Open blues jam players.....

[Acousticdude]

Originally Posted by SR505bassman

I love all this info! But - I have to say that the more I read the scarier it sounds to do a jam - so much to know off the top of your head! I was kinda feeling ready to go to my first jam - but I think I have a lot more to memorize first! I appreciate the heads-up - maybe I can avoid a trainwreck by being more prepared than I am now. Thanks again to all of you :-)

Just go to a jam where nobody knows you. Most of the jam nights I go to are fun because you have all different level players. The good ones will usually help you out because they know you're new. I've gotten quite a few gigs from people I have met a Jams. Gotta get you feet wet if it's what you want to do.

[KTFunkAlive]

Originally Posted by Leroy La Qua

Ed Friedland in his book refers to the Uptown Down pattern as R P5 m7 P8 and the Uptown Up pattern as R P8 m7 P5 which seems kind of counter intuitive to me.

Anyone else got a take on common names for these shuffle box patterns?

I've always heard those referred to as "Chicago shuffle going up" or "Chicago shuffle going down"

Also around here it's "fast 4"

All the same stuff just different names.

Lots of great info here for anyone who hasn't played much blues.

[Stumbo]

Originally Posted by Steve

slam the gates on the chorus!

Originally Posted by Jayhawk

Understood everything except this.

Here's another link to "Slam the Gates" I found on TB in reference to a cover of Tobacco Road by Eric Burden.

Originally Posted by Deathblade Eric

The Intro is a classic example of "coming down from the Five" i.e. D - C - G - D & then back to the One (G) for the start of the first verse.The verses are just F - G, let 'em ring apart from the last G where you "slam the gates" i.e. an emphatic stop. The Chorus hangs on the IV (C) one more time than you'd expect, 3 rather than 2, then up to the V (D) & slam the gates again on the IV. Then repeat.

See video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_iSIv26S_o

Related term: stop time

Originally Posted by DavidCertain

I haven't read yet in this thread where anyone mentioned the device "stop time." The band plays in unison on beat 1 of of each bar, usually 4 bars it will last sometimes longer or even indefinitely (as long as the singer has enough to talk), and the singer or soloist fills in the space. Time stops for no man, the beat keeps going, just you rest on 2, 3 and 4. Elvis's "Heartbreak Hotel" is the best example I can think of: "Since mah baby left me... " Blues Suede Shoes, "and it's a one for the money, two for the show...." Oh, and Route 66 "Don't forget Wynona, Kingman, Barstow, San Bernardino" etc.

Anyway, people will say, "It's gotta a stop time in it" or "Watch me for the stop time" and they'll waive their arm or something.

[SR505bassman]

Originally Posted by Acousticdude

Just go to a jam where nobody knows you. Most of the jam nights I go to are fun because you have all different level players. The good ones will usually help you out because they know you're new. I've gotten quite a few gigs from people I have met a Jams. Gotta get you feet wet if it's what you want to do.

Thanks for the encouragement - that's exactly what I'm going to do this Sunday. Going to go 1st time w/o my bass to just check it out, then go back the next week to play. I recently talked to a bass player that knows some of the people who run this one and he said its a pretty nice crowd that shows up. Looking forward to it

[phatbass]

Originally Posted by Cosmic Closet

We haven't done Bo Diddley's beat; what's the time sig on that?
bum-bum-BUM-bum-bum--BUM BUM
C.

If I'm feeling clever I call it a double time 3:2 Clave. I even sound like I know what I'm talking about...