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Thread: Discouraging Jam Session

  1. #1

    Default Discouraging Jam Session

    Hey Folks,

    I would describe myself as being on the cusp of being an intermediate player-I know a fair number of tunes, have a decent ear, and can take breaks that are mostly just bouncing around a core melody.

    I went to an open jam session the other night with some real experienced pickers, all of whom were incredibly nice and supportive. However, I was pretty intimidated, and hung back maybe more than I should have.

    Has anyone had an experience like this? How did you overcome it?

  2. #2

    Default Re: Discouraging Jam Session

    Just keep going, I kick myself on occasion for not joining in at jam sessions, mostly just being timid because I'm fumbling around with the melody or guessing the chords. I'm not that way when I know the tune so I'm just working on knowing more tunes and getting better at jumping in on unfamiliar ones.

    If it's because you're intimidated then you'll just have to work on getting thru that somehow. They sound supportive so I would just keep going until you get comfortable with them. Most experienced players I come accross are very supportive of beginners and want them to succeed amd have fun.

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    Default Re: Discouraging Jam Session

    Quote Originally Posted by blongnl View Post
    ... all of whom were incredibly nice and supportive. However, I was pretty intimidated, and hung back ...
    Uhmm... You probably hung back just the right, and expected, amount!

    Most of us were equally intimidated at your stage of the game, and that's about the way things work. Those folks are supportive because they remember their early experience.

    Many sessions tend to repeat at least some of the tunes from the last time, so a big help (for me!) is to note the songs played (and their keys), and get into some of them before the next session; Youtube can be very useful here. If you get familiar with even just two or three of them, others will start to fall in line.

    Heck, even after decades on guitar & occasional rock bands, my first jam session on mandolin felt a whole lot like yours!
    - Ed

    "Then one day we weren't as young as before
    Our mistakes weren't quite so easy to undo
    But by all those roads, my friend, we've travelled down
    I'm a better man for just the knowin' of you."
    - Ian Tyson

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    Default Re: Discouraging Jam Session

    I have seen just the other way around at many jams where the inexperienced player tried to jump in a show that he was an "all star" when he wasn`t, staying in the back until you feel comfortable is the correct thing to do, one of the jammers will hear what you are doing and when he/she thinks you are doing a good enough job will ask you pick a tune or sing one that you know real well and then the ice will be broken..

    It can be a lot of fun jamming but also can be a PITA at times...Play it by ear....

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    Registered User sunburst's Avatar
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    Default Re: Discouraging Jam Session

    Quote Originally Posted by blongnl View Post
    I went to an open jam session the other night with some real experienced pickers, all of whom were incredibly nice and supportive.
    I'm not sure what your expectations were, but I can't imagine that situation being discouraging.
    When we start to learn and we get a few tunes down, we can play them alone at home with no problems, we often mistakenly assume we can play those tunes with other people. Usually, we can't; at least no up to our expectations. Keep jamming with others. You are lucky to have found nice and supportive people to jam with. That can really help when we are learning.

    The usual progression is something like this:

    We pick up an instrument and we can't do anything with it.
    We start to learn a few simple tunes, playing slowly.
    We start to learn some more complicated tunes and our speed increases.
    We start to feel comfortable with a handful of tunes, can play up to tempo, use some dynamics, start to make music.
    We gain enough confidence to feel like we can start to play with others. We try playing with others and our confidence takes a serious hit because we can't seem to play the tunes we know!
    We keep jamming with others and we start to get the hang of it.
    We start to be able to ad lib and improvise at jam sessions.
    We become aware of and begin to play back up, and to support other musicians in jams.
    We become an important part of jam sessions.
    We joint a band.
    We lead a band.
    We start to make our own music in our own way.
    We run off to Nashville and become a highly paid performer or studio musician, buy a Loar or two, become the host of a radio show, etc.. (Or we hit the road until we nearly starve to death...)

