Jam survival books

[Charlie Nugent]

Hi all,

I'm a beginner and I just wanted to review a book that really help me whem I'm jammimg. The jam survival e-book from Brad Laird is a great ressource. It contains 100 song and the display is really easy to follow. I like that when they call a song I don't know I just go at the right page and I'm able right away to follow. I am not related and have no financial interested I just wanted to share that this book is great for beginner that want to go jam but didn't have a big repertoire yet. Also, Brad make podcast call Grass talk that's really nice and is website have free information for beginner. I don't know if he is a member here but is great work really help me and I wanted to share this information for other beginner.

I also use the parking lot book that contain lyrics and melody that is a great to complementary the jam survival book. But I like to know if you can point me out other books that could be of good use for a beginner that begin to jam with others.

Good pickin to everyone!

[dhergert]

It's worth mentioning that there are many kinds of jams.

Jazz, folk, and rock jams all are very comfortable with music stands and written musical information being read while trying to play.

Bluegrass jams are typically not good places for music stands and trying to read while playing -- there is too much player interaction that is missed.

[Charlie Nugent]

Maybe I didn't express good. English not my first language. I just go at the song check it out for the progression and then I'm ok to go. I don't use a stand and don't read it during we play. It just help to have an idea before the song begin and it take 15 second to do. Also this book just list the chord and beat and didn't have any notation that what make it great. Just the essential to be able to jam.

[JeffD]

Many established jams have a tune list and sometimes even full tune tunes written out, available on their website. I would check there first.

Many swear by the offerings on The Session, thesession.org.

In many jams the Portland Collection, in three volumes, is followed quite closely.

Hope that helps.

[farmerjones]

I believe the Portland Collection is for Old Time(y) jams. (Not that there's anything wrong with Old Time)

These links are for Bluegrass:

https://www.drbanjo.com/new-jammers.php

https://twochordsongs.com/

[Beanzy]

Here’s the link to the Pegram Jam chord book
http://www.pegramjam.com/chord_charts.html

[EdHanrahan]

... Bluegrass jams are typically not good places for music stands ... too much player interaction ...

Particularly, regardless of your own instrument, "reading" the chords from the guitar player's fretting hand. Music stands tend to block the view!

[Mark Gunter]

It's worth mentioning that there are many kinds of jams.
...
Bluegrass jams are typically not good places for music stands and trying to read while playing -- there is too much player interaction that is missed.

And yet, in keeping with your first sentiment, there are many kinds of bluegrass jams. Of course this just stands to reason. I have to assume that in some bluegrass jams, music stands may be allowed and fully accepted in the group. There are really only two specifically bluegrass jams that I've attended with any regularity, and both have a few folk who are regulars who use music stands. I think this is probably due to people who can't assimilate lyrics so as to commit them to memory. The regulars who do this tend not to be "hot pickers" but rather guitar strummers who sing.

At any rate, just wanted to state that although I do not use music stands and sing hundreds of songs, I have attended bluegrass jams where it is the norm for a few participants to use music stands. I wouldn't rush to judge people who do, especially if the jam group is fine with it.

[dhergert]

Granted, I also have attended some bluegrass jams where there are music stands and readers... These are extremely friendly jams where every level of player is welcomed, and I'm glad these jams exist.

That said though, I'd never expect to see this in an intermediate+ to expert level bluegrass jam, because again there is just too much player interaction required to have an active jammer reading things. When you're reading, or even watching your hands and fingers too much, you're missing important but very subtle jam related cues and in a tight jam that causes the jam's form to break up.

So I like to encourage beginning bluegrass jammers to start the right way. If they ever want to be comfortable playing with the best players in the higher level jams, they'll need to learn to observe all of those subtle cues in a jam, which means spending time at home with all those great books and written materials instead of bringing them to a jam.

[JeffD]

I believe the Portland Collection is for Old Time(y) jams. (Not that there's anything wrong with Old Time)

I could not tell what kind of jam the op was interested in.

[Mark Gunter]

I could not tell what kind of jam the op was interested in.

Understandable ... the clue was in the book he mentioned by B. Laird.