lowhand_mike Posted August 20, 2015 Share Posted August 20, 2015 solid would suit me as would tight Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karlfer Posted August 20, 2015 Share Posted August 20, 2015 I always think I've been complimented if I get through a gig without being bottled. Somebody once said to me "everybody has the right to be ugly, but you abuse it" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted August 20, 2015 Share Posted August 20, 2015 [quote name='Nicko' timestamp='1439898943' post='2846556'] Who's happy to be described as solid? [/quote] I get described as solid. I accept it as a compliment but I suppose it could be taken either way. I would much rather be called exciting, lively and innovative, but I know that's not what I do. I like to think I'm in the same league as Duck Dunn, John McVie and Bob Babbitt. An American bass player I knew called my playing "meat and potatoes". I guess that's American for solid? You are what you are. Just make sure you're better at it than anyone else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicko Posted August 20, 2015 Author Share Posted August 20, 2015 [quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1440069201' post='2847990'] I get described as solid. I accept it as a compliment but I suppose it could be taken either way. I would much rather be called exciting, lively and innovative, but I know that's not what I do. I like to think I'm in the same league as Duck Dunn, John McVie and Bob Babbitt. An American bass player I knew called my playing "meat and potatoes". I guess that's American for solid? You are what you are. Just make sure you're better at it than anyone else. [/quote] Meat and potatoes means nothing does it? Theres meat and potatoes like my mum cooks, and theres meat and potatoes a la Blumenthal. One is solid, the other is flash. If any american compares your playing to food I guess it defines quantity but doesn't define quality? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
police squad Posted August 20, 2015 Share Posted August 20, 2015 My take on 'Solid'. The chap in AC/DC. Now that's 'Solid' but I also love Mark King when he's not slapping because he is also playing for the song. Sting, uses the bass as a counterpoint, and his bass lines aren't simple but they're not flashy or busy. But walking on the moon wouldn't sound the same if the bass didn't go, dud, dud, duummmmmm If a muso told me my playing was 'Solid' I'd say to them, 'I know, thanks, glad you've noticed' Locally there is a bass player that just shreds all over everything he plays. It makes no sense what he's doing. He'll mix 8s with 16s, in the same phrase and plays loads of notes. He's in a classic rock band and some people think he's brilliant because he plays so many notes but nothing he does fits with the music. He's not Solid or busy. Just rubbish!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted August 20, 2015 Share Posted August 20, 2015 I bet I know who that is... For me, solid is where you start.. so it should be a given you are solid. It isn't the bar you stop at..it is the bar you start at. If the drummer is half reasonable then the band has to be good as there isn't much else the bass player has to really be able to do but be solid but if the drummer and bass player can really play that is where the band gets its gears from... Solid to me doesn't imply the bass and drums are able to really kick the song on... so that has to come from the lead instruments. It can work that way.... but there aren't any rules set in stone.. It is one of things you need empathy with and you live or die with how good that is.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimR Posted August 20, 2015 Share Posted August 20, 2015 (edited) [quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1440079629' post='2848102'] I bet I know who that is... For me, solid is where you start.. so it should be a given you are solid. It isn't the bar you stop at..it is the bar you start at. If the drummer is half reasonable then the band has to be good as there isn't much else the bass player has to really be able to do but be solid but if the drummer and bass player can really play that is where the band gets its gears from... Solid to me doesn't imply the bass and drums are able to really kick the song on... so that has to come from the lead instruments. It can work that way.... but there aren't any rules set in stone.. It is one of things you need empathy with and you live or die with how good that is.. [/quote] I wouldn't say that. I played a gig on Sunday and my playing was all over the place, bum notes, sections that I couldn't remember despite having played them for months note perfect at other gigs. It happens. We still had the crowd up jumping around and singing. They loved it. I needn't have worried, the next band on (the headliners) were even worse. I don't really know why I played such a shocker but possibly it was the provided backline - next time I'll take my own. In any case if someone pays you a compliment it's always a good thing. I had three compliments from members of the audience and they meant it. Sometimes we're too hard on ourselves. Edited August 20, 2015 by TimR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted August 20, 2015 Share Posted August 20, 2015 Well, better than nothing I agree.... but I put a lot of time into being ready for a gig so I know when it has worked. I think a lot of people don't get bass players..evern a lot of bass players don't get bass, so if I'm pleased, that is pretty much it. Of course, if someone said nice playing, great playing, I'd like it... but if they said solid.. I'd be thinking, of course as that is the default gig, IMO. I make most drummers sound good, I think, so I'd make the band sound good (IMO)....but just as I want something back from drums, they can have something back from me. I'm just looking for another factor....and the challenge is to make it work and some. The best drummer around here...is also, IMO, the best muso, round here by far, and policesquad will know him... and he can over play A LOT, but I've just got some studio mixes back...and he has it all. Groove and chops. If you can keep up or get a nod from him, you aren't doing badly. Poor drummers hate him...good drummers get him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve-bbb Posted August 20, 2015 Share Posted August 20, 2015 ok spin it around for a moment how would you feel if he described your playing as 'flaccid' ? now reverse that thought... hope this helps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubit Posted August 20, 2015 Share Posted August 20, 2015 [quote name='steve-bbb' timestamp='1440095763' post='2848313'] ok spin it around for a moment how would you feel if he described your playing as 'flaccid' ? now reverse that thought... hope this helps [/quote] Yip, or soft ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juliusmonk Posted August 20, 2015 Share Posted August 20, 2015 I would take 'solid' as good, but not outstanding. Like you did your job well, but not particularly excelled at anything. Whether it is the best compliment, depends on what you're after as a player. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phil.c60 Posted September 17, 2015 Share Posted September 17, 2015 (edited) Apologies for resurrecting this thread, but last night I had a long rehearsal with a dep drummer for a gig we're doing at short notice on Friday, our regular guy is not available. He's a really experienced guy, and a drum tutor at a music college. I've known him a while but never played with him. After a two and a half hour marathon taking him through the entire set we finished up and were chatting about what a lot of fun we'd had, and I hoped he was OK for tomorrow. "Sure," he said " you're a really solid player, so it's easy to play with you which makes it great for me". I'm always worried that my stuff is a bit simple, but he would have none of it: "You play enough for what these songs need, you're really solid and your timing and feel are great. I'm looking forward to Friday". I'll take solid from a guy like this every time. Edited September 17, 2015 by phil.c60 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevB Posted September 17, 2015 Share Posted September 17, 2015 Yes, absolutely. I remember a well respected bass player on our local circuit came up to me at the interval between 2 sets and said 'I liked the way you commanded your part of the stage' which I took to read ' Your playing might be a bit sh*te but you look the part' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phil.c60 Posted September 17, 2015 Share Posted September 17, 2015 Either that or your "bass face" makes you look like an axe murderer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevB Posted September 17, 2015 Share Posted September 17, 2015 Well, yeah there's that too... as it happens I've bumped into same player a few times at jam sessions and he's a lovely bloke. Looks like a heavy rock version of Leland Sklar, plays blues on a 7 string bass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colgraff Posted September 17, 2015 Share Posted September 17, 2015 I find that I get more solid as the years pass..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bilbo Posted September 18, 2015 Share Posted September 18, 2015 'Solid' is an acceptable epithet that, to my ears, means 'competent', 'reliable' but not exceptional. There are many stages above 'solid' (virtuoso, monster etc) but, if you achieve 'solid' you are on the first 'proper' rung of the ladder and will work. If you haven't yet acheived 'solid', you are probably a lightweight Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted September 18, 2015 Share Posted September 18, 2015 [quote name='Lord Sausage' timestamp='1439923244' post='2846839'] I detest the word 'flashy' being used as some kind of negative. I hate that a bass player just has to be solid. I can't stand the phrase less is more like it's is an imperative and if you don't play like this you are a twat [/quote] Very true, yes, but there's a time and a place (and a song) for flash and whizzery. If a player throws his Marcus chops into a funk tune, great yes. If he's going to cover a Level 42 song, then all the old wockity-wockity is mandatory. If he starts bunging those licks into The Thrill Is Gone or Back In The USSR, he's going to look a bit of a knob and, yes, flashy as a negative. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted September 18, 2015 Share Posted September 18, 2015 Many years ago the band I was in went into the studio, and the engineer remarked to the singer "your bassist is really solid, he keeps the songs together really tight". I was really chuffed with that, especially as he had played bass with a very well known pop band in the 80s. Getting a comment like that from a pro made my day so to speak. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conan Posted September 18, 2015 Share Posted September 18, 2015 I'd prefer "awesome" or "incredible"... but that's not going to happen (while I'm awake, anyway). "Solid" works for me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conan Posted September 18, 2015 Share Posted September 18, 2015 [quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1442571597' post='2867848'] Many years ago the band I was in went into the studio, and the engineer remarked to the singer "your bassist is really solid, he keeps the songs together really tight". I was really chuffed with that, especially as he had played bass with a very well known pop band in the 80s. Getting a comment like that from a pro made my day so to speak. [/quote] Cool! Who was it? If it was Leigh Gorman I'll be well impressed!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted September 18, 2015 Share Posted September 18, 2015 Was Dave West, who played with Wham! for a while. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gary mac Posted September 18, 2015 Share Posted September 18, 2015 [quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1442574680' post='2867898'] Was Dave West, who played with Wham! for a while. [/quote] Nice one Lozz, I will be requiring your autograph next time we meet up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted September 18, 2015 Share Posted September 18, 2015 "Solid" also smacks of damming with faint praise. I've been called a "solid" player, which I know was intended in a positive way. I'll take the compliment but "solid" is not where I want to be. "Solid" is the starting point, a given, a basic minimum. "Solid" without any other positive adjectives should not be what we aspire to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conan Posted September 18, 2015 Share Posted September 18, 2015 [quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1442579201' post='2867943']"Solid" without any other positive adjectives should not be what we aspire to. [/quote] As bass players, we need to be careful to what we aspire... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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