fires
Commercial User
My band actually told me I should play my thunderbird because it was more rock and roll.
FYI, I was playing a 78 p bass at the time.
GRRRR
FYI, I was playing a 78 p bass at the time.
GRRRR
Seriously man? Phil has influenced me in such a great way. No one plays like Phil. One of my personal favorites. Most people listen to the Dead for Jerry but I listen for the sick Phil lines. Have you ever seen the behind the scenes of the Wall of Sound tour? Every bassist should see this. Phil had his Alembic hooked up so he could have each individual string come out of different speakers. It was very cool and interesting. Bass was bouncing around the room. Fun stuff.
"I would have asked you to join my band to play bass but I figured you might find it too boring to play in."
I wonder if my friend ever though that if his music is boring, he won't just be boring the band but the audience as well.
I wonder if my friend ever though that if his music is boring, he won't just be boring the band but the audience as well.
hmm..
"Dude, you should wear your bass like that guy in metallica. like, you know, down by your knees"
Reply: actually, i enjoy having the other 3 strings in reach, too
Also, when asked to play a song, i was told "just play the root". added a third too for each set of 4. Everyone stops, looks at keyboardist "was that you? sounds good"
Oh, and best EVER, when playing All Along The Watchtower in a jam, i played arpeggios for the first and third chords. (pretty sure that's in the song.. ). was told to "stop soloing and play straight notes"
Not auditioned since.
_Kar.
"Dude, you should wear your bass like that guy in metallica. like, you know, down by your knees"
Reply: actually, i enjoy having the other 3 strings in reach, too
Also, when asked to play a song, i was told "just play the root". added a third too for each set of 4. Everyone stops, looks at keyboardist "was that you? sounds good"
Oh, and best EVER, when playing All Along The Watchtower in a jam, i played arpeggios for the first and third chords. (pretty sure that's in the song.. ). was told to "stop soloing and play straight notes"
Not auditioned since.
_Kar.
Wow, I never hear anything like the stuff everyone's posted here... The only thing that I hear periodically that kinda annoys me is when, after a particularly bad gig (bad as in my playing was really awful and sloppy and full of serious mistakes and bad notes), someone says "you sounded awesome!" And I'm like "I was horrible tonight, I made so many really bad mistakes!" And they are like "ah, no one could tell; no one but you notice these things."
- Dec 21, 2007
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- Disclosures
- Lark in the Morning Instructional Videos; Audix Microphones
One of the first (and hardest) lessons for me (naturally self-critical) to learn as a performing musician was to not say "Oh, you're wrong, I (we) really sucked" when an audience member comes up and says they loved a performance you thought was bad.
When you do that, you've insulted their taste. They thought you sounded good. And you told them, essentially, that they're full of it. Not good.
The best response is "Thank you".
Second best response is "Thank you."
Third best is "Thank you, you're very kind."
Even when I really felt a performance sucked, I could manage the third one.
I got done doing a 2 1/2 hour rhythm section clinic with a band of really good players, where I spent a lot of time talking about locking with the drummer, listening to everyone else in the band, less is more, etc. Comes time afterward and the first kid up to the stage asks me, "so, how do I get my bass to sound like Fieldy?" (The other guys in the band found this incredibly amusing.)
(The other guys in the band found this incredibly amusing.)
This should be a sticky. Learning to accept a compliment gracefully should be required material for all musicians. I had to learn it slowly too. When someone says "you sounded great" and we respond with "oh, I was awful" we're either fishing for ANOTHER compliment (no really, you were great!) or insulting the other person (you don't know enough about music to know I played badly). Both are rude.
The polite response, as you said, is "Thank you".
#1 Thing That Gets My Blood Seething:
"Why don't you play a Fender?"
ahhh..you beat me to it. I hear this one alot.
My answer: Because I don't own a fender.
Them: Well, why not?
Me: Because I didn't buy one.
Them: Well, most people have Fenders.
Me: Well, I'm not most people.
(dosen't make me mad just think it funny that some people are this way)
I would add, to the whole "thank you" thing... every band member should make it a point to say, to anyone who comes up and compliments the band, not just "thank you" but "thank you for coming out." We always need to remember that even though there are people in crowds that sometimes make things difficult, by and large most people are there because they choose to be, and have stayed because they like what they're hearing.
And then immediately after the "thank you for coming out", tell them where and when you're playing next (even though if they are drunk they will never remember it), and to bring their friends.
And then immediately after the "thank you for coming out", tell them where and when you're playing next (even though if they are drunk they will never remember it), and to bring their friends.
"Is that note a little tooo deep?"
Rhythm guitarist after we finished playing a song I use my 5 string on.
Rhythm guitarist after we finished playing a song I use my 5 string on.
I guess I am just too self critical. I am not fishing for additional complimets and I'm not doing it as an insult, I'm just way too honest sometimes about my own shortcomings. I just feel that accepting undeserved compliments is dishonorable. I guess I need to learn to just accept their compliments in a way that doesn't seem awkward... I suppose I could say "thank you, you are too kind!"
I guess I operarate in a more professional circle! I've never heard anyone say such idiotic things. 
But seriously...how DO you get a bass to sound like Fieldy? I've never had success at removing all pitch from my tone.
Oh, and as for the question regarding compliments or put-downs...put-downs are worse. If people are enjoying themselves, then we've essentially done our job, even if the sound was uncomfortable, it was sloppy, there were wrong notes and you accidentally kicked down the level on your big muff so there was no bass in the mix when you switched it on....that was Friday night for me. But if people are still enjoying the show, and getting something out of the music, (even if not the details), then I feel like I've accomplished something.
