Hi Guys,
Just wondering how many people from this site had been able to hook up with others for a local jam session?
Not ever jamming with others outside an organised event how did you start?
Thoughts advice welcome
Hi Amanda, yes I have recently been getting out and about.
I had a look on Facebook for local open mic events. I don’t have a Facebook account myself but they were relatively easy to find.
I found that the bigger events were easier to find online so….
If you find any local open mics, just pop along for an evening. Don’t take any instruments just go for an hour or so and check it out. This is how it went for me…
I found an event in a local town centre pub. Turned up, took a seat, politely clapped at the performances and tried to work out who was running things.
At the end of the night I introduced myself to the host, I told him I felt a bit intimidated by the quality of the other performers and the thought of performing in such a busy venue. As luck had it he said he also ran an event in a quieter pub on another evening….
So glad I took the leap. The community open mic’s certainly helped overcome the nerves on my first night, but like anything, a few times in and I love it.
Yeah, so my advice is just try and find any sort of open mic or jam session locally, even if it’s just to connect to people who may be able to point you in the right direction.
If you can’t find any of those, maybe pop along next time someone local is performing and see if you can tap them for info. I was surprised to find so much going on locally.
(When I say local, I still have to travel a couple of towns over).
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Initially I started jamming with others after joining a local acoustic music club. The club holds jams weekly and they are a great experience. I learned heaps about my own and others musicality through the jams and a bonding experience as well.
Attending folk / roots / bluegrass type of festivals has also given me lots of jams. I’ve more recently learned that experience varies from town to town, the festivals near where we live have extensive campground jamming before, during and after the festival. We traveled to a large festival some distance (several states) away and were amazed that only one other campsite had a jam happening, where as in the ones we go to when walking around the campsites invariably every 4th of 5th campsite has someone either practicing or jamming with others.
Separate to the jam sessions are open mics, many festivals have them, here lots of pubs and even some cafes have them, and through social media there are virtual open mics.
We’ve also created our own jams, used to have a “Tuesday Toe Jam” session at my house. Friends have started facebook groups for jams in their communities. My wife and I started a jamming / camping weekend twice a year. We initially invited 25 friends, many of them musicians, to a nearby campground and spent the whole weekend with music and frivolity. Next time, six months later we did it again with 35, then 45, finally we booked the whole campground (75) and the cost was shared around everyone.
When I got on the committee of the music club, the club suggested making it a club event and it’s now pretty close to 10 years that those camping and jamming weekends have been happening. Each one is different and heaps of fun.
Hope you can find or make your own jams happen.
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Not me. Mind you I’ve not looked 
I haven’t tried yet (other than helping my girlfriend learn to play…which has helped my playing as well).
But I know it’s something that will really help me progress…so probably in the new year.
Here’s Justin’s video, for anyone who hasn’t already seen it.
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I have looked. There are others around my area that i know of. Haven’t run into them yet as we only touched base once so far. But touchimg base again in new year, all on board if we can manage er. So yeah, put a word out and you may be surprised what you can find! Also found out there are others around as well that get together and jam regularily. So not really hard to find others.
I myself am not looking for OM’s outside community right now. I just want to practice with others and get even more of a feel for playing in a band. I don’t mind a spot light once in awhile. The lime light…much less so. Not looking for that myself, just love playing and playing with others, especially if they are better than you! Helps loads!!! Trust you, me there!!! Lol
So yeah, just put feelers out there, many ways with todays technology!! Good luck! Like i always tell me boy, "When there is a will, there is a way!
Rock on! Socialble! And peace out!
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Thanks for sharing this again I had forgotten this was available.
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Thanks all for sharing this information its been really interesting and helpful I will take your advice its my goal for next year to find somebody and make this happen hopeful I will be able to post some good news. 
Jamming with other players and singers is one of the joys of learning to play guitar. The sooner you do it the better off you will be.
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You are so right I did this once via a group that you needed to pay for and had such a buzz.
At the end this I was so fired up to do it more alas the cost and distance has meant I could not continue.
What a legend Tony, that sounds amazing.
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Hi All, Just a quick update got contacted totally out the blue from anther of Justin community players who lives very close to me and we have meet up once and enjoyed it we are both keen to learn from each other and to help and motivate each other to improve so looking forward to 2023.
Thanks to all that responded and for your words of encouragement.
A
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Hi Amanda, that’s amazing 
. Lucky you - enjoy your jam sessions 
.
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Not me.
Thanks very much
Never say never it was 6 months after I originally posted so it can happen when you least expect it
Yet to see anyone rock up here from my area of Normandie (Manche). Here or on the old forum but I live in hope !
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Noted 
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Well never say never but I wish you luck 
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Is that short for Manchester? I’ll be round this afternoon.
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