Singaround, jam, song circle or session???

Subject: Singaround, jam, song circle, session or what?
From: The Shambles
Date: 08 Jul 99 - 03:26 PM

What's in a word?

Part of the problem and bad feelings about, 'how many rhythm instruments should play at the same time' comes from the confusion about the difference between the concept of a 'jam' and an (Irish) session.

In a conventional 'jam' it is expected that improvisation and harmony will happen, in fact that is pretty much the entire point, where as in an instrumental session it is not really expected or generally welcomed. It is not really a 'jam' as it is necessary to keep to the structure and know the tunes being played.

The problem comes when from players used to conventional 'jams' attend these mainly instrumental sessions and quite naturally play the same way and vice versa with session players, to some extent.

I think the more crossover there is (and this does appear to be increasing) the less of a problem it will become in the future.

I know some people here do not like it but I have never found it a problem HOW MANY bodhrans or guitars are being played, only HOW they are being played...... No more than it worries me how many fiddles or boxes there are, the more the merrier.

The fact is that in an instrumental session, the main reason melody players don't play together all night, (apart from exhaustion) is that they don't know all the tunes/sets and can't play, not that they are necessarily showing the consideration that they may expect from others.

If you go to a session to play, is not unreasonable to expect to do so, is it?

Subject: RE: Singaround, jam, song circle or session???
From: CarlZen
Date: 08 Jul 99 - 03:40 PM

Sometimes a "session" or "jam" or whatever can be a wonderful way to experience anarchy. I don't mean this as a negative connotation at all. When I find myself getting frustrated at a jam I like to step back and take in the whole picture. If it seems that most all the musicians are truly enjoying the process of making music, and not getting hung up on what each individual expects to happen, I can go back in and appreciate the process that is occurring.

Subject: RE: Singaround, jam, song circle or session???
From: Bill D
Date: 08 Jul 99 - 08:05 PM

being old enough to remember going to 'hootenannies', I can appreciate the differences cited! A 'hoot' was a gathering where lots of people made music, but there were no 'rules' about taking turns, etc. The regulars/experts led, and others learned and filled in...usually in a friendly mixture...at a singaround, or 'open' sing, everyone got a turn, in order. Both events have their place, and I will happily attend either...but they are not the same, and it is well to make clear when there are new folk on the scene!

Subject: RE: Singaround, jam, song circle or session???
From: cliffg
Date: 08 Jul 99 - 08:19 PM

I'd like to pass this along, in regards to jamming. I aquired a copy at a jam that I attended here in Arizona. I host a Jam at Halls House of music, in Peoria, Arizona. Each Wed. evening. If you are in the area come on by and join us. From 6:30 PM to 9:00 PM. We have anywhere from 15 to 30 Acoustical instruments each night and do not have any problems. We all play together. cliffg JAM ETIQUETTE

THE TEN JAMMANDMENTS By Charlie Hall and Robert Rosenburg

THOU SHALT TUNE THY INSTRUMENT There are too many good cheap tuners around not to do this.

THOU SHALT LISTEN If you can't hear the lead instrument or vocalist, Then consider yourself too loud.

THOU SHALT PASS When handing off an instrumental solo, try to follow a pattern either clockwise or counter clockwise. If you want to skip the next solo or pass it on to the next picker, be sure that the next person is aware of the handoff. No one wants to start his or her solo in the middle of the song.

THOU SHALT WELCOME OTHERS Open up the circle if others want to join. The jam can't be too big if people are polite.

THOU SHALT SHARE IN THE SELECTION Open the choice of songs to the pickers around the circle. Don't monopolize the jam.

THOU SHALT TRY NEW STUFF Once in a while a participant may suggest original material or one that is out of character with the jam. This is A-OK (refer to Jammandinents #2 and #4)

THOU SHALT LET OTHERS KNOW WHEN YOU ARE NOT JAMMING Bands may sometimes be rehearsing and may need to exclude non-band members from jamming. If so, an explanation would be nice for the would be jammers.

THOU SHALT NOT RAID Don't interrupt an active jam by calling musicians away to begin another jam. (Bob's note: Also don't raid and take over a jam, by having your full band suddenly decide to sit in on a jam and end up playing all your own songs.)

THOU SHALT KEEPTH THY RHYTHM STEADYTH Errors in rhythm are most difficult to overcome. Avoid adding or dropping beats. Play quietly if you can't keep up and pay attention (refer to Jammandment #2),

THOU SHALT NOT SPEED Do not start a song too fast for the others to play. Once everyone has had a turn at the lead, then one may announce that the tempo is about to increase.

