Small Jam - Assorted Egos: What I learned last night.

[bigdaddybass12]

UPDATE: ,,,, Apparently he plays most of the jams and some gigs, and is 'friends' with a lot of the other players. Okay... he saw me by the door of the club and said, in front of others, "you should NOT play another jam until you practice. You had no business being there." I about fell over. "What? You were so rude to me. It was a jam." And he said "it was not! and YOU were rude for interfering with the real players! NEVER get on stage with me again!"
.

Sorry, he is a ego-maniac, thinks he is the best guitarist around, cocky, he thinks his friends worship him, gear snob, probably plays some $10,000 guitar. This boosts his ego even higher. "not a jam" HAA !!! he thinks in his tiny little conceited mind that its a super gig.
""NOT play another jam until you practice"" HAA HAA! playing jams & open mics is where I learned the most. AGAIN, At open mics, jams, it is OK to miss a few notes. That is the purpose of these is to LEARN. That is where I met the group I play bass for now.
Dont even look at him, Keep a sharp response ready if you see him again. If he says "have you been practicing ? Say (point your finger in his face) "Yes, sure hope you have because you suck"" (this will probably get flagged by TB) plus I'll get you thrown out of a jam,,,that is pretty bad !!! (HUMOR ALERT!!)

 

[DrummerwStrings]

Anyone who's never missed a note on a gig has never played one.

(Except Louis Armstrong)

 

[Confunk]

There was a Blues Club in the SFV years back that featured well-known touring Blues Artists, and was quite popular
They started a mid-week open jam, where either individuals OR Bands could sign-in to play. As is often the case, there was a House Band, good Blues players, that played a set, and then the jam began.

But it was a ploy- You might expect that many players wanted to take the stage and sit in with a very tight rhythm section. Also, a number of bands, 4-5 piece, etc. were excited about getting up there, figuring that they might get booked there themselves or get a reputation.

So the place was packed, with a $5 cover charge, and a 2-drink minimum, & the club made good money.

However, the sign-up list was pretty bogus. The House Band usually called up their buddies to play, most of which was pre-arranged, and by closing time, quite a few people never got to take the stage, despite paying a cover charge & buying their drinks.
Despite this, players kept coming in Wednesdays, thinking that they would finally get the call and blow the crowd away.

I always thought that they were taking advantage of hopeful players, but obviously the $$$ mattered more to management.

 

[bassicmike]

I am going to respectfully disagree as regards the benefits of blues jams.

IMHO, getting tight in an actual blues band advances one down the road to being a good bassist much more than experimenting and making mistakes at a blues jam.

One learns to play with the drummer, properly play within a band context, one learns the blues bass language (with room for one’s own personality), and one learns the discipline of playing the blues lexicon the right way. Gotta have the foundation to build the house.

Get in with the right group and avoid all the downsides of blues jams that have been catalogued here.

when I first got back into playing, I decided fairly quickly that blues jams were not a good use of my time (fora a lot of the reasons stated - wankery, snobbery, cliques) I got myself into a good blues band, with a great drummer, started gigging, and advanced by leaps and bounds.

This is my $.02 worth, and if your experiences are different, well, more power to you and rock on.

 

[turf3]

Honestly I haven't done a lot of blues, rock, jazz open jams just because of the general attitude. Plus I've generally been too busy with actual bands playing actual gigs. But there's one kind of jam that I regularly go to, and enjoy - BLUEGRASS. A more open, welcoming group of people is hard to find than the grassers at an open BG jam.

Only downside (for some of you) is that you need to play upright bass.

 

[juancaminos]

A little different situation, I auditioned for my church. I did not do so well. The WL wants the bass part played EXACTLY as the original. I do keep it close to the original. Sorry, Ol' Big-daddy dont always play exactly like the original. I do play the correct notes but sometimes I minimize the bass lines to keep from missing a note or riff or add a little extra. If I am not telling you how to play, dont tell me how to play. I KNOW when I miss a note, I dont shout out "wrong note" when you miss one,,,

Right...One of my pet peeves is guitar players (or singers or drummers) who want me to play exactly as the recorded version but they don't (or can't).

 

[LBS-bass]

I am going to respectfully disagree as regards the benefits of blues jams.

