JAMMING TIPS

NOTE: Instead of reproducing what others have written regarding this subject, provided below are links to articles on Jamming and Jamming Etiquette. Enjoy!

Bluegrass Jamming Pointers, Clues and Guidelines
Playing Bluegrass tunes with others works better if the unspoken ground rules are known.

An Introduction to Bluegrass Jamming.
By Tom Barnwell

Notes on Jamming from SWFBA-L.
From Herb Washburn

The Instruments
Basic Bluegrass instruments include guitar, banjo, mandolin, bass, fiddle and dobro. Tolerated instruments include the harmonica and electric bass. Instruments not usually tolerated are electric guitars (et.al), pianos, autoharps, dulcimers, spoons, accordians and drums.

The TEN JAMMANDMENTS
(from Robert Rosenberg/Charlie Hall):
1. THOU SHALT TUNE THY INSTRUMENT:
- There are too many good, cheap electronic tuners around not to do this.

2. THOU SHALT LISTEN:
- If you can't hear the vocal or lead instrument, the YOU are too loud. Be sensitive to volume levels.

3. THOU SHALT COMMUNICATE WHO HAS THE SOLO:
- When handing off an instrumental break on, say, a fiddle tune, follow a pattern (like clockwise around a circle) so the next lead player knows it is his/her turn.
- If the lead player or vocalist passes the break, he/she can indicate with a shake of their head or call out to the next picker.

4. THOU SHALT WELCOME OTHERS:
- Open the circle if other players wish to join. Jam sessions cannot be too large if everyone is polite.
- Old Time music is more interesting when there are many players playing simultaneously.

5. THOU SHALT SHARE THE SELECTION:
- Open the choice of songs to individuals around the circle. Don't monopolize the jam by playing one song after another. An instrumentalist can suggest a vocalist do a song.

6. THOU SHALT TRY NEW STUFF:
- Once in a while, a participant in a jam may suggest an original or out-of-the-ordinary tune. This is OK.

7. THOU SHALT LET OTHERS KNOW WHEN YOU'RE NOT JAMMING:
- Sometimes bands may be warming up or rehearsing for a show and may need to exclude others. This is OK.

8. THOU SHALT NOT RAID:
- Don't interrupt an active jam by calling favorite musicians away to join another jam.

9. THOU SHALT KEEP STEADY RHYTHM:
- Errors in rhythm are the most difficult to overcome while keeping a group together.

10. THOU SHALT NOT SPEED:
- Keep the tempo. Don't start too fast or speed up durning the song.

DON'T BE A JAM BUSTER!