Marvin Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 (edited) Only because someone suggested a 'jam' to see if we gel, it got me thinking. What is a jam? Really, you know. Do you arse about with songs you all might know? Do you play just random stuff that just pops into your 'ead? WIth my current band 'jamming' means the latter, and is a way of sometimes finding new ideas for original material. However, what if it's for a covers band? EDIT: and what happens at jam nights? I've been to open mic nights but not jam nights. Is there a difference? Edited July 21, 2012 by Marvin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skidder652003 Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 Not really any difference IMO, I guess open mics tend to be more acoustic where i live and Jam Nights can sometimes have a drum kit and be a bit more "rock" ie sad old geezers playing crossroads ad nauseum! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warwickhunt Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 I've jammed Blues (pick a key + tempo and feel, then start playing), original material (if someone has a riff/lick/idea build around that) and covers (everyone knows the song structure and hopefully the words so just start playing after the count and see where it goes) and tbh my definition of 'jamming' is that not everyone present has learned what they were supposed to learn for said get-together! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvin Posted July 21, 2012 Author Share Posted July 21, 2012 [quote name='warwickhunt' timestamp='1342855090' post='1741840'] I've jammed Blues (pick a key + tempo and feel, then start playing), original material (if someone has a riff/lick/idea build around that) and covers (everyone knows the song structure and hopefully the words so just start playing after the count and see where it goes) and t[b]bh my definition of 'jamming' is that not everyone present has learned what they were supposed to learn for said get-together![/b] [/quote] So the bass player will be thinking it's a practice as they've learnt their stuff and everyone else will be winging it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_5 Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 I'm still confused as to the difference between 'Jam' and 'Preserve'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 Go to one and find out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gub Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 There's a jam for charity today not far from me, may pop along for a nose ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhysP Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 [quote name='Marvin' timestamp='1342854450' post='1741833'] and what happens at jam nights? [/quote] The bassist & drummer will be expected to play an endless 12 bar progression whilst an array of middle aged guitarists play completely uninspired (& uninspiring) pentatonic solos over it. Most of these guitarists will be wearing t-shirts with pictures of eagles or wolves on them & a waistcoat over the top of it. There will also usually be a fat bald bloke who gets up and plays a harmonica REALLY badly. It's hell on earth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvin Posted July 21, 2012 Author Share Posted July 21, 2012 [quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1342868481' post='1742046'] The bassist & drummer will be expected to play an endless 12 bar progression whilst an array of middle aged guitarists play completely uninspired (& uninspiring) pentatonic solos over it. Most of these guitarists will be wearing t-shirts with pictures of eagles or wolves on them & a waistcoat over the top of it. There will also usually be a fat bald bloke who gets up and plays a harmonica REALLY badly. It's hell on earth. [/quote] This has always been my suspicion and why I've always steered well clear of them and no intention of going to one in the near future. This may change when in my advancing years, and I don't own a waistcoat yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhysP Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 [quote name='Marvin' timestamp='1342868732' post='1742051'] .....I don't own a waistcoat yet. [/quote] You have to have one or they won't let you play. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvin Posted July 21, 2012 Author Share Posted July 21, 2012 (edited) [quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1342868845' post='1742055'] You have to have one or they won't let you play. [/quote] I'll remember this important info. Thank you. Edited July 21, 2012 by Marvin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 [quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1342868481' post='1742046'] ...guitarists will be wearing t-shirts with pictures of eagles or wolves on them & a waistcoat over the top of it.... It's hell on earth...[/quote] Ha, ha! Well observed. Earplugs are essential so you can stand there smiling benevolently while everyone else cringes horribly and shouts very loudly into each other's earholes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spike Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 Round my way the guitarists often keep it interesting for the rhythm section by randomly playing an 11 3/4 bar or 12 1/2 bar progression. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xgsjx Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 [quote name='paul_5' timestamp='1342856105' post='1741847'] I'm still confused as to the difference between 'Jam' and 'Preserve'. [/quote] Id rather preserve my finger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icastle Posted July 21, 2012 Share Posted July 21, 2012 [quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1342868481' post='1742046'] The bassist & drummer will be expected to play an endless 12 bar progression whilst an array of middle aged guitarists play completely uninspired (& uninspiring) pentatonic solos over it. Most of these guitarists will be wearing t-shirts with pictures of eagles or wolves on them & a waistcoat over the top of it. There will also usually be a fat bald bloke who gets up and plays a harmonica REALLY badly. It's hell on earth. [/quote] That certainly seems to be the format of many jam nights that I go to just once. The one's I go to on a repeated basis tend to have more 'experienced' players and a heathy number of audience. The one I help run is in a working mens club function room and last week we had 12 musicians and 37 non-musicians. There's a pretty good music scene around these 'ere parts and we all know each other and support each others clubs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gub Posted July 22, 2012 Share Posted July 22, 2012 O dear ,I have a waistcoat in my bass case just for these occasions ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubinga5 Posted July 22, 2012 Share Posted July 22, 2012 i remember a jam i went to once.. the guitarist had a pedal board the size of a kitchen table, and a new PRS. he went on to, not inspire me with his blues jazz noodling... his name was EGO and it was his night..!