IMHO, getting tight in an actual blues band advances one down the road to being a good bassist much more than experimenting and making mistakes at a blues jam.

One learns to play with the drummer, properly play within a band context, one learns the blues bass language (with room for one’s own personality), and one learns the discipline of playing the blues lexicon the right way. Gotta have the foundation to build the house.

Get in with the right group and avoid all the downsides of blues jams that have been catalogued here.

when I first got back into playing, I decided fairly quickly that blues jams were not a good use of my time (fora a lot of the reasons stated - wankery, snobbery, cliques) I got myself into a good blues band, with a great drummer, started gigging, and advanced by leaps and bounds.

This is my $.02 worth, and if your experiences are different, well, more power to you and rock on.

I currently play with two blues bands.

The first band is highly improvisational, everyone is playing from the seat of their pants, listening to one another, and responding to each other dynamically, rhythmically, harmoniously and melodically. The BL is the guitarist and he's great fun to work with. The players are top-notch and well respected in the genre.

The other band is headed by a BL and I'd more properly call this a blues "act." He wants everything played a certain way, dictates to the guitarist (same guy from the first band, BTW) what to play and how he wants it, doesn't like any deviation from the arrangements he's decided to cover, and works on his stage show like it's scripted.

Honestly, the first band is awesome and the second band, not so much. Blues is an improvisational genre and trying to force it into a polished stage show the way the second guy does is antithetical to its spirit. So, I'm going to respectfully disagree with you here because what you're describing is an "act" and not the kind of heartfelt performance I've come to expect from serious blues players. There's only one way to learn how to perform that way, and that's playing in an improvisational setting with other players.

 

[basseux]

and GRAB my bass neck and start fingering the pattern in the middle of the song!!!

I saw myself punching him in the face while reading.
I hope I would not do that if this was to happen

 

[Cave Puppy]

There was a Blues Club in the SFV years back that featured well-known touring Blues Artists, and was quite popular
They started a mid-week open jam, where either individuals OR Bands could sign-in to play. As is often the case, there was a House Band, good Blues players, that played a set, and then the jam began.

But it was a ploy- You might expect that many players wanted to take the stage and sit in with a very tight rhythm section. Also, a number of bands, 4-5 piece, etc. were excited about getting up there, figuring that they might get booked there themselves or get a reputation.

So the place was packed, with a $5 cover charge, and a 2-drink minimum, & the club made good money.

However, the sign-up list was pretty bogus. The House Band usually called up their buddies to play, most of which was pre-arranged, and by closing time, quite a few people never got to take the stage, despite paying a cover charge & buying their drinks.
Despite this, players kept coming in Wednesdays, thinking that they would finally get the call and blow the crowd away.

I always thought that they were taking advantage of hopeful players, but obviously the $$$ mattered more to management.

I think I went to that one ... once. I didn't pay the cover or buy any drinks as I was "checking the place out." I saw the exact situation you described and bolted as soon as I could.

 

[Confunk]

I think I went to that one ... once. I didn't pay the cover or buy any drinks as I was "checking the place out." I saw the exact situation you described and bolted as soon as I could.

You did a good job of avoiding the cover & minimum

If it was the same place, they would take your money at the door, before you could enter, and shortly thereafter, you were approached for your drink order(s).

Ka-ching!

IIRC, the "jam" started at around 10 PM; before that I guess they'd let people in to check things out.

 

[turf3]

You titled this "small jam" but I'm suggesting what was small was attached to the jerk that tried to grab your bass in mid-note.

 

[DianaBass]

Final update! I went to see a band last that was the featured band at a nice bluesy jam. The guy from the other night walked in, and whatever peer pressure he got, really worked. He smiled, said hello. Then came over to sit with me. I joked that maybe we could do a duet or something. He replied "whatever you like, I'll follow you, because the guitarist needs the bass player to set the groove." He was new and improved, and it was because he was called out by players he respects. I suspect my friend had a few more words with him.

After hearing from some of the players, this was not his first rodeo with being like that, and he has 'decent' chops, but he's writing checks his fingers can't cash. I'm hoping this is the end of it. As my bass instructor said yesterday, "well, you got this out of the way early on, you've your first experience with the worst type of musician." I am SO grateful for the support here -- seriously, you kept me from quitting.