By Bob Hall Greetings fellow musicians. This month I thought I'd talk a little bit about jamming etiquette. Some musicians may not realize there is such as thing, but this is an important part of our trade. I can still remember when I first started picking, and how difficult it was to get into a jam. But once I got into a couple, I realized just how much better it made my playing. I played better rhythm, listened to different licks on different instruments, learned lots of new songs, including lots of instrumentals I had always liked but never knew the names of, and made lots of new friends along the way. Anyway, I'm coaching a lot of new pickers these days and I encourage them to go to festivals and do as much "parking lot or campground" picking as possible. In this way their musicianship will greatly improve at an accelerated pace and they will grow to love and cherish acoustic music at the same time. There do seem to be some problems out there in the jamming circles - more with the seasoned musicians than with the newcomers. Some say the worst enemy of the up and coming pickers are some of the veteran musicians who have forgotten their roots. It's hard to believe since we've all been there and experienced the frustrations of first getting into a good jam, then, knowing what to do once we've arrived. Well thanks to a couple of astute, seasoned Colorado pickers, Charlie Hall and Robert Rosenburg, I would like to share with you the Ten Jammandments. Charlie and Robert are pickin' pals of mine who are great to jam with. I was unaware of the Ten Jammandments they had developed, but they were passed to me by none other than three time National Flatpicking Champion Steve Kaufman at a flatpicking workshop last September in Kansas. I think they are very appropriate and will further the cause and celebration of acoustic music. Nowadays, rather than being intimidated by really hot pickers, I actually seek them out because I know jamming with them will make me a better player. I will have opportunities to not only pick my instrument, but to also pick their brains after hearing a particularly tasty lick. There are certain accomplished pickers who always seem to welcome others and me into their jams, even though we are well below their levels. Recently, I was playing with some of these folks when we noticed two would-be jammers standing in the shadows just beyond the reach of the campfire's glow. One of them had a guitar and the other was in the darkness but did appear to have an instrument of some kind. The mandolin player next to me warmly invited them in to the jamming circle saying something about how we wouldn't bite. They kindly declined and said they were happy just listening. It turned out the person in the darkness was a bagpipe player, and due to her instruments limitations could only play in Bb or Eb! She was very gracious in declining the jam invitation. But I was pretty amazed at my friend the mandolin player, inviting even a bagpipe player to jam! Later that evening, I was in another jam with some rookie jammers and saw someone standing in the shadows. Having been inspired by the bagpipe incident, I invited them to join our jam. Well, that person turned out to be one of the somewhat famous festival performers who said they had been wandering about the campgrounds for a couple of hours looking for someone to play with but couldn't figure how to "break into a jam!" We ate, we drank, we picked until the sun came up!!

Subject: RE: Singaround, jam, song circle or session???
From: The Shambles
Date: 09 Jul 99 - 05:36 PM

This was fun, especially the first posting The Dangers Of Sessions

Subject: RE: Singaround, jam, song circle or session???
From: WyoWoman
Date: 09 Jul 99 - 08:20 PM

I wish I'd known the Jammandments when I first jumped back into music a couple of years ago. I did a couple of really stupid things, not knowing the etiquette. It's a problem, sometimes, being a singer amid all youse instrumentalists. I have a friend who is also a singer and has started a couple of song circles that pretty much exclude instruments just because she's been so frustrated with having her songs stepped on and completely obscured by too-loud, too-enthusiastic instruments. I really like the jamming, the busier the better sometimes, but when I have a song I really want to sing, it wears my voice out to try and be heard among all the guitars and fiddles that sometimes seem to be mostly competing to see who can play the fastest and the loudest. I love *making music*, and that usually involves watching each other and listening to what the other person is doing.

But I've often wondered how, without squelching anyone else's music-making, I can let the instruments know I'd like to sing this one without being drowned out -- but WITH accompaniment. Suggestions? KC

Subject: RE: Singaround, jam, song circle or session???
From: Howard
Date: 10 Jul 99 - 02:03 AM

Take it from an average bluegrass picker that a jerk can ruin a good jam session. Just be polite and enjoy playing with others without trying to demonstrate that you're an undiscovered star. If you don't know the song too well just play real soft and wait. If someone elsae beat you to the tenor, try the baratone. Be friendly. Let other people worry about who the star is.

Subject: RE: Singaround, jam, song circle or session???
From: CarlZen
Date: 10 Jul 99 - 02:33 AM

cliffg;

Did you get that from Bob Hall? Do you know Bob Hall? I remember when he used to come to the Live Oak Festival and we would jam with Bob and his friends. Those were some of the warmest jam sessions I've been to. Especially memorable was one late night when we were joined by the young cellist who plays with the Transylvania Mountain Boys. If you know and or see Bob, please let him know that we've missed his presence at Live Oak, and maybe he'll get up to Millpond this September.

While I'm here and on this thread;

Any and all are invited to join our jam in Lompoc, CA (famous as the setting of W.C. Field's "The Bank Dick" >"Ahh, yes, Lom-pock"and a little tweak on the cigar<)

We meet on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month from 7pm til closing (10pm). The location is the South Side Coffee Company, located at 107 South H Street in the center of the old part of town, a block from the building which housed the bank which W.C. "protected".

At our jams we have lots of pitfalls, but we try to be friendly and open. There is a tendency to lean towards the bluegrass end of the spectrum, but we're real flexible and open. I personally like the jams when new people show up and we get to try different songs and styles.