Hobbayne Posted June 12, 2012 Share Posted June 12, 2012 We played the other night to a good crowd and were the first band on. As we were packing up to let the second band on, their bass player came up to me and said "Some nice bass playing mate!" Instead of saying "Thanks" or "Cheers mate!" I waffled something about 'The sound being terrible and couldnt hear a thing!" He must have thought I was a right arsehole! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charic Posted June 12, 2012 Share Posted June 12, 2012 Probably just thought you were a little bit grumpy but you told him the reason why so that's ok Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted June 12, 2012 Share Posted June 12, 2012 +1 I know exactly what you mean. I don't get many direct compliments (i.e. about my bass-playing, rather than "your band sounds good") but when I do get them, I have no idea what to say in response. Pathetic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norris Posted June 12, 2012 Share Posted June 12, 2012 I've never been one to take a compliment. Most anybody usually gets is a mumbled "Thanks". I always know how much better I would have been if I hadn't (insert your favourite self-derogatory anecdote) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coilte Posted June 12, 2012 Share Posted June 12, 2012 [quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1339499176' post='1689259'] +1 I have no idea what to say in response. [/quote] A simple "thank you" would usually suffice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted June 12, 2012 Share Posted June 12, 2012 I know - that just makes it worse! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul torch Posted June 12, 2012 Share Posted June 12, 2012 Aww, gee, shucks... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bremen Posted June 12, 2012 Share Posted June 12, 2012 I play with a drummer who is terrible at taking a compliment. I'll say 'you really nailed that, nice feel' and he'll say 'I'm not happy with the snare' or 'my pedal isn't right' or 'these cymbals sound wrong for this style'. He can't take constructive criticism either. 'Why not try that with a hi-hat rather than a ride' is interpreted as 'I'm the greatest bass player in the world, and your breath smells', hence my attempts to praise him up when he gets it right. Shame, because when he does get it right he's really good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gafbass02 Posted June 12, 2012 Share Posted June 12, 2012 As a youngster in a band that was 'going places' I had it drilled into me to smile shake the hand and say 'Thanks, glad you enjoyed it, thanks for coming!' I pretty much still do to this day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xilddx Posted June 12, 2012 Share Posted June 12, 2012 I only really know what to say when someone goes "is your guitar (sic[k]) made of metal mate?" or "Why you wear dem gay glove blud?". But I had a few people say they loved the bass and drums at the last London Zulu gig, I just say thanks, that's really nice, or really glad you enjoyed it, etc. I love a nice compliment if I feel I am deserving of one, but I have to quite strongly resist the urge to reply with something self-deprecating. I find compliments very humbling, definitely back-foots me if I don't know the person. Whereas at the same gig, when two BC members there said they liked it, I just asked if the bass sounded ok as if that was all I cared about Mad innit, I think it's called being British Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coilte Posted June 12, 2012 Share Posted June 12, 2012 (edited) Maybe it just that bassists are not, by the nature of the instrument's general role in the band, used to getting compliments. I'll bet most lead guitarist's would know what to say. Personally, I think it's a great "problem" to have to deal with. Edited June 12, 2012 by Coilte Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waynepunkdude Posted June 12, 2012 Share Posted June 12, 2012 I say 'I know, shame the rest of the band are nowhere near my standard, w***ers' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EskimoBassist Posted June 12, 2012 Share Posted June 12, 2012 I was always like this as well, even when an audience member would give me a compliment - I don't know why, but I don't think there's anything particularly outstanding about what I do as a bass player, I just try and fit in with the band as best I can! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted June 12, 2012 Share Posted June 12, 2012 He probably understood entirely, being a fellow bassist, that we are the ones that don`t get many compliments, so we are totally unprepared on how to deal with them. I always thought it must have been my stunning looks & personality was the reason I got no attention/compliments from anyone, but then, once I started playing lead guitar and doing lead vocals, they came in droves, so I realised it was just the duty of the humble bassist to be ignored by the masses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coilte Posted June 12, 2012 Share Posted June 12, 2012 IMO, when someone gets a compliment, replying by saying "this was not right/that was not great", somehow throws the compliment back in the face of the giver. It is actually saying, "your opinion is wrong". A lot easier and friendlier to simply say "thanks". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coilte Posted June 12, 2012 Share Posted June 12, 2012 [quote name='EskimoBassist' timestamp='1339500621' post='1689286'] I don't think there's anything particularly outstanding about what I do as a bass player, I just try and fit in with the band as best I can! [/quote] Obviously the compliment giver thinks other wise. So why not just accept and enjoy it in the spirit that it was given ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Vader Posted June 12, 2012 Share Posted June 12, 2012 I find a simple "Thanks, it is easier than I make it look" followed be a chuckle or two usually works well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bremen Posted June 12, 2012 Share Posted June 12, 2012 [quote name='Coilte' timestamp='1339500947' post='1689292'] IMO, when someone gets a compliment, replying by saying "this was not right/that was not great", somehow throws the compliment back in the face of the giver. It is actually saying, "your opinion is wrong". A lot easier and friendlier to simply say "thanks". [/quote] This. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassTractor Posted June 12, 2012 Share Posted June 12, 2012 [quote name='silddx' timestamp='1339500316' post='1689281']Mad innit, I think it's called being British [/quote] It's also called being Dutch in Norway. I could never handle compliments, and for different reasons, one of them being humble or modest or whatever, and the other one being about wanting to express that I wasn't satisfied myself (which is almost the same thing as saying I was really way better at this than they heard). I've had to have some hard words with the mirror, and these days, I think I'm more relaxed, and would go something like: "Wow, thanks! Nice to hear that!" Good luck with being British! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silvia Bluejay Posted June 12, 2012 Share Posted June 12, 2012 (edited) Aw, how sweet of you guys. As a veteran member of an audience, I have learnt to compliment bass players' ability only indirectly, because a bass player's [b]normal[/b] reaction is to blush and/or not know what to say, or even how to say thank you without feeling awkward (yes, Jack, I'm talking about you as well! ). Drummers are often like that as well. I think it's an endearing tract most of us share, and it's not bad manners at all in my view. Edited June 12, 2012 by bluejay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coilte Posted June 12, 2012 Share Posted June 12, 2012 [quote name='bluejay' timestamp='1339501470' post='1689306'] or even how to say thank you without feeling awkward [/quote] I would say this is a simple lack of confidende and down to personality, rather than any instrument related issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve-soar Posted June 12, 2012 Share Posted June 12, 2012 Next time we get compliaments, why not say, "yeah, cheers. I mix the output of both pickups to a kind of low mid thump, with a dark overtone, then I let the compressor add a cool slam, boost 180 Hz by about 3 Db, add a notch of 7K, just to let the bottom end have a bit of air, then the signal is sent to the 4 ten inch speakers, with a hot DI feed going FOH". And then watch their faces change. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted June 12, 2012 Share Posted June 12, 2012 Always smile and say thanks. We had this on Sunday. Our dep drummer failed on all levels and the rest of us had to cover the vacuum in the middle of the stage. The gig sounded terrible to us, but we dodged the bullet, the audience loved it and told us so. We said thanks and later, in private, vowed never to use that drummer ever again. The audience always knows what it likes and it's better to accept praise than to confuse things by attempting a half-assed post mortem. If another musician gives you praise, accept it graciously. He either wants to borrow your gear or he really did like what you did. Sometimes it's nice to be told that you did something right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silvia Bluejay Posted June 12, 2012 Share Posted June 12, 2012 [quote name='Coilte' timestamp='1339501907' post='1689318'] I would say this is a simple lack of confidende and down to personality, rather than any instrument related issue. [/quote] It's instrument-related only in the sense that bassists tend not to be over-confident arses like - erm - some other musicians Lack of [b]excessive[/b] confidence is not a bad thing, and does not equate [b]total[/b] lack of confidence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coilte Posted June 12, 2012 Share Posted June 12, 2012 [quote name='steve-soar' timestamp='1339502017' post='1689320'] Next time we get compliaments, why not say, "yeah, cheers. I mix the output of both pickups to a kind of low mid thump, with a dark overtone, then I let the compressor add a cool slam, boost 180 Hz by about 3 Db, add a notch of 7K, just to let the bottom end have a bit of air, then the signal is sent to the 4 ten inch speakers, with a hot DI feed going FOH". And then watch their faces change. [/quote] Doubt if that'll happen, if people cant simply say "thanks". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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