    Most of us stop somewhere in the middle of all that, and I would guess you have just gotten to step 5 above. You can go as far down that list as you want to, with enough effort. Just keep at it.

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  9. #6
    formerly Philphool Phil Goodson's Avatar
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    Default Re: Discouraging Jam Session

    Blongnl,

    John, as usual, has laid it out accurately above. I've been jamming with others on mando for almost a decade (not a long time compared to a lot of those I jam with) and I pretty consistently mess up a new break (unless it's pretty simple) the first 2 or 3 times I try it in public. So I just expect it and expect my brain to settle in by the 4th time I do it in public. Just a part of the way it goes. (You learn recovery techniques that way )

    If there's one suggestion (major breakthrough for me at the time) I'd have for folks starting to jam with others, it would be to start thinking of the chord progressions in terms of scale note numbering (Nashville number system or similar). If you can hear a new song that you don't know and quickly notice that it goes 1415 or 1451 or 1425, etc. you'll start to see immediate patterns that make life so much easier. Maybe you do that already; if so, good for you!

    Just take your time fitting in and keep having fun. That's what will matter to you in the end.
    Phil

    “Sharps/Flats” “Accidentals”

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    Default Re: Discouraging Jam Session

    Being the least experienced picker at a jam is being at the jam where you will learn the most. Hang in there..... R/
    I love hanging out with mandolin nerds . . . . . Thanks peeps ...

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  13. #8
    Registered User SincereCorgi's Avatar
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    Default Re: Discouraging Jam Session

    Quote Originally Posted by UsuallyPickin View Post
    Being the least experienced picker at a jam is being at the jam where you will learn the most. Hang in there..... R/
    Glad somebody said this- you always want to be the worst player present. If you've got any kind of work ethic and self-conscious streak (the main ingredients in a good musician...) you'll drag yourself up to their level. I don't think there's a magic bullet for this, just keep showing up and accept that some nights will go better than others. One thing I would recommend, though, is getting a few common singing songs ready to go (all words memorized, comfortable key, a kick-off and a tag), as it makes the jam run smoothly and people will have good feelings about you.

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    Default Re: Discouraging Jam Session

    Bigskygirl got it spot on - 'Just keep going'. Look at & learn what the other pickers are doing & try it out for yourself at home. Don't be scared of asking questions even if they do sound a bit 'dumb' . If you don't ask you'll never know & that's the dumb bit !. If it's a regular 'jam' with the same people,then they'll have a few 'go to' tunes,learn one of those & be prepared to take a solo break when you think you're able to.
    I have to say that for me,going back 50 years,Bluegrass was pretty new over here & all the pickers where pretty much the same level,so there was no ' i'm better than you ' scenarios going on,we were all as good/bad as each other. But the best part was,we passed our own newly learned bits around so everybody learned from each other. It was terrific, sitting around swapping our new stuff,especially if somebody had some new records with new tunes we'd not heard before.
    One of the main things to consider,is that all the other pickers have been right where you are at the moment. As i mentioned, ask questions about anything & everything that you think will help you,& try them out,
    Ivan
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    Registered Muser dang's Avatar
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    Default Re: Discouraging Jam Session

    Quote Originally Posted by sunburst View Post
    The usual progression is something like this:

    We pick up an instrument and we can't do anything with it.
    We start to learn a few simple tunes, playing slowly.
    We start to learn some more complicated tunes and our speed increases.
    We start to feel comfortable with a handful of tunes, can play up to tempo, use some dynamics, start to make music.
    We gain enough confidence to feel like we can start to play with others. We try playing with others and our confidence takes a serious hit because we can't seem to play the tunes we know!
    We keep jamming with others and we start to get the hang of it.
    We start to be able to ad lib and improvise at jam sessions.
    We become aware of and begin to play back up, and to support other musicians in jams.
    We become an important part of jam sessions.
    We joint a band.
    We lead a band.
    We start to make our own music in our own way.
    We run off to Nashville and become a highly paid performer or studio musician, buy a Loar or two, become the host of a radio show, etc.. (Or we hit the road until we nearly starve to death...)

