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4 Important Rules for Jamming Etiquette
September 12, 2016
Jamming is one of the best ways to hang out with your fellow musicians. However, more often than not, it can turn into a scenario where everyone ends up doing their own thing and there’s no real cohesion. This usually ends up sounding like your average Guitar Center.. We don’t want to sound like Guitar Center. We want to sound like Macho Man Randy Savage himself graced our instruments from his throne in heaven.
To help you sound awesome in a jam session, we’ve come up with a few tips and tricks to help you and your friends have a fun and productive time!
1. Practice.
This may seem obvious to some, but if you’re a bit rusty, try practicing a little bit to tighten your playing before a jam session. Practicing or warming up before jamming can help you greatly, without you having to give the “hold on let me do it again” excuse. Additionally, make sure your gear is tuned correctly, or at least bring a tuner. Never count on your guitar to be perfectly in tune after playing for over an hour. It spoils a lot of fun when someone is out of tune and can’t properly play along. If you need help with getting better at your instrument, check out our “Shred Lessons” articles.
2. Bring your own instrument.
You may laugh, but it happens. A couple of my friends and I got together to jam a couple of weeks ago and things went pretty great until our supposed bassist got there. This bassist came entirely empty handed, hogged my friends guitar, and played poor Megadeth riffs for half an hour. This guy was a true example of a “Rule #2” bassist. Worst of all, he didn’t cover any of the studio fees. Always come prepared, don’t be like this guy. If you don’t have an instrument, check out our shop so you can stop breaking “Rule #2”.
3. Learn some covers. It can be a great deal of fun for everyone.
I recommend everyone agrees to learn a song or two to play together. This helps everyone understand each other better, you can get a much better feel for the musicians you’re with than if everyone just does their own thing. Alternatively, show off your original works! Writing a song? Have ideas? Show them to your friends. It’s always useful to get opinions from your fellow musicians, and they can always offer a few pointers or help you write! If you want to learn how to write better we have a great series of articles called “Wired Theory”.
4. Don’t be a show off.
Very importantly, don’t forget that jamming isn’t about seeing who’s the best. It’s not a competition, unless you and your friends make it one! Even then, it’s not about being the loudest guy in the room, asserting your dominance like a 14 year old who just learned his first sweep pattern last night and decided everyone at his local music store needs to hear it. Loudness and skill don’t go hand in hand, so don’t be the loudest guy in the room. It’s not fun when others around you can’t hear themselves. When this happens people are usually forced to listen to you. This is rude and will make people reluctant to play with you again. This issue is particularly bad for low-tuned, muddy guitars. Learn to make your low-tuned instruments sound more precise and clear. Check out our article, “5 Ways to Quickly Improve Low-Tuned Tone”.
There you have it. Follow these 4 rules and you’ll be sure not to turn your jam session into a Guitar Center!
Jam Session Etiquette - Unwritten Rules
If you're an enthusiastic guitar player and you like playing with other musicians, you've probably played on jam sessions or have visited them. Playing in a jam session can be a great way to meet fellow musicians, get more stage experience, make yourself heard, learn how to play different kinds of music, and have tons of fun! Maybe you'll even meet your future band members there...
There's a few things to know when you start out going to these jam sessions with the plan to play onstage. Although most jams look quite informal, there's a few unwritten rules, a kind of jam etiquette which ensures that:
a) things go smoothly;
b) every player gets to shine;
c) the audience is entertained;
d) the music becomes something greater than the sum of its musicians and their egos;
e) due respect is given and no-one is insulted or offended;
f) everyone has fun and walks out at the end of the night feeling good.
So, what are these unwritten rules of the jam session? Which things do you need to know if you want to visit these sessions and play in the jam?
The level of the jam
When you walk into a new bar or club or any session situation you're unfamiliar with, check it out for a while. It'll be clear very soon if this is your night to jam.
Every jam venue or even every typical jam night at a given day of the week has it's own level at which the majority of the jamming players can function. There are amateur sessions where any level and any instrument will go, but there are also jam sessions where even seasoned pros are hesitant to step on stage because of the perceived 'required' level of musicianship.
You could still play in the jam while you think you're below level, but it might turn out feeling uncomfortable. If on the other hand the jam's level seems far below your own abilities, you could jump in, but don't try to steal the show, know your place!
The state you're in
Once you go onstage, you'll be visible and audible to most of the audience and the musicians. If you're feeling slightly too drunk, depressed, stoned, or otherwise to really make music, don't! Making a fool out of yourself can hurt your (social and/or professional) reputation.
There are always older pros who can play the roof off the house while being completely wasted, but leave it to them. That also takes experience to be able to do.
