i have a jam session scheduled for tonight!

[jonathan_matos5]

it will be my first ever jam session on bass. im kinda excited
i get to play with real musicians and everything

huzzah!!! im rejoining the ranks of musicians

[Dosed_Mind]

Good luck to you, and have fun!

[jonathan_matos5]

thanks!

[All_¥our_Bass]

I'm glad your not jamming with any of those "fake" musicians they make these days.

[markjazzbassist]

good luck man. just remember, the drummer needs to be your best friend, lock with him/her and you're there. hope everything goes well.


let us know how it all goes.

[jonathan_matos5]

apparently the keyboard player wants straight eighth notes on the root. i tried to play more than the root and he said i was noodleingthere was also no drummer it was not as fun as i thought it would be but ill still jam with anyone willing to jam

[markjazzbassist]

Originally Posted by jonathan_matos5

apparently the keyboard player wants straight eighth notes on the root. i tried to play more than the root and he said i was noodleingthere was also no drummer it was not as fun as i thought it would be but ill still jam with anyone willing to jam

cool man. don't worry about the keys player, he just wants to steal all the thunder.

[jady]

I've found that in jams, eveyone is an "expert", Ive been to plenty of jams and the guy who tells everyone else what to play is the guy who is the "Jam Superstar". You know the one, the guy who "studied with Stevie Ray" but in reality only spoke to him once at a CD signing and has milked that story into a deep playing history (thats our jam superstar's story).

This is also the guy who lives in a Winebago and is still waiting for his break at 52. The jam is his only oplaying opportunity so he has to look good, his whole world literally depends on it.

When I go to a jam it is to meet new people and get some experience with unknowns, new tunes i dont know, new challenges (like no drummer), new playing styles and levels. It shouldnt be where you get your entire identity as a performer, thats what real gigs are for. Hope I havent offended any regular jam attendies here but jams are not "gigs" and I feel they should be approached with a different mindset. YMMV

[mrmoonjam]

Originally Posted by jonathan_matos5

apparently the keyboard player wants straight eighth notes on the root.

If he says that again, you could suggest that he keep his left hand behind his back .

[mjolnir]

Or tie it there for him.

[jady]

Our keyboardist was Tommy Castro's drummer for years before he had a stroke. Now he's a great keyboardist who doesnt (can't) use his left hand.

I love the guy and know that his situation is not something to be joked about but that stroke left me with the only keyboardist I havent wanted to strangle at one point or another.

[bassbully43]

I have never beet interested in local jams or open mic nights and after reading about them on TB and hearing a few stories i know i never will try one.

[GROOVEjunkie]

Originally Posted by bassbully43

I have never beet interested in local jams or open mic nights and after reading about them on TB and hearing a few stories i know i never will try one.

OMG man!! You will be missing out on a great time (especially if you can use the house band's amps ) - moving's hard on the back.

Open mics can be a blast because there's no stress (unless you have to wait all night to go on). You just get there (early), sign up to play, and JAM!!! Who cares about anything but getting up there and blowing the doors off. Or, at the least, making folks look up and pay attention.

Don't let an opportunity to perform live get past you especially early on in your career. You can meet an awful lot of cool people as well as a lot of crazies.