Can Jamming be learned?

[Youngspanion]

I've joined a fledging jam band and I suddenly feel as if I'm really not a good jammer. We are going to do a cover of "Crossroads" by Cream and after listening to Jack Bruce, I'm like what the?. I know Jack Bruce is that 'Cream of the Crop' along with Baker and Clapton but how does he think. What is the thought process? I know these are abstract questions but isn't there a way to actually 'know' this method of playing?

[bongomania]

It's actually simple. When people improvise or jam their way through a tune, they are just drawing on a repertoire of licks and patterns that they have memorized over the years. Good improvisers have a good memory for licks and patterns, and a good sense of where they will fit in.

[hieronymous]

One of the keys to jamming is to listen to what everyone else is playing, both individually and the overall sound. It helps to have a good knowledge of different scales. If you're going to do Crossroads, play along with it and try and cop some of the things that Jack Bruce does, but don't limit yourself to them - instead, you might get an idea about the notes he tends to use, and the shape of some of the riffs, and then you can run with those ideas and make up your own. But never forget that the groove and the song are the most important!

Also, remember that he was a jazz musician, so he is probably not repeating himself very much, but in rock you can stick to some more basic riffs and repeat them, embellishing them every now and again.

[cowsgomoo]

it absolutely can learned... it's a skill like anything else. Jack Bruce wasn't born with that set of skills any more than you or I were

your job is to support the other musicians with something that's appropriate to what they're doing... so the first step is to always LISTEN... listen for anything interesting you can take and run with.. if you hear a little set of notes in an improvised guitar phrase, really you need to be able to use your ear to understand what's going on

some would say if you can't listen to a musical phrase and play it accurately back on your bass, you're not really a musician... that's a bit strong because we're all at different stages of development, but that's the ideal... if your guitarist goes 'nyyyeeeh dweedle deedle dooooo', you need to have the ability to develop a phrase like that and take it SOMEWHERE... you don't have to double it but you can echo it, play a counterpoint to it, invert the direction of the melody, mix it into a phrase that works with what the drummer's doing...

you also need a good ear to be able to sense what the jam needs injecting into it... guitarists and drummers can sometimes be very lazy and play their favourite phrases over and over again if you let them, so you need to be able to hear and judge what would be good extra musical material to throw in there... for example if your guitarist is wanking away in pentatonic minor, you can probably try extending the bag of notes that are being thrown around... try throwing in a major 2nd or a major 6th to a boring pentatonic minor environment... see if he notices (possibly not, but you have to have some hope)

so, to recap... LISTEN... develop your ear so you can play any note you imagine without having to hunt for it, then go out and listen to what they other musicians are doing and react accordingly... your job is ultimately to make them sound better and be the glue that holds everything together

spend lots of time just doing it and you will come to love it... just typing this makes me want to rip through Crossroads

[dlb1001]

If I was in your situation, just keep it simple then start incorporating bits and pieces every time the band plays "Crossroads". Sometimes, you will come with something that works and sometimes, you won't but don't stop trying.
I agree that Jack wasn't born with the skills but he sure had a strong background in jazz, which helps.

[MysticMichael]

Sure it can learned and developed. Phish had a specific technique of developing group improvisation that worked very well for them.

These things don't just spring out of nowhere. Improvisation is an aspect of good musicianship that can be consciously learned and developed - just as much as reading, transposing or soloing.

MM

[lomo]

It's a skill that can be learned, but is complex-it's part ear (with which I'm struggling mightily) and part theory. The more you know about harmonic theory, chords and song structure, the easier it is. Reading chords off the guitarist's fretting hand is another invaluable skill (and another struggle for me, LOL).

[Mongo Slade]

Jamming is learned by jamming. I know that sounds simple, but it is simple. Find people to jam with. Jam with them. I agree with everyone who mentions listening. When you are playing with others, it is imperative that you always be listening-even more than your own playing. The relationship that occurs when everyone is listening and playing to what they are listening to is a conversation. And that conversation is the jam.

Peace

[Fred19137]

llllleeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrnnnnnnn all the patterns. so study up. This takes a while because when jamming u have to hear it in your head before you can play it. So if u memorize the patterns the licks will just come with your playing.

[Mr_Sore_Fingerz]

Originally Posted by Mongo Slade

Jamming is learned by jamming. I know that sounds simple, but it is simple. Find people to jam with. Jam with them.

+1

This is like learning to be a salesman, you can try and educate yourself as much as possible...but nothing in the world can substitute actual experience. Playing along with mp3s on my pc, CD's or the radio did help me a LOT on my improvisational and ear-playing skills, but playing with my band on a regular basis really did the trick.

Now that's not to say that educating yourself on scales and modes and such isn't key or helpful, but this is a situation where you really can't reach your full potential without both. Like Mongo said above: "jamming is learned by jamming"

[DudeistMonk]

So I'm pretty new to the whole jam thing (just playing simple 1,2, or 3 chord "bridge jams" with no changes) but I've learned a thing or two over the past couple months...

I record everything, and I listen back to to it (good or bad) and the good ones I listen to over and over, this way I know what works and what doesn't.

I learned not to be overly melodic, fills are great but when I try improvise every bar I spend all my good ideas in a minute and it just sounds like I'm overplaying, stepping on the guitar and loosing the groove. It sounds a lot better when I pick a riff/groove and stick to it, building it up and throwing the occasional fill out, until the drummer and I change the groove altogether.

I learned that there are good days and bad (I'm currently trying to find a way to be more consistent although I know part of this rests on my band mates as well) When its good you can just listen to the guitar(s) and the drums and the groove will form and you can play off either one without loosing the other and it will be like your hands don't even exist, just your mind and the amp and an awesome elated feeling.

Learning chords, scales and practicing playing various changes is helping my fretboard knowledge and song structure knowledge which both help with playing in general.

Unless something hits me instantly I just start with a really simple bass line and build from there, a good jam is in the dynamics anyway.

Lastly I find relaxing to be absolutely key, when I'm uptight I over think, miss fills, drop beats and certainly never hit the zone. For me this means being in a good mood, and being awake/alert, which may or may not require a couple beers and redbull.

Jamming is learned by jamming. I know that sounds simple, but it is simple. Find people to jam with. Jam with them.

Another +1, in a just a few jams you can come farther than you would think.