How easy do you find it to impress errm laypeople?

[Barking Spiders]

Usually when people see a bass, guitar whatever lying around my gaff or hear from someone that I play they wanna hear what I can do. I tend to find that peeps who don't play instruments tend to be quite impressed when i reel off a few pretty simple albeit effective and famous basslines like Another One Bites The Dust, Peaches,  The Chain, Money, Dancing In the Moonlight. They don't seem to be as pleased if I play summat more demanding but much less recognisable fr'instance  Tommy The Cat by Primus. Anyone else find this?

[uk_lefty]

I tell them I don't play for free.

[Marc S]

I don't really try to impress people as a rule. But yes, I think you're right - they're probably more "impressed" by a bass line that they recognise, like "another one bites the dust" as opposed to something more technically difficult.
Most people who visit me are rather more impressed at a few notes played on my beautiful Double bass, sat in the corner of my lounge....

Laypeople at gigs are also usually more impressed by me turning up at a gig with my DB. But I get more questions and comments when I turn up with my EUB. They usually ask "what's that?" Or "is it a cello?"
At an outdoor gig last summer, a few people said they really liked the sound of my EUB - even though I thought it wasn't the best sound I'd got from said EUB 

[musicbassman]

Interesting...........

Generally, I never tell people that I used to play bass professionally back in the day, as they'll usually say something dumb like "Well why weren't you famous then".

And as for actually playing/performing to prove that this is really what I can do, I agree with Barking Spiders and Marc S  - play something well known but not exactly technically demanding and they'll wet themselves with awe and wonder...................

[chris_b]

My basses are never left "lying around" so nobody sees them.

It's not a hobby for me so I'm never in the situation of playing for or impressing "people" at home.

[Trueno]

27 minutes ago, uk_lefty said:

I tell them I don't play for free.

Absolutely this.

[Rumple]

I can't remember ever being asked to play something by visiting friends admittedly there are no instruments out these days but even when there were I never got asked to play.

[oldslapper]

I have a guitar or two out on stands. On a couple of occasions I've managed to trade a couple of lessons with trades people (builder, gardener & chimney sweep) when they've come to do work.

If they've spotted the guitars, I'll noodle on if they've showed interest, which has started a conversation like "ooh a guitar, always wanted to play...." "ooh I teach guitar, would you like a lession"...."ooh yes, but its quite expensive..." "yes so is your ridiculous hourly rate..hows about a trade?". 

A few "oohs" later, & no money has changed hands, but everybody's got what they want.....ooh!

[Marc S]

50 minutes ago, chris_b said:

My basses are never left "lying around" so nobody sees them.

It's not a hobby for me so I'm never in the situation of playing for or impressing "people" at home.

I've always got a bass lying around - that way, if I hear something on the radio or TV and fancy jamming along, or working a tune out or if I just fancy a noodle - I've got a bass to hand.
Fortunately, Mrs S really doesn't mind (well, as long as it's just one, or one and a uke....)
EDIT: I fully understand those for whom leaving a bass around the house is not an option - but I'd feel awful for not having one lying around the house - because it is my hobby
I also understand that some players partners might feel aggrieved at instruments cluttering the place though

My David Gage Double bass is in the corner of the lounge - as DB's are quite hard to "hide"  lol
In fact, Mrs S always says that corner looks empty when I take it out gigging

Edited February 12, 2018 by Marc S

[EssentialTension]

I don't perform at home. I tell them when the next gig is.

[fleabag]

Nah, i dont play for visitors either. But just so they dont miss out on my stunning fingering, i send them to the link below, so they can hear my genius in a band setting

Telling them its a fretless is pointless as non musos normally dont have a clue.

I dont bother warning them its a rather silly track. They can find that out when the listen

 

[Barking Spiders]

7 minutes ago, Marc S said:

I've always got a bass lying around - that way, if I hear something on the radio or TV and fancy jamming along, or working a tune out or if I just fancy a noodle - I've got a bass to hand.
Fortunately, Mrs S really doesn't mind (well, as long as it's just one, or one and a uke....)
EDIT: I fully understand those for whom leaving a bass around the house is not an option - but I'd feel awful for not having one lying around the house - because it is my hobby
I also understand that some players partners might feel aggrieved at instruments cluttering the place though

My David Gage Double bass is in the corner of the lounge - as DB's are quite hard to "hide"  lol
In fact, Mrs S always says that corner looks empty when I take it out gigging

yep I get that, not only do I have instruments around the house ready for emergency noodling at a moment's notice, my nearly-missus wants me to put them on the walls, guitar shop stylee. She finds them very pleasing to look at. The previous mrs Spiders would banish all my instruments to my shed even the smallest pair of bongos!

[BigRedX]

5 minutes ago, EssentialTension said:

I don't perform at home. I tell them when the next gig is.

This.

Or alternatively I'll put on a track from my latest CD or vinyl release and then try and flog them a copy.

[EssentialTension]

1 minute ago, BigRedX said:

This.

Or alternatively I'll put on a track from my latest CD or vinyl release and then try and flog them a copy.

Effective marketing to a captive audience. I like it.

[Nicko]

The only guitar visible to visitors is my acoustic.  They are generally quite impressed by a rendition of Dee (Ozzy) or Spanish Romance, less so by something more rocky.

To me bass isn't about the notes, its about the vibe and without a drummer its just noise.

[Barking Spiders]

2 minutes ago, Nicko said:

The only guitar visible to visitors is my acoustic.  They are generally quite impressed by a rendition of Dee (Ozzy) or Spanish Romance, less so by something more rocky.

To me bass isn't about the notes, its about the vibe and without a drummer its just noise.

My OP is more about musical instruments in general rather than bass in particular and how non-players are really only impressed if you play something they know, however, simple, and not stuff they don't know, however demanding. The brains of players and non-musicians seem quite different in this respect

[Marvin]

We don’t have visitors.

[EssentialTension]

8 minutes ago, Barking Spiders said:

... non-players are really only impressed if you play something they know ...

...which accounts for the popularity of so-called cover bands.

 

People prefer songs to virtuosity, and I tend to agree.

[ahpook]

If someone wants to hear me play bass I'll play one of my basslines, not someone else's.

And I'm certainly not out to show off, but then that may be down to how I play bass

[mentalextra]

All my basses are upstairs out of the way of prying eyes and 'amateurs'. In my experience, laypeople are usually not worth trying to impress, they are either out to see you fail, or expect you to melt their face with your '4 string lead guitar'?

Although when I have been 'beaten-up' into playing, "wherever I lay my hat"' can snap knicker elastic

[Cato]

I only play for people if they agree to dance for me.

[dudewheresmybass]

My instruments are by and large in my office. 

The only people that visit me there are students and professional friends that know that I play

[OutSpoon]

I usually find a Mark-King style slappathon is enough to impress. :-) 

 

[SpondonBassed]

4 hours ago, Barking Spiders said:

yep I get that, not only do I have instruments around the house ready for emergency noodling at a moment's notice, my nearly-missus wants me to put them on the walls, guitar shop stylee. She finds them very pleasing to look at. The previous mrs Spiders would banish all my instruments to my shed even the smallest pair of bongos!

That must have made your eyes water a bit...?

[EssentialTension]

1 hour ago, OutSpoon said:

I usually find a Mark-King style slappathon is enough to impress. :-) 

 

I usually find it's the unimpressed who mention Mark King. I usually deny all knowledge of him.