    Most of us stop somewhere in the middle of all that...
    Yeah, a joint really does stop the band from going anywhere!
    I should be pickin' rather than postin'

  17. #11

    Default Re: Discouraging Jam Session

    Quote Originally Posted by blongnl View Post
    Hey Folks,

    I would describe myself as being on the cusp of being an intermediate player-I know a fair number of tunes, have a decent ear, and can take breaks that are mostly just bouncing around a core melody.

    I went to an open jam session the other night with some real experienced pickers, all of whom were incredibly nice and supportive. However, I was pretty intimidated, and hung back maybe more than I should have.

    Has anyone had an experience like this? How did you overcome it?
    Did you at least get a turn to call out a tune and kick one off?
    That's like being able to stretch a little. Be ready for that.
    Like what's been said: keep at it.

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    Default Re: Discouraging Jam Session

    It's the best motivation for working harder. You'll know when it's time to lean in.

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  20. #13

    Default Re: Discouraging Jam Session

    perseverance
    lightness of heart

    there will always be someone better and someone worse
    you fit somewhere in between, like the rest of us
    you have unique things to offer, like a sense of humor, clever tunes, etc
    I have met a few wizards that were in their own world, better players, but not much fun otherwise

    just like a new acquaintance, you say hi, second time ditto, third, you're friends, next time your invited for dinner

    and

    just have fun, don't measure yourself, have fun, bring energy and sing a few tunes.
    be a humble sponge for knowledge too.


    fun and carefree : it lightens your mental state, and will allow you to follow and innovate on the fly, and smile when you mess up.

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  22. #14
    Registered User Pete Martin's Avatar
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    Default Re: Discouraging Jam Session

    Quote Originally Posted by bigskygirl View Post
    Just keep going
    Can't say it any better than this. This is how we all learn.

    Nobody started out on top of the mountain. You don't have to play on everything, but the stuff you feel comfortable with, get in and play!!

    I tell students to record the jams they go to, and also write down what is played and the key it is in. When you start seeing certain pieces called in your area a lot, that is what to learn next! Learn what the players around you play, then go play it with them.
    -----------
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    Default Re: Discouraging Jam Session

    Quote Originally Posted by sunburst View Post

    The usual progression is something like this:

    We pick up an instrument and we can't do anything with it.
    We start to learn a few simple tunes, playing slowly.
    We start to learn some more complicated tunes and our speed increases.
    We start to feel comfortable with a handful of tunes, can play up to tempo, use some dynamics, start to make music.
    We gain enough confidence to feel like we can start to play with others. We try playing with others and our confidence takes a serious hit because we can't seem to play the tunes we know!
    We keep jamming with others and we start to get the hang of it.
    We start to be able to ad lib and improvise at jam sessions.
    We become aware of and begin to play back up, and to support other musicians in jams.
    ...
    and we become fun to play with at a jam, regardless of how good anyone is and regardless how much better they might be than us.
    A talent for trivializin' the momentous and complicatin' the obvious.

    The entire staff
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  24. #16
    Mando accumulator allenhopkins's Avatar
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    Default Re: Discouraging Jam Session

    Play, Don't Worry.
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  25. #17

    Default Re: Discouraging Jam Session

    Quote Originally Posted by JeffD View Post
    and we become fun to play with at a jam, regardless of how good anyone is and regardless how much better they might be than us.
    Exactly... and, I think this is also true from the other side of the coin. If you find yourself in the position of being one of the more accomplished pickers at a jam, it is equally important (or maybe more important) to lay back and be a PART of the group, supporting all the members' work. (Not that I find myself in this position very often, but what I am getting at is that a jam is most fun, at least for me, when the "group result" is the goal).

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