How to prepare for a blues jam

[Forty-Thirty]

I found out recently that in the city nearest me, there is an open blues jam every 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month. I thought this would be a great way to help me improve and would give more opportunities to play with people in general (the guitarist friend I'm playing with regularly is all I've got--no drummer!), and a lot of FUN! I talked to the owner of the bar that hosts it, and she said beginners are absolutely welcome. So I'm going! I'm doing this! I'm being brave! I'm also SCARED TO FREAKING DEATH.

I'm going to go a couple of times before I sign up to play to see how things work. Meanwhile, how should I prepare? What can I do in practice to make it easier to jump in at the jam? Honestly, having never been to one, I don't even know how they work--does one person start off with something and everybody else falls in? Do they play established songs? Should I practice some standards ahead of time?

I think I can do this, but I also really want it to go well, so I'm apprehensive. I've only jammed once, with my dad, and it went very well,but this time I'll be counting on strangers to be encouraging/patient and it'll be in front of people.

So TBers, if you'd be so kind as to provide A) advice, B) encouragement, or C) both, I'd love ya.

 

[brokeamp]

I just started playing, but will likely go to a jam night like this also, so I am waiting for the talkbass advice on this subject too.

 

[Forty-Thirty]

I just started playing, but will likely go to a jam night like this also, so I am waiting for the talkbass advice on this subject too.

Good luck!

 

[MalcolmAmos]

Yes go with your bass in the car, but, do not take it in yet. Scope out what happens and how songs are called. Every jamming circle has it's own way of doing things. Make notes on how people are invited into the circle, yes, most of the time you are invited in. This could be just a head nod. Also make notes of the songs used and go practice them, they will be called next time. How is the next song handled, i.e. who calls it. Most jam circles go around in order and when it's you turn you call a song. If you do not want to lead off when it's your time just lean back and they know to pass you by, couple of times of passing the lead they will just go around you - it's no big deal. Some circles the lead plays and sings a verse or two, maybe the chorus and then the song is passed around the circle and each person plays verse or two --- you being the bass -- they may expect you not to sing and play but, provide the rhythm and groove for every song. Here the person calling the song plays it all the way through and the rest of the circle accompanies his efforts. When he finishes the lead is passed to the next person in the circle and he calls and plays the next song all the way through. Every circle has it's own way of doing business....

Yes to going first and take notes on how things are handled at this location. If you think you can fit in go get your bass. Nothing wrong with asking the person next to you what key this one is in. However, in most cases the song title is mentioned and the key it is to be played in is also verbalized.

A jamming circle is a very safe place, I have never seen a newby get beat up around the head and face IF he was trying. It is a very safe place and everyone will bend over backward to help - If you are trying.

Have fun.

 

[two fingers]

Yeah @MalcolmAmos pretty much nailed it. Just go first. Take your bass if you like. Even if you don't play the first night you'll learn a lot.

I was the house bass player for an open mic blues jam for years. You may find this hard to believe, but we LOVED newbs. It's exciting for us more experienced guys to see somebody okay in public for the first time. And we were gentle.

Odds are those one is the same way. Just go watch for a little whole and see if you can hang with how they do things. Maybe talk to a more experienced players while you are there.

I have found mostly open minds come to open jams.

Have fun. And if you get up to play report back and let us know how it went!

 

[Danomo]

After not playing out in decades, the advice @MalcolmAmos shared is almost exactly how I approached it. In Chicago, some of the jams are not-so-random, they can be quite clique-like, and after attending those kind, I'd move along.

Don't sweat it if you don't know the song, most all of them give out the chord changes verbally before a song (some even hand out sheets).

Don't rule out open mic/band nights as well. There's one in my neighborhood I started attending in August, when I go, I end up playing the whole night (much fun).

Which brings me to another point: Lots of these jams have music stands available, don't be ashamed to use one. Bring music, tabs, or lyrics with you, or even better, a tablet (or if you have one of those dinner plate sized smart phones). The ultimate guitar app has saved me a few times (and you can meter the scroll timing).

 

[hrodbert696]

Just to affirm what's already been said, the open mics and blues jams I've seen have been very accepting and supportive of new players. I remember where a guy came in with a guitar and wanted to play White Wedding (this was more open mic than blues jam). The house band bassist and drummer got up to play with him. It was clearly his first time on stage, nervous as anything, and trying to sing and play together. But everyone smiled and clapped as he fumbled his way through and, I thought, were really positive. They tend to vary somewhat, but generally there's a house band in some form and you sign up either to bring your own band on to play when they've gone for a while, or to sit in with them. Knowing some standards certainly helps, otherwise just get comfortable playing a shuffle beat or walking bass lines over a I-IV-V progression. Scouting out ahead of time before actually signing up is a good idea.

 

[mambo4]

Yes go with your bass in the car, but, do not take it in yet.

I did that with a keyboard once. bye bye keyboard , bye bye rear windshield.

 

[Gravedigger Dav]

If you know what a standard 12 bar blues progression is, you will be fine.
Around here, when you go in, there is a signup sheet. You sign up under your instrument. Some places will have a box to check Sing yes/no. Each person gets about 3 tunes.
Even if they replace you after 1 tune, don't be discouraged. It can happen. Happened to me once a long time ago.
Learn to watch the guitar player's fretting hand. You can tell where he is and what he is doing by watching.
Go do it and enjoy it. It is great experience.

 

[Fergie Fulton]

Jam session are cool, especially Blues ones, but they are frequented by players called 'Alligators' and they should be avoided at all costs.
Good news is they are easily spotted and identified....they are the ones with big mouths and no ears.....you have been warned.

