How do you prepare for a jam session? What was your first jam session like?

[Darkside Six]

Hello,

Long story, long....I've been playing guitar for about 4 years now and have never really had an opportunity to play with other musicians. While practicing at home I've played with backing tracks and I've experimented with a looper, but never with another guitarist. I recently found an open jam going on in my area, but it will be a few weeks before I will be able to make it to the session due to work; so my question is what can I do in the mean time to prepare myself for my first jam...should I concentrate on certain techniques or continue playing with backing tracks and my looper? Are there any dos and don'ts I should know about, while at the session. The jam says its open to all skill levels and strictly for fun. Also, what was your first jam like? Any cool jam session stories? Thanks for any info you all can give me... I know it's kindof a stupid question, just trying to enjoy my first session and not look like too much of an idiot. lol.

Thanks.

Bri

 

[NomadMike]

Even with a backing track listen to what the other guys are doing as that's something you'll need to do at a jam.
Also work on your skills playing rhythm with the backing track as that's something else you'll spend a lot of time doing at a jam. Things like comping, chord inversions, staying out of the way of the other players all make for some good jams.

 

[rugerpc]

Welcome to the forum!

And this is NOT a stupid question!

Mike has some very good points above. Continue with your backing tracks and concentrate on playing the backbone of the track. Find the chord progression and then find new ways to play THAT so it fits seamlessly into the mix. Use chord inversions, barre chords up the neck and arpeggios. You can even play a counter bass line. Work on staying out if the way of whoever is lead at the moment. If the lead is simple. Try playing a harmony to it. Vary your guitar tone to fill an unused space.

Have fun with it. Maybe you can post some clips here. We'd all like to hear it!

 

[garrettb]

Yeah, just keep up the good work with practice. Make sure you're good with a I IV V progression, so you can always ask them to play some blues. If you have any popular songs down well, see if the house band or other jammers know them too.

I advise to get down there early, introduce yourself to the band and tell them your situation. They'll probably be really cool and encouraging (if they're not, screw them!) and they'll make sure nothing too crazy comes your way when you're up on stage.

General advice:
It's always better to under play than over play.
Keep a great attitude. Nobody wants to play with a jerk.
Be in tune.
Keep pedals at a minimum; zero is best.

I remember my first jam. I'd been playing probably around the same amount of time, but I'd been in a couple bands by then. Open jams are a different beast, though. I brought my CU24. They called a blues tune and I SUCKED. I felt pretty gutted at the time, but I really should've loosened up and enjoyed it more.

My first jam when I moved to Atlanta was unforgettable. I got up with a singer/guitarist, six string bass and drums. I think the other guitarist was strung out on Oxy. He was out of tune and barely coherent and couldn't stay on beat. We played a horrible song or two and he proceeds to insult the drummer as if it's his fault. So the host promptly shuffled him off the stage and brought someone else up. We proceeded to play some killer James Brown, some of the most fun I've had on stage. Turns out the bass player and drummer were studio pros who had played on several hit 00's R&B albums.

 

[Darkside Six]

Thank you for the warm welcome and the great advice! It's great advice to get there early and talk w/ the band and explain things, and I'll definitely try playing different chords and inversions. I've been having a lot of fun lately with my looper, so I'll try to harmonize different ways of playing chords over each other. Thank You!

 

[rugerpc]

 

[László]

1964. There. I've said enough.

 

[Darkside Six]

LOL!

 

[dogrocketp]

One of the things I like to do is write down any songs that the big dogs at the jam play, and then go home, go to Youtube and learn them. One of the really good guitar players likes to play "You Better Move On" by Arthur Alexander. I learned it, and played it well enough to get a smile mid-tune. When you home in on what the others like, they look forward to playing with you. I'll also suggest you go as regularly as possible. Familiarity breeds a comfort zone for everyone involved.

 

[Egads]

The best thing you can do at a jam is get invited back! It's all about having fun and being easy to be around. Every jam has THAT guy that just wants to show what he can do at the expense of the group. No matter good or bad of a player you are, you're most likely to have a good time and get invited back if you support the others players when it's their turn and don't hog the limelight.

Enjoy it! I always love participating in a good jam. Let us know how it goes...and when you are going back!

 

[garrettb]

One of the things I like to do is write down any songs that the big dogs at the jam play, and then go home, go to Youtube and learn them. One of the really good guitar players likes to play "You Better Move On" by Arthur Alexander. I learned it, and played it well enough to get a smile mid-tune. When you home in on what the others like, they look forward to playing with you. I'll also suggest you go as regularly as possible. Familiarity breeds a comfort zone for everyone involved.

Good advice!

I used to do that too, when I went regularly. It was great for my playing and it made the jams better.

 

[Darkside Six]

Thank You all for the great advice. The only thing that sucks for me is that I get 2 Saturdays in a row off every Six weeks and that when they have the jam sessions. I work nights till midnight so I'll only be able to attend every 6 weeks. I'd be there every Saturday if I could, just to enjoy the live music. Thank You very much for the advice, You have given me a lot of good ideas to work on, and how to act while I'm at the jam. I'm getting really stoked to go to the jam now!

 

[Egads]

Go forth and rock on!

 

[gball]

Lots of good advice here. I particularly like the minimum of pedals recommendation and finding ways to lay back and fill the space in a way that enhances things. Playing with other people is so radically different than backing tracks or wailing on top of songs that it is tough to "prepare" for it, but it's also incredibly rewarding and will make you better faster than any other way. Just keep doing it whenever you can.
It's hard for me to even remember my first jams. Seemed like a bunch of the kids in my neighborhood all started playing instruments at the same time so from the very beginning I was playing with other people and we were doing regular after-school jams with 8-10 people hanging around from the time we were in 10th grade. These days I don't have the time to commit to an actual band or anything structured but I do jams a couple times a month to keep my chops and it is the one thing I truly look forward to. You will too!