Jamming with drummer/guitarist

[Verdauga]

Whenever I have a couple friends over and we start playing instruments (one guitarist and the other a drummer) we either play songs all of us know perfectly (in that we play the parts exactly how they were recorded by the original artist) or the drummer starts playing and I join in with playing with what is basically random notes from the major scale.

How do you guys go about jamming with: Just a drummer, and a drummer and guitarist?

What I mean in this question is how do you choose: a chord progression, a key, what scales you are going to be playing etc.

[somesadbugger]

for me at least when its myself, the drummer and the rhythm guitarist, one of us just starts playing something, calls out the key/progression then the rest of us lock in, we just figure out the details whilst we are playing. Half of the fun of jamming in my opinion is making a few small mistakes but then everyone just managing to coordinate between each other.

[neatobassman]

Don't think, just do.


Or try to play a chord progression and line that you normally never would. That has always produced fun jams for me. It gets you out of your comfort zone and into an area where you are more open minded about what you are playing.

[Rudreax]

If I'm with a drummer, I usually make up a single repeated phrase that compliments whatever the drummer is doing. That usually allows the drummer to expand on what he/she is doing.

If I'm with a guitarists, I'm make a counter melody to go with what he/she is doing. Or, if we're playing jazz, I'll just walk.

[Verdauga]

Originally Posted by Rudreax

If I'm with a drummer, I usually make up a single repeated phrase that compliments whatever the drummer is doing. That usually allows the drummer to expand on what he/she is doing.

If I'm with a guitarists, I'm make a counter melody to go with what he/she is doing. Or, if we're playing jazz, I'll just walk.

What kind of a repeated phrase? Could you give an example in a song?

Also, what is a counter melody?

[dave64o]

Originally Posted by somesadbugger

for me at least when its myself, the drummer and the rhythm guitarist, one of us just starts playing something, calls out the key/progression then the rest of us lock in, we just figure out the details whilst we are playing. Half of the fun of jamming in my opinion is making a few small mistakes but then everyone just managing to coordinate between each other.

Most of the time the "few small mistakes" make me cringe. However, there are times that one of them leads me to something that sounds REALLY cool or to a new idea I hadn't thought of before. Thinking through the theory about WHY the so-called mistake worked then helps reinforce a theory concept I probably wasn't using regularly and helps cement it in my head so I can use it again another time.

[Rudreax]

Originally Posted by Verdauga

What kind of a repeated phrase? Could you give an example in a song?

Also, what is a counter melody?

About the Countermelody:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Countermelody

Based off of:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Counterpoint

An example of this is "Lines for Lyons", played by Stan Getz and Chet Baker.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WVWYzpohac

A repeated phrase is just that; I play a lick over and over again that fits well with what the drummer is doing, with a couple variations. Here's "Get Up Offa That Thing", by James Brown, a decent example I think:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pq1w0syylZI

[HogieWan]

If it's just you and a drummer, no need to tell anyone a key or progression. If it's you and a guitar, there should be a progression set up because even if you are both in the same key, you need to know the root or is there are any non-key notes that are in the current chord that may sound good.

[DeluxeRed]

Learn a coupla good blues progressions and everyone should do just fine after you've gone through the form once. Lots of room for improv, and soon you'll be inventing your own progressions/forms.

[squashedOpossum]

I agree. 12-bar blues progressions are some of the easiest to learn and usually the most common impromptu jams, the I IV V being one of the most common. Try this:
http://www.activeguitar.com/lessons/guitar/467-1.asp

and a couple vids:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2W5VzJKF6Y8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1I-j...eature=related

not intentional, but they happen to be in the same key.

Hope this helps!

[enpontus]

if i´m playing with drummer i just... do i guess i don´t think very much of it i just play. but i haven´t even played for a year so my improvisations aren´t great.

if I´m playing with a guitarrist and a drummer it´s either the drummer or the guitarrist who starts if the drummer starts i just go along and play and let the guitarrist hang onto us

but if the guitarrist starts i just listen to what he´s playing and start with some roots then i play a bassline that i either think up in my head (wich more offtenly than not leads to that the jam have to stop cause my i aint that good)
or i just take the root and let the bass do the playing then it sounds kinda nice

[Earthday]

With just a drummer we usually start with something simple. I more or less choose a few random notes and try to make something out of it. Then I expand on it using scales or chord progressions that would fit what I already have, or if I'm really locked in I'll just hear the notes I want in my head and go right to them. A lot of times we end up developing into something that wasn't anything like we started with.

[CharlieDog]

When I'm jamming with a certain drummer friend of ours, we either just groove or play some crazy Boris/Death From Above 1979 stuff.

With a guitarist, just work out a progression (usually I IV V) and have fun.

[slyderhodge]

Just start off with playing a really simple hook on the bass. 2 or 4 measures is all you need, let the drummer fall in with you, keep it going, keep it going. The guitar player should have found a home, then just let the mood take it from there. Jam that one until you tired, you'll find all sorts of places to go. Then let the drummer start the next tune and you just fall in what he has cooking.

I played for years in a band that did better jam tunes than we did arranged songs. And it all started with nights and nights of what I listed above.

Oh and the more diverse your jam mates (i.e. jazz, rock, hair metal, acoustic, reggae) the better musician you'll become

[bassmantony]

My Brother is a drummer and we have a hell of a great time jamming to our favorite songs.