The session leader
Every jam session has a session leader. Most often it's one of the musicians that started the night with a little concert. If you can't determine who it is, ask around. When you've spotted the session leader and when he/she is OFF STAGE, ask if you can join in for the jam. Sometimes they'll ask you which instrument you play and if you know what's expected. Don't feel intimidated by that! It's just their responsibility towards the club owner to avoid unpleasant or embarrasing situations.
The session leader will probably tell you when to go onstage or how long you'll have to wait.
When to go on stage
The right moment for going onstage varies from session to session. On some sessions people jump on and off stage in the middle of songs, where in a different, high-profile jam session that would be considered a deadly sin. You'll see this soon enough. If you play guitar, ask the player if they're doing another song or not and if you can use the amp/cable/fx etc. NEVER tell them to move or go off, especially if you don't know who you're talking to.
Introducing yourself
The first thing (before plugging in/tuning up/setting up) to do is to briefly introduce yourself to the players on stage. This will make for a more pleasant and relaxed vibe. I've seen players, unknown to the other musicians, jump on in the middle of a song, play a 6-minute solo and go off again. Not cool.
The tune
Usually, deciding the tune is something done democratically. Someone calls a song and the other may or may not know how to play it. Ideally, the jam players settle on a tune that everyone knows.
Depending on the session and your own experience (and the size of your ears), you might decide to play along with a tune you don't know. But ask the other musicians how hard it is first. If not sure, don't do it.
Tune your instrument
Really. Do it.
Volume
Make sure that whatever you play is in balance with the rest of the band. Guitar players are known for playing too loud. Know your place, listen to the drummer and how loud he/she plays at every moment. The only moment where you should have decent, guitar-legend-style volume available, is on loud blues, rock or funk sessions, when you take a solo.
Solo length
One of the most annoying mistakes made by musicians in jam sessions is to take too long solos. If your solo doesn't really fly, end it, there will be another tune. There will be another session. You'll be respected by the other musicians for staying modest in your role on stage (musicianship!), much more so than for your instrumental abilities. Sometimes however, you might be playing a solo that comes directly from the cosmic soul or the center of the earth... In that special case, KEEP PLAYING until the rhythm section starts playing softer!
Listen
Listen to what the other musicians are playing/singing at all times. This allows for REAL MUSIC to happen.
Communication and cues
When jamming, constantly look at other players, their eyes and their body language. There is so much, musically, that you can make happen this way. Breaks, modulations (sometimes yelled and the end of a song section), solos, vamps, all these things are only possible when the players make eye contact regularly.
Comping
Most of the time, on the guitar, you're either playing a melody, accompanying chords, fills or a solo. BUT, if there is another chord instrument, it's cool to just lay out for a while and let them do the comping. Too many guitar players just play the whole time, without evaluating whether of not they should be playing at all during the various sections of the song!
Singers
If a singer joins in, this generally pulls in the attention of the audience. Take shorter solos and let the singer shine! Don't play too loud, singers need to hear their own voice in order to sing in tune. A good singer will also give the band subtle cues or signs through his/her body language.
Your playing: No worries
It's easy to focus too much on your own playing during and after you're done jamming. But don't worry!! A jam session is also a place to make mistakes, mess up the chords or the form, play with a not-so-good guitar sound, and the like. It happens to everyone and it's no big deal!
There are famous stories about people like Charlie Parker being laughed off stage or messing up.
The main reasons to play in jam sessions should be:
- You play in a jam session to HAVE fun, so relax and don't expect too much from yourself.
- You play in a jam session to GAIN EXPERIENCE, negative or positive.
After playing 10-20 jam sessions you will have learned more about music, about communication and about yourself, than you could have learned by playing 20 normal gigs with your own band, or practising for a whole year at home!
Respect your fellow musician
Most of the etiquette on jam sessions comes down to having a certain amount of respect for the abilities, but more importantly, for the FEELINGS of the other people involved in the session. Keep in mind that they might feel just as happy/unhappy/scared/hyped/out-of-place or whatever as you do.
Also try to show musicians respect even if they act bossy.
If a somewhat arrogant jam player who doesn't know you, thinks you're a newbie, and starts giving you commands, while you have already played in more than a few sessions (eg. you've 'payed your dues'), stay polite and let them live, this time... Muahahaahaaa!
Audience
Another thing to realize is that even a jam session serves not only the musicians playing, but also the audience (musician or non-musician) present. This means it's a good idea to also make eye-contact with the audience. And when you're having fun, show everyone that you are! Smile, do a little dance, whatever.
It's nice if there is something entertaining/funny/intriguing going on onstage, visually. Live music is part music, part visual performance/entertainment, at least from an audience point of view.
That's it. I think this sums up the most important unwritten jam sessions rules or etiquette. Have fun!