How to win at jam nights?

[DiabolicLow B]

Just try to relax and have fun, don't take it too seriously and never try to show off, you will generally not leave a good impression.

 

[txbasschik]

Be able to transpose on the fly, and have BIG EARS!!! Every week at the jam we host, I end up playing things I don't know. At all. Sometime its a huge flustercluck, but most of the time, I do fine. Scales, scales, scales...play 'em slow, play 'em faster, break 'em down and make riffs out of them. Great finger and ear training.

At our jam, its mostly rock, blues, and country. But some of that country is, well, freakin' jazz, so I have to know my jazz progressions. (We have a monster pedal steel guy who comes in...has played worldwide, with the country greats, and knows Every Country Song On Earth. He makes me sweat, but I learn so much!)

Learn the standards...Mustang Sally, Brown Eyed Girl, all that stuff. And then do lots of scale practice so you'll be ready for everything else. Force yourself to play along with tunes you don't know, on the radio...just random stuff. Great training for jams!

Cherie

 

[txbasschik]

Addendum...Playing at the jam, having to improvise, transpose, sing and play, pick up new tunes on the fly...

All have made me a better player. So worth it!

Cherie

 

[MadDogM]

+1

Learn the blues.

Be able to sing and play bass. That way you'll have a better chance at choosing the songs.

Learn enough guitar playing to be able to recognize the chords. Be able to follow instructions: Key of A, I-IV-V quick change, start on the V.

Here are some links you may want to check out:

~Getting creative
Creating bass lines
Target Approach
Walking bass line examples
Ed Friedland on walking bass lines
TB's Ed Fuqua's walking bass line book

For a jam
Jammin'

Playing scales

Playing behind/ahead of the beat
"Feel"
Playing "in the pocket"

~Blues
1 Blues jam terms/progressions
2
3
Ice Cream Changes
Backdoor Progression
ii-V-I
more blues
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+1

All good advice and GREAT links!

 

[walterw]

jam nights are work for a bass player!

the guitars, saxes, harps, etc., can wank for their 12 bars (24, 36?), then lay out while someone else wanks.

the drummer can fake his way through tunes he's never heard before. start groove, look for the signal to stop groove.

the bass player has to hold the song together like the drummer and know all the damn chords, too!

 

[Arranger]

jam nights are work for a bass player!

the guitars, saxes, harps, etc., can wank for their 12 bars (24, 36?), then lay out while someone else wanks.

the drummer can fake his way through tunes he's never heard before. start groove, look for the signal to stop groove.

the bass player has to hold the song together like the drummer and know all the damn chords, too!

And THAT, fellow bassists, is why we bring home the big bucks!!