What do you say to somebody when their CD sucks?

chas smith R.I.P. · Post by **chas smith R.I.P.** » 5 Apr 2002 6:31 pm

I've often wondered why Tom Bradshaw hasn't commented on my "Quasar Steel Guitar" CD.

He told me he loved it!

George Kimery · Post by **George Kimery** » 5 Apr 2002 6:52 pm

Hey Mike, you might try tossing the ball back into his court with questions like: Is this your first CD? How long have you been a musician? What was your primary reason for making this CD? What do you think are the strengths of this CD? What do you think are the weakness? What do you want other's to think when they listen to your CD? The idea here is to get a lifeline you can hang on to. You can compliment him on his ambition and determination, and if he is inexperienced, his "guts" to just do it. You may be able to just agree with negative things he says about his own CD. Also, if it is indeed not the type of stuff you listen to, then just say that you don't feel qualified to make comments on this type of music, that you don't have a "feel" for it. Talk about his next CD and what he might do to improve it. I think you can keep things in a positive, encouraging tone without being dishonest with him.

Bill Llewellyn · Post by **Bill Llewellyn** » 5 Apr 2002 7:38 pm

Maybe you could say "that's music your mom would really love!" My mom loves mine....

I made a couple of CDs myself (pre-steel). I even burned the copies, stuck on the labels, and stuffed the jewel cases all by myself in my little studio room (talk about a cottage industry). A friend of mine sells them on his online music site. But do you know who buys most of them? My older sister, who then gives them away to family members and co-workers. When she buys a cadre of them (usually 10 or 20 at a time), I suddenly become the #1 seller on my buddy's music retail site. Does that tell you anything?

Oh yes.... What do y'all think of my CDs?????

Jeff Peterson · Post by **Jeff Peterson** » 5 Apr 2002 8:23 pm

It doesn't really matter much now.....you've put a thread on a forum that has a way of getting all around. You've made it public knowlege.

Janice Brooks · Post by **Janice Brooks** » 5 Apr 2002 8:43 pm

Be careful if you send me anything as I tend to be openly critical good or bad.

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Janice "Busgal" Brooks
ICQ 44729047

Mike Perlowin RIP · Post by **Mike Perlowin RIP** » 5 Apr 2002 9:31 pm

you've put a thread on a forum that has a way of getting all around.

Trust me on this one- this guy is a young rock and roller, the kind of guy who thinks music was invented by Jimi Hendrix. He never even heard of a pedal steel guitar before I told him what it is. He will NEVER visit this forum or see this thread.

Gary Walker · Post by **Gary Walker** » 5 Apr 2002 10:06 pm

How about saying, "Great Hair."

erik · Post by **erik** » 6 Apr 2002 5:17 am

"Yeah, keep rockin' man!"
"It's not really what I listen to"
"on a scale of 1 to 10 it's a zero."
Tell him to keep his day job.
Tell him it's very.......interesting.
"Sorry, it's not my cup of tea."
"I usually only listen to Monks: Tibetan, Meredith, and otherwise."
"It's one of many in a world of so few," tell him his tone was acceptable...
"I dig what you're trying to do"
"the depth of your contribution to music is impossible to measure"
"I didn't know such music was possible....."
"It's time to build an addition onto your closet"He doesn't have to know it's for his CDs
Tell him the dog ate it before I had a chance to hear it!
"It sounds just like you"!!
"What is most important is how do you feel about it"?
"What is or what was your goal"?
you could say "Wow!
"It's different from anything I've ever heared."
"You could be on to something."
"I love the way it ends"..
Tell him that you must have gotten a bad copy and every time he sends another one, just tell him it's another bad copy.
ask him to give you one good reason why anyone would want to buy this music.
"I,ve heard a lot of guitar players and you are really one of them "
"I'd like to help but I no longer review CD's that Suck"
tell him it makes you cry.
you don't feel qualified to make comments on this type of music

MALCOLM KIRBY · Post by **MALCOLM KIRBY** » 6 Apr 2002 6:37 am

I once had a guy ask me "Are you playing what you feel". I said "Yeah, I guess so".
He replied, "You need to see a Psychiatrist".

