Bad as long as the boring don’t make a bad customer experience. But seriously, after you heard a song like nine millions of times wouldn’t hearing the same song played the same way by a tribute band be boring?
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Which is worse - to be bad or boring?
- Thread starter bdplaid
- Start date
for me, boring is worse than bad.
i have a friend who's not a good singer as he sang off key a lot of the time, but he's active and engaging as a front man, and women just loved him. they came to see the band just because they all had a crush on him. people at clubs used to stay to watch the band and applauded enthusiastically, so despite his offkey singing, clubs were happy to have them play.
the band finally fired my buddy for being a bad singer - they weren't wrong, but once he was gone, no one came to see them any more, and people left when they played or used their set as the right time to go to the bathroom or check on their cars. after a few months, most clubs wouldn't have them back and the band disbanded.
i have a friend who's not a good singer as he sang off key a lot of the time, but he's active and engaging as a front man, and women just loved him. they came to see the band just because they all had a crush on him. people at clubs used to stay to watch the band and applauded enthusiastically, so despite his offkey singing, clubs were happy to have them play.
the band finally fired my buddy for being a bad singer - they weren't wrong, but once he was gone, no one came to see them any more, and people left when they played or used their set as the right time to go to the bathroom or check on their cars. after a few months, most clubs wouldn't have them back and the band disbanded.
And there are plenty of successful acts out there that are incredibly boring. I can think of one currently very popular one in particular....
When I was in college, there was a band that was all music majors - really top notch talent. I was in a duo that was raucous, rowdy, and fun. We had a tenth of the musical ability of those guys. But when were were on the same bill, they asked to go before us - they had seen us before and didn't want to follow us, because we were anything but boring, and they knew they had to work on that part of their show.
To my ear most commercial music is expertly performed and produced and excruciatingly boring to listen to.
Having some raw, imperfect human edge to to the sound is not valued in the market, but I prefer it. Slick ain't it for me.
Having some raw, imperfect human edge to to the sound is not valued in the market, but I prefer it. Slick ain't it for me.
I have been paid to be "boring". A drummer friend calls it "audio wallpaper". I like that term. That being said - people (at least me) in general don't get drawn in to looking at ordinary traffic but will slow down to view an accident. Boring has little entertainment value. Morbid fascination with how bad the next car wreck (i.e. song) is going to be? That's some good times, bucko! 
BBB
BBB
Good and bad are often subjective. But then again I guess so is “boring”.
If Everyone thinks you’re bad, then you’re just bad and I think that’s worse.
If half or even most think you’re bad, but a segment LOVES you, I’d say that’s even better than being “good”.
If Everyone thinks you’re bad, then you’re just bad and I think that’s worse.
If half or even most think you’re bad, but a segment LOVES you, I’d say that’s even better than being “good”.
Sid Vicious is a great example of this. World renowned as a poor bassist, but is world renowned because he was the antithesis of boring. Heck, he got the gig because he had the image and punk charisma locked down despite not have the technical ability.
Last time a support act tried that with a band I was in, I went on stage and started jamming along with them. They wrapped up at the end of the number.
Bad: Some musicians I really dig will hit a wrong note from time to time, but I cannot stand the all too common kind of folks who claim their "artistic freedom" to cover the fact that they are just too lazy to practice their stuff.
Boring is very subjective IMO. So bad it is.
Boring is very subjective IMO. So bad it is.
Boring is worse than bad.
Even a crappy punk band who can't play well but have incredible stage charisma and energy can get the crowd hyped and moving. I can still remember some of the simple shout-alongs and I smile fondly on remembering those young punk days.
On the other hand, I've seen bands where the musicians are incredibly tight, incredibly skilled, but I don't remember a damn thing else. I could not even hum the melody of one of their songs.
I consider myself average at best as a player, but I bring the energy on stage and that (along with being responsible, accountable, dependable, and reliable) is why I often get gigs over more skilled players. If I have a gig coming up, I rehearse my parts till I can play them flawlessly in my sleep, so I can focus more on vibing with the crowd than staring at my fingerboard.
Bad at least elicits a strong emotion from me (be it disgust or whatever). Boring elicits nothing. I'd rather "love to hate" something bad than be apathetic toward something boring.
Even a crappy punk band who can't play well but have incredible stage charisma and energy can get the crowd hyped and moving. I can still remember some of the simple shout-alongs and I smile fondly on remembering those young punk days.
On the other hand, I've seen bands where the musicians are incredibly tight, incredibly skilled, but I don't remember a damn thing else. I could not even hum the melody of one of their songs.
I consider myself average at best as a player, but I bring the energy on stage and that (along with being responsible, accountable, dependable, and reliable) is why I often get gigs over more skilled players. If I have a gig coming up, I rehearse my parts till I can play them flawlessly in my sleep, so I can focus more on vibing with the crowd than staring at my fingerboard.
Bad at least elicits a strong emotion from me (be it disgust or whatever). Boring elicits nothing. I'd rather "love to hate" something bad than be apathetic toward something boring.
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Bass can be and often is boring and still be ok, bands dont have that luxury…unless its The Grand Old Oprey before 1980
Maybe we should share some prominent examples in order to understand each other's perspective better?
Ok, so here we go:
Bad: Madonna singing without a pitch correcting device.
Boring: Most of Mozart's music. (Sorry, I'm a Haydn guy!)
Ok, so here we go:
Bad: Madonna singing without a pitch correcting device.
Boring: Most of Mozart's music. (Sorry, I'm a Haydn guy!)
Lee Sklar may seem boring to some, but he has more sessions and album appearances than ANY bass player in history. Paying gigs are nothing to sneeze at. Also, having a killer reputation as one of the best to work with. Lee is a genius when it come to what to play... and what NOT to play. He also contributed to and helped finalize many songs. In fact, some songs may not have been hits without his input.
Boring can always be augmented if you have more headroom, more skills under your belt.
bad is always bad!
Boring can always be augmented if you have more headroom, more skills under your belt.
bad is always bad!
“Which is worse - to be bad or boring?“
I think it depends on the genre - some genres are about technical ability and others are about attitude: for example in jazz, you have to have chops, while in rock you have to have swagger.
I think it depends on the genre - some genres are about technical ability and others are about attitude: for example in jazz, you have to have chops, while in rock you have to have swagger.
There is plenty of popular music that doesn’t require a player to be “good” to play, but one can also be “bad” at making that music in some compelling way at the same time as being “not good” at an instrument- that generally makes them both bad AND boring though. I prefer a train wreck of a performance to a boring one usually- sometimes people are so bad that it becomes compelling (like karaoke, where many great singers are a snooze-fest). So “bad” can mean multiple things- lack of technical ability, or lack of compelling performance. I would say the latter could also be synonymous with “boring”. One can be bad at playing an instrument or singing but also put on a performance that people enjoy or one can be technically amazing at playing an instrument and leave an audience cold (I’ve seen many virtuoso players like this, super common in LA when I was there).
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Here is a reach for most people and you will have to look this band up .Happy The Man was boring as Hell and I would rather spend a month in a Greek prison with a gallon of KY Jelly than listen to their music or seeing them perform the one time I saw them . 
