Re: Go To Jams Now!
I grew up in Gospel music in the 1970's. Back then there were dozens of little local groups who went around every weekend to churches. If a kid of one of the group members showed an interest in playing, they'd teach them a few chords and put them on stage every weekend. It didn't take long to lose the stage fright and learn to improvise. Some of the best training I ever got, and stuff they don't teach in college. Jams can do about the same thing for other styles of music. Just swallow the lump in your throat, play the chords you know, and keep going/learning. There's no better training anywhere.
My wife, who did not have the same background I did, has dusted off her guitar and taken up the fiddle. We wrote a few original pieces, learned a few covers, and started going to jams, open mics, and even playing a few gigs. It has been the joy of my life to watch her go through the same learning process I did as a youngster and blossom as a musician. She went from sheer terror to wanting to take an instrument everywhere we go! (I may have created a monster...)
-- Johnson MA-100 Mando
-- Eastman MDO-305 OM
-- 3 Seagull Merlin dulcimers (2GDG, 1DAD)
-- 1952 Harmony Roy Smeck guitar
-- Ortega Lizzie Ubass
-- Leigh Campbell electric violin
-- Pfretzschner violin
-- Glaesel viola
-- Ibanez acoustic/electric guitar
-- Misc: a cello, 2 cigarbox guitars, charango, djembe, slide dulcimer.
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