 

[dave_p]

Bring the bass in, don't leave it in the car.. You don't have to play first time but i see no reason why not. There are some standard tunes that get called, try to have a few under your belt.
Little Wing
Stormy Monday
are the 2 that have more than the standard I IV V changes that may pop up and I would try and have those just in case they get called.
Know what a quick IV is, some of the standard turnarounds and endings.
Really, if you have a walk, a shuffle and know the "money walk" you will be in good shape.

And if something gets called and you are caught up there fumbling, DO NOT panic or worry or take it to heart. Learn it for next time and hope it gets called. A few weeks ago at the Jam I go to, someone called "Secret Agent Man". This is not really standard Jam fare. I fumbled through it. I spent a few minutes learning it proper and next time I went, it was called again. And I was prepared.

 

[INTP]

Most of the blues jams I've attended have been about 80% the same from one week to the next. The same players playing the same songs. Going and listening (or taking notes) will help you answer this question.

A basic shuffle (in any key, but mostly E, A, C, or G) is a must.
Slow blues is a must (same keys as with shuffle).

If the jam has a lot of players, expect to play late, near closing, until they know you can hold down the bass line. I went to one jam a couple of times and signed up but didn't get to play. Other players that couldn't carry the song played before me, but they were known to the hosts. After I did get up and showed that I could do play, I started getting up sooner on future nights.

 

[GlennRH]

Warning 1: Many guitarists (God bless 'em one and all) find any bass in the mix an unwelcome distraction and/or sonic competition. Some of them just get irritated that the bassist has a 'voice' that can be heard. (They'll rarely offer that info. It's generally kept secret. It's easy to spot the ones who feel that way, though, if you pay attention and understand their murmuring after their turn.)To deal with this, remember that it's better to be asked to turn up your volume than to turn it down. Also, smile and be humble.

Warning 2: It is common (normal) for the people who host blues jams (i.e. who sign you up when you get in, who ask people to end their turn, and who ask people to start their turn) to have their favourite players and their not-favourite players. So, if the event seems like it's not fairly managed, do not be surprised. The host probably has reasons - some defensible; some not defensible. To deal with this, be suitably friendly to all, don't appear to 'take sides' at all, and smile and be humble.

Warning 3: Some people at blues jams immediately assume the role of band leader on stage, no matter how many tunes any particular grouping of players share the stage. A good portion of these people expect and get immediate cooperation. A good portion of them also expect all on stage to know things that go unspoken (i.e. to read their mind). To deal with this, be cooperative, ask for all the direction you need, and smile and be humble.

Warning 4: Many players at blues jams play a certain repertoire well. Other tunes, not so well. Hence, they look for as much overlap between their repertoire and others' repertoire as possible, then prefer to play those tunes known in common and generally prefer to avoid playing tunes outside their 'comfort zone' of familiarity. This is how some players get sidelined. This is how some players can spend most of the night on stage. If you want to go back to the same event on other nights and get a decent amount of time on stage, then learn those tunes that everybody's expected to know. Also, follow the first 3 tips.

 

[Fergie Fulton]

All great info, so i will add one more thing.
As a rule, a Blues Jam is not really a "Jam" in the true sense of the word.
What it is....is a collection of players that all know the songs, in some form or another, or knows that form.
So getting to 'Jam' means playing songs you know...most of the time.
To jam songs on the "form", needs a good frontman/woman to guide the players through the form, so learning what signals mean is another skill. What stops a song, what means go round again, what means take it down...or lift it up and most important what takes it to the end.
All theses things are controlled with the eyes being 'on', so learning the signals is a great thing to know.
Good singers can have very subtle signals that are personal to them, again these can be learned.

Then there is the lauguge use..so 'From the 5' in G, quick changes on 1-4-5 means something so knowing what is required from that is also part of the jam skills.

Good luck and most important thing of all....have fun..There really are no alligators at a good jam.

This may be of some help

 

[radioripster]

Good luck!

Hey Forty-Thirty..how did it go?

 

[Forty-Thirty]

Hey Forty-Thirty..how did it go?

I went on Wednesday! It was great fun. Didn't bring my bass, just listened and enjoyed. A guest band played before the jam started (Noah Wotherspoon Band; buy their album! They were incredible!) and afterward I chatted with their bassist and he gave me some good advice, too. I've been practicing along the lines of some of the suggestions here and he gave similar advice, so I'm preparing for playing there sometime but will keep going as just an audience member for a little bit.

 

[MrLenny1]

Learn 3 blues tunes, i.e. Thrill is Gone or tunes you like.
Go in and sign up or see jam host.
Once you go up tell the band what you know and can do.
Relax & have fun.
Blues jams in my area welcome all level players.

 

[TomB]

I've hosted and house-banded blues jams for 30 years. There is much good advice in this thread. One suggestion is that you browse some of the TB "blues" threads for rehearsal material, as many of them have great lists of the standards, and a few go into the terminology like "quick 4", "uptown" and "downtown" shuffle, "from the 5", and a few other jargon-isms you'll hear on these stages where strangers meet to speak a common language - the blues. Certainly all the tunes mentioned in this thread fit into "typical". One other suggestion is to not get overly attached to the "standard" arrangements you'll find on Youtube - blues jams are famous for morphing arrangements and even skipping key phrases from songs, though it's always good to know what they are. Be prepared for endless guitar (and sometimes harp) solos. Relax and don't worry about mistakes - there will be plenty. Your on-stage skills, people skills & confidence level will all benefit from jumping off the deep end. The water's fine!