Bill Terry · Post by **Bill Terry** » 6 Apr 2002 10:59 am

At one time I sold recording gear in a retail music store, and I prided myself on repeat business and satisified customers. That meant that you had to become 'friendly' if not 'a friend' to your repeat customers.

The byproduct of selling recording gear is that you will inevitably be faced with the situation discussed in this thread. The customer will bring in his 'product', recorded on the gear you sold, and you feel obligated to listen to it. You don't know how many times I prayed for the phone to ring during one of those listening sessions.

That said, I ALWAYS found something about the work that I could comment favorably on, even if I had to stretch a bit. Sometimes the best I could come up with was something like nice snare sound or whatever, even if I wasn't particularly nuts about it. In my mind it went beyond protecting future business. I recognized that most people are really doing their best, and deserve some respect just for that. As discussed in this thread, I found most folks will take advice and constructive criticism just fine, you just have to be positive about it.

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Bob Knetzger · Post by **Bob Knetzger** » 6 Apr 2002 12:05 pm

Just tell him---

It's the talk of the Steel Guitar Forum!

...even the Big E had something great to say about it!!

Terry Wood · Post by **Terry Wood** » 6 Apr 2002 9:59 pm

Hi Mike,

There are some interesting comments regarding your post. I would like to share a few things with you.

I'll approach this at a different angle and share another view. I learned a great deal about positive criticism, from two of my college art professors. Sadly, I've learned very little from my brothers in the music or steel profession concerning this topic.

Both of these art professors were great teachers as far as teaching technique, but one could be arrogant and a total jerk. Nobody liked the man. He was a wonderful teacher of techniques but he rode his students and actually forced several would have been artists and art educators out of the art field. He critizced almost everything done and seldom ever had a positive comment regarding any students artwork. Needless to say, I couldn't wait to get out of his class.

Next, I moved to another college because a musician friend higly recommended it. He was right, and the art program was excellent. I had freedom to really express myself in all art classes, and graduated at the very top of my class. One reason I was so successful was because of one lady who taught painting, drawing and art history. She encouraged everyone. She took the extra time out of her real busy schedule to help all her students. She died at 57 years of age, but she done more for her students than anyone I've ever known as a teacher.

What I remember best was in her drawing and painting classes she always came through and viewed and critiqued each student's art. There were nights that even the best of us couldn't paint or draw anything, but she always said something positive, like "I like your colors, or this shape, or what you done on this part of your picture. It worked and it lifted everyone up.

Now, today I use the same teaching methods with my 500+ K-2nd grade students in art classes. And boy do they produce, I'll match their artwork against any other students their age. In fact, I have some of their artwork that will compete with high shool students art. So, I believe strongly in positive words and comments.

In the past, I have had constructive criticism and positive criticism regarding both my art and my music. I take it all with a grain of salt and go on regradless.

There is a lot of competition and an extreme amount of jealousy in music and art. I run up against jealousy quite often in churches, where I choose to serve GOD and The Body of CHRIST with my musical efforts.

Here's a little story. It goes like this. The Evangelist Billy Graham once said, "There was this man. He was really mean and he had done everything so bad that nobody liked him in their community. They were afraid of him and despised him. He died. Another man who lived in that community, always had nothing but good things to say about others. No matter what, he just always said something good about everyone. Well, they all went to this mean guys funeral and they just knew that the other man wouldn't have anything good to say about the deceased. They waited and waited, anticipating his comments. Finally he stood up and everyone was listening intently. He looked up and said, "Well he sure had pretty teeth didn't he!"

There is always something good to say about everyone.

James 3:8-10
"But no man can tame the tongue. It is unruly and evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our GOD and FATHER, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of GOD. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so."

Terry J. Wood
Heavenly Math
3 Nails + 1 Cross = 4 Given

Bob Hoffnar · Post by **Bob Hoffnar** » 6 Apr 2002 11:46 pm

Mike,

When people listen to my music they mostly are pretty polite even if they think I suck.

Plus why do think that your opinion is paticularly important ? He might end up doing something great someday. You might as well be nice to him. If he wants your help in order to become a better musician than you should help him however you can.

Bob[This message was edited by Bob Hoffnar on 06 April 2002 at 11:48 PM.]

