The Steel Guitar Forum

I heard those words uttered in a dining area in a super market after listening to nonstop chatterings of two diners. Not once did I turn to see who was carrying the conversation, as my back was turned in their direction. Words of that nature are apt to set up a train of thoughts to a person seated nearby. There are judgmental connotations that belittle whomever comes under the affixed description. I wonder how a remark such as, "He's pretty good" would carry in a room filled with steel guitarists?

"He's pretty good." is very ambiguous. It could be a great compliment or an insult depending on the intonation... Only you would know, having been there.

Gabriel

Among any group of "musicians" a statement like that could take on any number of meanings. The great players might not think he was very good at all, while the mediocre players might think he was indeed good.

To each his own.

Kind've like "He ain't too bad"

Kinda like being a 'Master of Acceptable Tone'. Is that a good thing or not? I'm still not sure!

For the most part, I think musicians are "pretty" reserved when it comes to handing out praise. "He's pretty good" is usually a nice compliment from a musician. I think it's even a nicer compliment from an audience member, most of whom listen more to the singer or even the song itself instead of to individuals in the band. If either a musician or audience member tells you "You're pretty good", you probably are.

Bill,Finally a post that I understand.I used to work with a great singer who was told those words on one of our breaks...word for word he told the customer "Listen M.F. I either suck,or I'm great...Pretty good don't get it"

Condescension is a veritable means of creating disfavor and alienating the goodness of camaraderie. The impact of slanted compliments need to be addressed; particularly in musical gatherings where precise evaluations are most difficult to ascertain.

"He's pretty good" I'll take the benefit of the doubt over "He sounds terrible" which removes all doubt.

I once heard guitar player A say "He's pretty good" about guitar player B. Guitar player A was a sub-mediocre amateur while Mr. B was an educated, seasoned professional and a FINE player. I took the statement to mean something along the lines of "I could play that if I wanted to".

When asked for an evaluation from a player about their playing, an old and respected jazz saxophonist I know of always smiled and said:
"Y'know, you're really something."

-John

How about "He's unbelievable."

As an expression, the term "pretty good." means very good. I fail to see how "He's pretty good" can be anything other than a compliment.

Personally, I prefer: 'Far out, man!' It can mean anything you want it to mean (including the fact that I'm an outdated old geezer from the '60s)

If Paul Franklin had just played his set and say somebody like (pulling name out of air) DICK WOOD got up and played and they said he's pretty good,I would understand what they meant.

There are many enunciations that sound complimentary while others smack of derogatory consequences,when utterances pertain to skilled professionals. Expression could reduce a man to a whimpering speechless entity if exposed to rare enunciations. A good example of word power can be found in the movie, "Gone With The Wind". It shatters the imagination to hear C. Gable's final calamitous words. "Frankly my dear, I don't... I'm sure that most have viewed the scene in the movie. Characterization becomes intermingled with expressions such as "He's pretty good". An active mind may interpret the words as, according to whom.

Mike Perlowin wrote:As an expression, the term "pretty good." means very good. I fail to see how "He's pretty good" can be anything other than a compliment.

"Pretty good " doesnt mean "very good " tho necessarily.
Pretty good, in some contexts with certain inflection when spoken, can mean merely adequately good. try and say it with the emphasis on the word "pretty" and in the context of talking about an incredible talent. It becomes less than complimentary.

Ben,

Thanks for supporting the concept that "inflections" do matter greatly in speaking. A billion minutes ago, none of this would have mattered.

Jim Cohen wrote:Personally, I prefer: 'Far out, man!' It can mean anything you want it to mean...

[Heard from the table behind me]
Like Wow, That Bill Hankey is 'Far out, man!'!

Back when AWESOME was in vogue, I worked with a Bass player (nameless) who would state when he did not like a player, "Man, He's AWWWWWWful.

I thought it was funny, but I guess you had to be there.

Jim Bob Sedgwick wrote:Back when AWESOME was in vogue...

Uh-oh. You mean it's not in vogue anymore? Oh, wow...

At the Choo Choo show a few years back my old friend Larry Self rated my performance as "very adequate". I wonder if he thought I was also playing with acceptable tone?
Seriously I thing "pretty good" takes on a different meaning in various parts of the country. Here on the east coast it might be high praise. In Nashville it could mean put up your hands and step away from the steel.
Larry & Angie Self are dear friends and we've been trading barbs for 20 years now. My playing may be just adequate but I'm a lot prettier than Larry. Oh, and I'm much more humble.

Discussions with a person who repeatedly avoids making comments that fall short of sincere notations, can be a welcome change from a surly outburst, such as; "He's pretty good". The distraction, undoubtedly would escape notice in a cluster of celebrating clientele, whose minds are seeking anything but silly iotas of diversionary commentary. In all likelihoods, the steel guitar will not be discussed on city benches, by the average citizenry anytime in the near future. Furthermore, everything we touch has been taxed by the system. Who really cares what is said about how we earn the money to meet expenses, or for that matter, how we speak?

The ear of the "beholder" is sometimes bent toward a particular sound one has heard before and formed a solid opinion about. Most of you know how "Awstruck" and "Amazed" you were in your youngest years of attempting to play any instrument, steel in particular. You'd hear someone else on the radio or a record and say to your self, WOWWWWW! I want to play like that when I grow up. In the interum years you likely played better and better and reformed some earlier personal judgements of other players. You also probably remember when someone else countered with, "Aww he ain't that good, I've heard so-and-so and he's lots better". Well, you've probably had to reform thoughts of amazement of someone's playing the steel. Years of really listening and playing to improve one's own skills, we've had to continually re-form our "opinion's (yeah, I know about opinions- ...are like, etc.) of other players sounds, as well as our own. I've found that steelers are VERY complimentary toward other steelers regardless of their skill level. Rarely overinflated or pompous about their steel playing mortality. In other words and once again, "...in the ear of the beholder". Personally, I haven't heard as many players as many of you have, but, on a regular basis, I only try to please one person with my steel playing and many times that person isn't satisfied completley with the results. THAT'S GOOD! That's what keeps the motivation and drive active to try to play better. Hearing "he's pretty good", and not knowing the EAR experience of the individual renders the words moot, at best. "pretty good" is kinda like "Poi" in Honolulu! Tastes like... whatever your -buds tell you! God Bless America!

Bernie,

Your tasteful commentary is interesting. Your pitch will catch the edge of the plate, necessitating a full swing to avoid the strike. I'm not sure what the speaker exuding verbiage at the super market, was alluding to, when he struck out by resorting to evaluating 3rd parties. My chicken fingers, and potato wedges were delicious, I thought to myself, while walking back to my vehicle. The crude literal imposition of the sayer behind me, kept clinging, as if challenging me to respond.