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musophilr Posted July 22, 2012 Share Posted July 22, 2012 I've been to a Blues Jam where the playing standards are high and thoroughly enjoyed it. Choice of keys, rhythms & grooves, and while there's a lot of the good ol' 12-bar there's a fair bit of my favourite 8-bar, and quite a few things that didn't follow either formula. Then there's the 'Rock' jam, at which there's very often a variety of grooves to play with, but it seems more limited. You can't play a progression of more than 4 chords (repeated ad nauseam) - if you try nobody follows you and they just repeat the 1st 4 chords you played one chord to each bar - and you can't develop the groove into anything else. Most of the drummers insist on funk rhythms anyway and that's the thing that makes it most dull. When a singer gets up nobody in the band knows enough about the song even to busk it so you end up with words sung over entirely the wrong chords and it sounds crap not imaginative. I've had some well good jams though. The best I remember was me starting "Toccata and Blooze in D minor" with a drummer who I knew well. A keyboard player joined in, programming it so he could so bass lines with his left hand and something else entirely with his right, and it developed into us throwing Santana-ish licks at each other after we'd done the Bach bit. He disappeared immediately after so I never got to thank him for all the fun but IMO a good jam is when people read off each other and develop the jam after being given just a hint of a development (eg "lets turn this thing into a reggae groove"). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted July 22, 2012 Share Posted July 22, 2012 [quote name='musophilr' timestamp='1342959392' post='1743117'] ...Most of the drummers insist on funk rhythms anyway and that's the thing that makes it most dull. When a singer gets up nobody in the band knows enough about the song even to busk it so you end up with words sung over entirely the wrong chords and it sounds crap not imaginative...[/quote] This is why I'll attend jam nights as an observer but not a player. IMHO, to jam effectively you need a really good drummer as a minimum requirement. I prefer to be well-rehearsed, anyway. I do my best work in a structured environment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cloudburst Posted July 22, 2012 Share Posted July 22, 2012 Jamming session amongst very capable musicians = jazz (for those who like that sort of thing). Jamming session in general = a way for players to perform as part of a group whilst remaining in their own comfort zones and accomplishing pretty much nothing. An unfocused, frustrating, soul destroying waste of time that you hate at the time and hate yourself afterwards for allowing yourself to participate. I don't ever want to meet up with my bandmates and not work to a precise plan. I know it's a weakness, but I get really antsy if the guitarist fills every silence in the session with some irrelevant licks. My view is - save your playing for when you're meant to be playing (same idea when we congratulate bassists for having restraint within a song and only playing what is needed). Just my own opinion you understand. CB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantomnin Posted July 22, 2012 Share Posted July 22, 2012 I have a really busy job and am still in my old originals band, although we meet up only from time to time. I don't have time for the full band commitment at the moment. I really enjoy the jam nights I go to. If you were a very serious musician, playing live regulalrly, I could see why you wouldn't. The night I go to (The Hot Hob Blues in Brentwood) is firendly, and I come away quite happy to have just played on a stage, and not sucked in every song. Twelve bars allows people of average talent to play together, and I am still amased how the songs work even with zero rehearsal time, and when they don't I just smile... There is about 20 Jammers and 20 watchers at every night. And not many bassists, so I often get two sets. Yes some of the jammers are older (not surprisingly given the last time blues was a major force in the charts), but there are quite a few youg ones appearing. If I was a better musisician then maybe I wouldn't enjoy it...and you were right, crossroads does get played quite a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peteb Posted July 22, 2012 Share Posted July 22, 2012 [color=#222222]I've been in the house band for many, many jam sessions! Some have been brilliant (playing with an ace Texan guitarist in a packed club with 300 enthusiastic punters) and some not so brilliant (a kid getting up who has just learnt the guitar intro to ‘Sweet Child O’Mine’ with one of his mates who knows the words but couldn’t reach the high notes with a step ladder in a pub with 15 bored punters watching).[/color] [color=#222222][font="Times New Roman"][size="3"] [/size][/font][/color] [color=#222222]Most jam sessions tend to be blues based, partly because of the tradition of jamming in blues music, partly that the audience will be more prepared to listen and also because you can get a metal guitarist and a jazz sax player up together as both will be comfortable with the basic format. A lot of it is based on 12 bars, but there are also a lot of standards (Superstition, Hendrix tunes, etc) or songs with simple changes or grooves that people vaguely know.[/color] [color=#222222][font="Times New Roman"][size="3"] [/size][/font][/color] [color=#222222]A jam session will obviously be as good as the players who get up! It helps to have someone leading the session who knows what they are doing and a decent house rhythm section. I would disagree that jams are a refuge for poor players – you soon find out who the good natural musicians are at a decent jam session and it’s certainly is a great way of developing your ear and feel…![/color] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gapiro Posted July 22, 2012 Share Posted July 22, 2012 (edited) In Cambridge , there are 4 weekly jam nights. Two are as described with12 bar and variations on that. One is jazz and has people with charts giving you random stuff and the last one is anything goes. I've played bossa I've played pop I've played just about everything from John legend to stevie wonder via van halen and foo fighters. By far the best. Used to run for 5 hours from 9-2am before noise complaints too. Oh and there is a chronic lack of bassists here. I often play entire jam sessions maybe minus one so a guitarist can play bass whilst I get beer. Edited July 22, 2012 by gapiro Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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