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Jamming tips/essentials

M

mbc3512

May 31, 2010
22
0
#1
I am looking to jam with my friends soon and i don't want to get "stuck" during a jam.

So basically i want to know HOW to jam not what to jam.
Is there anything i must know before i jam with others?

Also, is there any way to practice jamming without other musicians with you?
 
#2
Sure, there are many approaches. Here are some tips about things I like to do during/between jams:

  • Between jams, changes keys and tempo, it will keep things fresher and more inspired.
  • Even in jams try to think in structure: a theme or vibe or melody that you can go back to (can be developped during the jam, not only before). Implying or playing a small hint of structure is great to keep jams alive. Also repetition is great: when you or listeners have points of recognition in the music it will truly enhance the experience.
  • Work with one or two cue's to enable you to direct the music during the jam. Cue's could indicate: a key change, a tempo or style (even sound) change or anything like that.
  • Try to be consious about how long you are playing: things do not have to be top-interesting all the time but boredom is probably on the other side of things. As long as you feel inspired to play it's fine, but try to see what is happening with your fellow musicians or audience.
  • Usually there is one person who is more or less taking the lead to keep the things above in mind. Be aware of this, or be that person. Not always needed to talk about it, just do it or let it flow naturally.
  • You win some, you loose some: not all jams will be great, not all of them will be inspiring. Built that into your expectations so you appreciate the ones that work out more :-)

Practising jamming is something that I do with a looper. I just play, get inspired, build a loop, play along/over it, build it further or break it down, etc. But most of the things above apply.

The above are just my views and experience, hope it helps! Enjoy!
 
#3
I've been "jamming" regularly with the same bunch of guys for almost two years now... so I hope I can offer some tips. Most important, pay attention when you're jamming! Unless you are all playing a known tune, someone is going to have to lead the thing. Things quickly descend into chaos with everyone trying to go their own way. If nobody is naturally taking the 'leader' role during a jam song, you could try assigning someone before hand, so everyone knows who to watch for changes and what not.

With the guys I jam with, we completely improvise, but are working from similar tastes. If you aren't too familiar with the other guys you jam with, maybe starting off on a well known song, and extending it from there would work?

The other thing I'd suggest is keep the music going... if you make a goof, don't stop, just try to jump back in. It makes for a terrible jam if people keep stopping and you never really 'lock in'.

For jamming solo, you could put on one of your favourite records and just go to town playing along... or if you have a recording device available, record yourself for a chunk of time once... then go back and 'jam' along.

Hope these help!
 
#4
LISTEN.

Hear what's going on around you and let that guide you. Usually it's "When in doubt lay out" but as a bass player you may need to just hold a root note if in doubt, but groove while you're doing it.

And all of the other stuff above too.
 
#5
Now jamming covers -- you pretty well know it will be major or minor from the type of music you play. You pretty well know someone is going to call out the key. You pretty well know that a I IV V or i iv v will work. You pretty well know that roots alone will get you by as long as you are changing roots with the chord changes. You pretty well know that if you change chords with the guitar - the two of you will be in harmony and that's half the battle, so watch his hands. You pretty well know the drums will be laying down the beat - get your groove from the drums. You pretty well know that if you get lost the tonic pentatonic will keep you going till you can recover the chord changes. You pretty well know if you are playing covers some one is catching the lead that means your job is to provide harmony, rhythm and lay down a beat. Chewing gum is optional.

Then if there are no drums the beat is yours. Sing the song along with your vocalist - under your breath - to get the tempo - then get a groove going.

That's all.
 
#6
MalcolmAmos said:
Now jamming covers -- you pretty well know it will be major or minor from the type of music you play. You pretty well know someone is going to call out the key. You pretty well know that a I IV V or i iv v will work. You pretty well know that roots alone will get you by as long as you are changing roots with the chord changes. You pretty well know that if you change chords with the guitar - the two of you will be in harmony and that's half the battle, so watch his hands. You pretty well know the drums will be laying down the beat - get your groove from the drums. You pretty well know that if you get lost the tonic pentatonic will keep you going till you can recover the chord changes. You pretty well know if you are playing covers some one is catching the lead that means your job is to provide harmony, rhythm and lay down a beat. Chewing gum is optional.

Then if there are no drums the beat is yours. Sing the song along with your vocalist - under your breath - to get the tempo - then get a groove going.

That's all.
Click to expand...
Thanks but as a beginner i don't quite understand your whole post.
Can you explain the I IV V part?
 
#7
Hi

To answer the I IV V thing, it is a basic blues structure
it basically means that say you play in the key of A, that will be your I , now from there if you play blues or whatever, the IV and the V will be the 4th and 5 th "degree", or in other words if you play the a scale wether minor or major (doesnt really matter here) it will be the 4th and 5th position in that scale
so:

I = a = root
IV = d = fourth
V = e = fifth

Typical blues would be
4 times I
2 times IV
2 times I
and then a finish with this model
V...IV...I...V........
and again

Hope I was clear
Have fun and listen to the others, but a lot of songs wander around these positions
 
#8
Little more on I IV V. Here is something that no one ever gets around to telling newbies. For the melody line and the chord progression (chord line) to sound good together both should contain some of the same notes at the same time in the song. For example:

G................................................C
Heartache number one was when you left me,

D7...............................................G
I never knew that I could hurt this way.
Click to expand...

That first G chord harmonizes the lyrics (melody notes) until we get to the word "you" and at that point we changed to the C chord. Why? Well the melody line has moved on to notes not found in the G chord.

The melody notes in the first line of Heartaches goes like this:
B........C.....B.....A....G...D....B.......C....E.....E
Heartache number one was when you left me
Click to expand...
G chord has the G, B & D notes in its makeup so those notes harmonize the first five words in the lyrics, however, when we get to "you left me" we need a chord that has the C and E notes. Well C chord is made of the C, E and G notes and will do the job very nicely.

Now my point..... the G, C & D chords are the I IV V chords in the key of G.
G chord is made of the G, B & D notes.
C chord is made of the C, E & G notes.
D chord is made of the D F# & A notes.
Now those notes just happen to be every note in the G scale. So sooner or later one of those three chords will harmonize any melody line made from the G scale. Drum roll......

Thus if you are jamming that I IV V I progression is a pretty safe progression to use.

I know I built you a clock...... but, I bet no one has told you about the melody line and the chord line needing to share some of the same notes. You really do not need to know that if playing from sheet music, but, if you are jamming it comes in handy.

Good luck.
 
#9
 

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