 

[LBS-bass]

Final update! I went to see a band last that was the featured band at a nice bluesy jam. The guy from the other night walked in, and whatever peer pressure he got, really worked. He smiled, said hello. Then came over to sit with me. I joked that maybe we could do a duet or something. He replied "whatever you like, I'll follow you, because the guitarist needs the bass player to set the groove." He was new and improved, and it was because he was called out by players he respects. I suspect my friend had a few more words with him.

After hearing from some of the players, this was not his first rodeo with being like that, and he has 'decent' chops, but he's writing checks his fingers can't cash. I'm hoping this is the end of it. As my bass instructor said yesterday, "well, you got this out of the way early on, you've your first experience with the worst type of musician." I am SO grateful for the support here -- seriously, you kept me from quitting.

There may be something else at work here, too. Some people get a little mean or cocky if they've had a few. Keep an eye on that, but I hope he's just gotten his ego in check and he won't be a problem for you anymore!

 

[Mastermold]

Final update! I went to see a band last that was the featured band at a nice bluesy jam. The guy from the other night walked in, and whatever peer pressure he got, really worked. He smiled, said hello. Then came over to sit with me. I joked that maybe we could do a duet or something. He replied "whatever you like, I'll follow you, because the guitarist needs the bass player to set the groove." He was new and improved, and it was because he was called out by players he respects. I suspect my friend had a few more words with him.

After hearing from some of the players, this was not his first rodeo with being like that, and he has 'decent' chops, but he's writing checks his fingers can't cash. I'm hoping this is the end of it. As my bass instructor said yesterday, "well, you got this out of the way early on, you've your first experience with the worst type of musician." I am SO grateful for the support here -- seriously, you kept me from quitting.

Glad to hear he seems to be trying to make amends. You were more than gracious with him. And really glad too you didn't quit! Keep on playing and having fun -- making the proverbial lemonade from those lemons!

 

[DianaBass]

There may be something else at work here, too. Some people get a little mean or cocky if they've had a few. Keep an eye on that, but I hope he's just gotten his ego in check and he won't be a problem for you anymore!

Thank you, I hadn't even thought of that. I am the most earnest person you could meet, so those things do happen to me because it doesn't occur to me that they could.

 

[sleddogn]

Not a fan of open jams.

How do you get it on the toast then? sorry couldn't resist, lol

 

[pepj]

Not a fan of open jams. The regulars take up most of the allotted time.

This isnt well run then, imv.
The main man is paid to front a house band but 3 numbers max and you rotate.
The only reason you get more...as a guest is if that instrument is over subscribed.
Recent ones I know of have had a minimum of 5 bass players. A band turned up..fcs..lol.. what were they thinking.

But a decent open mic/jam will be as inclusive as possible without anyone hogging the session.
That means the experienced get to play with near beginners, and those beginners....who only really have this sort of exposure..keep coming back.
There, even if only populated by participants, you've got 30 plus ppl spending money on a quiet night for the venue.

Its almost free music, which is why they are 'popular'

 

[pepj]

A word to those suggesting that jams are pointless, boring, go learn songs, etc.

.......

And the reason why one player gets called more than the 3 songs might be that they provide some sort of glue and stop people bricking a song because they know the song or how to navigate around one.
And if this happens at jams and you are seen as the steady ship, that can transfer to subs/band work.
Basically they are at a stage that if they have heard the song in their head, they are going to be able to play the vast majority of them off the bat.

 

[Kevin Burke]

There's two culprits in this case, the weekend warrior who seizes the mic when women walk in and starts playing "Wish You Were Here", or the local party band superstar who thinks who thinks nothing about demanding to hand him your guitar. "No, nobody here knows Katrina and the Waves DH"

 

[sunnyboy010101]

Right...One of my pet peeves is guitar players (or singers or drummers) who want me to play exactly as the recorded version but they don't (or can't).

In my experience, the worst is those persons you mention, but who DO NOT REMEMBER THE SONG CORRECTLY. There is nothing worse IMO than being "directed" how to play something... WRONG.

This happened to me most often on the Byrds version of Turn, Turn, Turn and also on any version of Spirit in the Sky. Seems our guitar hero could not actually hear the recorded difference between a guitar and a bass. Kept insisting I (bass) play stuff that he (guitar hero) was supposed to be playing - if we kept strictly to the records.

;-)