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 7 Apr 2002 9:43 am

Mike, this young rocker might actually enjoy having an old, classical musician telling him that his CD sucks. It might be the response he's looking for from your demographic. If you liked his CD, it might be an indicator that he's doing something worng!

Just a thought.

Chas, thanks. I needed that.

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<img align=right src="http://b0b.com/b0b.gif" width="64" height="64">Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs
Sierra Session 12 (E9), Williams 400X (Emaj9, D6), Sierra Olympic 12 (F Diatonic) Sierra Laptop 8 (D13), Fender Stringmaster (E13, A6)

Hal Higgins · Post by **Hal Higgins** » 7 Apr 2002 11:52 am

Mike....it's very difficult to offer criticism at times without really stepping on someones feelings....being an honest diplomat is just as tough....You might tell him that because of the differences in the music styles, that it's very difficult for you to give a totally honest opinion, and that because of that, you want to reserve your opinion/criticism of his project. It's my opinion that in expressing yourself in this manner, you might possibly at some later time, be able to personally render to him, without being offensive or insulting, a truly honest evaluation, insomuch that you can also give him some candid advice/criticism that will retain him as a friend. My Opinion.

Buddy.....When are we going to hear another album (CD) from you? As with the other forumites, I, too, hope that it won't be long. I'm still trying to figure some things out that you did on the "Black Album" !!!!! Tell your lovely lady hello from me.....

Hal Higgins.........Black Mica LeGrande 8 and 6...............!

Terry Wendt · Post by **Terry Wendt** » 7 Apr 2002 1:50 pm

Yea Bobby Lee !

!

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TheEarlyDays.com

and appearing regularly...
Jimmy Crawford/Russ Hicks... and Buddy Emmons on Bass! aLotOfSpace.com

Terry Wendt · Post by **Terry Wendt** » 7 Apr 2002 1:53 pm

Just add: "I think" in front of it and you'll be okay.

[my opinion

]

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TheEarlyDays.com

and appearing regularly...
Jimmy Crawford/Russ Hicks... and Buddy Emmons on Bass! aLotOfSpace.com

Jason Odd · Post by **Jason Odd** » 7 Apr 2002 7:17 pm

Congratulate him on his post-ironic statement in the rock parody field and ask him if he's doing a movie like Spinal Tap!

Barbara Hennerman · Post by **Barbara Hennerman** » 7 Apr 2002 8:24 pm

You could always say ... "Well, you don't play for s___, but your tone's bad. That always worked for me.

Louie Hallford · Post by **Louie Hallford** » 7 Apr 2002 8:49 pm

Ever time I try to give feedback to someone I get slapped or punched in the nose.

I complimented a lady one time and told her,"you sure look better than you did the last time I saw you" and it hacked her off.I still can't figure it out.

By the way Mike,be careful and don't destroy the guy.I played with a guy in East Texas several years ago that claimed he fired Ray Price and told him he just didn't have it.
After hearing some of Ray's old recordings when he was trying to sound like Hank Williams ,I can understand why someone might have told him that.

Joel Glassman · Post by **Joel Glassman** » 8 Apr 2002 12:11 pm

I've been asked to give a similar critique and felt the need to honor the person with a thoughtful reply. Including "good start, but you've got some work to do..." (in so many words) is perfectly valid.
Give 'em the $#!+ sandwich: a layer of
something nice, something um...truthful, then something nice to finish.

Pete Grant · Post by **Pete Grant** » 8 Apr 2002 12:28 pm

'...tell him "I love the way it ends"..'

That reminds me of when I was doing a sit-down club gig in Glendale. One of the customers asked the bartender "What's your favorite song they play?"

Without missing a beat, he replied, "The last one [of the night]."

Pat Burns · Post by **Pat Burns** » 8 Apr 2002 12:57 pm

Buddy.....When are we going to hear another album (CD) from you? As with the other forumites, I, too, hope that it won't be long.

...I think you just told Buddy his next CD is gonna suck!

...

Paul Graupp · Post by **Paul Graupp** » 8 Apr 2002 6:23 pm

Louie: Don't forget the steel player that got fired with Ray was Curly Chalker !! That may tell us something too.....

Regards, Paul